Bobservations

Is Melania at it again?

Two years ago, Melania _____ apparently “copied” several lines in her RNC speech from a speech given by Michelle Obama in 2008. This week Melania announced her “new” anti-cyberbullying initiative—ironic given who her husband is and what he does on social media—and as a part of that initiative, the White House released a booklet that Melania said was intended to “help kids act thoughtfully and kindly” online.

Nice, except that it seems like the booklet was almost completely copied from a document released by the Federal Trade Commission in 2014 under President Obama. Right there is the cover and a page from each booklet …gosh, it’s like the 2014 version is looking in a mirror.

That kind of suggests that the booklet was blatantly plagiarized—like a Melania speech, perhaps—especially given that the official White House’s website claimed the booklet had been written “by” Melania _____ and the FTC, implying she had significant input other than making sure her name was spelled correctly.

Oh, but the nude First Lady centerfold was her idea.

The City of Del Rio … in Texas … elected Bruno Lozano, as its mayor, with 62% of the vote. The startling part is that, while Lozano is veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a Democrat and the youngest person ever to be elected mayor of Del Rio, he is also openly gay.

And yet his sexual orientation had little effect on his campaign—save the one Facebook post from a non-supporter who labeled him a “faggot with AIDS”—even including his marching in the town Veteran’s parade while wearing high heels!

Lozano served in the Air Force during Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and decided not to re-enlist because, “I am not ashamed of who I am . . . I kept going. I moved on with my life”:

“Stonewall happened because drag queens and a minority group stood up to animosity, and I had to go back in the closet [while in the Air Force] because of that same hatred. I know what that was like, and it translates to today’s campaign. I’m not going to bow down. I am who I am. Accept me or not.”

Bravo, sir.

The Snowflake-In-Chief is still butt-hurt that the press, other than those Fox News hacks, don’t kiss his ass and is now threatening to revoke the press credentials of any reporter who isn’t nice to him.

How very Hitler of him.

Now, a tale of a Republican mayor, Nick Isgro, of Waterville, Maine, who Tweeted an article about Fox News co-president Jack Abernethy standing by Laura Ingraham after she made fun of Parkland student David Hogg for receiving several college rejection letters. Isgro shared the article with this comment:

“Eat it, Hogg.”

Now, Isgro will face a recall vote because of that Tweet after a petition to remove him from office has received enough signatures to force a vote.

This follows on the heels of another Maine Republican, Leslie Gibson, referred to Parkland student and activist Emma González as a “skinhead lesbian.” 

Gibson was running uncontested as a GOP candidate for a state House seat but dropped out following the disparaging comments.

Good.Bye.

Ellen’s, a Dallas restaurant, informed its guests that while the NRA convention was going on in town, they’d be donating some of their profits from the business to Gun Control causes and, naturally, NRA members began threatening the owner and the staff of the restaurant for their right to Free Speech.

Sadly, for the NRA, most polls show more Americans share the restaurant’s view; and on Mother’s Day, Ellen’s owner Joe Groves will present a $15,000 check to the local chapter of Moms Demand Action, a national gun safety group.

And let’s not forget that, after Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods made public moves to pull back their gun sales, both stores enjoyed a spike of approval from consumers. More recently, Dick’s has taken the additional step of hiring a lobbyist to further advocate for gun safety initiatives.

As for Ellen’s, Groves thinks the gun group completely mishandled the situation.

“In the end, I think the NRA helped us, not only in allowing us to make this generous contribution, but ultimately to create the conversation we need to have.”

And responsible gun control legislation.

In more good news, because it claps back at Republicans, The Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, the House chaplain who announced his resignation under pressure from soon-to-quit House Speaker Paul Ryan after Conroy issued a House prayer that the GOP tax cuts result in “no winners and no losers” has changed his mind and rescinded his offer to resign.

In a two-page letter, Conroy informed Ryan that he gave in to pressure from the speaker’s staff when he agreed in mid-April to resign, believing that Ryan had the power to fire him, but the chaplain now believes he was pressured into the resignation for lack of cause.

“I have never been disciplined, nor reprimanded, nor have I ever heard a complaint about my ministry during my time as House chaplain.”

Ryan denied that the Jesuit priest’s political views played any role in the ouster and instead insisted he’d heard numerous complaints about Conroy’s lack of interaction with lawmakers.

Maybe just GOP lawmakers because, you know, hanging out with liars and supporters of sexual predators and rapist isn’t very Christ-like?

This week Republican … because, of course … Congressman Dan Donovan of New York introduced a bill that would require U.S Postal Service offices to hang pictures of President ______ and Vice President Pence in their buildings. Donovan said he decided to draft the proposal after a Staten Island resident said photos of former President Obama and Vice President Biden were hung up for years but pictures of _____ and Pence never went up.

Oh, stop yer bellyaching …soon pictures of _____ and Pence will go up on Post Office walls.

Along with the other eight Most Wanted.

And while we’re still waiting for _____to even say his name, Waffle House hero James Shaw Jr.'s campaign to help pay for funerals and hospital bill of the victims of last month’s shooting continue to pour in.

As of now, Shaw’s GoFundMe page has raised more than $231,000.

And not a single penny from Russia.

This week the Mormon Church announced it was severing its 100-year-old ties to Boy Scouts after the organization changed its name to Scouts BSA and began formally allowing girls to join:

“As a global church with millions of children and youth, we need to address diverse needs and fortify all children and youth with gospel-centered growth and learning experiences now more than ever.”

And girls in the Boy Scouts doesn’t fulfill that?

Some hotties … Starz has a couple of new half-hour shows airing now. 

Vida is the tale of two women who return to East LA following their mother’s death. Carlos Miranda plays an ex-boyfriend of one of the girls and, at least from that first episode, proves to be quite hot with a rather nice ass.

Sweetbitter, is the tale of a girl who moves to New York City and lands a restaurant gig. Evan Jonigkeit plays a hottie waiter, while Paul Sparks is the hunky restaurant owner. There is also 

Just sayin’.

That one made me laugh,and then this one did too, you know, cuz Deplorables, like their leader, cannot spell.

The Funny Papers

Steve Benson, Nate Beeler, Jim Morin, Rick McKee, Steve Sack, Drew Sheneman, Mike Luckovich, RJ Mattson, Scott Stantis, Nick Anderson 

_____ Panders To Boy Scouts To Boost His Ego

It’s always nice to see the President interacting with the young people, the future of America. Remember President Obama on Easter with the kids, talking with them, laughing; remember him telling stories to a group of kids at a White House campout, or speaking with members of the Boy Scouts in the Oval Office?

And remember the time that Donald _____ spoke to the Boy Scouts? If not, here’s a reminder of what he said to children and young people, most of did not vote for him last year because they are children:

“Boy, you have a lot of people here. The press will say it’s about 200 people. It looks like about 45,000 people. You set a record today. You set a record. That’s a great honor, believe me. Tonight we put aside all of the policy fights in Washington, D.C.—you’ve been hearing about that with the fake news and all of that. We’re going to put that aside. And instead we’re going to talk about success, about how all of you amazing young Scouts can achieve your dreams … I said, who the hell wants to speak about politics when I’m in front of the Boy Scouts, right?”

Except he did speak about politics and the Electoral College and his win and #MAGA to Boy Scouts.

“You know, I go to Washington and I see all these politicians, and I see the swamp. And it’s not a good place. In fact, today, I said we ought to change it from the word swamp to the word cesspool, or perhaps, to the word sewer. But it’s not good. Not good.”

“Secretary Tom Price is also here. Today Dr. Price still lives the Scout Oath, helping to keep millions of Americans strong and healthy as our Secretary of Health and Human Services. And he’s doing a great job. And hopefully, he’s going to get the votes tomorrow to start our path toward killing this horrible thing known as Obamacare that’s really hurting us, folks. He better get them. He better get them. Oh, he better — otherwise, I’ll say ‘Tom, you’re fired!’”

“As the Scout Law says: ‘A Scout is trustworthy, loyal’ — we could use some more loyalty, I will tell you that.”

“I’m waving to people back there so small I can’t even see them. Man, this is a lot of people. Turn those cameras back there, please. That is so incredible. By the way, what do you think the chances are that this incredible, massive crowd, record-setting is going to be shown on television tonight? One percent or zero? The fake media will say: President _____—and you know what this is—President _____ spoke before a small crowd of Boy Scouts today. That’s some—that is some crowd. Fake media. Fake news. Thank you.”

Two things: CNN aired the speech and the crowds were not there for _____, they were there for the Jamboree; he just conveniently forgot that.

“By the way, just a question, did President Obama ever come to a jamboree? [Audience shouts, “No!”] And we’ll be back. We’ll be back. The answer is no, but we’ll be back.”

And then the President ... For Now ... told a story about real-estate developer William Levitt and a “hot” cocktail party in the 1980s:

“In the end [Levitt] failed, and he failed badly. Lost all of his money. He went personally bankrupt ... I saw him at a cocktail party, and it was very sad because the hottest people in New York were at this party. ... And I was doing well so I got invited to the party.”

This is a speech for Boy Scouts? Or just another way for _____ to inflate his ego at being invited to a “hot” party? What the what does this have to do with the Boy Scouts, except to make a tiny man feel somehow more important in his own mind? But then he segued into his victory last fall ...

“I have to tell you our economy is doing great ... since the election November 8. Do we remember that date? Was that a beautiful date? What a date. Do you remember that famous night on television, November 8, where they said—these dishonest people—where they said there is no path to victory for Donald _____? ... But do you remember that incredible night with the maps and the Republicans are red and the Democrats are blue, and that map was so red, it was unbelievable, and they didn’t know what to say?”

He then went through his win, state-by-motherf**king-state, and criticizing Hillary Clinton:

“And you know we have a tremendous disadvantage in the Electoral College—popular vote is much easier. Because New York, California, Illinois—you have to practically run the East Coast. And we did. We won Florida. We won South Carolina. We won North Carolina. We won Pennsylvania. We won and won. So when they said there is no way to victory, there is no way to 270, I went to Maine four times because it’s one vote, and we won. ... My opponent didn’t work hard there because she was told —”

The audience boos and _____ thanks them, most of them children, for voting for him. And, as he does ... he lies:

“We had the best jobs report in 16 years. The stock market on a daily basis is hitting an all-time high. We’re going to be bringing back very soon trillions of dollars from companies that can’t get their money back into this country, and that money is going to be used to help rebuild America.”

He forgets that, until September when the new fiscal year starts, this is Obama’s legacy. But he’s done riling up the Scouts, he done with this campaign stop, except for one other thing, a quick pander to the ALLEGED Christians who voted for him:

“And by the way, under the Trump administration, you’ll be saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again when you go shopping. Believe me. Merry Christmas.”

Yup, _____ turned a speech to Boy Scouts at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree in West Virginia into a political speech, a self-aggrandizing speech, a slam at former opponent speech, a bash the former president speech.

It was akin to a Hitler Youth Rally.

Seriously; but the blowback was almost instantaneous, with a twitter hashtag #_____ScoutBadges popping up, suggesting the Boy Scouts be awarded badges for things like Golf, Tweeting, Lying—the Pants on Fire badge; Branding, Wig Wearing, Pussy Grabbing, and many more.

That’s all kinda fun, and good for a quick laugh, but some parents, and former Scouts, were not having it; they were not loving the fact that the President of the United States has been addressing the Boy Scouts for over 80 years, and this is the first time the president has ever violated the rule of not politicizing his speech. And so many people took to the BSA Facebook page in response to _____’s wildly inappropriate speech:

"I am a West Virginian. My family valued scouting ... It was painful to see Donald _____ address a captive audience of impressionable young people in such a callous and partisan way. You should issue a statement of regret." 

"You allowed a scouting jamboree to be turned into an ugly fascist rally straight out of Triumph of the Will. How could you?"

"My annual check to support was waiting to be mailed. It is now shredded. I will instead write a check to a voting rights group."

"As a former Scout ... I am beyond appalled that the Jamboree was turned into a political rally tonight. Unless the BSA condemns the President's conduct (which included bullying, name-calling, and swearing) in strong and clear terms, I will know that there is no place for my two sons in scouting."

"I am SHOCKED that BSA let this person speak to our children this way. BSA needs to send out an apology to the parents. Politics is not allowed in the organization. I will not support your programs if there is no retraction."

"You need to apologize. It looked like a group of little fascists cheering their dear leader."

Oddly enough, it appeared that the Boy Scouts expected there might be a problem, because they took the unexpected stab at a pre-apology of sorts:

"As a unit leader or staff member, you can help make the president’s visit a success by ensuring that any reactions to the president’s address are, as we state in our Scout Law, friendly, courteous, and kind. This includes understanding that chants of certain phrases heard during the campaign (e.g. 'build the wall,' 'lock her up') are considered divisive by many members of our audience, and may cause unnecessary friction between individuals and units. Please help us ensure that all Scouts can enjoy this historical address by making sure that your troop members are respectful not only of the president, but of the wide variety of viewpoints held by Scouts and Scouters in the audience tonight."

Still, one wonders if the Boy Scouts felt the need to admonish attendees before the president spoke, if they knew his speech would be such a clusterfuck, and, if so, why allow it to happen.

See, it goes down like this; the Boy Scouts are taught to be ...

Trustworthy; _____ is not, as evidenced by his speech.

Loyal; _____ is not.

Helpful; _____ would evict the old lady from her apartment rather than help her cross the street.

Friendly; except when he’s calling everyone he dislikes names.

Courteous; he doesn’t even say ‘Please’ before he grabs your pussy.

Kind; as when mocking disabled men, or the appearance of women.

Obedient; again, not for him, but from you.

Cheerful; not even when speaking to his base, because his anger and rage at being disliked and so unpopular, is always on display.

Thrifty; two words: Golden Toilet.

Brave; the man who dodged the draft five times for bone spurs and then claimed that being sexually active and exposed to STDs was akin to going to Vietnam

Clean; I can’t ...

Reverent; not in any sense of the word.

Such a sad pathetic man-child who has to use children cheering to boost his ego; such a sad pathetic man-child who is still so wounded at not being “popular” that he attacks everyone else; such a sad pathetic man ...

... that’s all.

NCRM: Politicizing Speech To Boy Scouts

NCRM: #_____ScoutBadges

NCRM: Anger at BSA For _____ Speech
Post Photo: David Horsey, LA Times

North Boulevard Church of Christ Kicks Out Boy Scouts For Being Too "Accepting"

After supporting their local Boy Scout Troop for over fifty years, and allowing them to meet at the church, the North Boulevard Church of Christ in Murfreesboro, Tennessee is now asking the troop to find someplace else to gather because … you guessed it … gays.

And this is the third church in Tennessee to do so. Boy Scouts executive Larry Brown, who declined to name the other church’s that have banned the Boy Scouts, says church leaders told him they had given the matter "a great deal of thought" before deciding "to drop their charter with the Boy Scouts of America.”

Cuz that’s what Jesus and God want, you know. If you’re a group that once was very exclusive, denying membership and positions of authority to LGBT members, that was fine. But the minute you become accepting, well, get out. That’s the way the North Boulevard Church of Christ proves its Christian love.

Luckily, Larry Brown points out that there are some 600 churches in Tennessee that have continued to welcome the Boy Scouts since their change of heart about The Gays, and just three churches who missed the part of the Bible that said ‘God is love.’

Hopefully this troop will find one of those churches.

On a side note: I visited the website for this church, looking for a picture to post up top, and saw their mission statement:

“We are on a journey to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Join us on our journey. Our dress is casual, our environment is relaxed, and our church looks forward to welcoming you.”

Except for … Gay. What would Jesus do?

Advocate

Today In Stoopid: Pete Sessions and Roger Hunt

Wow, there’s something in the GOP water that spurs on lunacy and wild conspiracy theories … like the one recently put forward by Texas — yeah, I know … crazy — Republican — yeah, I know … crazier — Congressman Pete Sessions who claims that the Boy Scouts of America’s [BSA} recent decision to allow openly gay troop leaders is the result of anti-discrimination laws that are “designed” to take down the organization.

Yes, we fought against discrimination in the BSA so we could take down the BSA, y’all; we’re that powerful.

In a recent interview, Sessions said he disagreed with the BSA decision and that, as a former Eagle Scout who is “deeply involved” with the scout5s, claims, without one stitch of proof mind, because there isn’t any, not that that matters to a republican from Texas, that the decision was prompted by “outside factors” that are “trying to literally ruin the Boy Scouts of America over something they don’t understand.”

The Gays did it to ruin scouting, not, you know, to be able to be who they are and be a scout. But then Sessions dives deeper into the GOP Crazy Pond and says that all anti-discrimination laws — and I’m assuming he means just the ones that apply to The Gays — are designed to take down the scouts. 

Of course, because he’s a loon, Sessions has no response to the fact that not one single anti-discrimination law prompted the BSA to make this historic change, nor can he explain why, if some states began implementing non-discrimination laws back in the 1990s it took the BSA twenty-five years to make the change.

In fact, back in 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the BSA was “allowed” to discriminate against openly gay troop leaders since the BSA was a private organization and therefore could make its own membership rules.

So, Congressman Sessions, take off the Tin Foil hat and listen up: the BSA policy shift came about because a great many sponsors of the group threatened to end their funding over the anti-gay policies of the Boy Scouts and had nothing whatsoever to do with any law.

Now, Congressman, sit down, sip some Sweet Tea and keep quiet until the Mother Planet calls you home ….

And maybe you can swap stories with South Dakota Republican legislator Roger Hunt who has proposed legislation in that state that would require physical examination of a transgender athletes genitals before they be allowed to compete in high school sports.

Uh huh.

Hunt — who has clearly never had an education beyond the sixth grade, nor read anything on gender and gender identity and transgender studies — says that gender begins at conception and so only birth certificates and visual inspections should be used to determine a student’s gender identity.

And so Roger Hunt — who doesn’t want South Dakota to succumb to what he dubs “East [and]West Coast culture” — drafted his idiotic and offensive legislation in response to the South Dakota High School Activities Association’s [SDHSAA]rational decision to make its policies inclusive to trans athletes last year.

The current policy allows for parents to notify the school of their child’s gender identity if it differs from what is listed on the child’s birth certificate or school registration records and it allows for written verification from a health care professional to attest to the child’s consistent gender identification and expression. Once a decision is made based on the available records and statements, trans students can participate in sports according to their gender identity for the rest of their high school career. The policy also provides guidance for correct pronoun use and access to locker rooms and bathrooms.

Rational, like I said.

Of course, being a Republican and being from South Dakota, Hunt isn’t the first legislator to act the fool. Another Republican state legislator, Jim Bolin, said the SDHSAA “decided to essentially question the validity of birth documents in the state of South Dakota,” and introduced a bill that would make the policy void. It also required that sexual identity would only be determined by birth certificates.

Again, because he’s never educated himself on gender issues.

South Dakota legislators tried twice to overturn the policy — it passed the House, but failed in the Senate — and the SDHSAA says they will take another look at the policy during a meeting next week, and so some in the statehouse want to wait and see what happens there before trying, again, to push through Hunt’s offensive legislation.

Luckily, though, Hunt’s proposal might be against federal law, which says that trans students are protected by Title IX in single-sex extracurricular activities, so maybe this kind of hateful, and backwards, and backwoods, legislation may never pass at all.

Let’s hope so … and let’s hope that these two lunatics are voted out of office in their respective states as soon as possible.

Pete Sessions source

Roger Hunt source

Mormons May Create Its Own Knockoff Boy Scouts To Continue Anti-Gay Bias

For the last couple of months or so, I have spotted random stories about the Mormon Church, AKA The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints [LDS] and how they are becoming more tolerant of The Gays.

Don’t buy; I don’t but it because of the word ‘tolerate’ which means ‘to put up with;’ as in tolerating a traffic jam, or a toothache. You actually loathe it, but you’ll put up with it.

That’s the LDS. And if we needed further proof., in the light of last week’s announcement by the Boy Scouts of America [BSA] to allow openly gay men to be scout leaders, this week the LDS is threatening to break away from the Boy Scouts and create their own anti-gay knock-off of the Scouts because, well, hate outweighs tolerance.

Eric Hawkins, an LDS mouthpiece confirmed the rumor, saying the church is “considering creating its own international program for boys, separate from the Boy Scouts of America.”

And that could spell doom for the BSA since the LDS is the nation’s largest Scouting sponsor, serving roughly a third of all Boy Scout troops.

Now, to be fair, you can be openly gay and be a Mormon, and in the Mormon knockoff of the Boy Scouts you can be openly gay and be a leader.

You just can’t act on it. Yoyo can be gay, but you can’t be gay. And since the new BSA policy might allow an openly gay scout leader to have a spouse of the same :::gasp::: gender, the LDS wants to splinter off and keep The Gays celibate, in the closet and, well, tolerable.

And I find that intolerable.

Salt Lake Trubune
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Rick Bowme

My Two Cents: The BSA Ends It's Gay Ban ... Sort Of

Another day, another step in the LGBT march for equality, though this one seems like more of a half-step, really, maybe a quarter step.

As of today, the Boy Scouts of America [BSA] will end its ban on gay leaders — good news — though some scouting groups, like the Mormon and Roman Catholic Churches, will still be able to limit leadership jobs to heterosexuals — bad news.

So, while it’s a step, it’s a step in the direction of separate but equal. Michael Harrison, a businessman who worked for this change:

“There are differences of opinion, and we need to be respectful of them. It doesn’t mean the Mormons have to pick a gay scoutmaster, but please don’t tell the Unitarians they can’t.”

To me that sounds like the old marriage equality argument — that old marriage equality argument from a month ago — that said the states should be able to choose whether same-sex couples could marry. A gay Boy Scout whose troop is under the aegis of a gay-friendly church or organization can be a scout leader, but if he moves to another troop, under the Mormon Church or the Catholic Church for example, then he can no longer be accepted as a leader.

Separate, but equal; and that never works.

So, while this is being trumpeted by both the Boy Scouts and the LGBT advocates, and while it is a slight step forward, it isn’t a full step, it isn’t full equality. You cannot tell me that I am acceptable in one place, but not another; not in a nationwide organization like the BSA.

Photo credit: James Estrin/The New York Times