The Worst People In The World

According to a list published in the yearbook of an Arkansas middle school, the worst people ever to exist in the world are:

1. Adolf Hitler
2. Osama Bin Laden
3. Charles Manson
4. George W. Bush
5. Dick Cheney

The local Christianist hate group is outraged. OUTRAGED, I tells ya!

Harding University President: Gay Student Website Is Offensive & Degrading

ARKANSAS: Christian College Kids Launch Gay Zine, School Blocks Its Website

Yesterday a group of students at Harding University in Arkansas launched an online zine meant to "give voice to the experiences of gay and lesbians" on campus, but the school immediately blocked the site from campus by listing it on its porn filter. Read the students' stirring manifesto, The State Of The Gay.

RELATED: Harding alum and JMG reader Brett blogs his reaction.

Press Release Of The Day

My click-tracker tells me that over 1700 of you hit the Harps contact page link I posted at the beginning of the day. It's a tiny victory to be sure, but it's also a message to all the nation's retailers. Nice work, everybody.

UPDATE: Appreciative positive reinforcement would be a nice thing for us to do.

Grocery Store Finds Gay Parenting Magazine Cover Too Offensive For Kids

Last night Twitter user JennHudd tweeted out this photo she took at Harps, a grocery store in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Apparently US Weekly's cover shot of Elton John, his partner, and baby is just too shocking for children. Harps has over 60 locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Call their home office at 877-772-8193 or use their contact form if you'd like to register a polite protest.

UPDATE: According to a company spokesperson, the store claims it was responding to customer complaints when it covered up the magazine. GLAAD investigates:

I spoke with Harps Corporate Executive Assistant Marty Yarborough, who told me that every Harps store is equipped with these shields and that they get put up whenever customers complain about the content of a magazine cover. She said the word from the store about this particular cover was that “several” customers had complained, so the shield went up. She also confirmed that these shields are utilized on a store-by-store basis, so the magazine would not have been covered up at any of the other Harps locations, unless customers complained there as well. She also told me that the usage of the shield on this particular cover is “in no way our opinion on this issue.” She quickly added, ”we do not have an opinion on this issue.”

UPDATE II: The Harps corporate office has issued an official press release on the matter.

Miss Arkansas

Miss New York and her unprecedented platform of LGBT equality did not triumph at Miss America tonight. Neither did Miss Arkansas, but her talent of yodeling ventriloquism will surely be what people remember.

ARKANSAS: Westboro To Picket High School Over Clint McCance's Apology

Bilerico has Westboro's press release:

"WBC to picket at Midland High School where the children are experiencing first-hand the power of the dog and the Fag Media, as well as the dismantling of the First Amendment. Coward Clint McCance said some scripturally-accurate things about sodomites commiting suicide on his FaceBook account, but then apologized and resigned on CNN Anderson Cooper's TV show when the fag dogs turned in on him. McCance should have taught the children in this high school that God's standards are to be followed and boldly, courageously proclaimed. Instead, he let that blow-hard fag-enabling bastard, Anderson Cooper, shame him into shutting up and resigning his position -- thereby teaching this generation to be ashamed of Jesus Christ and His word! Jesus Christ will be ashamed of him before God the father on the Judgment Day.

On the upside, McCance won't have a friend in the world after this.

ARKANSAS: Clint McCance Resigns

As he promised on Friday, this morning Arkansas school board member Clint McCance submitted his resignation letter (PDF). McCance says that he is "a better person today" than he was a week ago.

Dr. Phil Rips Clint McCance's "Apology"

Anderson Cooper Interviews Clint McCance, Ellen, Parents Of Suicide Victims

Arkansas School Board VP Clint McCance To Resign After Anti-Gay Facebook Tirade

Arkansas school board member Clint McCance announced on CNN tonight that he will be resigning. McCance has faced a week of national condemnation for celebrating the suicides of LGBT youth on his Facebook page

"I'm sorry I've hurt people with my comments," Clint McCance, vice-president of the Midland School District in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas said. "I'm sorry I made those ignorant comments and hurt people on a broad spectrum." McCance wrote on his personal Facebook page that he wanted gay people to commit suicide, according to The Advocate, a newspaper focusing on gay news. McCance used the terms "queer" and "fag" repeatedly, promised to disown his own children if they are gay and stated that he enjoys "the fact that [gay people] give each other AIDS and die." On Thursday, he disowned the comments. "I would never support suicide for any kids," he said. "I don't support bullying of any kids. I'd like to extend apologies to those families that have lost children, for all those children who feel that suicide is the only way out, especially for the five families who have already lost children," he said, referring to a rash of recent suicides by gay teens. "I brought more hurt on them... they didn't deserve that and I do feel genuinely bad for them."

The Human Rights Campaign reacts via press release:

"Clint McCance's decision to resign from the school board is a step forward for the community he represents. We are hopeful the wounds that were inflicted will soon be healed," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "What remains troubling is that Mr. McCance focused his regret on particular word choices not the animus behind those words. We hope he will take this time to reflect not only on the language he used but on what he can do to make the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people better."

I'll have video of McCance's CNN appearance shortly.

Arkansas Department Of Education Condemns Anti-Gay Remarks Made By School Board Member Clint McCance

The Arkansas state Department of Education has issued a statement denouncing the anti-gay remarks made by local Independence County school board member Clint McCance, who used Facebook to celebrate the suicides of LGBT teenagers and the deaths of gay people from AIDS. The DOE's statement does not appear in the above-linked Associate Press story other than their word "dismayed."

The posting said to be from Midland School Board member Clint McCance came after last week's nationwide move for people to wear purple ribbons in support of gay and lesbian youth. The posting, first reported on The Advocate's website, said that the only way McCance would wear purple is "if they all commit suicide." McCance couldn't immediately be reached for comment Wednesday but told the Arkansas Times that the issue had been "blown out of proportion" and he plans to issue a statement later in the day. The Facebook page has since been disabled but a screen-grab remains on The Advocate's website. The Human Rights Campaign has called for McCance's resignation. The state Education Department's statement Wednesday said it is "dismayed" over the posting.

A Little Rock-based television station is looking for McCance.

After receiving several emails alleging Midland school board member Clint McCance made disparaging remarks about gay students, Today's THV is investigating the allegations. McCance is accused of posting on his Facebook page that several recent suicides of gay students across the U.S. were due to those students' sin. He also allegedly made other comments bashing gays. Today's THV has not confirmed McCance actully made the posts, but B.J. Steed is in Midland, which is just outside Batesville in Independence County, trying to contact McCance as well as other school board members. Today's THV contacted Superintendent Dean Stanley's office, but he is out until Friday. Midland Principal Donna Clark would only reply "no comment" to all our questions. In response to the comments on Facebook, someone set up another Facebook page calling for McCance to be removed from the board. THV's BJ Steed will have more on this developing story on Today's THV at 5, 6 and 10 p.m.

MSNBC is reporting on the story as I type this. I'll have video ASAP.

UPDATE: Here's the statement from the Arkansas Department of Education.

The Arkansas Department of Education strongly condemns remarks or attitudes of this kind and is dismayed to see that a school board official would post something of this insensitive nature on a public forum like Facebook. Because Mr. McCance is an elected official, the department has no means of dealing with him directly. However, the department does have staff who investigate matters of bullying in schools and we will monitor and quickly respond to any bullying of students that may occur because of this, as we have with other civil rights issues in the past.

UPDATE II: The Advocate reports that McCance may keep his job.

“In Arkansas law, the only way to recall a school board member is over a felony [committed by him or her] or absentee issues,” said Julie Johnson Thompson, the director of communications for the Arkansas Department of Education in Little Rock. Thompson says McCance, as an elected official, answers to voters, not Midland school district’s superintendent. “[The Arkansas Department of Education] doesn’t have any control over his job,” Thompson pointed out.

UPDATE III: MSNBC's openly gay host Thomas Roberts covers the story.

UPDATE IV: The executive director of the Arkansas School Boards Association reacts.

Members of the Arkansas School Boards Association Board of Directors and staff were appalled to read the comments purportedly made by the Midland School Board member in which he denounces gay students. Our organization expects school board members to support the education and promote the welfare of all students in their districts. With 1,500-plus school board members in Arkansas, we are saddened that the comments made by one individual will reflect poorly on other board members who work hard on behalf of the children in their communities. ASBA has no tolerance for bullying or attacks on children, and we certainly would not tolerate such actions, either physical or verbal, by adults. When school board members take the oath of office, they swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Arkansas. ASBA expects board members to adhere to state and federal laws, and bullying would certainly fall under those statutes.

ARKANSAS: School Board Member Celebrates Gay Suicides And AIDS

From Independence County, Arkansas: Midland School District board member Clint McCance took to Facebook to mock the suicides of LGBT youth and celebrate the deaths of gay people from AIDS. This is what the queer youth of Arkansas face in their schools. Repulsive. Another Facebook page calling for McCance's firing has already appeared. It looks like the Midland School District has wiped the names of its board members from its website, but Midland Superintendent Dean Stanley can be reached at dstanley@midlandschools.org. Be polite, yet forceful.

ARKANSAS: Sen. Blanche Lincoln Trailing Badly Behind Rep. John Boozman

It appears that the Dems will definitely lose a Senate seat in Arkansas to Rep. John Boozman, one of the House's staunchest opponents of health care reform. Boozman also voted against ENDA and twice voted for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

FLASHBACK: 2004 Mehlman Mailer

(Via - AlterNet)

PhoboQuotable - Tim Wildmon

"It’s shameful that adults would abuse a brain-washed child in this way. He’s obviously just parroting the nonsense he’s been told by manipulative adults. For gay activists to trot out this child and make him the poster child for promoting unnatural sexual expression is a form of child abuse.

"When you realize that the FDA won’t allow a male to donate blood if he’s had sex with another male even one time since 1977, you begin to understand the enormous health risks involved in this kind of sexual behavior. We call on Mayor Lioneld Jordan of Fayetteville to cancel his plans to issue a proclamation celebrating homosexual behavior and Gay Pride. There is nothing about homosexual conduct to be proud of, and much to be ashamed of." - American Family Association president Tim Wildmon, complaining about ten year-old Will Phillip's selection to be be the Grand Marshal of Northwest Arkansas Pride.

Ten Year-Old Will Phillips To Be Grand Marshal Of Arkansas Pride

Ten year-old Will Phillips, who made national news last year when he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance until LGBT people have full equality, will be the Grand Marshal of Northwest Arkansas Pride.

"It's wrong for anyone to be treated differently just because of the way they are born," said Phillips, who declares himself as an ambassador for equal rights. Will's name may sound familiar because he was the West Fork student who decided not to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance this past fall. Will said he didn't stand because not everyone is being treated equal. He will be the parade's youngest grand marshal ever, but he said age shouldn't make a difference. "Because I'm a person, I may be 10, but I'm a person," said Will. The parade is put on by NMA Pride. They said they are aware Will's age could be an issue, but he's no ordinary 10-year-old. "He's literally the last half of the year been all over the country and spoken to thousands of people," said Jay Phillips, Will's father. NWA Pride also said they market their parade a little differently than some of the other pride parades around the country. "We're not San Francisco, New York, we're pretty much a family affair, so it's pretty safe to be there," said Joney Harper, creator of NWA Pride.

Will's parents are taking a bit of a beating in the comments of the linked newspaper story. Give them a little support if you have a minute.

(Tipped by JMG reader Mark)

Rosie O'Donnell Vs. Mike Huckabee

Rosie O'Donnell hosted Mike Huckabee on her SiriusXM show yesterday to grill him about his recent outrageous "children are not puppies" statement of opposition to gay adoption. Wonk Room has the transcript. Good stuff, listen to this.

ARKANSAS: Judge Strikes Down Ban On Unmarried Couples Adopting

Mike "Children Are Not Puppies" Huckabee must be very unhappy with his home state today.

Act 1, passed by voters in 2008, unconstitutionally burdens non-marital relationships and acts of sexual intimacy between adults by forcing them to choose between becoming a parent and having any meaningful type of intimate relationship outside of marriage, Circuit Judge Chris Piazza ruled in a lawsuit challenging the law. “It infringes upon the fundamental right to privacy guaranteed to all citizens of Arkansas,” the judge ruled in the lawsuit filed by the ACLU. The state had argued that children are better off raised in traditional family settings, with married parents, and that the law should be upheld because it protects children from abuse and neglect.

While the Arkansas law had effectively prevented gay couples from adopting, Florida remains the only state with a specific ban.