News
Biden deals major blow to Sanders in ‘Mini-Tuesday’ contests
Loss in Michigan a devastating blow to Vermont Independent
Former Vice President Joseph Biden advanced closer to obtaining the Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday night with major victories against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the latest primary contests.
“Tonight, we are a step closer to restoring decency, dignity and honor to the White House,” Biden said during his victory speech in Philadelphia. “That’s our ultimate goal.”
As a result of his wins, a chance for Sanders making a turnaround in the Democratic primary went from unlikely to slightly more than infinitesimal.
Six states were up for grabs on the date of the primary contests, which was colloquially known as “Mini-Tuesday”: Mississippi, Michigan, Missouri, Idaho, Washington State and North Dakota. Biden had won as of Wednesday morning four of the six states.
The big prize was Michigan, where 125 delegates were up for grabs. In total, the contests for the night are worth 352 delegates of total 3,979 at the Democratic National Convention.
Missouri and Mississippi were called for Biden immediately as polls closed in those states at 8 pm, indicating the call was based on exit polls and the strength the strength. Michigan was called shortly afterward for Biden and Idaho was called later in the evening.
The remaining two states, Washington State and North Dakota, weren’t yet called at the time of this posting, although Sanders was leading there.
Sanders’ loss in Michigan is a devastating blow to the candidate, who obtained an unexpected win there against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary.
Not only did Biden win in Michigan, but he was expected to blow away his opponent by double-digits in the open primary.
With 60 percent of delegates reporting, Biden was set to have won 53 percent of the vote, compared to 38.8 percent for Sanders. The rest was for candidates who since abandoned their presidential bids and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who had claimed 0.6 percent of the vote.
“Michigan is going to be a blowout,” Mark Grebner, a Michigan political consultant, was quoted as saying in Politico. “When this is all said and done, Biden will win every county…out of all 83.”
In the time between Super Tuesday and “Mini-Tuesday,” Sanders had urged voters to look at Biden’s votes in the 1990s on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the Defense of Marriage Act as well as his vote granting former President George W. Bush authorization to go to war in Iraq. Based on the results, that didn’t end up paying off.
Much of Biden’s success on “Mini-Tuesday” was the result of support from black voters, who also turned out for him in the South Carolina and Super Tuesday.
According to Associated Press exit polls, about 70 percent of Mississippi’s Democratic primary voters were black and 86 percent of them backed Biden.
United Nations
UN Human Rights Council extends LGBTQ rights expert’s mandate
29 countries voted for resolution
The U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday extended the mandate of the United Nations’ independent LGBTQ rights expert for another three years.
The resolution passed with 29 countries (Albania, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kenya, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, South Korea, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and Vietnam) voting for it and 15 countries (Algeria, Bangladesh, Burundi, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malawi, Maldives, Morocco, Qatar, and Sudan) voted against it.
Benin, Ghana, and Kyrgyzstan abstained.
The U.S. in February withdrew from the Human Rights Council. The Trump-Pence administration in 2018 pulled the U.S. from it. The U.S. in 2021 regained a seat on the Human Rights Council.
Graeme Reid has been the UN’s independent LGBTQ rights expert since 2023. The South African activist, among other things, previously ran Human Rights Watch’s LGBT Rights Program.
Maryland
Maryland’s oldest rural gay bar — and one of the last — is a log cabin in the woods
The Lodge is a Boonsboro watering hole resembling a log cabin
By SAPNA BANSIL | In the woods of a conservative Western Maryland town of fewer than 4,000 people is an unlikely landmark of state LGBTQ history.
The Lodge, a Boonsboro watering hole that resembles a log cabin, is Maryland’s oldest rural gay bar — one of a few remaining in the country, according to historians.
For about four decades, the Washington County venue has offered safety, escape and community to queer people far from large, liberal cities. Starting Friday night, The Lodge will close out Pride month with one of its biggest parties of the year: a weekend of dancing, drinking and drag in celebration of Frederick Pride, held about 20 miles away in the area’s largest city.
The rest of this article the Baltimore Banner published on June 27 can be read on its website.
South Africa National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza on June 17 swore in lesbian feminist Palomino Jama as a new MP.
Jama joins other LGBTQ legislators — including Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dion George; and Deputy Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities Minister, Steve Letsike.
Jama said she will work hard and excel as MP.
“What a great moment to be alive. Thank you youth of 1976, thank you Simon Nkoli, Phumi Mthetwa, Paddy Nhlaphos, Vanessa Ludwig, and others for what you did for the LGBTI people in the 80s and 90s. Lastly, for the fierce fist of the Jamas to always hit where it matters for the people of this country,” said Letsike.
Embrace Diversity Movement, a local LGBTQ organization, said Jama’s inauguration came at an appropriate time, during Pride month.
“Her swearing-in took place during a month of profound significance in June, which marks both international Pride Month and Youth Month in South Africa,” said the group. “Palomino is a seasoned queer activist and dedicated community builder with a distinguished record of leadership and service.”
“The EDM proudly supports Palomino in her deployment to parliament, her presence meaningfully advances youth and queer representation in public office,” added the Embrace Diversity Movement. “We are confident that she will serve the people of South Africa with integrity, courage, and distinction.”
South Africa is the only African country that constitutionally upholds LGBTQ rights. There are, however, still myriad challenges the LGBTQ community faces on a daily basis that range from physical attacks to online abuse.
Letsike in May faced a barrage of online attacks after she released a scathing statement against popular podcaster Macgyver “MacG” Mukwevho, who during a podcast episode in April insinuated that the reason behind popular socialite Minnie Dlamini’s “unsuccessful” relationships were probably due to the bad odor from her genitals.
Letsike, who viewed MacG’s comments as offensive, called for the podcaster to be summoned before parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities and criticized the local television station that aired the podcast.
X users and other social media subscribers bombarded Letsike with anti-lesbian comments. She, however, was unphased.
Letsike continues to face anti-lesbian comments, even though MacG apologized and the television station on which his podcast had aired cancelled its contract with him.
UN Human Rights Council extends LGBTQ rights expert’s mandate
Maryland’s oldest rural gay bar — and one of the last — is a log cabin in the woods
USAID’s demise: America’s global betrayal of trust with LGBTQ people
Manchester is vibrant tapestry of culture, history, and Pride
Embracing the chaos can be part of the fun
Supreme Court to consider bans on trans athletes in school sports
Celebrate the Fourth of July the gay way!
Va. court allows conversion therapy despite law banning it
Doug Spearman takes his chance
