News Briefs, Altar-Cations, and Rant July 2, 2023

What do Skittles, sex toys, and pole dancers have in common?  They’re all a part of this week’s News Briefs!

Tristan Stetina, 19,

NINETEEN? is behind bars following an unprovoked attack on restaurant patrons and employees.

His weapon of choice?

Skittles!

Police said that when they arrived at the Mankato, Minnesota restaurant they noted “Skittles all over the ground and a bag of Skittles near the garbage”.

One victim reported having been hit so hard that she felt a “stinging pain in her back area.”

Victims said the assailant had a heart-shaped tattoo under his eye, and authorities were able to identify the suspect as Stetina, who had already been arrested in recent months. In May, he was arrested for possession of LSD and 27.92 grams of marijuana wax.

As officers were placing handcuffs on Stetina, he pulled away and attempted to break free from the Officers control,” the probable cause statement read. “Stetina then wrapped his leg around Officer Gilbertson in an attempt to trip him. Officers commanded several times to stop resisting arrest and to stop attempting to grab officers.”

It took a total of three officers to subdue Stetina.

He was charged with a misdemeanor for the Skittles assault, as well as for disorderly conduct and resisting police and is looking at over a year in the slammer.

Just because we haven’t mentioned the antics of Florida man lately, doesn’t mean they’ve disappeared.

Two weeks ago David Romero was busted for stealing from a Palm Coast, Florida Target store.  While assisting him into the police car, a small pink vibrator fell out of Romero’s pants.

A subsequent search of Romero’s truck turned up an assortment of other stolen goods, including Trojan and SKYN condoms, Hello Cake lubricant, and

Promescent,  a “climax control spray.”

When asked about the Target merchandise, Romero claimed that the items had been in his vehicle for days. Police added that Romero “further stated that he was going to use those items today on his wife because he was working all day yesterday and he could not celebrate Father’s Day with her.”

The backlash against Florida governor Ron DeSantis has begun.  Multiple federal court decisions have frozen key portions of his campaign against LGBTQ rights in recent weeks.

Not only are the courts fighting back, but pole dancers as well.  Yes, I said Pole Dancers.

The International Pole Convention, known as PoleCon, was scheduled to hold their annual get together next year in Orlando.  But, they have decided to relocate the annual event because attendees will include people of various genders and ages, including youth performers and children attending with their parents, and some attendees will be in drag.

“It’s just too risky to go to Florida,” Colleen Jolly,

the CEO of PoleCon. “At this point, I’m signing [event-related] contracts one year in advance. What kind of shenanigans are going to be happening there by then?”

Shenanigans, indeed.

More people need to take a stance against these barbaric laws before they take hold in other states.

And that’s this week’s News Briefs.

Altar-cations is our weekly report in response to those who say it’s the drag queens grooming and molesting children. Who is really putting children in danger?

James Garisto,

a former Staten Island priest already accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a minor in New York pleaded no contest to several charges in Pennsylvania in connection with abuse allegations more than a decade ago.

Father Garisto, the former principal and academic dean of St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 7.

Jarod Mills,

a pastor at the Clifton Flats Church in Mahoning County, Ohio, was found guilty of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, importuning or soliciting of an adolescent, possessing criminal tools and displaying matter harmful to juveniles. 

And there’s Michael Sperou

pastor and co-founder of the North Clackamas Bible Community in Oregon who was sentenced to 160 months in prison after being found guilty of two counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration on May 19. It’s the third time since 2015 that Sperou has been tried for sexual abuse.

Sperou repeatedly sexually abused seven young girls at the church he pastored from 1988 to 1996.

I’m sure those young girls would have rather gladly attended a Drag Queen Story Hour.

And that’s this week’s Altar-Cations.

And now it’s time for Amber’s Rant!

Last month, the Rancho Penasquitos library in southern California had a display of books celebrating Pride.

Protesters proceeded to check out nearly all of the books in the display and vowed to keep them until the library eliminates what they call “inappropriate content” for children.

The protesters, Peñasquitos residents Amy Vance and Martha Martin, said libraries are open, public spaces for children that should be free of references to gender identity and how adults experience sexual attraction.

Head Librarian, Misty Jones

was quoted as saying “Displays such as this send a powerful message that LGBTQ+ patrons and their allies are respected members of our community. They also serve to encourage conversations and dispel misconceptions and stereotypes that often surround the LGBTQ+ community.”

Exactly.

Since the protestors have admitted taking the books and don’t plan on returning them – they should be charged and arrested for theft.

Going unpunished sends a message to others with similar beliefs to act out which could lead to even more violent acts.

And that’s this week’s Rant.