In Michigan The Senate Decides That Sodomy Will Get You Fifteen Years In Prison

Run for the hills, Michiganders! Your state Senate has passed a bill that reaffirms the state's unconstitutional law making sodomy a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. 

Yes, despite that pesky Supreme Court ruling back in 2003 — Lawrence v. Texas — Michigan is one of more than a dozen states that still have sodomy bans on the books. Now some of those other states’ sodomy laws specifically target gay relations, Michigan's is among those that make oral and anal sex crimes illegal regardless of whether they're same-sex or different-sex.

No matter you’re orientation, if you go down or bend over, you’re doin’ jail time, people!

But, Michigan’s sodomy ban is also intertwined with a prohibition on bestiality — kinda making the two seem like the same thing. The law makes it a felony for anyone to commit "the abominable and detestable crime against nature with mankind or with any animal."

Now, if you’ve already been convicted of a sex crime in Michigan, and then get caught sodomizing, or perhaps being sodomized, well, you’re looking at life in prison.

For the last several years, Michigan legislators have been trying to pass Logan's Law, which is designed to keep pets out of the hands of animal abusers — a law I am all for — but Senate Bill 219, by GOP … naturally… Senator Rick Jones updates language in the state's ban on bestiality and sodomy as follows: 

SB 219 passed the Senate last week with the above language intact, and is expected to be considered by the House as early as next week. 

Now, Michigan lawmakers could remove their unconstitutional ban on sodomy by simply striking out the words "either with mankind or" from SB 219 but Senator Jones says that jeopardize the whole bill. 

"The minute I cross that line and I start talking about the other stuff, I won’t even get another hearing. It’ll be done. Nobody wants to touch it. I would rather not even bring up the topic, because I know what would happen. You’d get both sides screaming and you end up with a big fight that’s not needed because it’s unconstitutional."

Jones would like to see Michigan’s outdated and stupid sodomy laws struck down, and removed from legal books, but:

"[If] you focus on it, people just go ballistic. If we could put a bill in that said anything that’s unconstitutional be removed from the legal books of Michigan, that’s probably something I could vote for, but am I going to mess up this dog bill that everybody wants? No."

So, because there are people in Michigan who are cruel to animals — and should be punished to the full extent of the law, mind you — and because legislators refuse to discuss sex, it remains illegal in the state to go downtown or to turn around and grab your ankles.

Seriously.

NCRM

Random Musings

I hate cancer. I lost my Mom to cancer, and lost my sister to cancer. Then a few months ago my Dad called to tell me he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Yay! Cancer again!

My Dad had told me that during a routine exam, his PSA [prostate-specific antigen] levels were at ten; most healthy men have levels under 4 nanograms per milliliter. Now, my Dad is not one to take things sitting down, so with his doctor’s advice, they decided to watch the levels and recheck them in a few months.

That time they were up to 16; not good. So, again, on doctor’s advice, Dad started a regimen of therapies and a scheduled retest in six months.

Six months is this month.

Dad called me on Monday to tell me his PSA levels were at … one.

One! If only "one" was a multisyllabic word so I could put a ‘f**k’ in the middle of it.

But at least I could breathe, and my Dad could breathe, too. He’ll continue with his therapies and they’ll monitor him again in four months, and then, if the levels are still down, go from there.

I do love good news.

Speaking of which … following in the footsteps of NBC, Macy’s corporation has also fired Donald [t]Rump over those derogatory remarks he made about immigrants.

Univision. NBC. Macy’s. Now, if the GOP voters can fire him, too, this would be really great.

[photo source]

Over the last week, more than 35 million people have super imposed rainbows over their Facebook profile pictures using a free tool provided by the company.

A lot of famous folk, including Russell Simmons, California Attorney General Kamala Harris, and Leonardo DiCaprio, changed their profiles, but one person was not having it.

Vitaliy Milonov, the Russian politician responsible for the country’s “gay propaganda” laws, has said Facebook should be banned for allowing members to add a rainbow flag to their profile pictures.

Facebook. Banned. That little self-loathing closeted queer is on a tear, isn’t he?A 

Philadelphia diner recently changed the names of some items on their brunch menu and, well, could not keep up with the demand.

After the Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a legal right for all Americans, regardless of the couple’s gender composition, Justice Antonin Scalia was just as pissy and bitchy as he could be. So, Sam’s Morning Glory Diner in Philly opted to change the names of some of their breakfast entrées:

“Antonin Scalia is a Douche,” an egg dish with vegetables, cheese, and andouille sausage sold out before 10 AM on Sunday, while “The Supreme Court Finally Got It Right” quiches, available with or without prosciutto, were gone in less time than that.

Carol Mickey, who owns the restaurant, says:

“Not one single person complained. The atmosphere in [the diner] was really wonderful. People were just loving saying it! ‘I’ll have the Scalia is a Douche, please.’”

Loving it here, too.

This is Josh McAree, a model whose picture I stumbled across. There aren’t many men who could pull of a bun, much less a top knot, but, we’ll, he’s really rocking it.

Hair up or down, in a suit, or some jeans. Hot. Steamy, Sultry.

[photographed by Ivan Avila]

Carlos plays in our local community band, and tomorrow night he’ll be performing at a Fourth of July function in town, so he’s been rehearsing and rehearsing all those patriotic tunes.

I, however, don’t help much, because every time he play “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” I come marching into the office singing:

♪ ♫ You’re a grand old fag

You’re a high-flying fag

And forever in peace may you wave♪♫

I’m trying to get Ozzo, Tuxedo, MaxGoldberg and Consuelo to march through the room with me, but so far I’m having no luck.

[photo source]

A South Dakota county clerk has decided to oppose same-sex marriage, not by setting herself ablaze, but in an equally stupid way: she wants to marry her dog.

Seriously, how do we get from the idea of a same-couple to the idea that people will marry animals?

Are religious wingnut republican conservative asshats really that stupid?

Rhetorical question.

[photo source]

UPDATE:

Rick Jones, that Utah gay man who reported being gay-bashed, forced to drink bleach, and having the words “Die fag” carved into his skin has been revealed to be a sick and twisted liar.

He did it to himself.

Attorneys for Jones made the admission last week to the sheriff’s office in Millard County:

“Our client is responsible for all of the incidents and that would include the cutting of his own skin as well as his reports of burglary and vandalism at his home and his family business.”

The lawyers also said this was not a hoax, but a cry for help Jones says some family member don’t like him being a ‘mo.

Boo-effing-hoo. Grow a pair, Ricky. Man up, be gay and deal with it, because with your giant lie, you now make every other person who was truly gay bashed seem a little less reliable. i know how hard it is to come out, but to do this to yourself, and then ask for sympathy and money?

Get help, Ricky. And then just STFU.

Oh, and the Jones’ family announced they will not accept the nearly $12,000 raised through a GoFundMe campaign to pay his medical expenses.

Ya think?

Utah Man Had The Words "Die Fag" Carved Into His Skin

Rick Jones, his family, and their business, are under attack in Delta Utah simply because Rick is gay. There’s no other explanation.

Last week, while taking out the trash at the family restaurant, Grand Central Station Pizzeria, Rick Jones was beaten, robbed, nearly forced to drink bleach, and had the words “Die Fag” carved into his arm with a knife.

“I went out to take out the trash, and when I came back in, I thought it was strange that I didn’t hear the door close. I turned around to shut the door, and someone grabbed me by the head and slammed me to the wall. … I remember waking up and I was lying on the floor. Someone was on my chest and legs and they were trying to force me to drink bleach.”

Rick passed out and when he woke up later, in the hospital, a medical team was considering life-flighting him to Salt Lake City, He was treated for the wounds, and the carvings into his flesh, held overnight and then released.

"I've lived here my whole live with my family. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I don't have any known enemies, but obviously I have one somewhere." — Rick Jones

But it wasn’t over; five days later, the words “Die Fag” were spray-painted on the family home, and then last week a Molotov cocktail was thrown through Rick’s bedroom window, and the house was spray-painted again, this time with “You’ll Die. Burn Fag.” The family restaurant was also hit by burglary, theft and vandalism that morning.

Millard County police are having a hard time finding suspects, because the young man, his family and his pizzeria seemingly have no enemies. And, sadly, in the town of Delta, little to no media attention has been given to the incidents, and the police are stretched pretty thin as they cover 7,000 square miles of land in Millard County. But Sheriff Robert Dekker has called the case a priority for his agency, and has assigned multiple detectives to the investigation.

"So many things go toward somebody trying to get somebody in the gay community. All of the cases indicate that's what they're after, that's what they're mad at. I would classify it as a hate crime." — Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker

It’s very clearly a hate crime, and, luckily, the Utah Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has stepped in with an offer of a $5,000 reward for new information leading to the successful apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrators of the attack. Those with information about the crimes committed against Rick Jones should contact Lt. Morris Burton of the Millard County Sheriff’s Office at 435-864-2755.

Terri Jones, Rick's mother, says she and her family refuse to be intimidated by the attacks:

"When you attack any member of our family, you attack everybody here. This is not just against my son, it is against every single one of us. We're not going to back down, we're not going to close the restaurant if we can keep from it. We're not going to move from Delta, we're not going to be afraid. … The only thing we can do is stand strong as a family."

And the local community, small though it may be, has also rallied behind the family, who opened their business just six months ago. Residents have approached the family to offer support, prayers and sympathy, and have made a point of patronizing the pizzeria to help the family stay open, and to show that this kind of crime will not be tolerated.

Even Lt. Governor Spencer Cox issued a statement:

"I was horrified and heart-broken to learn of this cowardly and barbaric assault. The Jones family is an upstanding, well-respected and beloved part of the Delta community. ... This will not stand."

Seriously. Is this what we can expect in any part of this country simply because a young man is gay? As I’ve said before, and before and before and before, if someone just beat up and robbed Rick Jones and the family business, that’s a hateful crime, but when they carve into his skin the words “Die Fag” and spray-paint the same words on his home, it’s Hate, pure and simple.

And it needs to be dealt with, quickly, and severely, to send a message that this will not be tolerated anywhere in this country.

It’s Hate, and it needs to stop.

Gay Salt Lake

KSL
The Advocate
CNN

They Took The Baby Jeebus Exemption Out Of The Law

Sometimes when you apply a little pressure, shine a little light, or raise your voice to bigotry, things can change.

Case in point: Rick "The Senator Formerly Known As Asshat" Jones, a Michigan state Republican senator, has agreed to drop the “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction” provision in that state's anti-bullying bill, so no longer will the "The baby jeebus made me bully" be an excuse, or a right, or reason, to bully.

Jones announced that he would drop his amendment and vote for the House version--which contains no such "religious" provision--after critics said the language could allow gay, Muslim or other minority students to face harassment.

Now, this is all nice and sweet, but, it still makes me wonder, what is wrong with people who think you need to include language in any legislation that allows intolerance and bigotry and bullying, verbal, emotional, and, perhaps, even physical bullying.What was Jones thinking in the first place?

Senate Republicans, like Jones, say they were just protecting free speech and never intended to create a religious exception for bullying. Had he foreseen the controversy, Jones said he would have removed the problematic language. he didn't see that a young person walking up to another young person and saying, "God hates fags" or "The Bible says you're an abomination" are 'problematic.

But, again, I ask, how can you not see it?

Perhaps because you aren't looking at it the right way.

source

Michigan, Where Christians Are Free To Bully

In what can only be described as a state government declaring open season on the bullying of LGBT youth, and, in fact, bullying of any LGBT person, the Michigan Senate passed an anti-bullying bill that basically condones and allows bullying of LGBT people if the case can be made that the bullying and harassment is based on a moral belief or religious viewpoint.

Yep. In Michigan you can torture an LGBT person and get away with it if you just say you're a Christian.

The bill is, sadly, oddly, and ironically, called "Matt's Safe School Law," and is named for Matt Eppling, a 14-year-old boy who committed suicide back in 2020 as a result of bullying. It's sad, odd, and ironic, because, had this been on the books in 2002, it wouldn't even have protected the young boy for which it was named.

And, naturally, all Michigan Republicans voted for the bill, and all Michigan Democrats voted against it, further proving--as if we needed it--how little the GOP cares for LGBT rights or protecting LGBT youth.

 Kevin Eppling, Matt's father, wrote in a letter to the Senate: "I am ashamed that this could be Michigan's bill on anti-bullying when in fact it is a 'bullying is OK in Michigan law.'"

Rick "Asshat" Jones

Senator Rick "Asshat" Jones, a Republican, of course, who sponsored the bill, says it's intent is to get each district to write an anti-bullying policy within six months. But, when asked if he thinks the religious provision could, for example, be used to exempt a student who tells a gay classmate he is going to go to hell, Jones said, "I don't believe for one minute that is the intent of this legislation....Certainly a child should not be allowed to go up to another child and say he's going to hell."

Um, but not according to your legislation you moronic asshat. Jones is simply doing what the GOP does. Pass the buck along to someone else so they don't have to take a stand. For children. For bullied children.

There oughta be a law.

And there might be: Ari Adler, spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger, another republican, though he serves in the Michigan House,  said he doesn't know if there will be support for the bill in the Republican-controlled House. And Governor Rick Snyder's spokeswoman, Sara Wurfel, said the governor supports anti-bullying legislation "to provide a safe environment for all students."

Hopefully he means all children.

via The Detroit News