"Daniel Carver, 46, of Epworth, detailed the discrimination allegation in a complaint filed with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. He claims it started with a failed promise to be promoted to manager and a full-time schedule slashed to 10 to 15 hours per week. A manager punched him in the stomach and a fellow employee called him a 'faggot rat' and slapped him with a piece of cheese, Carver wrote. Then, the discrimination escalated into death threats from fellow employees, he said. 'In November 2007, I was threatened by other employees because of my HIV status and my sexual orientation that I, 'better watch my back or I might get shot,'' Carver wrote. He reported the comments to a manager, but the problem continued, he said. A toll-free number for employees to report sexual harassment had been removed from the store, he said. Carver was fired in February 2008, after nearly four months of employment at the McDonald's restaurant."

Neither McDonald's or Carver's lawyer are discussing the case. According to the paper, "Under Iowa law, it's illegal to discriminate against an employee because of perceived sexual orientation or gender identity."

Because we are all children of God, this one goes out to the Catholic League's Bill Donohue.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

The OC Register reports:

"Orange County donors have contributed $1.6 million for Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry. Donations from here to support Prop. 8 constitute 24 percent of the $6.8 million raised statewide, according to campaign finance records filed with the California Secretary of State through Aug. 28. Orange County's portion accounts for 15 percent of the $10.9 million that had been raised nationwide in support of Prop. 8."

The San Jose Mercury News reports on the decision-making going on around the ballot measure, with many couples opting to get their marriage in before the vote and others holding off for fear of disappointment, although California Attorney General Jerry Brown has said that Prop. 8 won't be retroactive.

A gay rights activist (top) and a migrant worker (bottom) who are part of Russia's art collective Voina took part in a mock lynching in a mall in Moscow in order to draw attention to the marginalization of minorities. The event took place in conjunction with Moscow's 'City Day' over the weekend.

More on Voina here.

At a party for the launch of his clothing line called Benjamin Bixby, Outkast's Andre 3000 told the New Yorker Observer that just because he dresses like a dandy he's not gay:

"People feel like, just because you like to dress well ... that don't mean you're gay! I don't know where that came from! My thing is the 1930s. You had rough guys who played football, but they were impeccably dressed. So now, if a guy wants to wash his face, they call him a metrosexual or whatever. So my thing is, cut all that out. You know? It's clothes!"

The McCain campaign finally agreed to have Sarah Palin do an interview, with ABC's Charles Gibson, later this week. Palin has not spoken to the campaign once since her nomination. There are six weeks left until the presidential election and yet the public knows little about this woman who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Why? She's "not ready" according to folks with knowledge of the McCain campaign. Over the weekend in an interview with Chris Matthews, former McCain spokesman Todd Harris suggested that it might be two weeks before the Alaskan governor is programmed well enough to address the press and the public:

Now, with the new interview with Gibson scheduled, it looks like it's going to be a softball interview basically run by the McCain campaign itself.

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo notes:

"The tell comes high up in the AP story by David Bauder. The second graf reads ...'Palin will sit down for multiple interviews with Gibson in Alaska over two days, most likely Thursday and Friday, said McCain adviser Mark Salter.' Political interviews are never done like this. Because it makes the questioning entirely at the discretion of the person being interviewed and their handlers. The interviewer has to be on their best behavior, at least until the last of the 'multiple interviews' because otherwise the subsequent sittings just won't happen. For a political journalist to agree to such terms amounts to a form of self-gelding. The only interviews that are done this way are lifestyle and celebrity interviews. And it's pretty clear that that is what this will be."

One AmericaBlog reader did get a chance to ask Palin a question at a recent campaign stop. AmericaBlog notes: [Reader] Jim...has now asked Sarah Palin more questions than the entire political press corps COMBINED." The question was about corrupt Alaskan senator Ted Stevens.

Real interviews (not carefully controlled propaganda) must be demanded by the public, and offered to the voters.

A fresh and brilliant take on the long-running internet RickRoll prank meme.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

"At the 11:15 a.m. Sunday service, hundreds sit in folding chairs, listening to a 20-minute sermon about the Book of Malachi and singing along to alt-rock praise songs. The only sign of culture warring in the whole production is an insert in the day's program advertising an upcoming Focus on the Family conference on homosexuality in Anchorage called Love Won Out. The group promises to teach attendees how to "respond to misinformation in our culture" and help them "overcome" homosexuality."

On Friday, the AP added it to its list of items the media may be waiting to ask Palin about: "Focus on the Family, a national Christian fundamentalist organization, has scheduled the "Love Won Out" Conference for Sept. 13 in Anchorage, about 30 miles from Wasilla. Palin, campaigning with McCain in the Midwest on Friday, has not publicly expressed a view on the so-called 'pray away the gay' movement. Larry Kroon, senior pastor at Palin's church, was not available to discuss the matter Friday, said a church worker who declined to give her name."

According to the AP, the bulletin said of the conference: "You'll be encouraged by the power of God's love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality."

Palin needs to be asked about what her positions are on "curing" homosexuality through the kind of discredited Christian therapy programs this group promotes. It's not looking like they're going to get that chance very soon. More on that in a bit.

Last week I posted some video of Palin speaking at the Assemblies of God church, her childhood church, which showed how close evangelical Christianism is getting to the White House. I also posted a list highlighting Palin's anti-gay record.

AFTER THE JUMP, the first part of a documentary on Sarah Palin's churches.

WATCH IT...

The HuffPost writes: "Sarah Palin's churches are actively involved in a resurgent movement that was declared heretical by the Assemblies of God in 1949. This is the same 'Spiritual Warfare' movement that was featured in the award winning movie, "Jesus Camp," which showed young children being trained to do battle for the Lord. At least three of four of Palin's churches are involved with major organizations and leaders of this movement, which is referred to as The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit or the New Apostolic Reformation."

Sarah Palin: Experience vs Pregnancy vs the Female Vote vs the GOP.
Thorough vetting of Palin began last Wednesday.
Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank, Rachel Maddow, Noonan gaffe on pick of Sarah Palin.
Babydaddy: McCain picks up Levi Johnston at the airport...
RNC: Bush speaks, Giuliani and Palin mock Obama, lie... (images)
McCain accepts GOP nomination for President. Ridge: John Bush his own man.
Campbell Brown prods Tucker Bounds on Palin: Just one decision...
Log Cabin Republicans endorse McCain for president; defend choice; hear from aide.
Document reveals Sarah Palin's anti-gay record.
Republican Party platform: as homophobic as ever.
Kevin Spacey inspects male curves at wild party in Croatia.
HATE CRIMES: Boston South End - offender, Colorado, East London, Salt Lake City.
Transgender model Amanda Lepore enhanced by Bluetooth.
Man confesses to weekend murder of gay teen student in NYC, gloats...
Gay marriage opponents lose NY lawsuit against Governor Paterson.
Guy Ritchie not obsessed with gay sex.
NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg announces school anti-bullying initiative.
Gus van Sant's Milk: Stills, trailer, one-sheet released...
THE TUBE: Obama's two dads, Ben Stein.
East Hampton turns Alec Baldwin into a nudist, meat-eating gay man.
Transgender contestant Isis stirs up America's Next Top Model.
Blond highlights drive former gay reality show contestant from Abercrombie retail gig.
Hollywood greets Michelle Obama at 'LGBT reception' fundraiser.
Banksy leaves his mark on New Orleans...
Church: Katy Perry going to hell with the gays.
PLUS: Little Britain USA, Fran Drescher, Justin Long, Jason Priestley, Novak Djokovic.

Barack Obama appeared on FOX News' The O'Reilly Factor last night.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

And just as a side note, it has been ages since John McCain (or Sarah Palin for that matter) held any kind of news conference with reporters.

(via shakesville)