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Gay Marriage in the USA on 10/10/14
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Archie Comics Explores the Dark World of the Occult in CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #1
So it wasn't a surprise that they would try to re-bottle that genie and see if they could replicate that magic. Looking through their most recognizable brands, it wasn't difficult to pick out Sabrina the Teenage Witch for the company's latest makeover into a horror comic book. Welcome to CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA!
This isn't a spin-off of AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE. This isn't set in contemporary Riverdale or Greendale. This series is set in 1964 and is heavily influenced by occult classic films such as "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Omen." Keep in mind that I haven't see either of these movies. But that didn't stop me from enjoying Archie Comics' dark dabblings.
We readers were treated to a lot in this comic book. First, we learn that she is the daughter of Edward and Diana Spellman. He is a Satanic warlock and she is a mortal being forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. It's midnight on Sabrina's first birthday and her parents are to turn her over to the care of Edward's Coven. Diana fights to save her precious child, but she really never stood a chance:
Sabrina's parents are eventually removed from the story and she finds herself raised by her two aunts Hilda and Zelda. Things don't work out for the best in Westbridge, so the family eventually relocates to Greendale USA where she is joined by her familiar Salem the Cat and her wicked cousin Ambrose so she can be raised in a new Coven and not be known as a halfbreed witch.
Incidentally, one of these characters will eventually be revealed to exist along the LGBT spectrum. I don't know this for a fact, but I can read subtext. I shall leave it at that...
Sabrina eventually enrolls in Greendale's public school and falls head-over-heels in love with Harvey Kinkle, the local school's BMOC. Cousin Ambrose tempts Sabrina into preparing a spell that will help Harvey fall in love with her -- despite Salem's objections. It seems like things turn out well with Sabrina's love potion -- but the series is young and forbidden spells rarely turn out for the best! I guess we'll need to see what happens in SABRINA #2!
By the way, did I mention that Madam Satan -- a Golden Age villain who recently appeared in THE FOX -- shows up in the final three pages of this comic book sporting a killer blood lust and need for revenge against Sabrina's missing father??
"The Crucible: Something Wicked" is written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, drawn by Robert Hack, and lettered by Jack Morelli. This is a great comic book with lots of meat scattered for future storylines! You definitely should check it out!
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Do All Frisbee Golf Players Smoke Pot?
Officer -"You play frisbee golf?"The motorist was eventually allowed to leave without getting his car searched and must have complained to the Ankeny Police Department, because they issued the following statement:
Driver - "I do actually."
Officer - "OK. I need you to answer me a question. Why is it that everybody that plays frisbee golf smokes weed?"
Driver - "No, it's not everybody."
Officer - "It's everybody, man. You can't tell me you never smoked weed?"
Driver - "I'm not going to tell you one way or another."
Officer - "See, there you go. How much weed do you have in the car today?"
The driver then says he doesn't have pot in the car.
Officer - "You understand you're free to go and everything, but you wouldn't have a problem with me looking through your car?"
Driver - "I actually would. Just because I have a disc golf bag doesn't mean that every disc golfer does have weed."
Officer - "So you have weed in the car then is what you're saying?"
Driver - "No I would say I have a problem with you searching my car because you're profiling me based on being a disc golfer."
The Ankeny Police Dept. was made aware of a video of a vehicle stop that occurred earlier this month that was unfortunately handled poorly by the officer. In the video taken by an occupant in the vehicle, the officer engages the driver in a line of questioning that is foolish and not representative of the Ankeny Police Dept.'s training or interactions with the public. This verbal exchange did not meet the level of professionalism expected of Ankeny police officers. Ankeny Police Chief Gary Mikulec respectfully apologizes for the officer's demeaning statement and assures that the video has been preserved for an internal investigation.What do you think? Do all frisbee golf players smoke pot? And if so, why do so many summer camps set up their frisbee golf baskets on their campuses?
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And Alaska Makes 30!
A federal judge ruled Sunday that Alaska’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, paving the way for gay couples to begin marrying in the state for the first time. “The court finds that Alaska’s ban on same-sex marriage and refusal to recognize same sex marriages lawfully entered in other states is unconstitutional as a deprivation of basic due process and equal protection principles under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess wrote in a order in the case Hamby v. Parnell, released Sunday.This makes Alaska the 30th marriage equality state. That said, if I lived in Juneau, AK, with my male partner, I wouldn't be rushing to my local courthouse to get married. I would give it at least a couple weeks for the dust to settle and make sure that everything is good, if you know what I mean.
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Gay Marriage in the USA -- 10/12/14
It seems that we now have 30 marriage equality states (plus Washington DC):
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Who knows what that map will look like at this time tomorrow??!?
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| (source) |
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NOM's Brian Brown Fears One-Person Marriages
When marriage is devalued and its nature loosely defined, what prevents marriage norms—such as sexual complementarity, monogamy, exclusivity, permanence, or even the idea that marriage requires two people—from being broken down as well?Basically, an English woman decided to marry herself with the help of a friend as an exercise in self-discovery and artistic license. She felt inspired to do a self-wedding and to write about it.
And since Brown is always desperate for something to write about that could possibly be used against gay families, he decided to openly worry that individuals will try marrying themselves. For some reason.
This is one of the top leaders opposing gay marriage, people...
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Archie Courts a Quartet in ARCHIE #660!
Reggie offers to bankroll Archie's four date. However, Archie will be forced to wear a "Reggie Is #1" t-shirt everyday for a whole month if everything falls apart!
Fortunately, Archie has his best friend Jughead around to run interference! In exchange for a burger per day, Jughead promises to help make these dates successful!
What follows is several pages of Archie raggedly running from girlfriend to girlfriend while Jughead runs interference with the girls -- as well as a key group of trouble-makers such as Reggie, Jason Blossom, and Alexander -- and invents an assortment of distractions:
I'll leave it up to you to figure out how Archie gets himself out of this mess -- or if indeed he manages to get out of this unscathed!!
This was a solid story -- but probably not one of my favorites. It doesn't help that I recently read the main story in ARCHIE #1, which essentially told the same story except that Archie simultaneously took both Betty and Veronica to the same dance and used Jughead to distract his two dates. But that's just bad timing on my part. Husband Mark pointed out that I chuckled throughout this story. And that's gotta stand for something!
"Be-Four & After" is written by Alex Segura, penciled by Jeff Shultz, inked by Rich Koslowski, and lettered by Jack Morelli.
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The FAMiLY Leader & Faith Family Freedom Fund Drive Across Iowa This Week
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| (source) |
Here is their tour schedule for the next few days. Keep in mind that Day One was earlier today:
DAY ONE - Monday, October 13 - IOWAIt's interesting to note that The FAMiLY Leader will be stopping in Coralville and Iowa City tomorrow. Normally, they stay away from here.
9:00-9:45 AM - Des Moines TOUR KICK OFF
Iowa State Capitol
West Capitol Terrace
400 Finkbine / E 9th St
Des Moines, IA 50309
SPEAKERS: Rep. Steve King, Bob Vander Plaats, Connie Mackey, Brian Brown
1:00-2:00 PM - Pella
The Tulip Tower
Franklin Street
Pella, Iowa
3:00 PM - Ottumwa
Greater Ottumwa Park
Highways 34 & 63
Ottumwa, IA 52501
SPEAKERS: State Senator Mark Chelgren, Brian Brown, Glyn Wright, Connie Mackey, Jenifer Bowen, other TBD
5:30-6:30 PM - Burlington
First Church of the Nazarene
1015 S. Roosevelt Avenue
Burlington, Iowa 52601
DAY TWO - Tuesday, October 14 - IOWA
9:00-10:00 AM - Coralville/Iowa City
Solid Rock Christian Church
51 Second Street
Coralville, IA 52241
SPEAKERS: Bob Vander Plaats, Brian Brown, Connie Mackey, Jenifer Bowen, more speakers to be added
12:00-1:00 PM - Marshalltown
Center Street Baptist Church
1202 S. Center Street
Marshalltown, Iowa 50158
4:30-5:30 PM - Waterloo/Cedar Falls
Black Hawk County Victory Office
2829 University Avenue
Waterloo, Iowa 50701
DAY THREE - Wednesday, October 15 - IOWA
9:00-10:00 AM - Anamosa
Lawrence Community Center (back parking lot)
600 East Main Street
Anamosa, Iowa 52205
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Dyersville
(former Bi-County Ambulance Building parking lot)
Corner of 2nd Ave and 5th Street
Dyersville, IA 52040
1:00-2:00 PM - Dubuque
Dubuque County Republican Headquarters (Kmart Plaza)
2560 Dodge Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
SPEAKERS: US House candidate Rod Blum, Senator Rick Santorum, Jenifer Bowen, Iowa Right to Life
DAY FOUR - Thursday, October 16 - IOWA
9:00-10:00 AM - Carroll
Pizza Ranch
425 U.S. 30
Carroll, IA 51401
1:00-2:00 PM - Fort Dodge
Pizza Hut
2940 5th Avenue South (Hwy 20)
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
4:30 - 6:00 PM - Sioux City
Iowa Family Leader Rally
Pizza Ranch
3116 Floyd Boulevard
Sioux City, IA 51106
SPEAKERS: Bob Vander Plaats, others TBD
7:00-9:00 PM - Sioux City
Republican Senate Debate
Morningside College
1501 Morningside Avenue
Sioux City, IA 51106
One other thing... I usually know about these culture war bus tours well before they happen, but I just stumbled across an article on the bus tour late this afternoon. I'm not sure what to make of that. I mean, check out this crowd from earlier today in Pella, IA. There's just over a dozen supporters in that bus! I wonder how many of them are from Pella and how many are from the "Standing for the American Family" group?
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North Carolina Magistrate Refuses to Marry Gay Couple Due to Religious Objections
A magistrate turned them away. "He said, 'I won't be performing your marriage because of my religious beliefs,'" Locklear said...Fortunately, the pair were able to return today and were legally married in a brief five minute civil ceremony:
Pasquotank County Clerk of Superior Court Connie Thornley confirmed that a magistrate declined to perform the marriage. Magistrates must marry gay couples or risk losing their jobs, she said. "They cannot refuse," she said. The magistrate Locklear named could not be reached for comment.
Today, the couple finally tied the knot at the Pasquotank County courthouse. A different magistrate, Lee Custis, presided over their civil wedding today, saying he was religious, but he had to follow the law. He improvised slightly when he asked them if they would take each other's hand in marriage. "Do you take this man to be your partner?" Custis asked.I'm left once again wondering if this magistrate regularly refuses to officiate at the weddings of heterosexual couples who aren't members of his particular religious faith or if he saves the exclusionary aspects of his religion for same-sex couples...
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First Print of CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #1 Sells Out
The Chilling Tales Of Sabrina #1 has sold out in the first issue from Archie Comics. Similarly reinvented as a horror title along the lines of Afterlife With Archie, I understand that Diamond Comic Distributors has sold out of the first issue, with a second print to come. I’m not given any sales figures but I understand that it’s pretty much up there with the original Afterlife #1.I really liked the book, though it received mixed reactions from my various online Archie friends. Hopefully subsequent issues of the comic book will continue to sell well for a while.
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Iowa City Arrested After Torturing Roommate's Kitten for Hours
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| (Leo Nopoulos) |
According to Nate Schloss*, he believed last week that his kitten Fritz was sick due to periodic incidents of bleeding from the cat's right eye and nose. Things would improve and then the bleeding would resume. He rushed the kitten to the pet hospital and received treatment last Wednesday evening the 8th. (Jon's note: For some reason, nobody -- including the hospital staff -- was able to recognize the signs of severe abuse. I'm just saying...)
Schloss decided last Thursday the 9th to set up his laptop to record his bedroom while he was away in order to get a better idea of what was going on with his cat. This is what happened over the course of nearly four hours while he was away:
I can't say it enough again, but it's simply a miracle after the extent of trauma my kitten Fritz sustained that he is even alive! There is a 3.5 HOUR VIDEO in police possession that shows the CONTINUOUS torture of my little kitten Fritz going on in my bathroom AND bedroom. The depth and details that I would need to explain involving everything that this recording shows would take me more than several hours to elaborate on. To give even the smallest idea as to what exactly happened, the video shows Leo leaving my room only a few times and for only several minutes at a time, AND brings 3 other friends total in at different times to show them my kitten Fritz and what he has done. Whether they have knowledge of what exactly happened is still not known. The first scene shows Leo searching my room, in, under, and around everything searching for Fritz as if he is on a mission. You see him take Fritz by the neck and throw him into my ceiling in my bathroom and hear all the sounds that follow along with, which in itself I cannot begin to explain enough. He is shown throwing my 8-week old KITTEN into the walls, doors, cupboards of my bathroom. He is shown bringing Fritz into my bedroom and violently with full force throwing Fritz into the walls, into corners, into my t.v. stand, beating Fritz with his own hands many many many times!He is shown grabbing a t.v. remote and full force beating Fritz in the head and face over and over and over. He is shown taking a Glade metal spray bottle and beating Fritz in the head over and over and over with NO REMORSE SHOWN. The metal bottle was obtained from my bathroom and brought to police as tangible evidence with blood spatter still being present all around the bottle in multiple places. This is only a BEGINNING as to what I can explain as to what occurred on Thursday, Oct. 9th.The Press-Citizen included this extra bit of detail:
At one point, police said, the cat gets away, and Nopoulos is seen in the video actively looking for the cat; once he catches it, he continues to abuse it. Police said Nopoulos admitted to abusing the cat to his roommate, his parents and an officer.According to Schloss, Fritz survived this abuse, though his left eye had to be removed yesterday. Additionally, Fritz is blind in his right eye, but hopefully he will eventually recover his vision in that eye.
Schloss communicated that Nopoulos admitted to the animal abuse several different times. He reportedly said that he was "fucked up" and that he has "bad voices in his head telling him to do terrible things."
*I feel a bit "oogy" about including the name of the cat's owner in this blog. However, he directed people to his Facebook account of the abusein the comments section of the Press-Citizen article and I believe that his account gives a lot of needed detail to this horrific story.
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Weaponizing Ebola...
I found this on my Facebook feed earlier today:
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I like the woman who posted this and she usually means well. That's the only reason I didn't unfriend her.
But c'mon...
Yes, let's weaponize the Ebola virus throughout the Middle East -- and infect countless innocents and civilians in the process. This is the very thing that people claim that they fear that terrorists will do to the USA. So why not terrorize them first??
I like the woman who posted this and she usually means well. That's the only reason I didn't unfriend her.
But c'mon...
Yes, let's weaponize the Ebola virus throughout the Middle East -- and infect countless innocents and civilians in the process. This is the very thing that people claim that they fear that terrorists will do to the USA. So why not terrorize them first??
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The Pet Posse Returns for Halloween Fun in WORLD OF ARCHIE COMICS DIGEST #43!
I announced back in July that Archie Comics is bringing back original stories to their comic book digests! So I was excited to learn that the first of these digests features a follow-up story to ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #244, which introduced us to Archie's new dog Vegas!
Not only that, but that story also introduced a group of Riverdale animals whom I like to call the All New Power Pets! Mr. Lodge ends up calling them the Pet Posse in this story and I'm inclined to go ahead with this new title. In case you missed it, the Pet Posse consists of Vegas (Archie's dog), Caramel (Betty's cat), Hot Dog (Jughead's dog), Runty (Reggie's dog), Ivan (Moose's turtle), the Poodle Posse (Veronica's poodles), and Cousteau (Dilton's dolphin).
Here is the story: Veronica and Betty decide to host a private Halloween Party for their friends and their friends' pets. Mr. Lodge is understandably concerned because he ended up getting dunked in Cousteau's water tank during a pet-food run! But the party is running smoothly for everyone.
Until...
That's right! Lodge Manor is infested with mice!! The Pet Posse loses some food to this mouse and decide to team up and take out their tiny nemesis! The mouse thinks he's clever by running into the ducts, but he doesn't realize how persistent the Pet Posse can be!
There's little doubt that Lodge Manor's mouse problem will soon be solved due to the Pet Posse!
I absolutely love this story! I love getting to the see the various pets again and their costumes totally cracked me up -- especially Dilton's and Cousteau's "Duck Dynasty" costumes! I really hope that we continue to be treated to appearances by this bunch!
"A Haunting We Will Go!" is written by Bill Golliher, penciled by Bill Galvan, inked by Jim Amash, and lettered by Jack Morelli.
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I'm Loving "American Horror Story: Freak Show" // Plus: My Favorite Five Freak Shows!!
This season is set in 1952 Florida within one of the last remaining American freak shows. It's run by the manipulative Elsa Mars and features such characters as Bette and Dot Tattler (AKA the Siamese Twins), Jimmy Darling (AKA Lobster Boy), Ethel Darling (AKA the Bearded Lady), and Desiree Dupree (AKA the Three-Breasted Woman).
Nearby Jupiter, FL, is rocked by a series of terrible murders and kidnappings -- committed by the utterly horrifying Twisty the Clown. It's unclear to me if Twisty actually belongs to the Freak Show, but his crime spree has terrified the community -- which doesn't bode well for you if you live on the margins of society.
It's easy to worry that the freaks are going to be unfairly scapegoated for the crime of being different. And then you remember that Bette and Dot are seeking refuge within the Freak Show after stabbing their mother to death. And then there was that drug-aided orgy that Elsa arranged using a local hospital aide. Oh, don't forget about the detective who came to arrest the twins and found himself on the wrong end of Jimmy's knife and then hacked apart like so much meat by pretty much all of the freaks.
AHS: Freak Show isn't just about physical freaks. Jupiter, FL, has its own home-grown freak named Dandy Mott who dreams of stardom, but ultimately appears to take up residence with Twisty. I imagine we will eventually meet Dandy the Clown very soon?
I really haven't been too disappointed by this program. I heard lots of complaints about the first episode in particular -- about how it dragged on too long in too many spaces and how the musical performances were too anachronistic. I don't disagree with that last bit, but I actually liked the music. This show has the potential to become extremely dark. I think we need to mix it up with a little camp.
But I've liked the series a lot so far and will definitely be continuing to watch it every Wednesday evening.
Anyway, I haven't done one of my "favorite five" blogs in a while and felt inspired to create one based on this program, so....
Here it is: Jon's Blog's Favorite Five Freak Shows!
5. The Circus of Crime: The Circus of Crime is this bunch of d-list super-villains from Marvel Comics. They usually go up again people like the Hulk or Spider-Man -- though variations of this bunch have gone up against the X-Men, Kid Colt, and others from time to time. They're usually lead by a mass-hypnotist named Ringmaster. The Circus draws in the crowds and then Ringmaster uses his powers to put them to sleep long enough for his minions to pick their pockets! This team usually looks best when they aren't trying to be portrayed as huge powerhouses, IMHO.
4. Freakshow: This AMC reality television program has had two seasons so far. It highlights the efforts of the Venice Beach Freakshow over in Los Angeles, CA. The Venice Beach Freakshow features a wide range of acts, including body-puncturing, sword-swallowing, and fire-play. Some of the acts include little people, a bearded lady, the world's tallest man, and a lobster boy. I really like this show, but I can only watch it in small doses. The "stabby" acts get a little too much for me! But I do follow the Venice Beach Freakshow on Facebook -- which provides feedback about the show itself as well as cool documentation about historical freak shows and circuses.
3. Oddities: It's kind of odd to add this Science Channel reality TV show to my list of favorite freak shows. But that's what this show essentially is. This show follows the day-to-day operations of Obscura Antiques & Oddities in Manhattan, NY. The shop specializes in oddball antiques like mummified animals, straight jackets, shrunken heads, ancient medical devices, and jars of pickled deformities. This is the embodiment of the rest of the freak show: the bibs & bobs that titillate and entertain the crowds until the performers are ready to come out onto the stage. I've watched tons of episodes of this program -- as well as its two spin-offs. It's a great show and I highly recommend it!
2. The Carneys: This is the Archie Comics series that I never knew existed and immensely regret that it never took off. I keep holding out hope that it will get a second chance -- in fact, I have a story idea featuring the conjoined twins that I would love to pitch someday! The Carneys are a family of carnival folks who find themselves without a carnival after the circus' owner gets flattened by an elephant. They decide to settle into the suburbs and fit in with the normal folks. The family consists of Stretch (AKA the Rubber Man), Hairy-Ette (AKA the Bearded Lady), Mightor (AKA the Strong Man -- and their son), Rhotunda (AKA the Fat Lady -- Mightor's wife), Linda-Louise (AKA the Siamese Twins), Wolfgang (AKA the Wolfboy), and Fangs (the toothless lion). I would totally love to see the return of the Carneys. This family might not be original, but they definitely stand out.
1. Freaks: This is one of my all-time favorite movies. It's not uncommon for me to watch it once or twice monthly. It was released in 1932 and stars a variety of "normal" actors alongside various carnival sideshow performers and personalities. When you watch "AMS: Freak Show," you will see all sorts of characters like Meep the Geek and Pepper who were patterned after people from "Freaks." Even the sets themselves hearken back to this movie. "Freaks" tells about a trapeze artist named Cleopatra who plots with Hercules the strong man to marry and murder a little person named Hans for his secret fortune. Hans and the other "freaks" then fight back against Hercules and Cleopatra -- mutilating them and transforming them into actual sideshow freaks. I love this movie for a variety of reasons. But I truly respect the integration between actors and actual sideshow performers. Anyway, this show was terribly controversial back when it debuted. It was even barred from the United Kingdom for 30 years following its debut! But it's a great movie and one that I highly recommend that you check out when you have a free afternoon.
So those are my favorite freak shows. I would love to hear about your own favorite freak shows in the comments section!
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Gay Marriage in the USA -- 10/18/14 // 31 Marriage Equality States & Counting!!
Here is the most up-to-date marriage equality map effective yesterday:
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This is what's happened this week:
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a stay on an earlier gay marriage ruling for Alaska.
Also on Friday, a federal court struck down Arizona's bad on same-sex marriage. No stay was issued and the state's attorney general has announced that he will not appeal this decision.
Lastly, Wyoming also had a favorable gay marriage ruling yesterday also. The state will not appeal this decision and marriages are expected to begin as early as next Friday.
This is what's happened this week:
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a stay on an earlier gay marriage ruling for Alaska.
Also on Friday, a federal court struck down Arizona's bad on same-sex marriage. No stay was issued and the state's attorney general has announced that he will not appeal this decision.
Lastly, Wyoming also had a favorable gay marriage ruling yesterday also. The state will not appeal this decision and marriages are expected to begin as early as next Friday.
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Maine Teacher Placed on Administrative Leave for Attending Seminar in Dallas, TX // Parents Concerned She'll Infect Students with Ebola
An unnamed teacher from Strong Elementary School in Strong, ME, has been placed on a 21-day paid leave of absence due to parents' concerns. It seems that she is attending a seminar held by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and that seminar is being held in Dallas, TX. The conference center is roughly 10 miles from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, which is where a Liberian patient named Thomas Eric Duncan died from the disease and infected two of the nurses who cared for him. Keep in mind, this teacher isn't volunteering her time in Texas caring for patients with the disease. She's just in the same community.
In other words, parents believe that this teacher is now at risk for infecting their children with Ebola:
It's not just Strong Elementary School that is irrationally panicking over Ebola:
In other words, parents believe that this teacher is now at risk for infecting their children with Ebola:
“What the parents were saying last night is that, you sent (this teacher) to a potentially harmful area for exposure, and then to come back and jump into the classroom on Monday seemed a little bit reckless,” (parent Matt) Dexter said.I understand that Ebola is scary. You are more likely than not to die from it if you catch it. But you contract the disease from direct contract with those who are infected -- specifically their body fluids and waste. It's worth noting that the people he was staying with are not infected. If this unnamed teacher was at risk for infection just for being within 10 miles are where he'd died, why aren't these friends and family members deathly ill?
Despite assurances from health officials about the low chance of contracting Ebola – and the fact that no one in Maine has contracted the disease – Dexter believes the government has failed to effectively educate people about how Ebola spreads, and worse, downplayed risk factors.
“I’m really tired of people telling everyone, on the news, starting at the national level, ‘zero risk, low risk,'” he said. “The bottom line is that there is risk. Are we more capable of handling this than Africa? Sure, but why walk around blind and jam people into hot spots we can’t control? It all comes down to personal responsibility.”
It's not just Strong Elementary School that is irrationally panicking over Ebola:
A Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist for the Washington Post, who photographed Ebola victims in Liberia in September, was disinvited from a photojournalism workshop at Syracuse University even though he showed no signs of the disease for 21 days after his return to the United States. On Thursday, a woman flying on an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Chicago vomited in the airplane, and was subsequently locked in a bathroom by flight staff. In Hazelhurst, Mississippi, a crowd of parents pulled their middle school students from class Friday after learning that the school’s principal recently had traveled to attend a family funeral in Zambia, which is in southern Africa and about 3,000 miles from the outbreak in West Africa.I've heard of hair salons who are turning away potential customers who have traveled "anywhere near West Africa in the past month." There was a community college that has rejected applicants from African countries.
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North Carolina Magistrate Quits to Avoid Gay Weddings // Plus: Wedding Chapels Struggle to be Anti-Gay in Marriage Equality States
Remember that older gay couple in North Carolina who tried marrying each other, but got refused service by one of the local magistrates? Magistrates statewide were reminded that they are required to serve the public -- not just the portions of the public that they approve of. Since then, at least one magistrate has resigned due to religious objections to same-sex marriage:
I actually have no problem with Magistrate Kallam resigning. I'm hopeful that he will find a new job that works for him.
Meanwhile, wedding chapels in other states are struggling to cope with marriage equality in their states. For example, it's difficult for same-sex couples in Las Vegas, NV, to find an Elvis-themed wedding venue:
And then there is the Hitching Post Lakeside Chapel which filed a lawsuit against the city of Coeur d'Alene, ID, over a public nondiscrimination ordinance that bars local businesses from discriminating against customers on the basis of sexual orientation, among other categories such as race and gender:
Personally, I'm tired of anti-gay religious folks taking on martyr status. I wonder if it would be better to give these businesses a grace period to get used to the idea of gays marrying. Either their businesses will naturally die out or else they'll realize that it's really not that big a deal.
Or maybe these businesses need to learn how to more discreetly turn away gay customers. Instead of saying something like... "Is this a gay wedding?? This is a decent Elvis wedding chapel. Our faith forbids us from performing gay weddings!" How about something like... "What was that date again? Oh, I'm sorry. We're totally booked up!" If nothing else, you still get to avoid performing a gay wedding and you don't come off like a total douche.
Magistrate John Kallam Jr. sent a letter to Chief District Court Judge Fred Wilkins and said he couldn’t fulfill his oath of office after same-sex marriage became legal in North Carolina. His resignation is effective Oct. 31.Keep in mind that his job is to officiate over civil wedding ceremonies -- presumably to couples who have no professed faith or church community. Otherwise, they would be getting married in a house of worship as opposed to going to the local magistrate. But I digress...
“When I took my oath of office, I understood I would be required to perform weddings and have done so throughout my tenure,” Kallam said in an emailed resignation letter. “I did not, however, take that oath with any understanding that I would be required to marry same sex couples. It is my personal belief and a position of my Christian faith that doing so would desecrate a holy institution established by God himself.”
I actually have no problem with Magistrate Kallam resigning. I'm hopeful that he will find a new job that works for him.
Meanwhile, wedding chapels in other states are struggling to cope with marriage equality in their states. For example, it's difficult for same-sex couples in Las Vegas, NV, to find an Elvis-themed wedding venue:
After making calls to about 15 wedding chapels, 8 News NOW found that several of them refused to perform wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples. The Elvis Wedding Chapel, which welcomes traditional and Elvis-themed weddings, said they wouldn't marry same-sex couples...Because God's law is best practiced while wearing an Elvis Presley costume.
Dolly Deleon, the owner of the Vegas Wed Chapel, said she's a born-again believer in Jesus. "My faith won't allow me," Deleon said. She said she's been asked to wed same-sex couples before, but has found that mostly people accept it when she says no... "I would be a hypocrite if I said I'm a Bible-believing person and yet I would perform marriage that believe is solely against God's law,” Deleon said.
And then there is the Hitching Post Lakeside Chapel which filed a lawsuit against the city of Coeur d'Alene, ID, over a public nondiscrimination ordinance that bars local businesses from discriminating against customers on the basis of sexual orientation, among other categories such as race and gender:
“The government should not force ordained ministers to act contrary to their faith under threat of jail time and criminal fines,” Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Jeremy Tedesco said. “The city is on seriously flawed legal ground, and our lawsuit intends to ensure that this couple’s freedom to adhere to their own faith as pastors is protected just as the First Amendment intended.”
Alliance Defending Freedom also filed a temporary restraining order to stop the city from enforcing the ordinance.It would be interesting long-term if the need for some people to discriminate against LGBT customers will ultimately result in the overturn of anti-discrimination laws for others on the basis of race, religion, gender, disability, veterans status, etc.
Personally, I'm tired of anti-gay religious folks taking on martyr status. I wonder if it would be better to give these businesses a grace period to get used to the idea of gays marrying. Either their businesses will naturally die out or else they'll realize that it's really not that big a deal.
Or maybe these businesses need to learn how to more discreetly turn away gay customers. Instead of saying something like... "Is this a gay wedding?? This is a decent Elvis wedding chapel. Our faith forbids us from performing gay weddings!" How about something like... "What was that date again? Oh, I'm sorry. We're totally booked up!" If nothing else, you still get to avoid performing a gay wedding and you don't come off like a total douche.
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Betty & Veronica Compete in a Pet Costume Party in BETTY & VERONICA COMICS DIGEST #227
In "Costume Drama," Betty and Veronica learn of a pet costume contest. Both girls initially find the concept of a costume contest for pets to be ridiculous. Betty goes so far as to complain that she would never put a costume on her poor kitty Caramel -- which seems odd since both girls just hosted a costume party for pets in the previous week's WORLD OF ARCHIE COMICS DIGEST #43! (I'm just saying...)
Pretty quickly though, both girls dream up costumes for their pets. Betty designs a cheerleader costume for Caramel and Veronica purchases a fabulous Cinderella costume for Fifi! Veronica thinks that Betty's homemade costume is amateurish and Betty thinks that costumes need a little bit of heart and a little less commercialism!
After a bit of mutual stewing, both girls come up with gimmicks that they believe will propel their pets to the winner's circle!
Check out Veronica's Cinderella prop for Fifi!:
And then check out Betty's scheme to highlight Caramel's cheerleading abilities!:
I'll leave it up to you to purchase this digest and figure out which animal ended up winning the costume contest!
This was a fun story with a twist-ending that totally made me chuckle! I think you'll like it, too! "Costume Drama" is written by Angelo Decesare, penciled by Jeff Shultz, inked by Jim Amash, and lettered by Jack Morelli.
As I noted before, there are several other Halloween-themed stories in BETTY & VERONICA COMICS DIGEST #227 -- plus some Sabrina and Little Archie tales. But there are also some non-Halloween stories so you don't find yourself totally overwhelmed by that theme!
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Christian Protesters Disrupt Same-Sex Weddings in North Carolina
35 same-sex couples got married in Charlotte, NC, outside the local register's office on Monday, October 13, 2014. Unfortunately, their festive day was marred by a small number of protesters from Operation Save America, including Flip Benham:
Three anti-LGBT protesters were present outside the register’s office, including well-known street preacher and convicted stalker Flip Benham. He interrupted several couples’ weddings as supporters held up a large rainbow flag to block his view. Another protester waved a bible in the air as he screamed several profanities and vulgarities. He was asked by sheriff’s deputies to tone it down or leave. He opted for the latter. Despite the protesters, those gathered celebrated at each of the several weddings held outside the register’s office.Can you imagine if gay activists began disrupting others' weddings?
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Gay Marriage in the USA -- 10/21/14
Wyoming stopped fighting against marriage equality earlier today. So now we have 32 marriage equality states -- plus Washington DC and an assortment of Native American reservations:
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