MICHIGAN: Andrew Shirvell Suspended

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has reversed his position and suspended Assistant AG Andrew Shirvell (left) after a national media outcry about Shivrell's cyber-harassment of openly gay University of Michigan student body president Chris Armstrong.

The suspension came a day after Cox told CNN he didn't intend to fire Shirvell, citing civil service rules that protect government employees from being "fired willy-nilly" for exercising their rights of free speech. Cox said he hadn't earlier read all of Shirvell's blog, "Chris Armstrong Watch," that dogs Armstrong, the 21-year-old, openly gay president of U-M's student government and accuses him of "anti-Christian behavior," "mocking God," promoting homosexuality and trying "to recruit your sons and daughters" into the gay lifestyle. "I'm at fault here," Cox said. "I've been saying for weeks that (Shirvell's) been acting like a bully, that his behavior is immature, but it's after-hours and protected by the First Amendment." But Cox also took a shot at Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who posted a Twitter item Thursday saying she would have fired Shirvell. "I don't know why she's so freaking irresponsible. ... she went to Harvard Law School," Cox said. "The civil service rules are a huge shield for free speech and she knows that."

The ACLU is backing Cox's opinion on Shirvell's First Amendment rights, saying they believe "the answer to hate speech is more speech."

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm Tweets...

Olbermann On Chambliss Call

Hey, somebody finally got my name right!

Sen. Saxby Chambliss Just Called Me To Offer His "Sincerest Apologies"

I just got off the phone with Sen. Saxby Chambliss, who said he was calling to personally apologize for the "All faggots must die" comment left here on JMG last Tuesday. I'll paraphrase what Chambliss said to me, but reporters, please don't excerpt any of this as his exact words.

CHAMBLISS: "Joe, I don't know if you're Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, but none of that should matter. Because what was said on your blog by someone from my office is just not acceptable, no matter who is saying it and who it's being said to. I just want to offer my sincerest apologies. There has been some talk about how long it's taking to find the person behind this, but we just wanted to be very careful and handed this off to the Senate Sergeant at Arms, because this is going to seriously impact somebody's life and we wanted to make sure we got this right. So again, I just wanted to call you and personally apologize."

JMG: "Thank you, Senator. I do appreciate the call and I do accept your apology on the condition that your office issues a public statement repeating what you've just said to me. I'd also like the disposition of your staffer's job status to be made public."

CHAMBLISS: (Speaking to someone in his office: "Has that gone out yet?) "Joe, I believe our statement is ready and will be going out this afternoon."

I'll post the official statement from Sen. Chambliss' office as soon as I get it.

UPDATE: Here it is.

Sen. Saxby Chambliss issued the following statement this afternoon:

"The office of the Senate Sergeant at Arms has concluded its investigation, and I responded to that report immediately with the removal of a member of my staff. I commend the Sergeant at Arms, Terrance Gainer, and his staff for their very thorough and professional work.

"I have called Mr. Jervis, the blog’s author, and apologized to him personally, and I am sorry for the hurt this incident has caused. Regardless of one’s position on issues and policies, such comments are simply unacceptable, are not befitting those who work in the U.S. Senate, and I will not tolerate them from my staff."

Obviously we are still waiting to learn the identity of the staffer and what his position was with the Chambliss office.

Anti-Immigrant Group Calls For Arrest Of Meg Whitman And Her Housekeeper

The Americans For Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) have issued a press release calling for the arrests of Meg Whitman and her former housekeeper for violating employment and immigration laws.

"We need equal justice for both the illegal alien and the employer," said William Gheen, President of ALIPAC. "Nicky Diaz should be charged and deported and Meg Whitman should face the existing penalties under current US law as well. No Amnesty for Whitman or Diaz, the Rule of Law must be restored in America." Nicki Diaz gave a tearful interview to reporters today, accompanied by Gloria Allred, a longtime Democratic supporter. Diaz claims that Whitman, a Republican candidate for Governor of California, knew she was an illegal alien and was abusive to her and failed to pay her all her wages. Diaz cried through most of the interview in what was an obviously contrived display of political theater. "Best illegal alien actor award of 2010 should go to Nicki Diaz for her role as the tearful victimized invader," said William Gheen. "Meg Whitman's financial gain from the movie rights should be seized by the courts to compensate the American taxpayers who have paid the price for her illegal laborer over the years."

ALIPAC is pissed at Whitman over her support for comprehensive immigration reform.

The American public has indicated in numerous scientific polls that well over 80% of Americans want employers like Meg Whitman heavily fined. Over 50% want the employers of illegals, like Whitman, jailed. Americans have also shown overwhelming support for the arrest, detention, and deportation of illegal immigrants like Nicki Diaz. Both the US Constitution and the existing laws of Congress mandate that both Whitman and Diaz should be charged and treated equally under those laws. "We stand with the majority of American citizens who want our existing border and immigration laws enforced!" said William Gheen. "Therefore we call on all appropriate authorities to arrest and charge both Meg Whitman and Nicki Diaz."

Today In Teabagger Music Videos

Tweet Of The Day - 50 Cent

Multiple felon and rapper 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) also recently tweeted a photo of what he said was a machine-gun attack on a gay wedding. Despite his frequent calls for violence against gay people, he is considered a rising star as an actor and has recently been a guest on popular talk shows like The View.
His performing career aside, Jackson is worth hundreds of millions thanks to his stake in VitaminWater, which was sold to Coca-Cola for $4B. He also has his own fragrance line, a five-year sneaker deal with Reebok, and his own imprint at Time-Warner Books. Pressure need to be brought on these companies about working with vile creatures like Curtis Jackson.

RELATED: One of my favorite Twitter accounts is English50Cent, which translates his rap-speak tweets into grammatically correct English. 50 Cent: "you fine ass freak bitch where you at. you on line hoe this pimpin over here. You fucking wit me or what?" English50Cent: "You are sexually attractive but absent. Use a horticultural tool on this. Are you toying with my affections?"

Sharron Angle: I Want To Repeal Mandated Insurance Coverage For All Diseases

Sharron Angle thinks insurance companies should be able to refuse coverage for those super-pesky diseases that cost insurers so much money!

Obama Chief Of Staff Rahm Emanuel Quits White House To Run For Mayor Of Chicago

The rumors were true. Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will resign tomorrow to run for mayor of Chicago. Earlier this month six-term Chicago Mayor Richard Daley announced that he would not seek another term.

The White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, at his daily briefing on Thursday afternoon said that the president will give two personnel announcements on Friday morning from the East Room of the White House. Mr. Gibbs, admitting that he was being purposely “oblique,” would not confirm whether the announcements would concern Mr. Emanuel. The two officials, who declined to be named in advance of the official announcement, confirmed that Mr. Obama plans to name Pete Rouse, a senior adviser, to replace Mr. Emanuel. Mr. Rouse has been at the president’s side since Mr. Obama arrived in Washington nearly six years ago as a senator, serving as his chief of staff.

PhoboQuotable - Eugene Delgaudio

"Last night, I had a dream. It was 2011 and Republicans were celebrating a sweep of the House and near takeover of the Senate. But that dream became a nightmare. A wounded soldier sat in a veteran’s hospital after returning from Afghanistan. Noticeably shaken, his doctor walked in and choked out the worst news of this young soldier’s life: He’d been infected with HIV. You see, the doctor informed him that his wounds came in contact with those of a practicing homosexual, now allowed to serve in our military. 'How could this happen?' the soldier expressed shock and disappointment right before I awoke.

"Today I was reminded of several disturbing news stories. Left and right I see conservatives -- even some good conservatives -- who no longer seem to care. And that’s when it hit me. In my nightmare, conservative Americans had been too busy focusing on jobs and the economy before the November elections. Distracted, they failed to maintain a committed resistance to the Homosexual Agenda." - Public Advocate head Eugene Delguadio, from a fundraising plea titled "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Stalled In Senate By Public Advocate.

Send him money! He single-handedly stopped the repeal of DADT!

Michael Urie - It Gets Better

Rachel Maddow Rips Carl Paladino

Maddow says teabagger loon Carl Paladino's whackadoodle act is bordering on Joaquin Phoenix-level performance art.

Assistant Michigan AG Andrew Shirvell's Anti-Gay Harassment Goes Way Back

A reader writes to note that Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell has been on an anti-gay campaign for years. From a 2005 news story:

Members of a local student-oriented Catholic parish received an e-mail last week urging them to boycott the New York Pizza Depot on East William Street because of a gay pride rainbow sicker on its front door. The sticker has upset some people, including Andrew Shirvell, an NYPD customer and member of St. Mary’s Student Parish, located down the street from NYPD. Shirvell, a University alumnus and former president of Students for Life, said the sticker is offensive because it endorses homosexuality instead of simply tolerating it. “I find the rainbow flag offensive because it is a symbol of the homosexual movement that, in my opinion, indicates a validation of the homosexual lifestyle, as opposed to a sign that indicates ‘openness’ to customers who are of the homosexual orientation,” he said.

Shirvell said the pizzeria "had to put up the rainbow flag decal in order to appease the homosexuals who frequented NYPD on Friday nights." No homosexual pizza! No homosexual cupcakes!

MICHIGAN: Assistant Attorney General To Keep Job Despite Anti-Gay Harassment

Teabagger Carl Paladino To New York Post Reporter: I'll Take You OUT Buddy!

Teabagger loon Carl Paladino got into a heated shouting match with a New York Post reporter yesterday after the reporter demanded to see evidence that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has been cheating on his wife, as Paladino has begun to claim. Paladino, as we know, has a ten year-old daughter from his own adulterous affair with an employee.

After Dicker asked Paladino what evidence he had to make accusations to Maghabe at Politico that Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Andrew Cuomo had cheated on his ex -wife, Blain reports, Paladino turned the tables, assailing Dicker over the Post's coverage of the daughter he fathered a decade ago with a woman other than his wife. "I want to know why you sent your goons after my daughter, Fred," Paladino demanded. "You send another goon to my daughter's house and I'll take you out, buddy!" Paladino also raised the issue of Cuomo's former marriage in a Newsday report this morning, saying he wanted the media to "go after Cuomo and his paramours" but, again, offering no evidence of what he was talking about. Paladino's campaign manager, Michael Caputo, separated the two men and sent his candidate into the men's room to calm down. Then, Caputo accused Dicker of working for Cuomo and doing his dirty work, so to speak. At one point, Blain says, Paladino cursed Dicker, saying, "F--- him!"

Here's a clip of the altercation. New York, baby.

"Jumping Off The GW Bridge. Sorry."

The New York Times reports more details about the suicide of 18 year-old Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi, who jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate streamed live video of Clementi having sex with a man. Clementi's final Facebook update: "Jumping off the gw bridge. sorry."

It started with a Twitter message on Sept. 19: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.” That night, the authorities say, the Rutgers University student who sent the message used a camera in his dormitory room to stream the roommate’s intimate encounter live on the Internet. [snip] The Middlesex County prosecutor’s office said Mr. Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, 18, of Plainsboro, N.J., and another classmate, Molly Wei, 18, of Princeton Junction, N.J., had each been charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for using “the camera to view and transmit a live image” of Mr. Clementi.

The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of five years. Mr. Ravi was charged with two additional counts of invasion of privacy for trying a similar live feed on the Internet on Sept. 21, the day before the suicide. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, James O’Neill, said the investigation was continuing, but he declined to “speculate on additional charges.” Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay rights group Garden State Equality, said Wednesday that he considered the death a hate crime. “We are sickened that anyone in our society, such as the students allegedly responsible for making the surreptitious video, might consider destroying others’ lives as a sport,” he said in a statement.

Ravi is claiming that the first broadcast of Clementi was an accident, but police say he attempted a second live-stream two days later. Last night police recovered the body of a red-headed young man from the banks of the Hudson River. The family will make the identification today.

FTC Rules Pom Wonderful As Deceptive

Continuing their campaign against food items falsely claiming to bring good health, the Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint against the makers of Pom Wonderful for "making false and unsubstantiated claims that their products will prevent or treat heart disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction."

The FTC complaint alleges that POM Wonderful’s heart disease claims are false and unsubstantiated because many of the scientific studies conducted by POM Wonderful did not show heart disease benefit from use of its products. It alleges that the prostate cancer claims are false and unsubstantiated because, among other reasons, the study POM Wonderful relied on was neither “blinded” nor controlled. Finally, it alleges that the erectile dysfunction claims are false and unsubstantiated because the study on which the company relied did not show that POM Juice was any more effective than a placebo.

VitaminWater got the same treatment earlier this month.

WISCONSIN: Man Attacks 14 Year-Old Girl Carrying Gay Pride Flag

La Crosse, Wisconsin police are investigating an incident in which a man shoved a 14 year-old girl in an attempt to wrestle away a version of the gay pride flag the teen was going to carry in the city's Maple Leaf Parade.

The teen was rollerblading and carrying a flag pole with two rainbow flags — one a hybrid of the American flag and the gay pride flag — as members of 7 Rivers LGBT Resource Center’s float prepared for the parade about 9:45 a.m. Saturday on Rose Street, said Roseanne St. Sauver, the center’s executive director. Commodore Mark Schneider, who was on a float nearby, approached the girl and put his hands on the flagpole, St. Sauver said. St. Sauver walked over, placed her hands on the pole and told him, “Please stop, she’s a 14-year-old child." “He said, ‘I do not care. Look what you are teaching them,’” St. Sauver said. That’s when, St. Sauver said, Schneider shoved the girl with his body. St. Sauver said Schneider told the girl: “Go to a country where they will hang people like you.“ The incident left the teen crying, and others upset, St. Sauver said. This is the first year the center has participated in the parade. “I had tears in my eyes,” she said. “He specifically targeted us and made statements about our sexual orientation.”

Schneider says he was upset about the alteration of the American flag and not anybody's sexuality. Yeah, right. Yesterday he issued an apology to the girl and his family, presumably in return for assault charges being dropped. Here's the asshat in a news story about his being named "commodore" of Riverfest 2010.

(Tipped by JMG reader Jimbo)

Tony Curtis Dies At Age 85

Legendary actor Tony Curtis has died at the age of 85.

"My father leaves behind a legacy of great performances in movies and in his paintings and assemblages," actress Jamie Lee Curtis said in a statement. "He leaves behind children and their families who loved him and respected him and a wife and in-laws who were devoted to him. He also leaves behind fans all over the world. He will be greatly missed." Curtis starred in more than 140 major motion pictures and was nominated as for an Oscar for his performance in 1958's "The Defiant Ones" with Sidney Poitier, according to his official website. Curtis also is known for his roles in the 1959 movie "Some Like it Hot" with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon and "Spartacus" in 1960 with Kirk Douglas. He also played the lead role in "The Boston Strangler," released in 1968.

Rosie Perez For Fight Back NY

I adore Rosie Perez and want to gay-marry her accent.

Carl Paladino Vs. Joy Behar

"Joy Behar should be absolutely ashamed of herself for referring to Carl's daughter as illegimate. She's a child and does not deserve that kind of treatment from a woman who should know better. That's catty, it's pissy and strikes of something that someone would say when suffering from a sudden hot flash. The only person here who's illegimate is Joy Behar's hairstylist. Joy is off Carl Paladino's christmas card list." - The Paladino campaign responding to Behar's mention of his ten year-old love child on The View.

Paladino supports "traditional marriage" - the kind in which you adulterously fuck your employee, have a baby with her, then not tell your wife about it for ten years.

Guys Against You Serving

Sarah Silverman, Weird Al Yankovic, John Cho, and JMG reader Dave Holmes speak out in fake support of DADT.

Quote Of The Day - Brian Brown

"I looked at the website. Gee, they've discovered that NOM is a coalition of people of diverse religious views who believe gay marriage will hurt marriage as a social institution. They didn't need a whole website to ‘expose’ that; I could have told them. We're flattered. HRC is a $40 million organization whose heavy-handed attacks on NOM only prove that we are the key national organization fighting for marriage as one man and one woman. We've grown from a $500,000 to a $10 million organization in just three years because so many Americans recognize that we are a key player in the fight for marriage." - NOM head Brian Brown, responding to the NOM Exposed website.

A Tribute To The NOH8 Campaign

From voiceover artist DC Douglas.

Another Accuser Of Bishop Eddie "Down Low" Long Speaks To The Press

Open Thread Thursday

When Dan Savage emailed me a couple of weeks ago to float the concept of his "It Gets Better" project, I almost fell out of my chair at the idea's brilliance and, perhaps as importantly, its simplicity. What an easy to execute, yet incredibly powerful way to reach LGBT youth at risk! But a moment later, I also felt a strange pang of guilt because I had nothing to personally contribute. I was never bullied or taunted for being gay that I can recall.

My father was certainly disappointed with my uninterest in sports and that often-expressed regret seemed to come with an implied assessment of my masculinity. But overall my parents were largely indifferent to my high school social life, which as far as they could tell primarily focused on geeking out over Saturday night Risk tournaments with the rest of the chess club. (Little did they know those evenings often ended with a trip to the Parliament House!)

As for religious damnation, our family's already sporadic attendance (Easter, Christmas, etc) at Orlando's Good Shepherd finally petered out when I entered middle school, so I never personally heard any promises of burning in an eternal lake of fire for being a dirty little queer. The concept of homosexuality as an "abomination" was merely an odd notion, one I remembered from the more severe St. Egbert back in North Carolina. I knew some people felt that way, but the thought scarcely crossed my mind.

Tell us about your own high school experiences. Did you keep your head down and blend in, as I did? Were you out and proud, as I wish I had been? I never had to deny my gayness because nobody ever really "accused" me. But I also never had a high school sweetheart, never went on a real date with a boy. I was probably as happy (and morose) as the average teenager, but I sure missed out on a lot. Tonight I'm thinking about what I sacrificed. But that thought also makes me even more proud of today's brave queer kids and what they face in today's ugly environment of cyber-bullying and anti-gay religious crusades. Let's talk about that.

JMG Reader Meet-Up: 8PM Friday, October 8th At The Castro's Edge Bar

We decided on the Edge because it's not too loud and shouldn't be too crowded with others at that hour. Plus, I heart dive bars. This is your chance to meet the JMG reader behind that sexy avatar. Hope to meet lots of you there!

WEST VIRGINIA: Teabaggers Use Stephen Colbert Against Gov. Joe Manchin

Trouble With The Help For Meg Whitman

California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is having some trouble with the help. Namely, her former housekeeper of nine years who today revealed herself as an undocumented worker amid claims that Whitman was an abusive employer.

Flanked by attorney Gloria Allred, former Whitman employee Nicandra Diaz made the accusations at a tearful Los Angeles press conference Wednesday. Diaz said she asked Whitman for help with her immigration status in 2009 and Whitman refused. "I felt like she was throwing me away like a piece of garbage," Diaz said. Whitman responded to the charges in a statement Wednesday. "After nine years of faithful service, Nicky came to us in June 2009 and confessed that she was an illegal worker," the statement reads. "Nicky had falsified the hiring documents and personal information she provided to the employment agency that brought her to us in 2000. Nicky told me that she was admitting her deception now because she was aware that her lie might come out during the campaign. Nicky said she was concerned about hurting my family and me." Whitman continued: "As required by law, once we learned she was an illegal worker, I immediately terminated Nicky’s employment. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I considered Nicky a friend and a part of our extended family."

Gloria Allred says her client was "exploited, disrespected, humiliated and emotionally and financially abused." I don't think there's much to see here, actually. Whitman supposedly terminated the woman immediately upon learning about her status, which clears her from charges of hypocrisy about her immigration positions. As for the abuse claims, remember this is prime opportunist Gloria Allred. I wish there could be some actual meat to this story, but I doubt it. It'll depend on how the housekeeper plays in the Spanish press, I'd guess.

Christine O'Donnell Tells Christian TV: God Wants Me In The U.S. Senate

The audio is out of sync on this clip, which kinda only makes it better.

Tweet Of The Day - NOM

Here's what NOM is very upset about.

An Indianapolis bakery is under fire from the gay and lesbian community over a choice not to serve a diversity group. A campus organization said it was denied service in what's become a flashpoint in the fight for equal rights. This is what they were after: a mulitcolored cupcake to celebrate "National Coming Out Day" next month; a rainbow confection to honor the diversity on the campus of IUPUI. But the student who had the order placed at Just Cookies was told no. "We're right on the cusp of being equal with anyone else, I don't know why they would do that," said student Shan Parker. "I explained we're a family-run business, we have two young, impressionable daughters and we thought maybe it was best not to do that," said co-owner David Stockton.

"Christian family business forced to bake perverted cupcakes!" Only that never happened, the students took their business elsewhere. Watch for this lie to be repeated by anti-gay groups for the next ten years, just like that wedding photographer in New Mexico. (Who actually was fined by the local human rights commission.)

Some JMG Stuff

As our JMG comment threads frequently now reach far beyond 100 responses, the comments service provider has helped me increase the one-page comment limit to 500. (It used to be 20!) If you'd prefer shorter comment thread pages, let me know.

And as I mentioned last week, I've just about reached Facebook's (arbitrary) friends limit, so I've been forced to create a JMG fan page. I'm still reposting JMG items to both my personal Facebook page and the fan page, but eventually I'll be primarily using the fan page to post breaking items, updates, and other news-ish bits that don't make it to the blog. I encourage to you post your own items there as well, even just to share with others on the fan page.

Also there's the JMG Twitter feed, which automatically pings all new blog posts and to which readers send me many news tips. As readership on this here website thingy continues to mushroom, my blogging process is becoming, probably necessarily, even more collaborative with you folks. I don't say it enough, but I very much appreciate all the emails, the tweets, the Facebook tips...everything...even if I often can't get back to all of you personally.

Finally, yet another reminder about commenting decorum. Please be aware that the enemies of our people often harvest your comments here for publication elsewhere. (And as the staffer of a certain GOP Senator recently learned, there is NO such thing as internet anonymity.) As I've said here often, one of the reasons that JMG has the most, ahem, robust commenting community of the LGBT blogosphere is that your words are unmoderated and uncensored.

So feel free to run your filthy fucking mouths, shout down the asshats, and say whatever needs to be said. But you may absolutely not make threats of physical harm, however idle. Please email me at JoeMyGod@gmail.com if you see such comments and I will dispatch them. Bear hugs and tall frosty beers to you all.

Quote Of The Day - Wayne Besen

"We blame the anti-gay industry for fighting measures to end bullying in schools, and school officials who turn a blind eye to brutality. We are fed up with what amounts to anti-gay schoolyard muggings that are foolishly dismissed as ‘boys being boys’. In reality, it is ‘boys beating boys’, and these bullies receive tacit approval for their violent, homophobic behavior by teachers and certain vocal segments of society.

"The goal of Exodus International and Focus on the Family is to purge LGBT people from society, although they disingenuously frame the issue as eliminating homosexuality, which is not possible. When you target homosexuality, the result is persecution and punishment of LGBT people, and in many cases it leads to gay bashing or suicides. The anti-gay industry should dismantle these despicable programs and work towards creating solutions instead of suicides." - Truth Wins Out executive director Wayne Besen, responding the rash of suicides among the nation's LGBT youth.

Pag - The Lady Is Dead

This clip has been on YouTube for a few weeks, but it's too hypnotically strange and beautiful not to pass along. Very Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle. The music sounds exactly like Antony & The Johnsons to me, but it's the Irrepressibles. Possibly NSFW.

UK Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband Comes Out As Atheist: I Don't Believe In God

Britain's Labour Party head Ed Miliband has come out as an atheist, making him the second such political leader in the UK to do so.

The Labour leader's atheism puts him in stark contrast to his predecessors Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, for whom religion was a central part of their lives. In an interview on Radio 5 Live, Mr Miliband was asked by presenter Nicky Campbell: "Do you believe in God?" The Labour leader replied: "I don't believe in God personally, but I have great respect for those people who do. Different people have different religious views in this country. The great thing is that, whether we have faith or not, we are by and large very tolerant of people whatever their view."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, the head of the Liberal Democrats, recently confirmed that he too is an atheist. Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who is Prime Minister of Britain's coalition government, claims to be religious but does not attend church regularly.

So two of the leaders of Britain's three largest political parties are atheists and the third isn't all that devout. Can you imagine if RNC head Michael Steele or DNC head Tim Kaine were to say the same?

(Tipped by JMG reader Glenn)

MINNESOTA: New From Tarryl Clark

The Democrats are really playing rough.

NEW JERSEY: Rutgers Students Charged Over Suicide Of Gay Man After Secretly Live-Streaming Dorm Sex

Two Rutgers University students have been charged with invasion of privacy after secretly live-streaming video of a gay student having sex with a man in his dorm room. Reportedly the gay student then committed suicide.

Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei, both 18, were charged with two counts of invasion of privacy after allegedly putting a camera in a fellow student’s room and transmitting a sexual encounter over the internet. Prosecutors said Ravi of Plainsboro tried to do the same thing to yet another classmate just days after the first incident. Wei, of Princeton, turned herself in Monday. Ravi was picked up Tuesday and released on $25,000 bail. Rutgers would not comment, but issued a statement saying: “The University takes this matter seriously and has policies in place to deal with this type of student behavior.”

CBS 2′s John Metaxas spoke with students on the Rutgers campus who used terms like “disgusting” and “extremely inappropriate” to describe the alleged spying. “I mean we all live in such close conditions with each other, it’s like breach of privacy…I think it’s gross,” Kate Perkowski said. “Extremely rude and it’s really obscene. I just can’t imagine someone would do that,” Preston Chang said. Under New Jersey’s privacy law it is a crime to transmit or even view images that depict nudity or sexual contact with an individual without that person’s consent. Possible penalties include a prison term of up to five years. Students on campus were upset and said the incident was a tremendous violation of privacy. “Let them know that you shouldn’t play around with that. That’s serious. That’s someones privacy right there,” Jovanny Hernandez said.

The name of the dead student has not been revealed. Last week his car was found near the George Washington Bridge, but a body has not been recovered.

SHOCKER: Richest GOP Member Of Congress Wants To Cut Taxes For Rich

INDONESIA: Islamic Extremists Protest Jakarta's Gay Film Festival

Waving stills from the movies, hundreds of Islamic extremists protested yesterday in Jakarta, Indonesia demanding the closure of a gay film festival. Via the Jakarta Post:

Clad in white Muslim attire, the members of the hard-line group removed posters of the movies to be screened during the Q Film Festival, being held from Sept. 21 to Sept. 30 in a number of theaters and cultural centers. Salim Alatas, chairman of the Jakarta branch of the FPI, said organizers of the festival had 24 hours to stop the festival. “We want the festival to be stopped as it screens movies that promote homosexual relationships,” Salim was quoted as saying by tempointeraktif.com. Dozens of police flanked the FPI members to avoid any acts of violence. Earlier, the FPI members staged a rally at the Goethe Institute German cultural center, and the French Cultural Center, and planned to march to the Japan Foundation center in Central Jakarta to convey their objection to the festival. “We do not want this place to be set on fire because of moral decadence,” Salim said during the rally at the Goethe Institute on Jl. Sam Ratulangi in Menteng, as quoted by kompas.com.

Festival organizers say they expected the protest and that the event will proceed as planned. According to the Guardian UK, the Islamic Defenders Front has previously "smashed bars, attacked transvestites and targeted other groups it considers blasphemous."

GEORGIA: Accuser Of Bishop Eddie "Down Low" Long Speaks Out About Abuse

CALIFORNIA: Bullied Gay Teen Seth Walsh Dies Nine Days After Hanging Himself

After nine days on life support, 13 year-old Seth Walsh has died. Seth hung himself from a tree in his back yard after enduring years of anti-gay bullying from his classmates.

Tehachapi police investigators interviewed some of the young people who taunted Seth the day he hanged himself and determined despite the tragic outcome of their ridicule, their actions do not constitute a crime. "Several of the kids that we talked to broke down into tears," Jeff Kermode, Tehachapi Police Chief, said. "They had never expected an outcome such as this." He said the students told investigators they wish they had put a stop to the bullying and not participated in it. Friends said Seth was picked on for years because he was gay. School administrators said they have an anti-bullying program in place, but schoolmates said staff at Jacobsen Middle School in Tehachapi offered Seth no protection or guidance. A YouTube video by a family member sends a message about Seth: "He was bullied and teased, now in the hospital, this face right here is suffering because of bullying, never say a mean thing again."

A family member created the below video while Seth was first hospitalized.

FLORIDA: Rep. Alan Grayson Trails Challenger Daniel Webster By 7 Points

Things aren't looking so great for one of our favorite House members, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL). Talking Points Memo on the just-released poll:

A new Susquehanna (R)/Sunshine State News poll of Florida's 8th District shows fiery liberal Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson trailing his Republican opponent, former state Sen. Dan Webster. The numbers: Webster 43%, Grayson 36%, plus 6% for Tea Party candidate Peg Dunmire and independent George Metcalfe. The survey of likely voters has a ±4.14% margin of error. There is no previous poll of this race by this firm for direct comparison. The pollster's analysis finds that Grayson's unfavorable rating is at 51%: "He's even more unpopular than the president, which is not surprising given how controversial he has been with his rhetoric, overall style and TV ads."

Grayson was criticized last week for an ad attacking Webster which CNN and other outlets said had been edited to twist Webster's words. Grayson appeared on CNN to defend the ad.

MINNESOTA: Lay Catholics Organize "Return The Anti-Gay DVD" Project

Saying that the Catholic Church should be feeding and clothing the homeless rather than mailing out hundreds of thousands of anti-gay DVDs, a group of lay Catholics in Minnesota has launched a campaign to send those DVDs back to their bishops.

We are a group of Catholics who are concerned about the priorities of the leaders in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Their action, distributing 400,000 DVDs on the single subject of same-sex marriage shortly before the upcoming election, reflects misguided priorities and strays from the essential teachings of Christ. Our call to action is to create some good out of this unfortunate situation. We are collecting as many DVDs as possible and will return them to Archbishop John Nienstedt with a letter asking him to make the needs of the poor and love of neighbor his highest priority. We will personally make a financial donation for every DVD we collect to St. Stephens Human Services and Episcopal Community Services, non-profits working to help fight poverty and end homelessness in Minnesota.

The group stresses that they are not soliciting or accepting donations. They invite their supporters to instead send money to groups doing the real "work of Jesus."

HomoQuotable - Charles Robbins

"I think that the fact that so many young people are so tormented—so ostracized by their family, peers, school, and society in general–that rather than engage and participate in life, they choose to end their life, says a lot about the Christian values that everywhere inform our culture. I think each and every one of us needs to look inside of ourselves, and examine those values for both the good and the harm they’re doing. What I would also very much like Christians to know is that being gay isn’t a choice that anyone makes. It’s not a switch you can turn off and on.

"Gay people were born into creation just like anyone else, and to devalue who they are by insisting God didn’t really make them as they are is to deny them the right to a rich and loving relationship with God–and that’s a terrible, terrible thing to deny anybody. No one should ever use scripture to justify removing another person from the spiritual process. If you’re a Christian—as I am—you should look to Christ for how to live and act toward others. And what does the Great Commandment of Jesus say, but that we’re all supposed to love our neighbors as we love ourselves? I wish more Christians would remember what Jesus himself told them to do." - Trevor Project executive director Charles Robbins, in an interview on the Christian issues site John Shore.

Read the entire interview and the readers' responses. It's encouraging and sadly rare.

BRITAIN: Gay Activist Peter Tatchell Honored With Historic "Blue Plaque"

Famed LGBT activist Peter Tatchell has been honored with one of Britain's historic Blue Plaques, which was installed yesterday outside his London home. Sir Ian McKellen spoke at the ceremony.

Mr Tatchell, 58, received the honour for his work in human rights, although he is also known in the borough for campaigning on local issues. The campaigner, who looked smart in a suit and purple tie, admitted he was "a bit embarrassed" at the honour, which is usually accorded to people after they have died. The plaque reads: "Peter Tatchell. Born 1952. Campaigner for human rights, gay freedom and social justice. Lived Here. Voted by the people." Sir Ian called Mr Tatchell "my hero" and added: "As an actor, I admire the chutzpah and showbiz nature of Peter's campaigning. It is absolutely sensational that there is a plaque here." He added: "We don't have the energy, far-sightedness and bravery of this individual. If we did, the world would be a better place. I couldn't be a stronger supporter of him."

The above photo of the plaque was tweeted this morning by former Frankie Goes To Hollywood frontman Holly Johnson.

San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Responds To The "It Gets Better Project"

At the end of this clip the chorus sings The Irish Blessing "in honor and memory of those who left us far too soon." This should wash away the bile of the Lot Project clip posted earlier.

GEORGIA: Activists To Protest At Atlanta Office Of Sen. Saxby Chambliss

Angry about his inaction about an anti-gay death threat left on this blog, Georgia activists plan to protest at the Atlanta office of Sen. Saxby Chambliss this afternoon.

The Queer Justice League of Atlanta has called on Senator Saxby Chambliss to immediately respond to allegations that a member of his staff posted a defamatory remark on a popular LGBT-oriented blog. [Snip] Members of the Queer Justice League have called on the Senator to respond. Art Izzard, also with the organization stated: “We want an official, contrite apology for Senator Chambliss, to the LGBT community and to all Georgians. We also want Senator Chambliss to commit to engaging his employees in sensitivity training, to equip them to better handle the concerns of his constituents.” The group has requested an in-person meeting with Senator Chambliss on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 4:00pm to respond to their requests. They invite members of the LGBT community and their allies to join them in front of the Senator's Atlanta offices, located at 100 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339. A press conference will follow.

Queer Justice League spokesman Jeff Schade: "Senator Chambliss was elected to represent all Georgians, not simply those that represent his ideological or other views. The fact that he has chosen to try to ignore this very serious action by a member of his staff speaks volumes on his character and ability to be an effective leader for the state of Georgia."

MICHIGAN: Assistant Attorney General Harasses Gay College Student

This is just too bizarre.

Christianists Discover "It Gets Better"

Calling it "inevitable," Dan Savage points out that the Christianists are beginning to find the It Gets Better Project on YouTube and posting their own vile responses. The below douchenozzle has gone as far as launching a website called The Lot Project. Here's a partial transcript from his clip, in which he says that recent teen suicide victim Billy Lucas is in hell for being gay.

"Billy Lucas, who hanged himself, obviously because he was gay, and unable to endure the guilt that the words of others prompted in him. This was indeed a tragedy, but not anywhere near the tragedy that Billy will discover in eternity when he faces the wrath of God upon rebellious and unrepentant sinners. Then, he will realize that his sin could not be atoned for by his own death, and he will realize that people like Dan Savage who encourage sin are deceivers. He will see them for what they are, the blind leading the blind. And he will realize that he has fallen into that ditch that the blind leading the blind inevitably fall into: that's eternal destruction and misery. Sadly, it's too late for Billy. For those who are viewing this video, however, their remains the opportunity of turning from sin to the obedience of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Can you feel the righteous love of God's Gentle People™? Do you feel Blessed In The Holy Spirit™? Take it away, Dan: "Fuck you and the bible verses you rode in on, you monstrously hateful pile of shit."

HuffPo Announces Free Buses From NYC To DC For The Colbert/Stewart Rally

On tonight's Daily Show, Ariana Huffington announced that the Huffington Post would be sponsoring free buses from NYC to Washington DC for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's "Rally To Restore Sanity." Sign up here. (I'm 75% certain that I'm going.)

DELAWARE: Teabagger Christine O'Donnell Lied About Most Of Her Education

According to Tea Party loon Christine O'Donnell's LinkedIn profile, she attended Oxford, Claremont Graduate, and Fairleigh Dickinson. Only, whoops, not really! Talking Points Memo breaks down the lies:

Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell (R-DE) proclaimed on her LinkedIn the University of Oxford under "education," but it turns out that's another exaggeration on her resume. The claim is that O'Donnell earned a certificate from an Oxford course which her campaign said is "overseen" by a summer seminar program called the Phoenix Institute. The Washington Post's Greg Sargent uncovered the whopper of a discrepancy, and a Phoenix representative overseeing the course she took told Sargent that O'Donnell's LinkedIn claim is "misleading." Sargent reports that Chris Fletcher, who oversaw the Institute's 2001 Oxford Summer Programme and the course O'Donnell took, said the course wasn't overseen by Oxford at all. "We never represented it as a course run by Oxford University," Fletcher told Sargent.

And what's this? O'Donnell never attended Claremont Graduate either?

The same resume lists O'Donnell as having attended Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. The claim seemed suspicious since O'Donnell had yet to receive her undergraduate degree, from Farleigh Dickinson University, until last summer. So I asked CGU's public relations officer, Rod Leveque, if the school had any record of O'Donnell attending classes there. His response: In short, no. Claremont Graduate University has no student or education record for an individual named Christine O'Donnell. In 2002, O'Donnell was listed as a "Lincoln Fellow" at the Claremont Institute, a conservative think tank also based in Claremont. However, the institute is not affiliated with the Claremont Graduate University or any of the other Claremont Colleges.

Aaaand O'Donnell's 2006 Senate campaign materials stated that she was a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson, a degree that wasn't actually issued until last year. The Baby Jeebus is crying, crying, crying at all this teabagging false witness! But he's totally not touching himself or evolving!

RELATED: The first (and best) comment on TPM: "But she DID stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night!"

Barack Obama: Fox News Is Destructive And Bad For the United States

Glee Spoiler: Leave Britney Alone

Stay out of the comments if you haven't seen tonight's Britney-themed episode. Otherwise dive in and dish.

FLORIDA: Mistrial For Murder Music Reggae Star Buju Banton

The cocaine trafficking trial of reggae/dancehall superstar Buju Banton has resulted in a hung jury. Banton is part of a reggae niche called "murder music" for its lyrical calls for the brutal murders of homosexuals. Banton was charged with conspiring to sell eleven pounds of cocaine.

Banton, a Jamaican national, maintained he had been entrapped by a paid police informant whom he believed had music industry connections. During the four-day trial which ended last week, prosecutors played audio recordings in which Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, and the informant discussed drugs, ideas for shipping drugs, and dollar amounts. Prosecutors said the tapes showed Banton wanted to finance drug deals. The 37-year-old performer testified he only talked about drugs with the informant in order to impress him. Questioned by Banton's lawyer, the informant, Alexander Johnson, acknowledged Banton had never given him money.

Banton's concerts had been protested worldwide by LGBT activists who often succeeded in convincing promoters and venues to cancel his shows. Some reggae music bloggers and even legitimate Jamaican news outlets have reported claims that Banton's arrest was a "set up" by an international conspiracy of gays bent on retribution for his music. Similar claims resulted when Banton failed to win the Grammy for Best Reggae Album earlier this year. For now Banton remains in custody pending a bail application. He is expected to be retried.

RELATED: Murder music fans flooded to this JMG post to rain down death threats after this year's Grammy Awards.

Donna Summer Lands Third Nomination To The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Donna Summer has been nominated to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the third time, after having been passed over for the 2008 and 2010 classes of inductees. Classic disco group Chic has been nominated for the sixth time. Here's the full list of this year's nominees:

Neil Diamond, Donovan, Alice Cooper, and Dr. John have all been nominated for the very first time, while The J. Geils Band (2005, 2006), Donna Summer (2008, 2010), Chic (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), Darlene Love (1999, 2010), Joe Tex (1998, 2006, 2007), Chuck Willis (1986-1990!), and Laura Nyro (2010) have made it this far before. Tom Waits, Bon Jovi (2008), LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys are also up for the honor, all but one for the first time.

Artists become eligible for the honor 25 years after the release of their first commercial full-length album. Last year's inductees were ABBA, Genesis, the Stooges, Jimmy Cliff, and the Hollies.

Tweet Of The Day - Christopher Barron

In addition to opposing ENDA, the Matthew Shepard Act, or any federal protections for LGBT Americans, GOProud feels that marriage equality is a states' rights issue and therefore they are OK with the 31 states that have passed constitutional bans on same-sex marriage at the behest of groups like NOM. That's just democracy in action!

Jelly Belly To NOM: Get Lost!

When NOM published the itinerary of their latest Bus Fail Tour, many noted that tomorrow's first stop is the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, California. JMG reader Carrie fired off an email to Jelly Belly to see if the famed candymaker was down with NOM's bigotry. Their response:

We were unaware of the “National Organization for Marriage” coming to visit prior to several emails that we received. We do not accept reservations for our free tours and tour buses often stop here for our free public tours. We have not rented any of our facilities for this group and no event or rally will be held here. Jelly Belly does not allow any group to promote their special interests, pass out flyers, or approach our visitors for their own interests at our public tours. We appreciate your offer to share with your blog community. Sincerely, Kit McCoy, Consumer Affairs Manager, Jelly Belly Candy Company.

I like that Jelly Belly encouraged Carrie to spread the news, even if they don't allow any political groups on their premises. Maybe NOM would have better luck with See's Candy, which last year lost its lease with San Francisco for refusing to offer LGBT benefits.

MONTANA: Bozeman Commission Backs Gay Couples In Lawsuit Against State

The Montana GOP might want to outlaw gay sex, but the Bozeman City Commission is more enlightened. Yesterday Bozeman's city commissioners unanimously approved a resolution backing a pending lawsuit demanding equal treatment for LGBT couples in Montana. Bozeman, population 27,000, maybe be small by most standards, but they are the fifth largest town in Montana and the very first to back LGBT rights.

From a group of pro-gay activists holding signs and cheering outside, to the packed seats of the commission room, City Hall was filled with powerful emotion during a Monday night meeting. Commissioners heard from comments on all sides of the homosexuality debate before making their unanimous decision to support the resolution. Mayor Jeff Krauss drafted the document, saying he wants Bozeman to put forth a clear message. "I think there are kids out there that are terrified of who they are and what they are," Krauss said. "They need to hear they are all welcome here and yes life for you can be normal here in Bozeman." "So proud, very proud and very grateful. The commission (is) doing the right thing at the risk of losing political cash," said one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Mary Leslie.

Seven gay couples are suing Montana. The case resumes next month.

UPDATE: The ACLU's LGBT Project writes us to offer more details about the case.

Seven committed same-sex couples have sued the state of Montana for failing to offer legal protections to same-sex couples and their families in violation of the Montana Constitution’s rights of privacy, dignity and the pursuit of life’s basic necessities and its guarantees of equal protection and due process. The goal of this lawsuit is to see that same-sex couples are able to protect their families with the same kind of legal protections that the State offers to different-sex couples through marriage. Because there is a constitutional amendment in Montana barring marriage for same-sex couples, this lawsuit is not seeking marriage. The couples in the suit are seeking the protection of state-recognized domestic partnerships.

MINNESOTA: Evangelicals Come Out In Support Of Catholic Anti-Gay Campaign

Good As You directs us to the below video in which Protestant and evangelical pastors in Minnesota hold a press conference to announce that they are totally down with the Catholic Church's recently-launched anti-gay campaign in which bigoted DVDs were mailed to every Catholic in the state. Hit the link for Part Two of the below clip.

Mormon Church Launches Post-Prop 8 Image Makeover Campaign

Photo Of The Day - Apple Nets

Foxconn factories in China have installed nets to catch workers attempting to hurl themselves to their deaths. The company, which manufactures a large portion of Apple's products (as well as items for other electronics firms), has suffered a rash of employee suicides this year. Check out the Boston Globe's photo essay on life on China.

LAUNCHED: HRC & Courage Campaign Collaborate On "NOM Exposed" Site

The Human Rights Campaign and the Courage Campaign today launched NOM Exposed, a site devoted to unmasking the players, major backers, and strategies of the National Organization for Marriage. Via press release:

As the National Organization for Marriage, or NOM, embarks on a fall election campaign to defeat candidates who support full marriage equality, the Human Rights Campaign, in collaboration with the Courage Campaign, unveiled "NOM Exposed," a live, interactive website which reveals NOM's deep anti-gay affiliations, its long connections to the Mormon and Catholic churches and its quest to keep voters in the dark about its financing.

At the same time, HRC announced the formation of the NOM Project to follow the ongoing political work and propaganda of NOM as it attempts to influence elections and legislative campaigns across the country. The project will be led by Kevin Nix, a longtime LGBT advocate and political and media consultant. A former communications director at both Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and the Family Equality Council, Nix also worked at Media Matters in the 2004 presidential cycle.

"NOM and its leaders project a message of tolerance yet NOM Exposed shows that behind the well-trained talking points is an anti-gay animus and moneyed connections that it is loath to reveal," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "This website is not static. Working with the Courage Campaign, we will be watching the campaign trail and documenting NOM's political buys and bedfellows. We will connect the dots for voters."

NOM Exposed is one of the most extensive takedowns of the enemies of the LGBT movement that I've seen on the web yet, and I've only just begun to dig in. Take note of the site's "Rogue's Gallery" and start from there. This is fantastic.