Obviously, many US states are highly risky for LGBTQ2s+ tourists from Canada to visit.

Best to spend the money in friendly countries.

Nothing wakes up h8rs like missing revenues.

@1: Faux news will just tell them its Biden's fault, and the magats will believe that

god bless those gutter-pagan punk dirt bags

@4: Canada and UK are emerging authoritarian societies?

Have someone ( a teacher perhaps) explain to you what an authoritarian society is, since it's obvious you have no idea.

You also have no idea what life in Canda or the EU is like.

You far right zealots really need to broaden your outlook beyond Mike Rowe and Faux news

Prayers for cancer in this difficult time of dealing with Steve Scalise

I’m going to go out on a limb and wager raindrop was a full throated supporter of the patriot act

@6 so your proof of our Anglican neighbors slide into tyranny is a case involving a drunk teenager and a comedian who won a free speech case? Case closed - nice job encyclopedia brown

@9: Yet strangely drippy defend the police in the U.S. shooting and killing a belligerent teenager of color

“ Seattle police said groups of three to seven armed robbers in ski masks have broken into more than a dozen residences in South Seattle since June.”

Don’t worry, as Ross told us yesterday, it was worse in the 80s and these are probably just crimes of poverty driven by victims of late stage capitalism.

I worked at that waterside in 1983, the year it was built and opened. I moved away from B'ham after graduating from WWU (1985) and no idea that place was even still there. Looking at Google satellite images the main four slides right when you walk in don't seem to have changed at all. Admittedly it's been 40 YEARS AGO, and my memory maybe fuzzy. Anyhow, one would thing 40 year old fiberglass slides might be a little fragile by now.

“Any warning at all is usually reserved for countries like Russia, Egypt, or Uganda, which have strong, national anti-gay laws.”

Right-wingers nationwide want laws which would make us more like backwards, impoverished countries. By contrast, local left-wingers seem to have no problem with increases in violent street crime, including lawless, garbage-filled encampments everywhere. Horseshoe theory in action!

@12: "Enjoy your sheepdom" LOL
How much have you donated to the tRump defense fund?

@4 Do you also think that Black motorists will never be pulled over for no legal reason? Just checking how deep your rabbit hole is.

When considering drippy, keep in mind, that in post after post, he cries about how dangerous he's told Seattle is, then turns around all butt hurt that Canada warns LGBTQ people to exercise caution when traveling in the U.S. and then hilariously claims the U.S. is safer than Canada or the U.K..

I mean we all knew he was a moron, an he just keeps making a fool out of himself.

@5
So Mike Rowe is far-right now?
How did you arrive at that conclusion?

@10, @20 "Virtual Signalling" is the new buzzword in the conservative (read bigoted) repertoire. I've encountered that strikingly unique phrase frequently uttered by the trump-iest of commenters, and nary the most biden-iest posters. Of course, the term is biblical in nature, which isn't surprising that religious zealots (read Jesus-jihadists or American Taliban) would make use of it.

@21, begs the question, why out of all the tremendous and culturally diverse drinking establishments in the district of Columbia, you chose the dump-iest of places to imbibe?

Literally you have h8rs killing LGBTQ2s+ shopowners over pride flags. Here in the NorthWest.

Sounds risky to me.

Remember, spend your $$$$$$ where people appreciate you.

If they don't, refuse to tip and stop going there or visiting.

@22: "Nothing to fear about being a tourist in the United States no matter your sexual orientation or gender. Just be prudent about your surroundings, take common sense precautions, and you'll be fine.

Emerging authoritarian societies like Canada and the UK are what's frightening."

@23: By reading what he writes

@23 he always has been.

@28: Still lying about your identity? So next you'll be claiming you have a house in Italy.

@28, so you are one of those ever-so-unique log cabin republicans... or, perhaps, @29 knows your ploy much better.

@31/32; Sure, and Trump is 6'3" and 215LBS

@13: the Wah Mee Massacre was in 1983. 14 shot, 13 dead in 1 robbery.

some things were worse then, some things are worse now.

but no matter what decade, it's always city council's fault.

@20 You don't seem to believe there's any danger to a gay tourist in the US despite ample evidence of random anti-gay violence. I'm just curious if those same blinders extend to driving while Black. There's a broad swath of Republicans who think that racism was solved in 1968, so it's entirely possible that you agree and don't see any racial divide in law enforcement. I'm measuring your willful ignorance.

Tell me, as a proud gay Republican, are you at all surprised when the party that shouts its hatred of you from the rooftops actually passes anti-gay laws? Again, exactly how far do those blinders go?

First of all, does the media think the American public is so dumb that it can’t handle the word leukemia? What’s with this “blood cancer” shit? Secondly, let’s all hope for a quick end to Scalise’s malady and that his therapy involves lots of rattlesnakes and speaking-in-tongues. Thoughts and prayers, baby. Thoughts and prayers.

Wack Christianity and Islam is responsible for much of Africa’s homophobia. Don’t know exactly why so many on that continent are vulnerable to religious brainwashing. Instilled fear of anything that doesn’t meet religious norms? Or, is it just hard to stand up to and disagree with someone who with one hand gives you money, food, and medicine, and with the other gives you a such toxic message. When Mandela became president of South Africa in 1994 the constitution there was revised to protect everyone. One of the very first groups mentioned were the LGBT community. They were most welcomed into the South African family. I thought it was the start of a new day in Africa. Yet another lesson (as if I needed one) that vigilance – even on sunny days – is essential for freedom and equality.

From Urban Legendland: In Nashville, where I spent a big chunk of my childhood, there used to be a very big, admission-charging public pool called Cascade Plunge (we wouldn’t have known what a waterpark was if you’d called it that). Had a multilevel tower and diving boards, of course, and one long metal slide that was steep and loads of fun. But there existed a rumor that someone had intentionally left a fixed razor blade on the slide once, and that blade had virtually ripped someone in two. The rumor added to the dangerous fun - making a bit of bravery necessary, but it was also gross to think about. How fucking painful must that have been. What kind of sick fuck could do such a thing? Your link to the closed park up in Blaine is blocked because of my ad-blockers. I thought initially I wanted to read about that, but then I felt that Cascade Plunge fear and thought maybe not.

Girl, 62 degrees is perfect. Don that new autumn jacket and go out and strut your stuff. Also, be grateful. Downtown LA has been in the mid-90s for four days. Back down in the low-to-mid 70s for the holiday weekend. I can’t wait.

@27
I don’t see it.
He’s one of the more reasonable people I’ve seen in the media. He’s taken on a mission to promote actual skills among young people by encouraging them to learn a trade.
How is that far right?

@38: Skip the TV persona and go read what he writes

Ol' Mitchy froze up again today. A bad one this time. Wonder if he's listening to the Lord calling him home:

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
calling all sinners, come home.

Thoughts and prayers, Mitchy. Thoughts and prayers. Somebody hand me the Chex-mix.

@36 Well, leaving the Republican Party in 2016 is a start. Still leaves you supporting a man in 2012 whose views changed from supporting marriage equality to opposing as soon as he started looking at higher office. https://www.npr.org/2012/05/10/152431577/romneys-views-on-gay-marriage-also-evolving I have a hard time seeing how a self-respecting person could say "I'm a proud supporter of a man who doesn't think I should have equal rights!" but you do you.

Droprain, I'm not asking that you tell people not to visit the US. I'm asking you to acknowledge that gay bashing exists in the present and that tourists might get caught up in it, even if they are alert. Like say, if they went to a gay nightclub in Orlando, for example. As mentioned, we are equally vulnerable to mass shootings. Somehow, those fascist hellholes Canada and the UK have managed to dramatically reduce those.

It's a shame that Hurricane Idalia couldn't body slam Mal-a-Tardo* on the Atlantic coast, instead of hitting western Florida on the Gulf of Mexico.
*Thanks, kristofarian, for offering a more apt name for pouty Babyface Donnie's playpen hideout.

@29 Merchant Seaman: I have been waiting for the day raindrop claims to be a deported Nigerian prince living in exile, with cash accounts in the Cayman Islands.

@40 Bauhaus I: Why can't pouty Babyface Donnie and Moscow Mitch both die together, before the Orange Turd's trials? Just imagine all the taxpayer money saved. Any chance of Dr. Bauhaus firing up his Electric Spa? I'd bring out the popcorn, red wine, and dark chocolate with almonds and sea salt.

@43 Nice try, raindrop dear. The tired old saw, 'If only we'd elected Mitt Romney in 2012 we wouldn't have ended up with Donald Trump in 2017' is pure hogwash. Keep on chugging that Kool Aid, dude.
Every RepubliKKKan candidate for U.S. President since Richard M. Nixon has only been worse than the previous offender. Although Nixon was his VP, 34th President, Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower at least had a conscience many modern day RepubliKKKans seriously lack.
Had Mitt Romney been elected President in 2012 Paul "Mugsy" Ryan would have been Romney's VP.
Mugsy's horrifically lame you-are-free-to-have-no-health-coverage-whatsoever "vouchers" ploy would have been their administration's idea of "affordable healthcare". It was nothing but smoke and mirrors. Thankfully, enough voters realized this, and re-elected Obama / Biden a second term. Had the Romney / Ryan "plan" been enacted instead the ACA would have gone bye-bye. This would have left millions just as uninsured and shit out of luck in medical emergencies and long term illnesses as during the disastrous Dubya / Cheney years. Have you ever heard of "pre-existing conditions"?
Additionally, the Emergency Room at any hospital is the single most expensive form of healthcare in the United States. Despite what Dubya or anyone else in the GOP who opposes the ACA says, many on fixed incomes can't just "walk in and get care" at an ER without facing financially devastating medical bills afterward. Hard pass.
Ironically, 44th President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, signed into federal law in 2010 is almost exactly the same healthcare blueprint as Romney's state healthcare plan was when he was Governor of Massachusetts. Why, then, all the GOP bellyaching, bitching and moaning, and at least 70 attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act? Because a RepubliKKKan WASN'T in the White House when the ACA, which expanded Medicaid funding to the states passed with flying colors, proving to benefit millions of U.S. citizens still today.
If only we could curb the exorbitant prices on prescription drugs. $800.00 U.S. for insulin is pretty stiff!
Sending people across the international border into Canada isn't and can't be the answer to accessing affordable doctor-prescribed medications.

@39
I do. Been following him on social media for years.
What exactly does he say to make you think he is far right?

It would save a shitload of taxpayer money if some of those trials become unnecessary, Auntie, but I demur from wishing people dead - even truly evil people - because I'm a little superstitious about such a wish and worry that it would come back to snap me in some fashion. But yeah, a lot easier. Better they should never have been born.

We at Uncle Bauhaus's Magical Electric Spa once hoped that we'd be able to turn our facility into a gentle day care center and a fancy drive-in, but there always seems to be no end to people in need of our services. Generally, we usually don't treat the older folk because well, they are on their way out anyway (although sometimes the really mean ones live to be a hundred!). We like to save our well-planned therapies for younger people who are very misguided and who can still feel a warm tear running down their cheek, or hear the rat-a-tat-tat of chattering teeth, and finally, feel the sublime stillness of a body that has experienced redemption through voltage. We always offer cheap vanilla ice cream afterwards if they can hold it down.

But we still look forward to opening that drive-in.

@43 "The likely way for tourists to get caught up in an attack is to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Essentially these days, that's a matter of fate or luck." So it's not a matter of prudence and common sense then, just a matter of luck? Raindrop #43 might want to talk to Raindrop #4.

"We elect presidents not on the totality of their character or their positions. We elect them for pure political reasons. If Romney had been elected in 2012 and run for re-election, we may never have seen the rise of Donald Trump in 2016."

Nice retcon attempt, but no cigar. There was no way in hell you voted for Romney in 2012 because it might prevent Trump 2016. Trump was a reality star birther in 2012 with no apparent political future. Any presidential aspirations he had were a joke. That persisted well into 2015, when it became clear that Trump had captured the Republican Party and the bad joke was becoming real.

@43- I’ve always wondered what about the Republican positions are so attractive to gay Repubs that you’re willing to overlook the fact that they’d outlaw your very right to exist in the open if they had the chance.

Gonna agree that raindrop doesn’t seem to know what authoritarian means.

@51 is that because you yourself have experienced life under an authoritarian regime?

@46 Bauhaus I: You be you. I'll be a lot happier when the Orange Turd, Mitch McConnell, and the overwhelming majority of RepubliKKKans are dead, especially since the GOP is officially the reckless, global terrorizing Party of Trump.

@46 BauhausI: To clarify my heartfelt feelings further, I will reiterate a statement I have made in a previous SLOG comment thread:
"Just imagine what an utopian world we COULD have had if Fred and Mary Anne Macleod Trump both been sterile."

@48 dvs99: For the WIN!!

@49: So.....you'd be "proud to take one for the team", no matter how neofascist, racist, misogynist, or homophobic?
I think someone slipped a mickey into your Kool-Aid, raindrop dear.