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Politics Tornado Truthers

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, May 22, 2013 at 7:32 AM

Conspiracy theorist radio host Alex Jones explained to his audience today how the government could have been behind the devastating May 20 tornado in Oklahoma. On the May 21 edition of The Alex Jones Show, a caller asked Jones whether he was planning to cover how government technology may be behind a recent spate of sinkholes. After laying out how insurance companies use weather modification to avoid having to pay ski resorts for lack of snow, Jones said that "of course there's weather weapon stuff going on—we had floods in Texas like 15 years ago, killed 30-something people in one night. Turned out it was the Air Force." Following a long tangent, Jones returned to the caller's subject. While he explained that "natural tornadoes" do exist and that he's not sure if a government "weather weapon" was involved in the Oklahoma disaster, Jones warned nonetheless that the government "can create and steer groups of tornadoes."

Steve Benen at Maddowblog:

Now, I realize that fringe figures are going to share nutty ideas all the time, and it was probably inevitable that some nonsensical allegations about the Oklahoma tornado would pop up.... This caught my eye, however, because of recent developments—we've seen Republican officeholders in state legislatures, the U.S. House, and even the U.S. Senate take Alex Jones' ideas seriously. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) intends to run for president—of the United States—and he's been a guest on Alex Jones' show. In other words, the guy raising the specter of Obama using "weather weapons" to kill Oklahomans is the same guy helping influence several Republican policymakers in 2013.

Maybe it's just me, but I find that rather alarming.

I find it alarming too. I mean, President Obama—who can't control Congress (not even the Dems in Congress)—can control the weather. He's weaponized the weather. And why is the president killing Oklahomans? Just for the fuck of it. Want proof that this wasn't a "natural" tornado? Back to Alex Jones:

According to Jones, this possibility hinges on whether people spotted helicopters and small aircraft "in and around the clouds, spraying and doing things." He added, "if you saw that, you better bet your bottom dollar they did this, but who knows if they did. You know, that's the thing, we don't know."

Sigh.

Anyone who watched the news saw helicopters flying around the edges of the tornado in Oklahoma. They were television news station helicopters and they were tracking its path. The reporters and pilots in those helicopters were risking their own lives so they could warn people in its path. And if the Obama administration is hellbent on killing Oklahomans with "weaponized weather"—you know, just for the fuck of it—why is FEMA paying to build storm shelters in schools and private homes in Oklahoma?

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Media There Are No Atheists In Foxholes

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 5:36 PM

But there atheists in Moore, Oklahoma:

Says BoingBoing: "This is CNN."

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Have You Ever Heard of...?

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 5:07 PM

Originally published July 26, 2007:

I'm a 31-year-old attractive single woman, and I recently went on Match.com and found a guy. Our e-mails and one phone conversation went well and he seemed kind and was okay-looking in his picture, so I met him for drinks. It was disappointing, to say the least. He looked 15 years older than his picture and was socially awkward to the point of sheer misery. He told me he didn't want to eat cheese because he "had the craps," announced to the waitress that this was our first date, yawned when I talked about my job, and said, "I could tell you were really into me the minute you walked in the room."

Standard bad date so far, right?

Here's the bizarre part: On the phone he'd said, "The most beautiful sound in the world is applause. I hope I can hear you clap for me sometime." He is a music teacher, so I thought he was referring to applause after a performance. But when we met in person, he asked me to clap for him, for no reason, in the restaurant! I asked him why, and he said he just really loved the sound of clapping. I ignored his request, finished my drink, and said it was nice to meet him but I didn't think this was going to work. I shook his hand good-bye in the parking lot and at this point he asked again for me to clap—but now in a whiny voice, literally begging me to do it. The worst part? I did it, just to shut him up, before speeding away in my car. I'm simultaneously creeped out and intrigued.

Have you ever heard of a clapping fetish?

Clap Off The Clapper

My response after the jump...

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Politics / LGBTQITSLFA Senate Democrats Fuck Over Bi-National Gay Couples...

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 4:43 PM

...while giving a reach-around to Republicans. Un-fucking-believable.

Sen. Patrick Leahy withdrew his proposed amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill that would have recognized the marriages of same-sex couples for immigration purposes on Tuesday night, after several Democratic members of the committee stated that they would not be supporting it.... Leahy offered the amendment a half-hour earlier, saying, “I don’t want to be the senator who asks Americans to choose between the love of their life and the love of their country.” He added, “Discriminating against people based on who they love is a travesty,” noting that he wanted to hear from the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” senators about why they didn’t. Sen. Lindsey Graham went first, saying he opposed the inclusion of gay couples’ protections in the bill.

“If you redefine marriage for immigration purposes [by the amendment], the bill would fall apart because the coalition would fall apart,” he said. “It would be a bridge too far.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein cited Graham’s comments, then, saying, “I think this sounds like the fairest approach, but here’s the problem … we know this is going to blow the agreement apart. I don’t want to blow this bill apart.”

Dems were afraid—Dems are always afraid—that the Republicans would walk away from immigration reform if legally-married same-sex couples were included. Says John...

Really, Rs are going to walk away from immigration reform when they are DESPERATE to woo back Latinos.really?
— John Aravosis (@aravosis) May 21, 2013

Breaking: Spineless, gonadless, clueless Dems refuse to call GOP bluff. Film at... oh, never mind. Who needs to see that rerun again?

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Gay Marriage Rightwing Anti-Gay French Activist Commits Suicide at Notre Dame Cathedral

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, May 21, 2013 at 10:08 AM

This is unfortunate:

According to multiple sources, the iconic cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris was evacuated today after a far-right Catholic activist shot himself in the mouth in front of the altar in front of hundreds of tourists, in what appears to have been a protest against same-sex marriage.... Dominique Venner, age 78, was a well-known essayist and a former member of a paramilitary group known as the Secret Army Organization (OAS), which waged a bombing and assassination campaign in the early 1960s to protest France giving Algeria its independence. Mr. Venner was also close to the anti-marriage equality movement and an outspoken critic of France’s new marriage equality law, which President François Hollande signed on Saturday. He made no verbal statement before he shot himself, but a letter was found on his person. The contents of Mr. Venner’s letter have not yet been released.

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Did You Think I Was Going To Tell You Not To Come Out? (PLUS: Help Free Kate!)

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 3:59 PM

Should one come out as bisexual if 1. One has never actually had a same-sex sexual experience and 2. Is a woman married to a straight man BUT 1. Is 90% sure she would enjoy sexual experience with (particular) women and 2. Has had some same-sex fantasies and crushes (if not quite as many as on men) since 12 years old, and 3. HAS had some sexual experience with more effeminite men, one of which was partly on account of his cross-dressing (I know, I know, not the same thing, but...)

There are several reasons (if not excuses) I've not yet had a sexual experience with another woman, including 1. UBER-Catholic upbringing, 2. Internalized homophobia, which I'm now getting over, 3. getting married young(er), a few days after I turned 25, before I fully self-realized my sexual preferences, 4. complicated living/financial situation with spouse, and 5. Spouse less sexually adventurous, but *possibly* open to my having a same-sex sexual experience if he is involved (how to make that happen in upstate South Carolina is possibly another story, and the fact that I'm not sure I want him involved is another story, too...).

I have always felt somewhat genderqueer/bisexual/possibly pan-sexual, but didn't have names for these things (besides bi-sexuality) until graduate school. Naming these things has been a powerful step in my becoming more self-actualized, but I'm not sure what the next step(s) should be for me. Thanks,

Bi/Curious?

My response after the jump...

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Politics "Hillary Clinton needs to be convicted, she needs to be tried, convicted and shot in the vagina. I wanna pull the trigger."

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:34 PM

A rightwing Internet radio host is gonna get a visit from the Secret Service.

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Religion Youth Pastor Watch

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 1:21 PM

CALIFORNIA: A San Leandro youth pastor was among dozens arrested during a massive prostitution sweep last week in Florida, who was in Orlando for a ministers conference. Samuel Yoon, 45, who works at New Community Mission Church, a Southern Baptist church in San Mateo, was arrested May 8 as part of an undercover sting in Polk County, Fla. In all, 92 people were arrested in a span of four days. Sheriff's deputies said Yoon responded to an ad posted by an undercover detective offering women for sale. Authorities say that he was looking to have sex with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He was in Orlando at the time, authorities said, to attend a youth ministry conference.

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Teh Internets Slog Overnight

Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, May 18, 2013 at 1:47 AM

"I am admittedly very high right now," Slog tipper Taylor wrote at 1:13 AM, "but I think someone at the Stranger will find this video amusing enough to post it on Slog. I don't know if amusing is even the right word. Watch for yourselves."

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Gonna Boil My Laptop After Answering This One

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 4:32 PM

I'm 33, living in Colorado with my partner of a year now. We're happy together and have great sex. We have the best and most healthy relationship I have ever been in.... except for a fetish my partner has. He's into fucking dogs. Large dogs to where the dog isn't hurt or uncomfortable, but dogs nonetheless. It doesn't come up often. Soon after we started dating he confessed this to me and we talked about it. I am okay with him exploring that area of his sexuality, but I don't want to have any part in it. He wants us to both explore it together. This doesn't appeal to me in the least and wasn't an issue until recently. He's been getting more vocal about wanting us to get into that kink together, taking it as far as video bombing me with dog/man porn from his iPhone. What do I do? I made it plainly clear I don't want any part in this but left him open to explore on his own. I feel he wants me to be as into it as he is but I'm not and I know I never will be. Is there a solution to the problem or is there a deeper issue going on here that needs outside help?

Thanks for any advice.

Fretting Into Dog Obsession

My response after the jump...

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Music Azerbaijan's Contribution to Eurovision

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 9:25 AM

That cute Azerbaijani mime does the best "trapped in a glass box" act that I've ever seen.

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Guns New Gun Enthusiast...

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 8:29 AM

...wasn't an enthusiast for long:

Witnesses tell police a Federal Heights woman was killed when the new assault rifle she was showing to friends accidentally fired on Tuesday night. Witnesses and the husband told police the group had been drinking in the garage of the couple's home at 10024 Elliot St. when 22-year-old Anastasia Adair, a new gun enthusiast, went upstairs to a bedroom to get her recently purchased assault rifle at about 10:40 p.m. Anastasia was walking back down the stairs into the garage when she reached out to hand the rifle to her husband, Shane Adair, who was below her on the stairs. The gun fired, striking her in the head.

Via TPM.

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News Meanwhile in Toronto

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 7:17 AM

Toronto Star:

A cellphone video that appears to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine is being shopped around Toronto by a group of Somali men involved in the drug trade. Two Toronto Star reporters have viewed the video three times. It appears to show Ford in a room, sitting in a chair, wearing a white shirt, top buttons open, inhaling from what appears to be a glass crack pipe. Ford is incoherent, trading jibes with an off-camera speaker who goads the clearly impaired mayor by raising topics including Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and the Don Bosco high school football team Ford coaches.
“I’m f—-ing right-wing,” Ford appears to mutter at one point. “Everyone expects me to be right-wing. I’m just supposed to be this great.…” and his voice trails off. At another point he is heard calling Trudeau a “fag.” Later in the 90-second video he is asked about the football team and he appears to say (though he is mumbling), “they are just f—-ing minorities.”

Um... wow.

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Crime Remember This Guy?

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 7:08 AM

He's back in the news:

A homeless, hatchet-wielding hitchhiker who became an Internet hero earlier this year was arrested Thursday for allegedly beating a New Jersey lawyer to death inside his home. Caleb "Kai" McGillvary, whose star turn as "Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker" came after he intervened in an attack on a California utility worker, was arrested at a Philadelphia bus station.... McGillvary was charged with killing Joseph Galfy, Jr., a Clark, N.J., attorney found dead Monday. Romankow said he will be processed and sent to back to New Jersey, where his bail is set at $3 million. Galfy's body was found two days after authorities said he met McGillvary in New York City. Galfy, 73, was found wearing only his underwear and socks by police who went to his home to check on his well-being.

The man McGillvary is alleged to have murdered—the man McGillvary basically admitted to having murdered in a post on his Facebook page—is gay, and McGillvary claims that he was drugged and raped by Galfy.

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Living Discomfortably

Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 5:07 PM

First time, long time. I'm a gay male in my late 20s. About five months ago my six-year relationship came to an end. Normally it wouldn't have been a problem for me to get a place and live by myself, which is what I wanted, but due to a serious injury I wasn't able to work for three months and exhausted most my funds on medical bills. Point being I was going to need a roomie.

I was talking about this with a friend of mine in passing, also gay but in his late 40s. He said I was free to move into the spare room in his apartment and didn't even need to pay first months rent—bonus! So here I sit and here comes the problem. He keeps hitting on me. Now I find some men in their late 40s attractive—hell, I've banged a guy or two that age. Problem is he is not one of them. I have problems being direct sometimes. I've tried dropping hints in general conversation, saying things like I'm just not ready for anything with anyone, I don't even want to have sex right now. He tries to cuddle with me on the couch, tells me how hot I am, talks about sexual things around me like his cock size, how he jacked off that morning, etc., and has tried to kiss me on more than one occasion. He also kind of conceited and seems to think I'm madly attracted to him. He is always saying how jealous my ex must be that I'm living with him, and so on.

I have started curling up of the far side of the couch, giving an obviously nervous laugh when he starts taking about sexual shit, spending more and more time in my room with the door closed. I feel like it will reach the point soon when he'll try to come into my room and cuddle with me or "accidentally" walk in on me in the shower. Other than that he is cool, we enjoy the same things, have similar personalities which is a big part of why I moved in with him over two other people I could have. How do I bring this up? I don't want to hurt his feelings or make him upset, but I can't deal with this. Like I said I have problems being direct, so how do I bring this up in a way that is comfortable for both of us and cause as little damage as possible?

Living With Inappropriate Roomie

My response after the jump...

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Religion / Tech / Teh Internets That's a Clown Social Networking App, Bro

Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 6:51 AM

NPR:

"The head of Saudi Arabia's religious police has warned citizens against using Twitter, which is rising in popularity among Saudis," the BBC reports. "Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said anyone using social media sites—and especially Twitter—'has lost this world and his afterlife.' " International Digital Times notes that: "The news rather reminds us of the imam of the Grand Mosque who last April used his sermon—seen by millions on TV—to label Twitter as a threat to national unity. The kingdom's grand mufti (religious head) earlier at several occasions attacked Twitter users calling them 'fools' and 'clowns.'"

One Twitter user looks on the bright side...

@fakedansavage So when I die, I won't go to the same place as Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh? Shame, he seems like a really fun guy
— Alexander Colgan (@alexcolgan) May 16, 2013

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Savage Love SL Letters of the Day: Just Say No to DSGs

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, May 15, 2013 at 3:23 PM

The reason why bi women, at least, don't like straight girls getting drunk and kissing other girls for men's benefit is that it contributes to the idea that bisexual women don't really exist.

There's a reason I personally don't like it, but it isn't the above. Here's my reason: as a queer woman, mostly interested in dating only other women, when I see a woman kissing another woman, I think it's someone who may be interested in dating me. My dating pool is already small, i.e. limited to women who want to have sex with other women. I don't want to waste time pursuing a straight woman who is just trying to get guys off. Even more annoying is when it's me that they're drunkingly getting frisky with. I mean, what better sign do you need for sexual interest than someone kissing you! And yet, it's not at all a good sign!

I'm sorry, but straight/bi doods are pretty easy for chicks to get into bed. You don't need to involve my sexuality, straight girls.

Some Queer Chick

More reader responses about DSGs... after the jump.

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LGBTQITSLFA I'll Be Passing Out Hundreds of Dollars' Worth of Sex Toys at DICKSLAP at the Eagle on Friday Night Because Why the Hell Not?

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, May 15, 2013 at 2:09 PM

This Friday night, May 17, I'll be hosting the monthly gay party DICKSLAP at the Eagle. There will be go-go men, there will be Jell-O shots—or Jell-O injections (as seen above)—and there will be hundreds of Oxballs sex toys that I will be giving away. My huzzzzband, DJ TROUBLE, will be there playing records in his underpants. See there's that, too. See you there? (Oh, and there is a Facebook page.)

Pussy-heavy DICKSLAP poster after the jump...

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Teh Internets No, Starbucks, No

Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, May 15, 2013 at 11:00 AM

"Two anythings, one cup" isn't permitted. That goes double when you're in the business of selling people big cups of sweet brown sludge.

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Insane Demands

Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, May 14, 2013 at 5:27 PM

My friend is one of those men trapped in a sexless marriage, in part because 14 years ago he chose to marry his plain highschool sweetheart—the hometown girl, the safe and expected choice—instead of marrying the erotic and trusted friend (me) who would've kept his life interesting. After rekindling our friendship for the past year and ironing out some old hurt feelings, I offered to be his discreet private whore. In return I want to see three pictures first: his wife's clothed body neck down, the bras and panties in her dresser, and the vibrator he bought for her. I never met her and I never will. He is uncomfortable with my request, saying he doesn't want to bring his wife into it. His refusal is a "deal breaker" for me. He fantasizes about hot sex and my fantasy is to see what he's actually getting at home. By him not showing her face or nakedness I feel that I'm respecting her privacy. Do you think I am asking for too much?

Erotic Friend's Fotos I Need Getting Mutual Pleasure

My response after the jump...

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: Mind Control

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 4:01 PM

Originally published May 24, 2007:

I'm an early-20s gay guy turned on by hypnosis. During my adolescent explorations of the internet, I found a site with stories about "mind control," usually involving the seduction of straight men. I was hooked. I'm not beating myself up for being a "bad person," because my desire to try this in real life is nil for reasons of its impossibility (true hypnosis is something different and I am effectively fantasizing about magic) and immorality (sex without consent is rape). For the latter reason especially, I'm rather uncomfortable with my "addiction" to this fantasy.

Apart from the fact that this suggests I may have some serious sexual-control issues, I was wondering if you had any ideas for weaning yourself from a fantasy. This is not something I'm interested in "accepting." My attempts at incorporating alternate fantasies into my repertoire have failed.

Stop Thinking About That

My response after the jump...

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Gay Marriage Watch Minnesota Senate Vote on Marriage Equality Bill

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 10:00 AM

Watch live streaming video from uptakemnsenate at livestream.com

The vote is supposed to come around 10 AM our time. The Minnesota state house has already approved the bill, and the state's Democratic governor has pledged to sign it. If the Minnesota senate approves the bill, Minnesota would become the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage—and the third since the Supreme Court heard arguments in cases challenging the federal "Defense of Marriage Act" and California's Proposition 8.

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News I'm Fine, You Guys, I'm Fine

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 9:37 AM

Getting a lot of concerned emails this morning from Sloggers worried about me:

An aggressive, off-leash dog in Seattle's Cal Anderson Park led to one man being hospitalized with serious stab wounds Sunday night, according to the Seattle Police Department. According to police, the suspect's dog charged at the victim, a man in his 20s, twice, so the victim kicked it. That's reportedly led to a fight, during which the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed and slashed the victim multiple times in the stomach.

For the record: I've never kicked a dog. And the victim is described as a man in his 20s. I'm 34 years old—as all regular readers of "Savage Love" know.

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Music / ??!! / Teh Internets They Need More To Do On the International Space Station

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 7:27 AM

Via TPM. Says Josh:

When I first saw this I couldn’t tell if it was cringeworthy or simply awesome. But listening to the whole thing I’m gravitating heavily toward option two. This is Chris Hadfield, commander of the International Space Station, performing Bowie’s Space Oddity from … well, space.

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Religion Youth Pastor Watch

Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 7:07 AM

TEXAS: A youth minister at Fifth Street Baptist Church in Levelland is in federal custody for attempted enticement of a minor. Trevor Jacob Fortner, 25, was arrested on Wednesday and appeared before a federal judge on Friday.... According to court documents, a detective with the Lubbock Police Department was working undercover online as a 15-year old female named "Katy". On Tuesday, Fortner encountered "Katy" online and began sending her text messages, including sexually explicit images. Fortner asked "Katy" to send him explicit pictures of herself as well. The affidavit states Fortner and "Katy" spoke about meeting up and he told her he wanted to have sex with her. Fortner told "Katy," "If we were to do something you wouldn't try to get me into trouble for anything would you? I could be labeled as a sex offender and put in jail and what not. I just want to make sure."

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Guns The Tree of Liberty Must Be Refreshed From Time to Time With the Blood of Tyrants

Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, May 11, 2013 at 6:48 PM

And any parent will tell you that there's no tyrant like a five-year-old tyrant.

A 5-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the head in his Denton home Saturday morning, police say. The boy and an 8-year-old boy were playing alone in a bedroom when the older boy shot the other child with a .22 caliber rifle, according to police. Denton police responded to the home in the 2700 block of Stockton Street at about 11:40 a.m.

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Savage Love SL Letter of the Day: I'm Out

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 10, 2013 at 4:38 PM

I'm a late twenty something male. I was out at a house party last night celebrating the end of the semester with fellow grad student friends when I was scolded by a peer for using the word "cunt." I had exclaimed the word when a fellow partygoer struck the top of my friend's beer bottle with hers so that my friend's beer would overflow. The actual prankster didn't even seem to hear me, and continued past us without comment, but a lady classmate of mine who overheard my offhand exclamation made it clear she was horrified.

I was apologetic in the moment but am not sure I should have been. My intent was to contrast using a nuclear-level insult with the relatively benign crime of causing my buddy's beer to overflow. (And aren't jokes just SO FUNNY when they're explained?) I would have tried to argue, if I had my wits about me, that the c-word occupies two rolesin our culture that are related, but also still distinct: 1) the word is acknowledged as the "worst" thing you can call someone, making it the insult that is therefore best suited for use in hyperbole; and 2) it is a word infused with gender negativity, the insult of last resort to be used against a woman when one wants to communicate utter disrespect for her. I think increasingly the word is used in a type (1) way that does not lean heavily on negativity towards women and instead is the kind of ultimate taboo word that can nevertheless be used among friends for hyperbole value. My scolder seemed to subscribe to the inseparability of (1) and (2), or maybe to the non-existence of (1).

Where are you on the use of "cunt" casually and among friends?

Patriarchy Reinforced In A Painful Interaction Sorrowfully Mortifying

My response—and it's not much of one—after the jump.

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Gay Marriage Mormons Drop Active Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage

Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, May 10, 2013 at 10:32 AM

Conservatives complained about ads like the one above before Prop 8 passed in 2008, and they complained about protests outside Mormon temples after it passed. But those protests worked. Mother Jones:

It's remarkable what has happened in the marriage fight since the Mormons decided to abandon it. Consider that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the single biggest funder and organizer of the 2008 campaign to pass California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in one of America's most liberal states. The church is estimated to have directed at least $20 million to that effort, along with significant organizing clout. Documents unearthed by activist Fred Karger showed that the Mormons had 77 people working full time at the church's Salt Lake City headquarters to get Prop. 8 passed.

The church, in fact, had been a crucial (if not always visible) player since the 1990s, when it helped fend off efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaii and California. As far back as 1996, high-ranking LDS officials were coordinating behind the scenes and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to orchestrate what became the first state-level vote to ban gay marriage in Hawaii. Top church officials were also heavily involved in the creation of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the primary player over the last decade in the fight to outlaw gay unions.

But after the Mormon involvement in Prop. 8 was fully exposed, the backlash was severe—and apparently unexpected. The church became a target for public protests, and lost a considerable number of members who were unhappy with its involvement in a political issue that had caused individual LDS families a lot of grief. In the campaign's aftermath, a top church leader even apologized to gay church members for the pain they'd suffered.

This is not to say that the Mormons have had a change of heart about gay marriage. The church is still adamantly opposed to it.

No one was asking the church—the Mormon church or the Catholic church or any other church—to change its doctrine and embrace gay marriage. (No one who isn't a member, perhaps I should say.) All non-Mormons want from the Mormon church is to be left alone. The Mormons and the Catholics and the Batshits are free to impose their own religious beliefs on their own members. They don't have a right to impose their beliefs on non-members. And Mormons and Catholics are not being oppressed—or persecuted for their faith—when their religious beliefs are not given the force of law. Married gay people don't oppress Mormons and Catholics anymore than divorced straight people do. (Via JoeMyGod.)

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