Tag: HOMOPHOBIA

Opinion: It’s 2019, And Gay People Are Still Being Forced To Attack Themselves In The Streets

By The Babylon Bee

The year is 2019. You’d think we’d be living in a progressive paradise by now, with energy-efficient trains crisscrossing the idyllic countryside, everyone being accepted for who they are—gay, bi, straight, or polygamous—and all people having equal access to free government breadlines.

But no. In the actual year 2019 that Trump has created, gay people are still being forced to attack themselves in the streets. Gay people, especially black gay people, have been so brainwashed by the messaging of Trump’s America that they are now hiring people to oppress them right out in the open.

This isn’t some third-world country where this is happening. This isn’t in some dystopian young adult fiction, where I get most of my political ideas. It’s here. It’s now. Every day, a gay person somewhere in this country hires a couple of Nigerian guys to make it look like he’s hated and oppressed.

We need to take a good, hard look in the mirror, America, and ask ourselves if this is who we want to be. We have allowed an evil movement of Trump supporters to take over our nation so effectively that we’re now paying people to dress up like them and beat us up. This won’t stand any longer. The time has come to say, “No more!”

May we look back a year from now and be able to declare proudly that the year is 2020 and the LGBT community is no longer compelled to pay people to oppress them. We owe it to our future, more progressive selves.

 

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Virginia Democrats Publicly Thank Jussie Smollett For Taking All The Attention Away From Them

By The Babylon Bee

RICHMOND, VA—Virginia Democrats are breathing a sigh of relief, as the Jussie Smollett hoax has taken the media’s eye off of their political trainwreck, sources confirmed today.

Both Governor Ralph Northam and the state’s attorney general had drawn ire for racist photographs and blackface, while Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax has been facing a number of sexual assault scandals. The governor had also caused controversy with statements that appeared to support infanticide.

But then, “a miracle happened”: actor Jussie Smollett received a threatening letter from Trump supporters – a letter that he apparently helped author. When his fake letter didn’t bring about the desired media attention, he upped the ante by staging an attack on himself.  Since he was unable to find any real Trump supporters that fit into his “white, bigoted, and violent” narrative, Smollett allegedly paid two African-American men to dress in MAGA hats and pretend to assault him at 2 a.m. during a historic cold front in Chicago.

Investigators were immediately suspicious, mainly because no Trump supporters have actually heard of Jussie Smollett, much less do they watch his show, Empire.  Police also said it was highly unlikely that any Trump supporters would be in Chicago in the first place. Fortunately for the politicians caught in various scandals, the resulting fallout from this hoax has drawn the public’s attention away from the Virginia Democrats as they seek to salvage their hold on high political office.

In a joint statement released by Northam, Fairfax, and Herring, the three men said, “We offer our most sincere thanks and praise to Mr. Smollett for allowing our careers to remain intact and for giving Democrats continued control of Virginia’s highest positions of public trust.  We owe you big time, Jussie!”

Gov. Northam has used the distraction to take a much-needed vacation: he has reportedly absconded to Las Vegas where he is viewing the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson show at the Mandalay Bay Casino.  “I want to compare their dancing skills to the moves that I showed off when I dressed in blackface for a med-school party”, Northam told reporters.  “Thanks to [Jussie] I was able to moonwalk out of this political catastrophe.”

“You might call me a… smooth criminal!” he added. He then attempted to moonwalk but was stopped by his wife.

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Suspect Arrested ’He Has Made No Statement to Police’

By John Nolte

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Empire star Jussie Smollett surrendered to police at 5:00 a.m. and is now in custody, reports ABC 7 Chicago.

“Smollett surrendered to authorities Thursday morning after he was charged with one count of felony disorderly conduct for filing a false police report,” the report says.

“Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that Smollett is in custody after surrendering to authorities after 5 a.m. Police said they would conduct a news conference at 9 a.m. Smollett is expected to appear in bond court at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.”

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The bond hearing will likely be a formality. The “judge is expected to formally read the charge against Smollett, set his bond and then he will be released. Smollett will return to court at a later date to enter his plea,” reports ABC 7.

On January 29, Smollett reported a hate crime to police, claiming he had been assaulted in downtown Chicago at 1:30 a.m. by two bigots.

Smollett told police the two men recognized him, hurled racial and homophobic slurs (Smollett is black and gay) and assaulted him. Before warning him “This is MAGA country!” — a reference to President Trump’s Make America Great Again campaign slogan — he said the two men poured bleach on his black skin and tied a noose around his neck. The men wore red hats, similar to those worn by Trump supporters, and black facemasks.

According to police, two brothers, both of whom are black, have admitted to being paid by Smollett to stage the attack. Local reporters have found surveillance video of the brothers purchasing the items (see above) allegedly used in the hoax, including a red hat and face masks.

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As of now, Smollett claims he is innocent. His attorneys released a statement: “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked. Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”

The problem with Smollett’s claim of innocence is that he is hanging the two brothers out to dry with the claim they were the ones who, for whatever reason, committed a hate crime against him. According to various reports, Smollett was friendly with the brothers. One or both worked on Empire with him. One might have even been his personal trainer.

But now Smollett apparently wants us to believe they sat outside in subzero weather waiting for the opportunity to beat on him and call him a “nigger” and “faggot,” to pour bleach on him and wrap a noose around his neck.

The attorney representing the brothers told reporters Wednesday: “I think Jusse Smollett should come clean because the truth will set you free. … I think that Jesse’s conscience is not letting him sleep right now, so I think he should unload that conscience and just come out and tell the American people what actually happened.”

She also said her clients did receive money from Smollett.

Smollett is also under investigation over a piece of hate mail sent to him at the Empireoffices. The racist letter contained a white powder (that proved to be harmless), but local media is reporting the brothers told police Smollett arranged to have the letter sent to himself.

For filing a false police report, Smollett could face three years in prison and a hefty fine that could include the cost of the investigation. The hate letter could mean federal mail fraud charges.

As of now, Smollett’s employers at Fox are standing by their star, although there have been reports his role was dramatically reduced in upcoming episodes and that the filing of felony charges could mean a suspension.

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DON LEMON: IT’S NOT JUSSIE SMOLLETT’S “FAULT” THAT HE LOST IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION

Don Lemon: It's Not Jussie Smollett's "Fault" That He Lost in the Court of Public Opinion

CNN host runs defense for actor arrested for staging his own hate crime

 | Infowars.com – FEBRUARY 21, 2019

CNN host Don Lemon ran defense for Jussie Smollett on his show last night, claiming that it’s not the actor’s “fault” that he lost in the court of public opinion.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi announced that Smollett was “under arrest and in custody of detectives” this morning. His bail hearing is set for 1:30pm local time.

Smollett launched a media firestorm at the end of last month when he claimed he was assaulted by two individuals who shouted “this is MAGA country” and had a noose placed around his neck.

However, evidence soon emerged clearly suggesting Smollett had paid two Nigerian brothers who worked on the show Empire with him to stage the attack.

Despite some on the left deleting old tweets that signaled vehement support for Smollett and with others keen to avoid talking about the issue altogether, Don Lemon appeared to double down by absolving Smollett of blame.

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During a segment on his show last night, the CNN host said Smollett had “lost the fight in the court of public opinion”.

“He lost that because of how – not his fault – maybe people were – I don’t know what they were saying to him, maybe because of his representatives, who knows – but it was handled poorly,” said Lemon.

CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson pushed back, commenting, “I don’t know if it’s not his fault, Don.”

“You think it’s his fault, you think he was doing what he wanted?” asked Lemon.

If the allegations are proven true, quite how anyone but Smollett himself is to blame for staging a hate crime which according to some could have kicked off racial violence in America is somewhat baffling.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Smollett’s lawyers say they will “mount an aggressive defense,” with the actor potentially facing jail time.

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Jussie Smollett Hires Colin Kaepernick Attorney Mark Geragos as Indictment Looms

By Joshua Caplan

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Empire actor Jussie Smollett has hired high-powered attorney Mark Geragos amid reports he orchestrated a racist and homophobic attack on himself last month in Chicago. Fox 32 Chicago reporter Rafer Weigel, citing sources at the Chicago Police Department, tweeted Wednesday that an indictment of Smollett may come in “a matter of hours. Not days.”

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Geragos recently represented former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his lawsuit against the professional football league.

The report comes as police are seeking to re-question Smollett amid allegations that he staged the attack with the brothers — Abimbola “Abel” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo — who were extras on Empire. According to CBS Chicago’s Charlie De Mar, Smollett directed one of the brothers to purchase the rope which was used in the alleged staged attack at the Crafty Beaver hardware store. De Mar also said Smollett paid the brothers $3,500 and promised an additional $500 later.

Smollett told police that two masked individuals had sprayed him with an unknown chemical substance as they hurled racist and anti-gay insults at him on January 29. The actor also claimed that his attackers had looped a thin rope around his neck and screamed “This is MAGA country!” before darting from the area.

Meanwhile, the Fox Broadcasting Company, the network behind Empire, said in a statement Wednesday that Smollett is a “consulate profession” who will remain a regular on the show.

Not only is Smollett believed to have staged the assault, but may also be behind a threatening letter sent to him on the set of Empire.

Chicago’s local CBS affiliate, WBBM Channel 2, reported Tuesday evening that the actor “orchestrated” the assault after the letter failed to garner an adequate reaction.

FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service officials are currently probing whether he played a role in the letter’s January 22 delivery. The letter, which contained powered aspirin and the phrase “Die black fag,” is undergoing analysis at an FBI crime lab, ABC News reported.

In a statement to ABC News, Smollett’s lawyers said their client was “angered” and “further victimized” by claims that staged his own attack.

“As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with,” Smollett’s lawyers, Todd Pugh and Victor Henderson, said. “He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”

“One of these purported suspects was Jussie’s personal trainer who he hired to ready him physically for a music video,” the statement continued. “It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity.”

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STATE ATTORNEY RECUSES HERSELF FROM JUSSIE SMOLLETT CASE

State Attorney Recuses Herself From Jussie Smollett Case

Reason for recusal unclear

By Nicole Darrah

The Cook County state’s attorney has recused herself from the investigation surrounding Jussie Smollett, as Chicago police continue to dig into the alleged hate crime attack the actor claims occurred last month.

State’s Attorney Kim Foxx recused herself on Tuesday, but it was not immediately clear why. First Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph Magats will take over the case as acting state’s attorney, Fox News has learned.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT’S LAWYERS DENY HE PLANNED ATTACK AFTER CHICAGO POLICE CLAIM HE’S NO LONGER CONSIDERED A VICTIM IN CASE

Foxx’s recusal came as the Chicago Police Department rejected a tip the bureau received earlier Tuesday regarding the “Empire” actor’s case.

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Anthony Guglielmi, chief communications officer for the department, tweeted that the tip alleging that Smollett was spotted in an elevator in his building with two men who were initially considered suspects was “unfounded as it was not supported by video evidence obtained by detectives.”

Smollett, who is openly gay and black, reported that on Jan. 29, he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a Subway restaurant. He claimed that the men shouted racial and anti-gay slurs at him, poured a chemical substance on him, threw a rope around his neck and shouted, “This is MAGA country!”

Investigators revealed on Friday that two suspects were questioned in connection with the alleged attack, but were released without charges “due to new evidence.”

Chicago police said on Saturday that Smollett was no longer considered a victim in their investigation.

Smollett’s attorneys, Todd S. Pugh and Victor P. Henderson, vehemently denied that the attack was a hoax, previously telling the press: “As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with.”

“He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack,” the statement continued. “Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”

Separately, court documents recently obtained by Fox News reveal that Smollett was convicted for DUI and providing a police officer with false information. It was not immediately clear what information he lied to police about, but it’s related to a vehicular charge. Smollett’s legal team did not deny the arrest.

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THIS IS MEME COUNTRY: JUSSIE SMOLLETT MEMES ERUPT AFTER HOAX

This Is Meme Country: Jussie Smollett Memes Erupt After Hoax

‘Empire’ hoaxer’s hate crime narrative falls apart to horror of mainstream media

Infowars.com – FEBRUARY 19, 2019

With the left devastated over another fake hate crime hoax, it was only a matter of time until memes concerning the Jussie Smollett incident emerged.

Here are a few of the best Smollet Hoax memes from around the web:

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Some memes pointed out the media’s double standard, while others highlighted the hypocrisy of Smollett’s virtue-signaling in light of new evidence indicating he staged the attack.

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The media has been walking back their zealous reporting on the story, and placing blame on everybody but themselves for perpetuating the hoax.

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With the left devastated over another fake hate crime hoax, it was only a matter of time until memes concerning the Jussie Smollett incident emerged.

Instagram reportedly censored commentator Mark Dice’s meme on Tuesday depicting Smollett as a Scooby Doo villain.

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FACEBOOK Bans Articles Exposing Hoax…

BY TYLER O’NEIL FEBRUARY 18, 2019

CAP

Over the weekend, Facebook prevented people from sharing two conservative articles on the unraveling case of Empire star Jussie Smollett, which seems to be a hate hoax. Both Rod Dreher, author of The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation, and Daily Caller reporter Jen Kerns saw their articles censored on Facebook.

“You are not allowed to say on Facebook that Jussie Smollett carried out a hate hoax,” Dreher tweeted on Sunday with a screenshot of Facebook blocking his article at The American Conservative.

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According to the screenshot, Facebook blocked the article because it appeared to be “spam” and said the post “goes against our Community Standards.”

Facebook lifted the ban later on Sunday.

On Saturday, lawyer Harmeet K. Dillon shared the news that Jen Kerns’s article had been blocked, also allegedly for “violating community standards.”

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Rudy Takala also reported that Jen Kerns had been banned on Instagram.

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Jen Kerns shared screenshots of the ban with PJ Media. Kerns told PJ Media that Facebook would not allow her to post the article as early as Friday.

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Then when she tried to put the article in her Instagram bio, Instagram booted her from the account until she removed the link.

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Rod Dreher’s article merely shared the previous reporting on the case, with a few paragraphs of his opinion sprinkled in. Jen Kerns compared the Jussie Smollett apparent hoax with the 1980s hoax perpetrated by Tawana Brawley.

In a follow-up article about the Facebook ban, Rod Dreher attempted to make sense of Facebook’s decision.

I fully support Facebook or any other social medium having a policy of banning certain material (porn, neo-Nazi propaganda, etc.). But when you can’t talk about hate hoaxes in general, or about a celebrated hate hoax in particular? Presumably my blog post violated Facebook’s “hate speech” prohibition (I can’t find any of their other Community Standards that it might have violated). Facebook’s policy on “hate speech” is here.This, I suppose, is what my blog post violated:

But the entire reason for the post is new evidence indicating that Jussie Smollett was NOT a victim of a hate crime, but rather faked a hate crime!

The move indeed seems rather head-scratching.

Facebook also censored a pair of conservative articles last August as news broke surrounding the Paul Manafort conviction and the Michael Cohen guilty plea. Both articles countered the prevailing liberal narrative about these events.

It seems these bouts of censorship are likely caused by liberal Facebook users marking articles as “spam.” The social media company later removed the blocks, but censoring articles in the hours after their publication does a serious disservice in the news industry, where fresh information has the most pertinent impact.

Even if Facebook is not behind the initial decision to block, the company should make sure the posts are “spam” before blocking them, rather than allowing some Social Justice Warrior to silence news on the internet.

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