Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán has used an event commemorating the end of WWI as an opportunity to launch yet another barb at LGBT+ people.
The far-right leader made the comments at a national event to inaugurate a monument commemorating the Treaty of Trianon, which was signed after the end of the war.
He called upon Hungary’s neighbouring countries to unite to preserve their Christian roots as western Europe “experiments” with same-sex families, immigration and atheism.
“Western Europe had given up on … a Christian Europe, and instead experiments with a godless cosmos, rainbow families, migration and open societies,” Orbán said in a speech.
He declared that the new monument, a 100-metre long and 4-metre wide ramp carved into a street near Budapest’s parliament building, was a call to central European nations to strengthen their alliance and rally around what he called the “Polish flagship”.
His speech will have reaffirmed the country’s close relationship with Poland, Hungary’s main ally in central Europe and equally conservative in its opposition to LGBT+ people.
In parallel with Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), Orbán’s administration has pursued policies that persistently erode LGBT+ rights and freedoms.
One of his very first acts after his pandemic power grab was to strip away the ability for trans people to legally change gender, an act that drew fierce condemnation from international human rights groups.
The move had the effect of legally erasing the Hungarian trans people, and it is already driving them to suicide.
Unfortunately the homophobic sentiment has shown no sign of improving as the lockdown eases; Last weekend, two rainbow flags were torn down from municipal buildings in Budapest.
Among the culprits was a Hungarian politician, who was seen using a ladder to climb Budapest City Hall to reach the flag.
He was filmed by the far-right Our Homeland Movement, which proudly shared the video online declaring that “this anti-family symbol has no place on the street, especially on the facade of the capital’s local government”.
It prompted a warning from the US Embassy that neo-Nazi groups should not be tolerated.
No matter where you live, catastrophe can strike without warning. Even if you’re not susceptible to hurricanes or floods, you could be at risk for unpredictable disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, chemical spills or even a house fire. Alice Moon-Fanelli, Ph.D., a certified-applied animal behaviorist with Animal Behavior Consultations in Brooklyn, Connecticut, can attest firsthand that crises happen when you least expect them. Several years ago, her chimney burst into flames. “My husband yelled at me to get the cats,” she says. “The crates were in the cellar. Who plans on having a nightmare? As soon as the carriers came out, the cats disappeared.” So, how do you evacuate with cats?
How to evacuate with cats? Start by planning ahead.
Get your cat acclimated to her carrier before disaster strikes. Photography by Kachalkina Veronika / Shutterstock.
According to the American Kennel Club, approximately 500,000 pets are affected by house fires every year. In the event your kitchen catches fire or you’re ordered to evacuate, you need an emergency plan in place that includes your cats.
Jim Carson, who has a cat named Indiana and dog named Heidi, also had a close encounter with a house fire. At 1 a.m., firefighters woke him up, concerned that a nearby house fire could spread to his home.
“I kept carrying cages in the front closet,” he says. “It was quick and efficient, and I would never think about keeping them anywhere else. The outside situation was chaos and the animals were scared to death. I was able to put them in the car and out of harm’s way. I have no doubt that if they weren’t in the cages they’d have bolted.”
The Electrical Safety Foundation International suggests attaching a pet alert sticker to a window near your front door. If you get outside without your cat, immediately tell firefighters your pet is trapped inside. Don’t go back in once you are outside.
When you evacuate, never leave your animals behind even if officials promise you’ll only be gone for a few minutes. If it isn’t safe for you, it’s not safe for your cat. A few minutes can expand into weeks before you’re permitted to return.
Dr. Dick Green, the senior director of disaster response for the ASPCA, says because disasters such as train derailments or earthquakes provide no warning, “we have to be dependent on preplanning. Anticipate. If you get word of a nearby wildfire, put [your pet] in the safe room with his toys, food and bed.
How to get your cat safely in his carrier during an emergency:
Cats can be challenging to catch during an emergency because they instinctively hide from danger. Of course, the best-case scenario includes a well-trained cat trotting into his carrier. However, since most cats associate the appearance of the carrier with the vet, they hide. Instead of bringing the carriers out first, slip a cotton pillowcase over the cat. Once he’s in the pillowcase, slide him into a carrier and head for safety.
Because your animal may not be able to hear your voice over alarms Herb Carver (aka The Catastrophe Geek) recommends training your cat to respond to a whistle. If you’re unable to catch him, you can whistle to him in a disaster’s aftermath.
Just like fire drills in school, go through the motions occasionally, says Lynn Molnar, founder and president of Thankful Paws mobile food bank for pets. “Know where you will drive to be safe,” she says. “Pick several locations, just in case something prevents you from taking your preferred route. If you have a plan and stay calm, your cat will too. They take their emotional cues from us.”
Be proactive if a disaster like a hurricane or flood is even a possibility.
When you are given a lot of warning time, as with a hurricane or rising floodwaters, be proactive. Take a day of vacation and leave the potentially affected area early. You won’t need to take as many supplies. A three-day supply of cat food, water and cat litter should suffice. Your destination will have grocery stores.
Survival Weekly’s Jim Cobb warns shelters may require proof of immunizations, so have a complete copy of those records in your evacuation kit.
If your community doesn’t have an emergency shelter for people and pets, start the conversation now, and ask about how to start one. There are lots of pet people out there: As soon as one person speaks up, other people will join in to help!
Make sure your cat has identification.
Your cat should wear current rabies tags and a name tag engraved with your cell phone as well as a relative’s number. Should you become separated, his ID tags will provide information that can reunite you. But remember collars can come off, and with them your pet’s identity.
A microchip ensures your pet will never become separated from his ID. And equally as important as implanting the chip is registering it and notifying the registry whenever your contact information changes. If your pet doesn’t have a microchip, keep a picture of him on your cell phone for identification purposes.
Prepare an evacuation kit.
Each pet needs his own carrier and a “go bag” with everything he’ll need during an evacuation. Keep emergency provisions in sturdy containers that can be carried easily (plastic tub, duffle bags, covered trash containers, etc.). Tape the checklist below to it. Make note whenever you replace food, water and medications (every six months is a good method).
Your cat’s emergency kit should include:
An accessible carrier for every pet. You don’t want to have to dig under 20 years of Cat Fancy back issues in the attic when Barney Fife is telling you to leave. Carriers should be large enough for your cat to stand up and turn around in. Line the carrier floor with puppy pads or give kitty a shoebox litter box. Write your contact information in permanent marker on the carrier and duct tape his photo to it.
A photo of each of your pets and a description of their breed, age, sex, color, and markings.
Copies of your cat’s medical and vaccination records. In the event your vet’s clinic receives a direct impact, you’ve lost those records. Veterinary records may be needed for transport across state lines.
Photocopies of ownership papers and city license.
A list of phone numbers including: your veterinarian, pet-friendly motels, emergency clinic, animal poison control center, and area animal shelters.
Cat food — at least a three-day supply or two weeks, depending on your situation. If you feed wet food, look for the pouches or small cans with pull tabs, says Paul Purcell of Disaster Prep 101. ”You may be in a situation with no power for refrigeration so food cannot be stored. Duct tape a three-gallon bag filled with dry food to the side of the carrier and regularly replace old food with fresh kibble. Don’t forget your kitty’s comfort food.
Water. One gallon per pet per day.
Food and water bowls.
Harness with a D-ring for a leash. If you or shelter volunteers need to scoop the litter box, a harness gives you more control over a frightened, fractious cat who could slip out of his safety collar.
Medications. If your cat requires maintenance medications, ask your vet for a two-week supply in pills or un-reconstituted powder, or keep an unfilled drug prescription with your evacuation paperwork.
Litter box, litter scoop, preferred brand of litter, and plastic bags for poop. Aluminum baking pans make great disposable litter boxes.
Paper towels and baby wipes.
Pet first aid kit.
Comfort items. A beloved toy, blanket or bed reassures your kitty that everything is going to be OK. Place one of your unwashed T-shirts in a zippered plastic bag. It can be used as bedding and make him feel more at ease.
Brush/comb, for long-haired pets.
Tranquilizers or calming remedies. Rescue Remedy, Feliway, etc.
Odor neutralizer.
Duct tape, in case the carrier is damaged.
Have you ever had to evacuate with your cat? Tell us how it went in the comments.
While 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton deemed Donald Trump’s supporters a “basket of deplorables” during the campaign, the list of Republican National Convention speakers this week may be taking the term to a whole new level.
Trump’s reelection convention will feature an extensive lineup of racists, anti-LGBTQ activists, and con men. And that doesn’t count Trump himself.
The gun-toting St. Louis couple, Patricia and Mark McCloskey – who threatened Black Lives Matter protesters and became a national laughingstock and personification of white privilege – will also speak. It was recently revealed that not only do they want people of color kept outside the gates of their rich neighborhood, they sued their neighborhood association in an attempt to prevent gay couples from moving into the community.
Nick Sandmann, the high school kid who made headlines during a confrontation with a Native American protester and a group of militant Black Christians, will share the depth of his knowledge with the virtual crowd. Actor Scott Baio from Happy Days and Charles in Charge will also drop some deep thoughts, presumably about something.
As with any good mafia syndicate, Trump’s family members will also appear to help convince voters to stick by the Don. Melania Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, and even Tiffany Trump will try to “sway” voters. Almost half of the keynote speakers will be part of the President’s family.
Even Don Jr.’s girlfriend will be on stage. Ivanka’s husband will too. They both work in the White House too, of course.
A host of Republican politicians and administration officials with ties to anti-LGBTQ hate groups will share the stage throughout the week-long event. Vice President Mike Pence will also address the party, presumably to lecture them on the dangers of dancing and rap music.
No word yet whether or not the Deplorable Choir will sing. But since the GOP is stuck with Kid Rock for entertainment, what could it hurt?
A wildfire is burning out of control, and your house is in its path. What do you do?
Most importantly, if you have been ordered to evacuate by authorities, get out immediately. Leave with your family, pets, important papers and whatever portable prized possessions you can quickly pack. Lingering could be fatal.
1. Call 911 to inform authorities of your location and the location of the fire.
2. Shut off your house’s gas supply. Move propane tanks at least 100 feet away from the house.
3. Fill sinks and tubs with cold water.
4. Keep doors and windows closed but not locked. Leave the chimney damper open, but cover the fireplace opening with a screen.
5. Turn off air-conditioning. Unplug televisions, small appliances and other electronics.
6. If you have time, remove debris from your roof and gutters. Ideally you’ll have done this as part of regular maintenance. It’s critical that the roof be free of dried vegetation like leaves and pine needles because of the danger of falling embers.
7. The same goes for vents in your attic or crawl space. Any debris buildup should be removed and the vents covered with plywood, metal tape or duct tape.
8. Connect all hoses to outside taps. Wet your roof by placing a lawn sprinkler on it. Use a sprinkler to soak shrubs within 15 feet of the house. Fill buckets with water and place them outside around the house. If you have a ladder, leave it out so firefighters can use it to get on the roof if needed.
9. Move furniture away from windows and doors, and take down lightweight or non-fire-resistant window treatments. Combustible patio furniture should be placed inside or in a garage.
10. Leave a note so that in the event of evacuation others will know where you are going.
The best way to increase the chances of your home surviving a wildfire is to take measures weeks or months before a blaze erupts. Properties in high fire-risk areas where wild lands intersect with urban or suburban communities should create a buffer zone between the house and grass, trees, shrubs and any other wild vegetation, Cal Fire says.
A group of hard-right religious-right leaders is hosting “America at the Crossroads: A 911 Call for Pastors,” which will be held at a resort near Dallas, Texas, at the end of the month. The event page describes the Aug. 30-Sept. 2 gathering as “three days of R & R, fellowship, food and training on Black Lives Matter, White Privilege, Critical Race Theory, Cultural Marxism, Covid-19 and the calls for Global Government!” Guests will be welcomed by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
“America at the Crossroads” is being organized by Liberty Pastors, which is led by the Oklahoma-based pastor Paul Blair, a right-wing nullification activist who urges state officials to ignore Supreme Court rulings like Roe v. Wade and Obergefell, the marriage equality ruling. Blair promotes the Christian reconstructionist idea that the Bible does not give the government authority to care for the poor: “There’s nowhere in the Bible where God commands the civil authority to use the sword to take from those who are working hard and then redistribute to those that simply refuse to work.”
Here’s more from the event’s registration page, which describes the event as sold out:
America is in peril! We see rioting in the streets with showing no regard for life or personal property. For the first time in America’s history, we intentionally collapsed our economy over a viral threat originating in Communist Red China. Mayors and Governors are demanding that Churches and businesses close, while abortion clinics, liquor stores and big box stores are open. People are gripped with fear, yet where is the Prophetic voice of Almighty God?
The event shows the extent to which conservative evangelical support for President Donald Trump has further blurred distinctions between what might have once been considered “mainstream” and fringe religious-right groups.
Blair and his clergy colleague Dan Fisher, who is also scheduled to speak at this month’s conference, are both on the organizing committee of Gone 2 Far, an aggressively anti-LGBTQ coalition launched last year with a press conference that smeared advocates for LGBTQ equality, including the late civil rights icon John Lewis.
Notorious anti-LGBTQ extremist Scott Lively is scheduled to speak at the event, as are anti-equality religious-right legal advocate Mat Staver and Trump cheerleaders and megachurch pastors Robert Jeffress and Jack Hibbs.
Lively, author of “The Pink Swastika,” is among the most notorious anti-LGBTQ activists in the world. Among his homophobic attacks are his claim that homosexuality is a worse sin “by far” than slavery and his assertion that he would rather be beheaded than forced by the government to wear a mask. As Right Wing Watch noted recently:
He has supported anti-LGBTQ legislation in Uganda, Russia, and around the world. Last year he helped launch an extreme anti-LGBTQ group with comments charging that the transgender movement is really about promoting the “pedophilia agenda.” In 2015, he said homosexuality was worse than murder and genocide and warned that if the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, it could lead to the rise of the Antichrist by the end of the year.
Lively recently told WND readers, “Reelecting President Trump is not a political choice but an act of self-defense for every American who loves the Holy Bible and the U.S. Constitution.”
Lively has also called for defiance of public health restrictions on churches, which he says are invalid because the church is a separate “sovereign.” Lively explained in an Aug. 10 WND column:
Government attempts to regulate church attendance and worship practices violate not only the law of our land, the US Constitution, they violate the law above the law, and because of that every Christian pastor should individually be in open defiance of restrictive “mandates” and collectively in active civil rebellion against the state and local governments issuing them.
…
While other churches and congregations might have acquiesced to the court’s illegitimate authority, I am not bound by their decisions, having newly established my own church totally independent of them. I have not registered First Century Bible Church with the government and have no intention to do so.
As an Ambassador of the Church of Jesus Christ I do not recognize the authority of the Supreme Court — an arm of the state — to legislate from the bench on church/state matters. It retains authority to regulate the state in church/state matters, but not the church.
Scheduled “America at the Crossroads” speakers include the following individuals:
Bob McEwen is a former member of Congress who heads the Council for National Policy, an influential and secretive network of right-wing officials and activist leaders.
E.W. Jackson, right-wing pastor and radio host and Republican nominee for Lt. Gov. in Virginia in 2013, said earlier this year that he sees no substantive difference between American progressives and the totalitarian regime in North Korea. Jackson has warned that a “homovirus” is devastating the family and American society. Jackson promised members of his congregation that God would prevent them from becoming infected with the COVID-19 virus and called Rep. Adam Schiff “treasonous” for suggesting a commission to examine the federal government’s response to the pandemic.
Rafael Cruz, father of Sen. Ted Cruz and a religious-right activist, is an anti-LGBTQ zealot who has claimed falsely that the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling—which he charged was the work of Satan—legalized marriage “between two men and a horse.” Rafael Cruz had supported his son’s presidential bid by saying that God had raised Ted up and that electing him would spare America from divine judgment. In 2016, he said that President Barack Obama had been trying to take people’s guns away as part of a plan to install a communist dictatorship.
Dan Fisher, who co-pastors Blair’s church, calls for “bringing back the Black Robed Regiment,” a reference to colonial-era pastors who mobilized support for the revolt against Great Britain. He served two terms in the state legislature before running unsuccessfully for governor in 2018 on a platform that including abolishing and criminalizing abortion and asserting state sovereignty to disobey “wrong” Supreme Court rulings. He drew just under 8 percent of the vote in the Republican primary.
Rick Scarborough called AIDS “God’s judgment on a sinful generation” and said that marriage equality is part of Satan’s effort to “destroy this country.” He falsely claimed that the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling “made it unlawful and illegal for Christians to hold position” in government; years earlier he falsely claimed that the passage of the federal Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Act in 2009 would “criminalize pastors and ordinary citizens who speak out biblically against homosexuality.” At the 2013 Values Voter Summit, he warned that “infidels” in the Obama administration were “hell-bent on silencing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” His Recover America Now has abandoned its plans to hold 75 gatherings across Texas this year and, according to the group’s website, has “entered into a partnership with the Jonathan Project to register and mobilize thousands of Christian Voters across America, targeting with special outreach Texas, Florida and North Carolina.” The Jonathan Project is a voter identification, registration and mobilization effort. RAN has hosted online calls with Jeffress, David Barton, Mat Staver, and others in an effort to maximize conservative Christian turnout this fall. Scarborough hosts a podcast that describes separation of church and state as a “myth.”
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On Sunday August 16th, 2020, Instagram influencer Eden the Doll and her friends Joslyn Flawless and Jaslene White Rose were robbed, beaten, and chased through the streets of Hollywood.
The incident began when the women were waiting for an Uber and one of the men stole Eden’s phone. The group started throwing objects at the women as they tried to retrieve the phone and mocked them.
To make matters worse, one of the attackers posted a video of it all to social media.
The video shows passersby refusing to help as the women pleaded for assistance and laughing at them as they were attacked on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
One man who passes by stops to take multiple photos of the women in the street. A woman passing by refuses to help, saying she doesn’t see blood so it must not be too bad. A police car drives up but quickly leaves without stopping as Eden cradles an unconscious Jaslene in the street.
“This was the most traumatic thing that ever happened to me,” Jaslene posted on Instagram with photos of the attackers. “Not just the fact that I was hit by a grown man, but because there were so many men watching this happen to me and my friends. And we begged for someone to call the police, but they were too busy recording and laughing.”
According to HRC, at least 26 transgender and gender nonconforming people have been killed in the U.S. in the year 2020, and most of them are Black transgender women. Many stories go unreported in the media and police frequently misgender victims, which means that the real number is likely higher.
Transgender and gender non-conforming people are at a higher risk than other populations for violence and violent death. The HRC says “a toxic mix of transphobia, racism and misogyny” makes Black transgender women particularly vulnerable to transphobic attacks.
Mitch O’Farrell, council member of the 13th district of the City of Los Angeles released a statement pertaining to the incident. O’Farrell states “The video of three transgender women of color being physically attacked, chased, robbed, and jeered at by a hostile crowd of cisgender men and women has me infuriated-and- determined to see all perpetrators are brought to justice. I spoke with LAPD Capt. Lurie and he assured me that a full investigation has been launched and detectives are making significant progress. My office will continue to monitor the situation until there is a full resolution. Transgender women face a disproportionate amount of violence and I will continue my mission of doing everything in my power to ensure their safety anywhere in Los Angeles and in the 13th district where we welcome everyone.”
A spokesperson for the LAPD told The Pride LA that the incident was under active investigation and would be labeled a hate crime. They are also reviewing the response of officers in the area one squad car, in particular, passed by the scene with its lights activated en route to another emergency call according to LAPD Chief Michel Moore. Who also added that he planned to find out what call the first officer was responding to, whether the officer realized what was happening to the women as he passed by, whether the officer alerted dispatch to the incident and “whether or not we took appropriate action.”
Update: Two men are in custody. Willie Walker, 42, was arrested in Hollywood Wednesday and on an extortion charge, police said on Friday August 21st, and Carlton Callway, 29, was arrested Thursday on a robbery charge with a hate crime enhancement. Police said they’re still looking for 22-year-old Davion Williams, who is suspected of assaulting the victims with a deadly weapon.
Lauded producer, actor, director, and writer Ash Christian died in his sleep while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on Thursday August 13th, 2020. He was 35 years old.
Born on Jan. 16, 1985, in Paris, Texas, Christian began writing and directing short films at the age of 14 before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his acting dreams just two years later.
Christian also operated his own successful New York-based film production company, Cranium Entertainment. Cranium and Christian recently released the acclaimed AIDS drama 1985, directed by Yen Tan and starring Cory Michael Smith and Virginia Madsen.
I’m 2006 Christian caught Hollywood’s attention with his independent film, Fat Girls, which he also wrote and co-starred in. The movie, co-starring Ashley Fink and Boys in the Band’s Robin De Jesus, was a hit at Outfest, Los Angeles’s LGBTQ+ film festival; Christian won the Outfest award for emerging talent.
Christian also produced Hurricane Bianca, a 2016 film starring RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio. At the time of his death, Christian had several other films in various stages of production starring high-profile actors like Lili Taylor, Dustin Hoffman, Fortune Feimster, Marissa Tomei, Gina Gershon, and Josh Hutcherson.
Christian’s talents also extended to television, where he appeared on dramas like The Good Wife, The Good Fight, and Law & Order. Christian won a Daytime Emmy in 2014 for his program, ml Promise.
A red flag warning was cancelled by the National Weather Service Monday, but crews on the LNU Lightning Complex in the North Bay are still prepared for the possibility of dry lightning Monday morning and afternoon, as thunderstorms move across Northern California.
Remnants of a tropical storm that pushed into Central California overnight were forecast to deliver a nasty mix of dry lightning and erratic winds and amplify fire activity. The storm cells traveled across Monterey County and pushed across the Santa Cruz Mountains, but they mostly carried high amounts of moisture into the region and even dropped small amounts of rainfall, helping suppress fire activity. Although the warning for high winds and lightning storms has now expired, the NWS still urges vigilance.
“Stay weather aware as weak cells are still over the North Bay; however, most moisture has moved north of our area and instability has decreased giving us confidence to let the warning expire early,” the NWS said Mondayat 9:30 a.m.
That National Weather Service said the Bay Area has mostly dodged the storm.
“There’s still a chance of an isolated thunderstorm, generating gusty, erratic winds and lightning for San Francisco Bay and the North Bay through the morning,” said NWS meteorologist Will Pi. “It looks like the instability on this one was far less than the one we had last week. This is a more typical summer thunderstorm.”
The complex of fires was 341,243 acres with 21% containment before nightfall Sunday, and as of this morning it was 350,030 with 22% containment.
The Walbridge Fire, which was 0% contained on Sunday morning, is now up to 5%; the blaze west of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. The Meyers Fire, north of Jenner in Sonoma County, is now 95% contained. Five damage assessment teams will be going into the burn areas of the Walbridge Fire today to determine how many structures were damaged or destroyed.
Officials cautioned residents to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice, as dry lightning could spark fires and high winds could quickly spread them.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of being prepared to leave,” Cal Fire unit chief Shana Jones said Sunday.
“If that tingling on the back of your neck says ‘I need to leave,’ then please do so,” she added. “Do not wait to be ordered to do so.”
Four civilians have died – three in Napa County and one in Solano County – 871 structures have been destroyed and 234 are damaged, as of Monday morning. Over 30,000 structures remain threatened.
