How Donald Trump's incompetency made the COVID pandemic worse, told as a motion comic

 

As we return from the Labor Day holiday, I want to post something different, and I ask that you bear with me. The 2024 elections are coming up and though the campaign a little over a year away, folks have been predicting things. One prediction is that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee four years after he lost the presidency. I don't particularly care for Trump or his chances, so no one should assume that I'm pushing the above motion comic from Business Insider as some desperate attempt to stop his supposed ascendancy.

I hope you can take nine minutes out of your day to view it. AND share it. What I want is people to remember what this man caused with his inept response to the COVID pandemic. Donald Trump is responsible for the deaths of scores of Americans. He may not have personally touched them, but his shitty and highly selfish leadership is partly the reason why COVID's death toll is high.  And even though President Biden did what he could after winning in 2020, but patterns were set and they couldn't be eliminated completely before more lives were lost.

Please bear in mind that I said Trump was partly the reason why the COVID death count is high. He had help from Fox News as the above video will show.

And aside from Trump, this is the saddest part of it all. Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson, Kayleigh McEnany, Maria Bartiromo, Mollie Hemingway, and so many others at Fox News bear responsibility for the COVID deaths. 

Far-right Christian evangelicals such as Mike Huckabee, Robert Jeffress, Alveda King, and Franklin Graham, though not mention in the video, also have blood on their hands. None of these folks did anything but kiss his ass and reap the benefits of making Trump their golden calf.

All of them knew that the things they were saying and the narratives they pushed were lies, but none of them cared. And what's worse is how they are presently pretending as if none of this stuff ever took place. They are pretending that Trump did not botch the COVID pandemic response, and that people didn't die because of it. Even when some of those people worshipped in their faith, sent them money, were fans of their network, or followed them on social media.

Even if Trump faces some sort of punishment for what he's done, these bottom feeders will be allowed to sneak away and continue to do the things they do which undermines this country and puts so many people in mortal jeopardy. They will continue to collect their paychecks, get their notoriety, and amplify the next bloodsucker.

In their minds, the people Trump's incompetence hurt never existed.

'Report outlines eight flaws with the New York Times's coverage of trans issues' & other Thur midday news briefs

NYT Publishes ‘Greatest Hits’ of Bad Trans Healthcare Coverage​ - LGBTQ groups such as GLAAD and LGBTQ activists have in the past pointed out that the New York Times has been severely lacking in its coverage of trans issues. The Times and its supporters have been trying to make the issue one about freedom of the press, when the issue is actually one about the quality and fairness of the coverage. Now another group, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), has entered the debate with a very thoroughly detailed list outlining eight problems with the New York Times's coverage of trans issues. 

Influential anti-LGBTQ+ Christian activist caught admitting secret plan to defund public schools - And just who should be surprised that all of the recent attacks on public schools have been taking place as a part of this madness. 

Over 30 new LGBTQ education laws are in effect as students go back to school - "Students and teachers have to contend with a variety of restrictions on LGBTQ content and bathroom and pronoun use." 

Uganda charges man with ‘aggravated homosexuality’ punishable by death in first-known case - A 20-year-old man faces a possible death penalty in Uganda for having sex with a 41-year-old man. No matter what the haters claim, none of this has ever been about protecting kids.

The trailer for 'Rustin' is here and it is smoking!

 

The trailer for the Netflix movie about civil rights legend Bayard Rustin has been released. And it is smoking.

From Queerty:

 . . .  an estimated 250,000 people gathered for the March On Washington, a peaceful protest advocating for the civil rights of African Americans, a day that forever changed the course of our country’s history. Though the march is remembered as an important chapter in work of the late, great Martin Luther King, Jr.—culminating in his triumphant, unforgettable “I Have A Dream” speech—many may not realize that a large part of its success was due to an openly gay man: Activist and social organizer Bayard Rustin. Alongside A. Philip Randolph, Rustin organized the March On Washington, and dedicated his life to advocacy, humanitarian outreach, and fighting for the civil rights of all people, especially for Black and LGBTQ+ Americans. He was a hero.

 . . . Tony Award-winning playwright and director George C. Wolfe comes Rustin, the story of the history-making activist, co-written by Julian Reece (When They See Us) and Dustin Lance Black (Milk). Taking on the eponymous role is fantastic gay actor (and recent Queerty Pride50 honoree!) Colman Domingo, finally getting the star turn he’s so long deserved. Naturally, Domingo’s the film’s center of gravity and its spark—and we don’t want to jink it, but the part’s already garnering him some early Oscar buzz. Fingers crossed! 

As a black gay man, this movie means the world to me. I hope it is very successful. 

California elementary school receives racist bomb threat after post from anti-gay Libs of TikTok

Folks who are aware of the close relationship between homophobia, transphobia, and racism shouldn't be surprised by this recent incident. We should be disturbed of course, but not surprised. 

From CBS News:

An emailed bomb threat at Chabot Elementary School in Oakland resulted in the evacuation of the school Tuesday, according to authorities. The bomb threat was received at about 7:30 a.m. before the school day started, Oakland Police said. 

Only a few dozen students and staffers were present when police evacuated the school, located at 6686 Chabot Road in the city's Rockridge neighborhood. Police were working with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and the office's K-9 and bomb teams units to sweep the school and clear the campus. The email sent to the school principal had "racial undertones," but an Oakland Police spokesperson would not elaborate further on the content of the email. Police were also working with the FBI to determine the source of the email. 

 So, what does Libs of TikTok have to do with this? Well according to The Daily Beast: 

 The bomb threat came only a day after a tweet by Libs Of TikTok, a controversial X (formerly known as Twitter) account run by far-right activist Chaya Raichik, about a playdate for “Black, Brown or API” students and family organized by the school’s equity and inclusion committee. “Come hang out while we get a chance to know each other and build our community as we kick off this school year,” the flyer read. 

The tweet also included a statement apparently from a parent of a child at the school, upset about the event, which they deemed a “no whites allowed” playdate. The post was picked up and reported by conservative media outlets such as Alex Jones’ InfoWars. This led to the organizers receiving a volley of threats, they said. 

 In the past, Libs of TikTok and Raichik, have been blamed for bomb threats against children's hospitals and schools based upon videos misrepresented to claim that LGBTQ people are 'sexualizing' children or that hospitals are performing hysterectomies on kids.  LGBTQ activists and spokespeople on several occasions have accused Libs of TikTok in engaging in stochastic terrorism.

Stochastic terrorism is when a group of people are demonized so much that acts of violence are - while not expressly encouraged - perpetrated against them. In other words, neither Raichik nor Libs of TikTok outwardly tell people to commit acts of violence against LGBTQ people, but their constant smearing of us as pedophiles and degenerates out to harm kids encourages or motivates others to carry out acts of violence. 

To my knowledge, this is the first time that Libs of TikTok is under fire for a racial attack. And that should tell us that its mission has never been about protecting kids. It's always been about spreading hatred and bigotry while profiting from violent outcomes. The recent racist shootings in Florida and the pride flag shooting in California should serve as a warning about the dangers of certain people on social media creating hysteria and emboldening violence for the sake of clout. At the very least, it should send a message to both the LGBTQ and African American communities that we have the same enemy. 

Libs of TikTok - a very thorough and accurate entry about the site from RationalWiki.

'Bomb threat fails to shut down drag queen story hour' & other Tue midday news briefs

Bomb threat fails to shut down drag queen story hour event​ - When you stand up to bullies, you don't lose.

After decades of declines, lesbian bars are having a renaissance - And it's about time, too. 

200 arrested & dozens parades in front of reporters as Nigerian police raid gay wedding - This is damn spooky. 

WATCH: Colman Domingo wows as gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in highly anticipated biopic - The trailer is OUT and it is smoking. It will probably get some people upset by revealing some negative facts about certain civil rights legends. But these facts were already well-known. They need to be widely known.

Gender-Affirming Surgeries Have Risen, Likely Due to Better Insurance: Study - When the anti-LGBTQ industry attempts to use part of this as a talking point to that 'social contagion' myth, make sure to include all of the facts.

Listen to trans kids and their families instead of Matt Walsh, Ne-Yo, or Alice Cooper

Transphobia is some insidious shit. 

There is a 55 second clip from 2012 going around on Twitter featuring a trans child and her mother supposedly implying some pretty negative stuff about the child being confused and such. Granted, the folks pushing this mess don't know this family and don't care. Nor have they provided any recent footage.  It simply underscores just how much these culture zombies who chant "leave the kids alone" really don't give a damn about these kids or any other child.

It also underscores how the voices of trans kids and their families are being muffled or ignored.  Instead, most of the attention seems to be paid to bottom feeding bloodsuckers like Matt Walsh and Chaya Raichik, astroturfed right-groups, or celebrities such as rapper NeYo and Alice Cooper.  

And that last group just drives me insane.

What do NeYo and Alice Cooper know about gender-affirming care for trans kids?  How does being a simple rapper or rock star who sang about necrophilia while having a snake wrapped about his body qualify one to be an expert on gender-affirming care for trans kids? We need to hear more from these kids and their families instead of outsiders exploiting the issue for money and fame or celebrities who simply don't know what the hell they are talking about. 

Below are several videos featuring trans kids and their families. These video detail their journeys and talk about the difficulties they have getting the support and care they need.

Sorry if these videos aren't clipped and distorted. Sorry if they don't include some right-wing talking head from a fake medical group distorting statistics. Sorry if these videos don't include shocking pictures of medical procedures or lurid testimony from "former-trans" people with unvetted stories.  Sorry if these videos don't include statements from athletes who claim to want to talk about fairness but end up talking about naked people in locker rooms. Sorry if these videos don't include social media influencers hiding their perverted mindsets behind phony concern for kids.

Instead, these videos feature the folks who should be listened to first when it comes to trans kids and their needs.

'Court rejects motion for 'opt-out' policy regarding LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum' & other Fri midday news briefs

Court strikes down motion for ‘opt-out’ policy regarding LGBTQ literature in Montgomery County Public Schools ​- Good. I mean could I opt-out of math class if I played the "religious freedom" card. Or how about using a religious exemption to opt-out of black history lessons? Learning about LGBTQ people is not the similar to a sex-ed class. And to treat it as such puts stigmatization on LGBTQ people.

Fox anchor Shannon Bream pushes the hoax that schools put out litter boxes for students who identify as cats - Bream has always had a bias against trans people from day one. I guess her religious views include lying if it's about people she dislikes. 

 Evidence Undermines ‘Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria’ Claims - A big justification for anti-trans legislation has just been refuted. Keeping this for later. 

The San Bernardino Pride flag murderer and the inevitable consequences of right-wing media hate - Preach!!!