According to the Olympic Charter, established by Pierre de Coubertin, the goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
China acknowledged Thursday that anti-government riots that rocked Tibet last week have spread to other provinces, while communist authorities announced the first group of arrests in connection with the violence.
Where are pro-democracy Americans now? You know, the ones who still talk about bringing democracy and freedom around the world? Where are they? Are they serious about democracy and freedom or only when it helps open up or expand business? Hypocrites.
Noting the TV interview, he told the campaign crowd, "I said, you know what, I probably haven't worn a flag pin in a very long time. After a while I noticed people wearing a lapel pin and not acting very patriotic."
"My attitude is that I'm less concerned about what you're wearing on your lapel than what's in your heart. You show your patriotism by how you treat your fellow Americans, especially those who serve. You show your patriotism by being true to our values and ideals. That's what we have to lead with is our values and our ideals."
Mike Signorile has a great post asking an important question: "After the purge of Larry Craig: Who's Next?" Because we all know there will be a next one:
Some will say that I should not even discuss unsubstantiated rumors and thus further them with no evidence (and let me point out that I do not have any idea if the rumors about McConnell are true). Well, to that I say the world has changed (particularly in the past week): 1) I do not believe being gay is a bad thing so I certainly don't believe that speculating that someone is gay is a bad thing; 2)Larry Craig proved, once again, that where there is smoke (for decades, no less) there is fire. Sometimes rumors are prevalent for a reason: They are true. And lately, that seems to be the case more often than not.
If the rumors about other Republicans are true -- or not -- then there is even more reason now, in the post-Larry Craig Republican Party, for them to be investigated. So let's have a real investigation of the rumors about South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who, like Larry Craig until shortly after the gay rumors reached a crescendo in the 80s, is, at the age of 52, unmarried, and has been rumored to be gay for years. Like Larry Craig, Graham has voted antigay -- including for the federal marriage amendment -- while people in South Carolina and Washington have discussed what some say is an open secret for a long, long time.
As John noted below, Graham is also serving in the military. Many, many gay people have been kicked out of the military under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" based on rumor and innuendo. And, most Republicans, including every single GOP candidate for President, want to keep that stupid policy in place.
He pleaded guilty, folks. This was kept under wraps for some time. The question is, will he take pointers from Florida State Rep Bob Allen when he discusses his public foray into man-on-man action for the press? It's all a big misunderstanding, you know. I wonder if there were any scary black men or lightning storms near the airport. Roll Call has the goods.
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men's public restroom, according to an arrest report obtained by Roll Call Monday afternoon.
Craig's arrest occurred just after noon on June 11 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. On Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in the Hennepin County District Court. He paid more than $500 in fines and fees, and a 10-day jail sentence was stayed. He also was given one year of probation with the court that began on Aug. 8.
A spokesman for Craig described the incident as a "he said/he said misunderstanding," and said the office would release a fuller statement later Monday afternoon.
After he was arrested, Craig, who is married, was taken to the Airport Police Operations Center to be interviewed about the lewd conduct incident, according to the police report.
Idaho reactionary and well-known closet queen, Larry Craig, was arrested in a public toilet for misbehaving in a way closeted Republicans often do. So apparently it isn't just train stations' rest rooms that turn Senator Craig on.
* Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006) * Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002) * Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000) * Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996) * Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
My, my, it is a busy week. I can hardly keep up with these guys...
Former NC lawmaker, retired Baptist minister -- and now-former Christian Action League president -- Coy C. Privette pleaded guilty yesterday to six counts of aiding and abetting prostitution. He has to perform 48 hours of community service and receive counseling.
* he paid for the hotel rooms under his own name on six occasions; * the prostitute took pictures of her with the former minister using her cell phone camera.
That left Privette with little other choice than to admit the hanky-panky. Outside the courtroom after the hearing, Privette passed out a statement that sounds vaguely familiar, right out of the Conservative Sexual Hypocrisy Manual.
Privette said he is going to dedicate considerable time and effort to "repair" himself.
"I am already seeking professional attention to this end," he said. "As I undergo much needed personal and spiritual reflection, I sincerely ask everyone to keep me in their thoughts and prayers on my journey to earn back the trust that I have lost."
A sad irony of the story is that the sex worker involved was arrested for prostitution by authorites, even though she cooperated with them on the bust, which involved a forged check case investigation.
According to the prosecutor the case started June 27 when a Cabarrus County bank refused to honor a check being drawn against Privette's account because it seemed high and called Kannapolis police.
A police investigator interviewed Tiffany Summers who said she had received the check from Privette. She also said she had sex with Privette on a number of occasions in two hotels.
For a touch of fun, take a look at the statement on morality on the Christian Action League's web site...
We are in the General Assembly of North Carolina with a full-time presence promoting legislation that is consistent with a Christian worldview. We advocate for those measures that strengthen the family and oppose legislation that would erode the family structure. We are the voice of conservative evangelical Christians in the State Legislature.
We discourage the promotion and use of beverage alcohol and other drugs, pornography, sexual immorality and other sinful practices that not only undermine the spiritual lives of those who participate in them, but also undermine the strength of our State and National character.
However, if you've not had enough servings of Republican sexual hypocrite schadenfreude and you would like to read a letter of support sent to the embattled Florida State Representative Bob Allen by one of my readers, click here.
Today's news is that BJ Bob's continuing the downward spiral. First it was the mysterious menacing stocky black men (one in the stall and the rest outside in the park) that forced him to offer to pay to blow the undercover officer in a unique self-defense maneuver; now he says he's perhaps "the most misunderstood guy on Earth." Why? The Florida state rep was stripped of his committee appointments by House Speaker Marco Rubio yesterday -- Allen stuck his foot in his mouth again. Howie Klein:
Republicans, embarrassed, especially because Allen is a notorious and loudmouthed homophobe, are trying to pressure him to resign and disappear before the election so that their party won't be tarred with yet another hypocritical sex deviant.
Instead of resigning, Allen lashed out at Rubio and seems to have attacked Cuban-Americans, a dominant force in the Florida GOP. "In Cuba, that's where you are charged by police, wrapped up and sent off as guilty without a trial. That's a Cuba thing, something Fidel Castro does." Rubio, "of course," is Cuban-American. But Allen said he meant any totalitarian regime, "Cuba is just the closest one."
Lest you think Allen is a tad delusional, check out this -- he plans to run for the state Senate in 2010: "I'm waiting for the politics to say it's OK to hug Bob Allen again -- and they will," he said.
State Rep. Bob Allen wanted to lure an undercover Titusville police officer to a Kennedy Space Center security gate, according to new court records released today.
The new court document filed in the case is a two-page report from Titusville Assistant Police Chief John Lau, who interviewed Allen after his July 11 arrest on a solicitation of prostitution charge. That interview was recorded and has previously been released.
Police say Allen, while in a Space View Park restroom, agreed to pay the undercover officer $20 for oral sex.
According to the report, Allen said he went to the bathroom to avoid a lightning storm that was about to start.
Ah, it's a bumper crop of new entries for the conservative family values monitor.
Case #1: Minnesota State Rep Mark Olsen. The co-sponsor of a (failed) state marriage amendment to ban gays and lesbians from marrying was convicted by a jury for domestic assault. Olsen cried before news cameras last year when he was charged -- he allegedly shoved his wife to the ground several times. He was not sent to the pokey; he received two years probation and must pay fines and court costs. Bonus points: his campaign literature boasts his support for "tougher penalties for crime" and "holding legislators accountable for unethical/illegal activities." Avidor at Dump Mark Olsen has courthouse video.
Case #2: Angelo Cappelli. In St. Petersburg, Florida, he was hailed as a rising GOP star, with an uncanny ability to raise funds, a hot banking job, lots of friends in the local Republican party and he made it a close race for a seat in House District 52. Unfortunately, Angelo's got a little problem.
After a six-week investigation, police arrested Cappelli on Wednesday morning at his lawyer's office on Central Avenue. He faces grand theft and perjury charges, according to St. Petersburg authorities.
Cappelli, 37, is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from the trust of a deceased bank client. By Wednesday evening, Cappelli was out of jail on $55,000 bail. He could not be reached for comment.
Case #3: Lewis County (Washington State) prosecutor Liam Michael Golden. As reader Paul Barwick noted, "another Republican can't keep it in his pants."
The tomcatting of the elected prosecutor in this conservative rural town has jeopardized as many as four cases brought by his office and prompted a complaint to the state bar association.
Liam Michael Golden, a Republican who ran unopposed for Lewis County prosecutor last November, is facing allegations that he did not properly disclose past sexual relationships with the mother of a victim in one case and the mother of a defendant in another. His office also charged someone with cyberstalking a woman Golden had slept with, though Golden recently turned that case over to a prosecutor from neighboring Thurston County.
During the HRC/LOGO Democratic presidential forum last Thursday, Illinois Senator Barack Obama was asked about homophobia in the religious black community, and how he would handle the intolerance coming out of some pulpits in this community, which has been a bonding point with the professional anti-gay white evangelical movement.
Part of his response, which includes what he said to a group of black ministers at a forum in Tennessee:
I specifically talked about the degree to which the notion of gay marriage in black churches has been used to divide, has been used to distract. I specifically pointed out that if there's any pastor here who can point out a marriage that has been broken up as a consequence of seeing two men or two women holding hands, then we --you should tell me, because I haven't seen any evidence of it. .
And what I've also said -- and what I've also said is, if you think that issue is more important to the black family, which is under siege -- if you think that's more important than the fact that black men don't have any jobs and are struggling in the inner cities, then I profoundly disagree with you.
...And the black community, I think, has a diversity of opinion, as you and I both know. There are people who recognize that if we're going to talk about justice and civil rights and fairness, that should apply to all people, not just some. And there are some folks who, coming out of the church, have, you know, elevated one line in Romans above the Sermon in the Mount.
And so my job as a leader, not just of African-Americans but hopefully as a leader of Americans, is to tell the truth, which is this has been a political football that's been used. It is unfortunate. It's got to stop. And when it stops, we will then be able to address the legitimate and serious concerns that face the black family.
It set off this response from the infamously anti-gay tool that trots out to defend religion-based bigotry, Bishop Harry Jackson Jr., of the High Impact Leadership Coalition (which paid for this outlandish ad in Roll Call and USA Today against hate crimes legislation). From OneNewsNow, the "news" organ of the American Family Association:
"He's dead wrong concerning what the Scriptures say, and more importantly, he's dead wrong in terms of the Scriptures and in terms of reading the culture.The culture has gone in a different direction, and the devaluation of marriage is a major problem, and I believe that he's a very dangerous man because he sounds reasonable, he sounds engaging, but he's misinformed"
Bishop Jackson calls Obama a "junior or infant Christian speaking out as though he were an ambassador of the faith." Jackson says he does not buy the notion that the homosexual rights movement is similar to the black civil rights movement either.
"I think what most African-Americans buy is that there should be justice for all, in terms of the outworking of civil law. What they do not buy is that we should rename sin as something righteous and holy," explains Jackson.
Jackson says the average person in a black community says, "wrong is wrong, and right is right, and even if I'm not living right myself, I refuse to call that which is morally wrong right."
Yes, and some in the evangelical movement that you are in bed with now, Bishop Jackson, thought segregation was biblically justified, and that it was "morally wrong" for people of different races to marry, based on scripture. Slavery is endorsed in the bible, as well as stoning adulterers. Cherry picking on the issue of gay rights -- and we're talking about civil, not religious rights -- doesn't fly, particularly with the tragic levels of HIV/AIDS in the black community. This sort of holier-than-thou ignorance and hypocrisy is inexcusable, because it shuts down rational dialogue, silencing and intimidating black LGBTs and potential allies. That's the whole point of the professional anti-gay religion-based bigotry machine.
Related: * High Impact, Low Maintenance: The GOP is counting on Bishop Harry Jackson and his High Impact Leadership Coalition to bring African Americans to the Party. [You must click over to see the photo of Jackson as the spot of color in a stage full of right-wing luminaries back in 2005 -- Schafly, Perkins, Ted Haggard (!), Zell Miller, Daddy Dobson, Bill Donahue, and more.] * Reporting from the NBJC Second Annual Black Church Summit * Clergy Against Hate web site * Faith in America (an organization that challenges individuals and institutions that use religion to justify discrimination and persecution of LGBT citizens).
The Republican Florida State Representative says he's not a criminal, a racist, or was trolling for sex.
Embattled state Rep. Bob Allen, who has been vilified by computer bloggers and lampooned on late-night talk shows since his arrest on a charge of soliciting prostitution, is not a criminal or a racist and has no plans to resign, his attorney said Wednesday.
"Based on the police officer's own report, this case should be dismissed," said attorney Greg Eisenmenger, adding that he would file a motion for dismissal. "The officer did all the soliciting."
...Allen, R-Merritt Island, told investigators he was just playing along when the undercover Titusville officer suggested oral sex and $20 because he was intimidated by the "stocky black guy," according to the statement.
Allen, who is white, also said that there "was nothing but other black guys around in the park" and that he thought he was about to be robbed. At the time, Allen was unaware the other men also were undercover officers.
Why was Allen in the park? His lawyer says he was there planning an unspecified event.
We need a Conservative Values Monitor database for the cornucopia of carnal misbehavior by the GOP faithful. The former head of the Michigan Federation of Young Republicans -- once gave a speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention and was called "one of the rising stars of GOP politics in America." His organization's we site declared that "Mike has earned a great name for himself." Apparently now that would be as a rapist. (Cleveland.com):
Michael Flory, a 32-year-old attorney from Jackson, Mich., pleaded guilty to sexual battery on the day he was to stand trial for rape.
The teary-eyed college student he overpowered in a downtown hotel room gasped and dabbed her eyes as Flory replied to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Peter Corrigan's question, "Are you indeed guilty?"
"Sure - yeah," Flory said.
...Flory is also a licensed insurance broker; Corrigan warned him that the guilty plea places both professional licenses in jeopardy of revocation. Assistant County Prosecutor Carol Skutnik said Flory's lawyers, Henry Hilow and Bill McGinty, surprised her with a plea offer as trial witnesses from several states were arriving to testify.
The plea bargain, she said, doesn't include any suggestion of leniency, and the state will seek incarceration. She also said she hopes to present evidence of several "other incidents of sexual misconduct" in which Flory took advantage of vulnerable young women.
True to form, the Republican organization had been smearing the victim because of her charge that Flory raped her.
Folks, when it rains it pours...the GOP sexual hypocrite parade continues in all its glory. I give you...
Glenn Murphy, Jr., the recently elected chairman of the Young Republican National Federation (also the RNC Chair for Clark County, Indiana and formerly the YRNF Secretary) has been accused of sexually assaulting a sleeping man. Immediately following the accusation, he came up with an unrelated reason to resign, and the YRNF cleansed their website of his name.
Allegedly, Murphy and another YR were drunk and crashing at Murphy's sister's house. The other man apparently awoke in the morning to find Murphy giving him a non-consensual blow job. The Clark County (Indiana) Sheriff's Department is charging Murphy with "criminal deviate conduct", a Class B felony.
Taking Down Words, an Indiana blog, has been following this guy for some time. And guess what? Apparently this isn't the first time his mouth has ended up on someone's privates while they were asleep. Glenn Murphy has a prior arrest for sexual battery. Here's the 1998 Clark County police report. A snippet, for your entertainment.
You can also check out the Google Cache of the Young Republicans site, which reveals the scrubbing of Murphy from their organization included the removal of recently created YouTube videos. If that link becomes dated, you can check out the screen shot here.
Another Republican sexual hypocrite out of control. Florida State Representative Bob Allen (R-of course) is clearly shooting for worst defense of the year after being caught trolling for a same sex encounter. Earlier this month he was arrested at Veteran's Memorial Park in Titusville for soliciting an undercover male officer inside the restroom after offering to perform oral sex for $20.
Allen, who also served as the McCain campaign's co-chairman in Florida, has decided that he would come out of this scandal looking better if he is perceived as a racist rather than a homo. Sweet!
State Rep. Bob Allen told police he was just playing along when a undercover officer suggested in a public restroom that the legislator give him oral sex and $20 because he was intimidated, according to a taped statement and other documents released Thursday.
..."This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park," Allen, who is white, told police in a taped statement after his arrest. Allen said he feared he "was about to be a statistic" and would have said anything just to get away. Allen, who couldn't be reached for comment Thursday, has repeatedly declared his innocence, his intention to fight the charges and his desire to stay in office.
OK. Let's look at what the police report says about the encounter and you decide whether Allen was acting like a man desperate to escape the terrifying big black buck by saying (or in this case, doing) anything.
The officer: "I was standing against the far wall of the stall. Allen closed the door behind him and stood against it. I said "what's up" and Allen said "Hi." Allen then said "this is kind of a public place isn't it." I said "do you have somewhere else where we can go?" Allen said "How about across the bridge it's quite [sic] over there." Allen engaged me in a conversation in which he agreed to pay me $20.00 in order to perform a "blow job" on me."
The above exchange took place after Allen entered the restroom twice cruising, peeped over the stall wall at the officer and then pushed open the door to join the officer to proposition him. That's some incredible acting on Allen's part.
By the way, when Allen was being put in the paddy wagon, the officer said Allen asked whether "it would help" matters if he was a state legislator. The officer said, "No." I'm sure that it wouldn't surprise you to learn that Allen voted with the Christian Coalition over 90% of the time between 2003 and 2006.
More entertainment on Allen's record can be found at Joe.My.God, including the fact that he is the author of Florida House Bill #1475, the "Lewd Or Lascivious Exhibition Act."
Allen may seem insane for coming up with something this ridiculous to avoid being labeled as gay, but he wouldn't be alone.
American University anthropology Professor William Leap has spent more than a decade researching male sex in public places. In 1999, he edited an academic compilation called Public Sex/Gay Space. His conclusion is that up to half of the men who seek this kind of sex are not gay.
Another lawyer interviewed for the piece said that most of the men he represents on public restroom sex charges aren't gay. ''The percentage of people I represent on the charges, the vast number of them turn out to be very straight and very married. They're looking for moments of instant gratification.''
Man, this good Southern Baptist preacher (and Christian radio DJ) from Johnson City, TN was getting busy!
The minister of a Baptist church has been charged with indecent exposure and driving under the influence, and police officers say he propositioned them.
Tommy Tester, 58, of Bristol, Va., was wearing a skirt when he was arrested last week after allegedly urinating in front of children at a car wash, police said. Police also said Tester offered to perform oral sex on officers who were sent to the scene.
Authorities identified Tester as the minister of Gospel Baptist Church in Bristol and an employee of Christian radio station WZAP-AM in Bristol.
Bonus! WGAL reports that police found an open bottle of vodka and empty oxycodone prescription bottle in Tester's car.
Former NC lawmaker, retired Baptist minister -- and now-former 
Republicans, embarrassed, especially because Allen is a notorious and loudmouthed homophobe, are trying to 
Case #1: Minnesota State Rep Mark Olsen. The co-sponsor of a (failed) state marriage amendment to ban gays and lesbians from marrying was convicted by a jury for domestic assault. Olsen 
"He's dead wrong concerning what the Scriptures say, and more importantly, he's dead wrong in terms of the Scriptures and in terms of reading the culture.The culture has gone in a different direction, and the devaluation of marriage is a major problem, and I believe that he's a very dangerous man because he sounds reasonable, he sounds engaging, but he's misinformed"
