5 minute read
THE COUNTRY
Parent Wants Bible Banned From School Libraries For Porn
A parent in Utah is flipping the script on conservatives by trying to ban the bible from school libraries, calling it “one of the most sex-ridden books around.”
The Salt Lake Tribune reports the parent has submitted a request for their school district in Utah to review the Bible for any inappropriate content.
“Incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape, and even infanticide,” the parent wrote in their request, the Tribune reported. “You’ll no doubt find that the Bible [...] has ‘no serious values for minors’ because it’s pornographic by our new definition.”
Onanism is another word for masturbation.
In 2022 Utah passed a law banning books containing “pornographic or indecent” content from schools, in libraries and in the classroom.
According to the new law something is indecent if it includes explicit sexual arousal, stimulation, masturbation, intercourse, sodomy or fondling.
One problematic passage from the bible cited includes Genesis 19:8: “See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish.”
JUDGE: DRAG BAN
‘UNCONSTITUTIONALLY VAGUE’
Afederal judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the infamous “drag ban” in Tennessee.
According to USA Today, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker said the law as written is too vague and leaves the door open for differing outcomes based on a person’s assessment of what is, and isn’t, obscene.
“A law is unconstitutionally vague if individuals of common intelligence must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application,” Parker wrote in the 15-page decision, USA Today reported.
The law was to go into effect this past Saturday.
The lawsuit against the new law was brought by Friends of George’s, a Memphis-based LGBTQ theater group.
“If Tennessee wishes to exercise its police power in restricting speech it considers obscene, it must do so within the constraints and framework of the United States Constitution,” Parker added in his ruling. “The Court finds that, as it stands, the record here suggests that when the legislature passed this Statute, it missed the mark.”
Judge Orders Lgbt Books Back On Shelves In
A federal judge recently ordered one county in Texas to put books with LGBT and racial themes back onto shelves in public libraries citing the First Amendment.
“Although libraries are afforded great discretion for their selection and acquisition decisions, the First Amendment prohibits the removal of books from libraries based on either viewpoint or content discrimination,” the judge said according to CNN.
Some of the books in question include “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson; “They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group” by Susan Campbell Bartoletti; and “Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen” by Jazz
Jennings is a prominent trans activist in South Florida and star of the show “I Am Jazz.”
“This is a ringing victory for democracy,” Ellen Leonida, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in the Texas case, told CNN. “The government cannot tell citizens what they can or can’t read. Our nation was founded on the free exchange of ideas, and banning books you disagree with is a direct attack on our most basic liberties.”
Miami Police Probe Death Of Model Tied To Peter Thiel
INVESTIGATORS ARE PIECING TOGETHER DETAILS SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF A POPULAR MIAMI MODEL WITH TIES TO BILLIONAIRE TECH MOGUL PETER THIEL.
SFGN obtained a copy of the Miami Police Department incident report from March 8 when Jeff Thomas, a 35-yearold model and social media influencer, was pronounced deceased outside of his Brickell Ave. apartment. The redacted report lists the incident as suicide, although Thomas’ agent told the Daily Mail he may have fallen from his luxury hi-rise while taking a selfie.
In a post, Thomas’ brother suggested it was suicide. “What you may not know is Jeff struggled with addiction and mental health challenges, which ultimately led to his tragic passing,” wrote Skylar Ray Thomas.
Thomas’ relationship with Thiel was described as a romantic “kept” arrangement by The Intercept. They met at Coachella, before Thiel’s 2017 marriage to Matt Danzeisen. Thiel is said to have lavished Thomas with cars, houses, trips and luxury goods, in exchange for confidentiality.
During their time together, Thomas, reportedly, attempted to deter Thiel from backing socially conservative political candidates. Thomas told The Intercept the relationship was uncomfortable and unsatisfying, realizing he had become a symbol of Thiel’s power.
“It was stressful. He wanted me to get the nicest car, the nicest house. He wanted to kind of show his power, to kind of show that he had me in this dollhouse,” Thomas told The Intercept.
Thomas was employed by Londonbased AMCK Models, a premium “all boys” agency. He founded his consulting agency, One Popsicle, that focused on investments in the art world.
by J.R. Davis
GEORGE CASTRATARO RE-ARRESTED FACING NEW CHARGES OF GRAND THEFT
George Castrataro, a prominent gay bankruptcy attorney, was re-arrested last month and charged with three first- degree felonies and two second-degree felonies.
Castrataro was already facing a multitude of similar charges. He was arrested in June of 2020 and charged with grand theft and fraud, where he was accused of stealing over a half-million dollars from his client’s estate accounts.
These new charges appear to be from the same time period as the earlier charges. They include two counts of grand theft over $100,000; two counts of grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000; and one count of organized scheme to defraud.
Castrataro is no longer able to practice law in Florida. He was disbarred in November of 2020.
Before his arrest, Castrataro was a well-known and reputable attorney and prominent member of the local LGBT community. He had served on multiple local non-profit LGBT boards. He also launched an unsuccessful bid for the city commission in Fort Lauderdale in 2018.
Castrataro’s earlier criminal case was initially delayed due to the pandemic and since then has languished in the courts.
Castrataro will now be confined to his home and has to wear a GPS monitor on his leg.
Castrataro told SFGN in 2021 he believes his current predicament is just a big misunderstanding.
“I regret that given the pending case I am very limited in what I am able to say. This year has been difficult,” Castrataro said at the time. “I believe that the things that have been alleged and reported are inaccurate. I am confident that once the matter is resolved, I will be able to clear my name.”
Castrataro already pled not guilty to his first set of charges and has pled not guilty to the new set.
Several of Castrataro’s alleged victims have spoken to SFGN over the years.
The Roddy family is one such alleged victim and has accused Castrataro of stealing $49,111 from them.
Bill Roddy’s son Wayne died in 2019 from pancreatic cancer. He was 57. Wayne had been a yoga and dance teacher. According to his family, he also had a background as a paralegal. Thus, before he died, he made sure all of his affairs were in order.
Wayne left $49,111 to 12 beneficiaries including his father and sister, Jan Blanton.
Wayne’s sister Jan Blanton, said she believes it was her family’s complaints to the Florida Bar that initiated the investigation that wound up costing Castrataro his law license.
Another alleged victim is Donna Nunes, who accused the former attorney of stealing $92,537 from her brother’s estate.
“[My brother] really wanted to leave my brothers and me something and this happens. It’s terrible,” Nunes previously told SFGN. “[Castrataro] went through all of this schooling, then decides to do this and throw his life away. It’s such a shame. Florida has so many different crooks.”