05/17/23

Good morning! It’s Wednesday, May 17th.

National Walnut Day!

No no. I mean, yes. But it’s also International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia… Day.

May 17th was chosen as the day for this day because May 17th is when the World Health Organization declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in, are you ready for this… 1990.

Just 33 years ago.

68 countries still criminalize private, consensual, same-sex relationships, 14 criminalize transgender people for expressing their gender identity, and 11 countries still use the death penalty as punishment for CONSENUAL same-sex relationships.

In America, six states have anti-LGBTQ curriculum laws: that’s Florida, of course, as well as Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Alabama.  Ohio, South Carolina, and North Carolina have also proposed anti-LGBTQ laws. And, on top of that, 32 Republicans have signed off on a bill that would, essentially, be a national Don’t Say Gay bill that’s modeled after Florida.

These bills are hateful and deadly. And should be called out every single time any of these states even look in the direction of them.

And now, the news.

Debt Ceiling Debate Continues

-via AP News

Let’s start with the debt ceiling, because you know how super comfortable and excited I am to just… talk economics. Very comfortable. Very knowledgeable.

President Biden announced he will cut his upcoming international trip short, skipping a post-G7 summit stop in Australia and Papua New Guinea, to return home and lunch with Kevin McCarthy in hopes of preventing a national financial crisis.

A significant sacrifice for Biden on two fronts – first, he gives up what I can only assume was a surfing vaca in Australia. Plus – he’s gotta have lunch with Kevin McCarthy. Bummer all around.

Bummer for me too. Because if he’s skipping those stops, that means he’s not going to make news in Papua New Guinea. Which means I don’t get to say Papua New Guinea as often as I’d like. Which is too bad, because Papua New Guinea is very fun to say.

And that’s… the update on the debt ceiling.

I know it’s not a real update but that’s really it, unless you want to get into the weeds. They’re still meeting, they’re still working it out. That’s… kind of… it.

Papua New Guinea!

Deadly Sonic Shooting (Update)

­-­via NPR

A 12-year-old boy, and the 20-year-old he was with, have been charged with murder after last week’s deadly shooting of an employee. It happened last Saturday, after Angel Gomez, the 20-year-old, starting peeing in the Sonic parking lot. Matthew Davis, a Sonic employee, approached Gomez and asked him to stop. A physical altercation began and the boy, who is unnamed because they’re a minor, shot Davis multiple times from the car.

Gomez and the boy initially fled the scene before Gomez returned. Both Gomez and the boy have been arrested and charged with murder.

North Carolina Senate Overrides Governor

-via CNN

North Carolina. Oh boy… The North Carolina Senate has voted to override the Governor’s veto of the anti-abortion bill that hit his desk.

The vote was 30-20 along party lines.

It now heads to the House, where a three-fifths vote can fully override the veto and put in place an abortion ban in the state at just 12 weeks.

This one’s not over yet – with a tight margin, ONE vote a Republican in the House leaves the veto a veto and leaves the decision to be pregnant with, and hear me out on this.. the person that’s pregnant.

We’ll know more when we know more but in the meantime… let’s all just hope there’s a North Carolina House Republican that accidentally grows a little common sense in the next few hours or so.

Diane Feinstein Interview

-via LA Times

I have no idea why, on literal earth, anyone actually let her do this interview but… Senator Diane Feinstein gave a quick, post-vote, not-planned interview on Tuesday about her return to the Senate.

As a reminder, she’s been gone for MONTHS and is still in a wheelchair, due to complications from shingles.

The reporter asked about well wishes she’s received since she returned, and this was the interaction:

“What have I heard about what?” she asked.

“About your return,” the reporter replied.

“I haven’t been gone,” she said. “You should ... I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working.”

“You’ve been working from home is what you’re saying?”

“No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting. Please, either know or don’t know.”

And only then was she taken away.

Listen – I’m not a doctor. I’m not here to diagnose. And this close to the election (kind of. It’s like… it’s close but not), it’s a very complicated situation. More so than it already was. But this poor woman…

Resolution to Expel Santos Introduced in House

-via KESQ

And finally, and I do mean finally… House Democrat Robert Garcia introduced a resolution to expel George Santos on Tuesday. It is expected to fail, because House Republicans are an unserious group and if they’re going to let literal insurrectionists on the floor and in their party, what’s a little lying and money crimes? But it does potentially force the members to put their vote on record, which I’m always all for.

The House has until tomorrow to decide whether they’ll take up the vote.

And that’s it. That’s the news.

I’m proud of the LGBTQ community who, in the face of people like Ron DeSantis, who spews hate simply because he is feckless, remember this singular truth – that who they are, and who they love, matters. And anyone trying to tell you otherwise is flat out wrong.

But more than… walnuts… I’m proud of you!