Maybe not the best movie-promotion idea: In Jefferson City, Missouri, a movie theater known for having actors portray characters from popular films did the same thing with “Iron Man 3.” But not everyone was aware of this promotion, as people called into police after spotting a man wearing full tactical gear and a fake gun in the parking lot—and police treated the situation as an active shooter situation. Less than a year ago, James Holmes was suspected of opening fire in a Colorado movie theater during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises.” (photo via Amber & Amanda Photography’s Facebook page)
It’s worse than we thought…
“Because they did not have a state-recognized marriage, they were regarded as legal strangers despite even having set up the available legal protections for each other. Roger, in turn, was subjected not just to discrimination but police brutality and legal consequences. This tragic story speaks volumes about the consequences of continuing to deny same-sex couples the right to marry and how they continue to be treated as second-class citizens.”
This story is just the saddest thing.
I was not recognized as being the husband, I wasn’t recognized as being the partner.Roger Gorley • Discussing the situation he faced as he was forced away from the bedside of his partner, Allen, at a Missouri hospital earlier this week. The men, who have been in a civil union for five year, share power of attorney and make medical decisions for one another, but the nurse at the Research Medical Center in Kansas City did not recognize this. Gorley was arrested after a member of Allen’s family asked him to be removed. He was given a restraining order, which he plans to fight in court.
If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.The infamous remarks, by GOP Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, which may indeed have been the irreparable deathblow to his candidacy. Despite calls from prominent Republicans for his withdrawal, Akin stuck it out, and tonight, has been defeated by Missouri incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill, as projected by NBC News.
Akin, who has until Oct. 15 to report his quarterly fundraising figures, was in Washington on Wednesday for a series of fundraisers. But his campaign was again beset by remarks he made about abortion — this time, as video of a 2008 speech Akin delivered on the House floor was recirculated online.
In that address, Akin equated abortion providers to terrorists and suggested that it was “common practice” for them to be “giving abortions to women who are not actually pregnant.” On Wednesday, Akin’s critics sought to link the remarks to his “legitimate rape” comment, which he made while explaining his opposition to abortion.
Someone get this man to a human anatomy class, stat.
I believe in free enterprise. I don’t think the government should be telling people what you pay and what you don’t pay. I think it’s about freedom.Missouri Rep. Todd Akin • Explaining his decision to vote against the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, intended to close the gap between men and women’s average salary, during a town hall meeting last week. Akin first found himself in the national spotlight after saying that the female body could prevent pregnancy, in cases of “legitimate rape”, during a televised interview back in August. Something tells us that he won’t be winning back many supporters with this line either. source
With Todd Akin’s final withdrawal deadline past, Claire McCaskill has finally pulled out a nice can of you-know-what on the controversial Missouri Senate candidate. Whaddya think?
This is just one more example of people that are lower income, sometimes not higher educated people, being left behind. It makes me very sad.Kansas City, Mo. resident Margaret May • Expressing frustration with her neighborhood’s slow push to sign up for Google Fiber. May leads the neighborhood council in the Ivanhoe neighborhood, which is 46 percent black. Google said they could only sign up neighborhoods that had enough people pay a $10 preregistration fee for broadband access, and by Sunday’s deadline, only 32 percent of those that had signed up were black, while 54 percent were white, with predominantly-black neighborhoods lagging behind. The company plans to offer a second opportunity to sign up for those that missed the chance.
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He advised me that it would be good for me to step down. I told him that I was going to be looking at this very seriously, trying to weigh all the different points on this.Rep. Todd Akin • Discussing the phone call the embattled Missouri Senate candidate took from Paul Ryan recently, urging him to quit the race after Akin made controversial remarks on abortion. Despite reports that he would quit, Akin chose to stay in the race, ignoring a deadline to drop out. However, Akin, who will not go to Tampa for the convention, said he will not apologize for the fact he’s pro-life.
Perhaps he doesn’t plan to drop out? The Missouri Senate candidate, who was rumored to be dropping out as of yesterday afternoon, appears to be at least trying to salvage his campaign right now, releasing this ad. Akin didn’t have the best day on Monday, facing sharp rebukes from his own party and skipping out on “Piers Morgan Tonight” at the very last second. Akin drew stern criticism over the weekend after he claimed that women couldn’t get pregnant from “legitimate rape” — a claim that suddenly gives Claire McCaskill a chance to win re-election.
“Akin is taking concrete steps to withdraw by tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.,” a senior Republican told BuzzFeed, adding that Akin could still change his mind.
Tomorrow afternoon is an important deadline: If he files papers to end his candidacy in Jefferson City tomorrow he can end his candidacy unilaterally; after that, he would have to file an application in court.
Possible Republican replacements, the source said, include three former senators: John Ashcroft, Jim Talent, and Kit Bond. Other names being mentioned include former Ambassador Ann Wagner, who is running for Akin’s now-vacant seat; and Auditor Tom Schweich.
An interesting development in the Todd Akin saga, particularly considering he just told Mike Huckabee that he wouldn’t be dropping out of the race.
“As a member of Congress, I believe that working to protect the most vulnerable in our society is one of my most important responsibilities, and that includes protecting both the unborn and victims of sexual assault. In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year. Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve.
“I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action. I also recognize that there are those who, like my opponent, support abortion and I understand I may not have their support in this election.
“But I also believe that this election is about a wide-range of very important issues, starting with the economy and the type of country we will be leaving our children and grandchildren. We’ve had 42 straight months of unacceptably high unemployment, trillion dollar deficits, and Democratic leaders in Washington who are focused on growing government, instead of jobs. That is my primary focus in this campaign and while there are those who want to distract from that, knowing they cannot defend the Democrats’ failed economic record of the last four years, that will continue to be my focus in the months ahead.”
The comments have clearly riled people up today, understandably.
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