News Round-Up: July 24, 2019

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunks: Woofy Diego Lozano (above) reminds me how many InstaHunks I follow in Spain. Which I guess explains why I'm headed back there in August ;)

• The Economist: In a new poll conducted by YouGov, former Vice President Joe Biden has a 7 point lead over Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) 25/18 respectively. In third place, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) garnered 13 percent support.

• GQ: Asked about "gay rumors," NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. says he "wasn't offended," adding, "I have no problem with anyone's sexual orientation. Love is Love."

• Twitter: Not to be weird or anything, but is that the 'white power' hand signal Trump is making?

Trump makes a hand gesture while saying AOC's name pic.twitter.com/2266fEvlWE

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 23, 2019

• Billboard: Out rapper Lil Nas X has tied the record (16 weeks) for the most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The other record holders are Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day,” and Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito.” He also scored 8 MTV Music Video Award nominations today including 'Video of the Year.'

• USA Today: A New Jersey school board member, Daniel Leonard, may face an ethics inquiry over social media posts that include violent comments regarding Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan). One post read, "My life would be complete if she/they die," across a photo of Tlaib. Leonard was, unsurprisingly, charged in a road rage incident last week where he crashed into a tree while chasing another motorist.

• Out Music: Openly pansexual artist Madison Malone releases this sweet mid-tempo groove, "Quiet Down." The music video features a wide, diverse universe of folks sharing their thoughts on what "love is."

The Wisconsin native has performed at some of the world's largest music festivals including SXSW and SUMMERFEST, where she was voted ‘Favorite Emerging Artist.' Find out more at her official website here.

Jeanine Pirro Suspended From Fox News For Anti-Muslim Comments

Jeanine Pirro

CNN is reporting that Fox News has suspended TV host Jeanine Pirro after she questioned the patriotism of a member of Congress.

Pirro, whose show did not air on Saturday night, was suspended by Fox News after her widely criticized commentary doubting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's patriotism.

Last Saturday night Pirro questioned whether Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's Islamic religious beliefs stand in opposition to the US Constitution, prompting Fox to say "we strongly condemn Jeanine Pirro's comments."

Pirro targeted Omar — one of the few Muslim members of Congress — by noting Omar's religious head-covering called a hijab.

"Think about it: Omar wears a hijab," Pirro said. "Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine indicative of her adherence to Sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution?"

Advertisers have since distanced themselves from Pirro's weekly show.

The show did not appear on this weekend's cable schedule guide. The network aired a documentary in its place.

Jeanine Pirro was *suspended* by Fox News after her widely criticized commentary about @IlhanMN, according a source familiar with the matter. It's unclear how long the suspension will last. Fox declined to confirm or deny this. https://t.co/pp2Rn3QYb5

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 17, 2019

Pirro is a staunch defender of Donald Trump, so it's no surprise he took to Twitter to order his state television network to return her to the airwaves.

Bring back @JudgeJeanine Pirro. The Radical Left Democrats, working closely with their beloved partner, the Fake News Media, is using every trick in the book to SILENCE a majority of our Country. They have all out campaigns against @FoxNews hosts who are doing too well. Fox .....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

....must stay strong and fight back with vigor. Stop working soooo hard on being politically correct, which will only bring you down, and continue to fight for our Country. The losers all want what you have, don’t give it to them. Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

....to the people that got you there. Keep fighting for Tucker, and fight hard for @JudgeJeanine. Your competitors are jealous - they all want what you’ve got - NUMBER ONE. Don’t hand it to them on a silver platter. They can’t beat you, you can only beat yourselves!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2019

49 Dead In Anti-Muslim Shooting In New Zealand

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

From the New York Times:

Forty-nine people were killed in shootings at two mosques in central Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday, in a terrorist attack that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described as “an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence.”

• Officials said that one man in his late 20s had been charged with murder, and that two explosive devices were found attached to a vehicle that they had stopped.

• A Muslim leader in New Zealand said the attack was especially shocking as it took place around Friday Prayer. The police urged people to stay away from the mosques until further notice.

• A gunman streamed a live video of the attack on Facebook, and he appeared to have posted a manifesto online.

"You may have chosen us -- but we utterly reject and condemn you."

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemned the perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Christchurch, which killed at least 49 people. https://t.co/xkAf3rlO3d pic.twitter.com/hOVwYTlsMU

— CNN International (@cnni) March 15, 2019

More at the NY Times here.

Trump Supporter Terrorizes Muslim Family At Texas Beach

(image via screen capture)

Trump supporter Alexander Jennes Downing, 35, literally terrorizes a family during a day at the beach.

In the video below, taken by the family that afternoon, Downing walks over and confronts them, screaming, "You're a f****** Muslim, motherf*****."

When another beachgoer attempted to defuse the situation he cut around the man to return yelling, "You will never ever, ever, stop me, my Christianity, from rising above your Sharia law. Your Sharia law don't mean s*** to me."

Later, Downing grabbed his crotch yelling, "Donald Trump will stop you. Donald Trump will stop you!"

All of this happened in front of small children.

Downing was eventually taken into custody by the police for public intoxication.

From the clip description:

While enjoying our time at the beach during a family reunion, our kids and us had to experience ugliness and aggressiveness in the worse shape and form possible.

We were staying at the South Padre Pearl hotel and went to the beach through their private access. My father was approached by two woman who were also enjoying their time. The women asked him to help with talking to a stranger who was harassing them. All my father said to the guy was "please enjoy your time and have fun and let everyone else here enjoy their time." The guy seemed to listen and walked away.

He then came back to my father and started throwing racist comments. He was yelling so loud that my uncles and my brother came over from the water to see what was going on. The insane man came close to the kids and that's when my uncle stood up to him and defended us and the kids, including my 4 year old cousin, 4 and 2 year old nephews.

The video here shows a glimpse of what we all had to experience.

It is worth mentioning that we contacted South Padre police and the man left on his way back to the hotel. A little after that the police came and told my father to call them again if he harasses us again.

We went back to playing in the water and sand then the insane man came back with even more aggressiveness and more racial slurs. We called 911 again as you may be able to hear on the video. After about 20 minutes of him going crazy he left back to the hotel.

The police then came back and they arrested the man at the hotel restaurant. When we spoke to the hotel management, they said they couldn't do anything at the time because he is in police custody and that if they see him, they will evict him.

The next morning my uncle saw him at the front desk and talked to the management. They plainly told us that they can't do anything about it right now and that if he does this again he will be arrested. I don't understand what it takes for this hotel to take actions. Do they need someone to get hurt?

Finally, thanks to the cops who took the insane man right away and assured us that this is a nice place but every now and then they get a crazy person like this.

Overall we enjoyed the lovely island and we will definitely go back to South Padre again, we surely will never go back to Pearl South Padre hotel, Texas again.

Not sure if it's the same Alexander Jennes Downing, but according to this website, a man with the same name who looks a lot like him was charged a few months ago with "Battery Domestic Violence" and "Abuse of Elderly or Disabled Adult."

Downing's family must be so proud.

Is this what Donald Trump means when he says Make America Great Again?

Watch below. The lunatic really gets going around the 2:40 mark.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

Donald Trump's Staffers Love To Post Racist/Anti-Muslim Content To Social Media

A look into the social media accounts of 50 present and former Donald Trump staffers by the Associated Press reveals numerous racist and anti-Muslim posts including Muslims being unfit to be U.S. citizens, mocking Mexican accents, black on white violence and more inflammatory content.

The AP examined the social media feeds of more than 50 current and former campaign employees who helped propel Trump through the primary elections. The campaign has employed a mix of veteran political operatives and outsiders. Most come across as dedicated, enthusiastic partisans, but at least seven expressed views that were overtly racially charged, supportive of violent actions or broadly hostile to Muslims.

A graphic designer for Trump's advance team approvingly posted video of a black man eating fried chicken and criticizing fellow blacks for ignorance, irresponsibility and having too many children. A Trump field organizer in Virginia declared that Muslims were seeking to impose Sharia law in America and that "those who understand Islam for what it is are gearing up for the fight."

The AP's findings come at a time when Trump is showing new interest in appealing to minority voters, insisting he will be fair in dealing with the 11 million people in the U.S. illegally and explicitly pitching himself to African-Americans, saying "what do you have to lose?"

The AP also reviewed the public social media accounts of more than three dozen employees of Hillary Clinton's far larger campaign staff and found nothing as inflammatory. One staffer said Trump's style of speaking reminded him of a roommate who had taken too many hallucinogenic mushrooms. AP also reviewed images attached to more than 19,000 stolen internal emails from the Democratic National Committee for racially or religiously inflammatory memes, finding nothing of note.

While the AP has sent several requests for comment on the social media posts over the past month, no response has been forthcoming.

Muslim Woman Ejected From Trump Rally For Silent Protest

A Muslim woman stands silently with a t-shirt that read “I Come In Peace" at Donald Trump rally and gets booed and ejected.

From CNN:

A Muslim woman wearing a hijab was escorted out of Donald Trump’s campaign event on Friday by police after she stood up in silent protest during Trump’s speech.

Rose Hamid, a 56-year-old flight attendant sitting in the stands directly behind Trump, stood up Friday during Trump’s speech when the Republican front-runner suggested that Syrian refugees fleeing war in Syria were affiliated with ISIS.

Despite her silence, Trump supporters around her began chanting Trump’s name — as instructed by Trump campaign staff before the event in case of protests — and pointed at Hamid and Marty Rosenbluth, the man alongside her who stood up as well.

As they were escorted out, Trump supporters roared — booing the pair and shouting at them to “get out.” One person shouted, “You have a bomb, you have a bomb,” according to Hamid.

In this second clip, Hamid speaks to CNN about what happened.

"There were people who were very nice and sharing their popcorn. It was very nice, people around me, the people I had conversations with. But then what happened when the crowd got this hateful crowd mentality as I was being escorted. It was really quite telling and a vivid example of what happens when you start using this hateful rhetoric, and how it can incite a crowd where moments ago were very kind to me. One woman reached over and shook my hand and said “I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”

The behavior that Trump is inciting is so hateful and divisive. THIS could be our next president?

Donald Trump Rally - "Light The Motherf*cker On Fire!"

Buzzfeed reporter McKay Coppins reported from a Donald Trump rally last night here in Las Vegas.

Along the way, a few protestors caused enough of a disruption they were carried out.

But what's raising eyebrows this morning is what some of the Trump supporters yelled at the protestors.

In the video below, you can hear one supporter shouting, "Light the motherfucker on fire!"

This is the kind of rhetoric Trump inspires.

And about ten minutes into the Trump rally, this happens. pic.twitter.com/65pXHjsJ3x

— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) December 15, 2015

And then there was more. From MSNBC's Benjy Sarlin:

Things shouted as Black Lives Matter protestor dragged away at Trump rally: "Kick his ass!" "Shoot him!" "Bitch!" "Sieg Heil!"

— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) December 15, 2015

Another protestor dragged out. Man in suit screaming: "He's a Muslim guy! He's a Muslim guy!"

— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) December 15, 2015

It's truly scary as hell when a protestor turns up at a Trump rally. Never seen anything like it.

— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) December 15, 2015

Donald Trump Calls For "Total And Complete Shutdown Of Muslims Entering The U.S."

Donald Trump's campaign issued a statement today calling for complete halt to all Muslims attempting to enter the U.S.

Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on. According to Pew Research, among others, there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population.

Most recently, a poll from the Center for Security Policy released data showing “25% of those polled agreed that violence against Americans here in the United States is justified as a part of the global jihad” and 51% of those polled, “agreed that Muslims in America should have the choice of being governed according to Shariah.” Shariah authorizes such atrocities as murder against non-believers who won’t convert, beheadings and more unthinkable acts that pose great harm to Americans, especially women.

Mr. Trump stated, “Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life. If I win the election for President, we are going to Make America Great Again.” – Donald J. Trump

Just so we're clear: a ban on Muslim immigrants proposed by the frontrunner of the party that claims to stand for religious freedom?

You can't make this stuff up, kids.

UPDATE: Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton called the proposed policy from Trump "reprehensible."

This is reprehensible, prejudiced and divisive. @RealDonaldTrump, you don't get it. This makes us less safe. -H https://t.co/SjAqL0clHd

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 7, 2015

Donald Trump Demands Apology Over "Thousands Celebrating In NJ" On 9/11 Comment

Via @washingtonpost 9/18/01. I want an apology! Many people have tweeted that I am right! https://t.co/CpsMxs54qv pic.twitter.com/wrDEhXJlvR

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2015

Originally, Trump said there were "thousands and thousands" of Muslims celebrating 9/11 over in New Jersey the day of the attack.

The image he tweets out says "law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people..?"

When does "a number of people" equal "thousands and thousands?"

Both Politifact and The Washington Post's Fact Checker analyzed Trump's claim. Politifact rated it "pants on fire" and The Washington Post gave it "four Pinocchios."

Although, I know we shouldn't get too nit-picky over details like the truth. As David Badash at New Civil Rights Movement notes, 74% of Trump's comments reviewed by Politifact are found to be false.

UPDATED: Donald Trump Favors Implementing Database To Track American Muslims

Yesterday, in an interview with Yahoo News, Donald Trump said he favors increased surveillance of American Muslims, forcing them to carry special I.D. cards, and implementing a database that would track those citizens.

“We’re going to have to do things that we never did before. And some people are going to be upset about it, but I think that now everybody is feeling that security is going to rule,” Trump said. “And certain things will be done that we never thought would happen in this country in terms of information and learning about the enemy. And so we’re going to have to do certain things that were frankly unthinkable a year ago.”

Yahoo News asked Trump whether this level of tracking might require registering Muslims in a database or giving them a form of special identification that noted their religion. He wouldn’t rule it out.

“We’re going to have to — we’re going to have to look at a lot of things very closely,” Trump said when presented with the idea. “We’re going to have to look at the mosques. We’re going to have to look very, very carefully.”

UPDATE: Now, Trump says he never endorsed use of a Muslim-tracking database. Except, he did. Check the video above at the :20 mark - "Oh, I would certainly implement that."

Inciting Fear Isn't Presidential

This isn't presidential.

Posted by Democratic Party on Thursday, November 19, 2015

Tweet Of The Day: American Muslim U.S. Marine Calls Out Donald Trump

Hey @realDonaldTrump, I'm an American Muslim and I already carry a special ID badge. Where's yours? #SemperFi #USMC pic.twitter.com/QSf2O9PTi2

— ProudAmericanMuslim (@MuslimMarine) November 19, 2015

Tea People Say "Anti-Muslim" Trump Supporter Is Fake

Of course, after several days of the "anti-Muslim/Donald Trump supporter" debacle, the Tea People have decided that "Bill from White Plains" must have been a plant, a fake, a ruse!!!

Sorry for the auto-play.

(h/t JMG)

GOP Presidential Contenders Jump On Ben Carson's "Opposition To Muslim President" Comment

Dr. Ben Carson

On yesterday's edition of MEET THE PRESS, White House hopeful Dr. Ben Carson told Chuck Todd that he could not support a Muslim candidate for president.

Carson said Islam is "inconsistent with the values and principles of America" and is incompatible with the Constitution.

Now, some of his fellow GOP nominees are piling on saying his statements were out of line and out of touch.

Sen. Ted Cruz: “You know, the Constitution specifies there shall be no religious test for public office and I am a constitutionalist."

Sen. Lindsey Graham: "I think this shows that Dr. Carson is not ready to be commander-in-chief. He said that they didn't believe somebody of the muslim faith could be loyal to the Constitution. If he understood the world and how dangerous it is he would not say things like this. We have to partner with people in the faith to destroy radical Islam, and most Muslims throughout the world reject what radical islam is trying to do to the world and their faith so this is an example to me that Mr Carson may be a good doctor, but he is not ready to lead a great nation. .

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal: "If you can find me a Muslim candidate who is a Republican, who will fight hard to protect religious liberty, who will respect the Judeo-Christian heritage of America, who will be committed to destroying ISIS and radical Islam, who will condemn cultures that treat women as second class citizens and who will place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the Constitution, then yes, I will be happy to consider voting for him or her," he said. "If you can’t, I’ll settle for voting for a Christian Governor from Louisiana."

Donald Trump Responds To Anti-Muslim/Obama Debacle

Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don't think so!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015

This is the first time in my life that I have caused controversy by NOT saying something.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015

If someone made a nasty or controversial statement about me to the president, do you really think he would come to my rescue? No chance!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015

If I would have challenged the man, the media would have accused me of interfering with that man's right of free speech. A no win situation!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 19, 2015