The Wednesday Read

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Today is Wednesday, August 9, 2023, and here are the topics that I am providing commentary about today:

  • Update: Hey, Culligan Man
  • 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
  • Happy Birthday
  • Mega Millions

UPDATE: HEY, CULLIGAN MAN:

The Great Falls blog, WTF406.com, has responded to the E-City Beat blog post that posted a letter from William Ross, the former Culligan employee, and protestor at the Great Falls Pridefest.

In the same post, WTF406.com also asks if Great Falls City Commissioner Rick Tryon, who is involved with the E-City Beat blog, is violating the City of Great Falls code of ethics and asks, “How is it appropriate for an elected city commissioner to promote discrimination and normalize hate speech? If Mr. Ross had made racial, ethnic, or religious slurs, would Tryon still be giving him a venue for his hate?”

Good questions. We’ll see if Tryon is man enough to respond.

Read the full blog post from WTF406.com HERE.

2023 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP:

There’s more hatred toward the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. They were eliminated from the World Cup on Sunday and some people were happy they lost. This time it came from Reverand Franklin Graham, the son of the late Reverand Billy Graham. The following was posted on social media:

The US Women’s National Soccer Team lost to Sweden yesterday at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. I used to pull for our women’s soccer team, but recently they have shown disrespect for the US & have used their platform to promote the LGBTQ agenda. When they lost, I wasn’t sad. I wish I didn’t feel that way, but when players think it is more about them than the nation they represent, I can’t support that. I agree with former President @realDonaldTrump who said about the team: “WOKE EQUALS FAILURE.”

The responses were telling. One person posted, “Do you think Jesus harbored as much hatred & bigotry in his heart as you do in yours, Franklin?”

Another person said, “Man, I just wonder why church attendance is at an all time low and dropping.”

I’ve gone to church most of my life. I don’t like what I see from people like Franklin Graham.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY:

Smokey Bear turns 79 today (August 9).

According to the U.S. Forest Service, Smokey Bear was born on Aug. 9, 1944, when the U.S. Forest Service and the Ad Council agreed that a fictional bear would be the symbol for their joint effort to promote forest fire prevention.

MEGA MILLIONS:

A ticket purchased in Florida matched all the numbers in the Mega Millions lottery and won the $1.58 billion jackpot. The cash option for the jackpot is $783.3 million. The winning numbers were 13,19,20,32,33, with the Mega Ball being 14. (Source)

There were also five $1 million winners and two $2 million winners.

Now, the jackpot goes back to a ‘measly’ $20 million.

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9 thoughts on “The Wednesday Read”

  1. Perhaps Mr Ross might consider employment in a bakery? SCOTUS has assured us that bakers with tender consciences aren’t required to serve that portion of the public that identifies as LGBTQ+.

  2. Wow. That was fast. Just like Jesus, Mr. Ross went from delivering water to delivering whine overnight! And like Jesus, Mr. Ross feels that he too is being persecuted because of his beliefs. And I’m sure that he feels his bizarre beliefs are some how in line with the teachings of the Bible. Only problem is that Jesus never once mentioned homosexuals. Nor did he say that they should be attacked. Quite the contrary. He believed in unconditional love for everyone, even prostitutes. Even in the Old Testament homosexuality is not a big deal. So therefore it’s hard to say where Mr. Ross’s inordinate hatred of gay people comes from.

    Mr. Ross seems to not understand that the whole idea of protest is to get your message out there to the public. And that he did admirably. Only problem is that most decent people in Great Falls were repulsed and outraged by his message and tactics. A gun to a gay pride parade? Seriously? He’s that afraid of men in dresses? Why? That’s potential mass shooter level crazy!

    And now he’s lost his job and rightfully so. Gonna be kinda tough to find another one with his resume blasted over the blogs. No need to submit a written one. To borrow a line from Dogberry, “Though it not be written down, let it be remembered that I am a bigot.” Perhaps there are companies out there that are willing to have admitted bigots in their ranks representing them. But I seriously doubt they’ll be actively recruiting Mr. Ross any time soon. Maybe Rick could use a bass player in his band. Bass player and bodyguard to keep the gays at bay. Ricky and the Homophobes. Nice ring to it!

    • “So therefore it’s hard to say where Mr. Ross’s inordinate hatred of gay people comes from.”

      That’s easy: Fox News. Other right wing news outlets. Right wing politicians like Rosendale and Daines. Any and all of the right wing apparatus desperately working to distract voters from their real agenda with these phony culture wars issue.

      Their real agenda is constantly enacting policies to rip off wealth and income from the working class and middle class and funnel more and more of those upwards to the already wealthiest upper couple per cent. It started with Reagan’s “trickle down”, through Bush’s “supply side”, through Boehner’s “the job creators”, through Trump’s big tax break for the richest. And we are still today waiting for any to trickle down to us peons.

      This chart is from 2016 and it has only got worse:

  3. If Tryon responds at all which I doubt he will except maybe Facebook, it will most likely be to claim that ECB is not “his” blog, that he’s just a [very frequent, the MOST frequent] guest contributor. The site’s “about” says it is Phil Faccenda’s baby.

    As for ECB, in this instance all they did was post without comment Ross’ complaint letter, except to tie WTF406 writers to the local Democratic party, a “tattletaling to the boss” device ECB itself employs regularly.

    But one thing is clear from this, local haters know exactly where to go when they want to air their views: ECityBeat. Same place commissioner Tryon goes to air his.

  4. My wife and grandson caught part of parade, they thought the man with the sign was part of it until they saw they read it. I don’t know what causes people to behave like that. So much hate. Good for you calling Tryon out.

    • There seems to be more and more hatred in this country. I think it’s gotten worse since Trump came on scene. -JmB

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