Sarah Palin would not approve!

A Missoula, Montana, library board voted 5-0 this week to keep The Joy of Gay Sex on the shelves after local readers balked at the "pornographic" material:

Board chairwoman Carole Byrnes acknowledged the book, titled The Joy of Gay Sex, included graphic pictures and descriptions but said she viewed it as an instructional, education manual that shouldn’t be censored.

Helena resident Paul Cohen found the book during a visit to the library in February and requested that it be removed. He described the book as “pornographic” and said the library was negligent in providing a “safe place” for children and adolescents.

The library’s collection review committee recommended keeping the book, and director Judy Hart agreed. She said it was the library’s obligation to provide information to all elements of society.

Yes, even the buggers.

Even a gay porn scandal couldn't stop this homo-politico!

Mike Colona took home the top prize during yesterday's state primary in Missouri, but things didn't look so certain a few months ago:

…It was his law practice that nearly pulled his campaign apart. When a porn producer contributed to his campaign, Colona admitted to advising him. His role, he said, was limited to ensuring no minors were used in any porn production.

Some voters felt Colona must have been hiding something when several adult websites removed his name as the holder of records. “Resource for parents, so that's the spin? He works with these companies as a social service? That is a pathetic justification for a whore for hire!!!” wrote an anonymous commenter who listed fifteen websites with Colona's name as evidence of his participation in the industry.

Despite the scandal, Colona went on to receive endorsements from St. Louis' Police Officers Association and firefighter unions. Colona faces no Republican opposition and will head straight for the state house, which now boasts three homos. Go gays!

The hits just keep coming for Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean. And when we say "hits," we mean video of his testimony in the ongoing discrimination lawsuit filed by former gay outreach director Donald Hitchcock.

In case you're just joining us, Hitchcock claims key DNC leaders conspired to sack him as retaliation for his boyfriend Paul Yandura's public criticism of the party. Dean denies the allegations, claiming Hitchcock failed to seduce the gays.

This particular video - part of which has been blacked out for its confidentiality - has less to do with Hitchcock's firing and more to do with the Democratic Party's alleged inclusion, specifically with regard to the national convention's contentious gay goals.

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There's some serious mudslinging happening in Missouri!

Yesterday we informed you that Republican Congressman Sam Graves tried to scare up votes by smearing opponent Kay Barnes' "San Francisco Values," which translates to gay loving. Well, Barnes isn't taking the attacks lying down and released this advert denouncing eight years of Graves' lackluster public service. Basically, he's pathetic for releasing said ad, she says. And we agree.

Relive Graves' anti-gay commercial, after the jump…

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Missouri-based politico Sam Graves recently released this video decrying opponent Kay Barnes' so-called "San Francisco Values." You know what that means: loving the gays.

PS: This is the most low budget campaign commercial we've ever seen. Ever.

Alright, pretend to be surprised… Hillary Clinton won the West Virginia primary!

The New York Senator basically swept the contest, taking about 67% of the largely white, working class state. Rival Barack Obama, the man many believe will win the Democratic presidential nomination, only received 26% of the electoral backing.

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• Armani Exchange model Clint Mauro lets you in on an undie shoot.

• Will writer's strike squash CBS' presidential debate?

• Jossip editors Debbie Newman and Rebecca Aronauer talk turkey.

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Steven Rios will get another day in court. A judge ordered a new first degree murder trial for the former Columbia, Missouri copper. The Columbia Tribune reports:

Rios was convicted in 2005 of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the 2004 death of [lover and] MU student Jesse Valencia, 23, who was found with his throat slashed outside his East Campus apartment.

The Missouri Court of Appeals Western District in April ordered Rios’ conviction vacated and that Rios receive a new trial because of inadmissible hearsay statements allowed at trial made by a friend of Valencia’s.

Rios has since been transferred to a new facility, where he remains in isolation for his former crime fighting career.

There's quite a stink rising in Missouri, where the Warrensburg's The Daily Star-Journal published a same-sex wedding announcement.

Rather than celebrating the blessed event, many of the town's backward residents took it upon themselves to write nasty letters. One letter, from a Baptist minister named Bob Ingle, read: "Your bold decision to promote this lifestyle is a flagrant attack on the traditional family God has instituted for us." Six similar missives appeared in Friday's edition.

As the brouhaha continues to rise, three advertisers have pulled their supportive dough from the paper. Before you assume all of the town's denizens are hateful fucks, Daily Kos reports that at least three people wrote loving letters, including one reading:

It seems that these readers (who claim to be "the majority") feel that a newspaper should only advertise or reflect values they consider right and moral. Their viewpoint doesn't allow much room for the publishing of perspectives divergent from their own. Freedom of the press is endangered when individuals or groups seek to control the media to force their values on others. When I see this happening, I am disappointed.

Well, good to know not everyone in the small city's totally out of touch with social evolution and, more importantly, constitutional rights. Now, if only this person could educate their fellow citizens…

Is it a joke gone too far or something more sinister? That's what some Missouri activists are wondering about a satirical newpaper's article on gay adoption. The Booze News, a weekly modeled after The Onion, celebrates - duh - booze.

In addition to lavishing liquor in praise, the News apparently features some more socially relevant pieces, like an article on gay adoption.

And the results have community members seeing "read" all over:

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"I wanted to convey who the people in the photos were, to make people stop and think," says the appropriately named Jane Lavender of her trans-centric photo show, Meta-Genesis.

The Missouri-based photographer snapped fifteen subjects for the eye-opening collection, which she describes as "truth and honor of transexuals through photography and personal literary expression".

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Kyle Hawkins made headlines when he came out earlier this year. With his announcement, Hawkins became one of the first openly gay coaches in the United States. Though some of his team objected to Hawkins' sexuality - or, rather, his decision to make it public - the University seemed to support the 32-year old homo-jocko. They at least supported him enough to renew his contract. But that was then and this is now and now Hawkins is out of a job.

Hawkins found out about his termination back in May, when school administrators listed at least eight reasons why they decided not to invite him back. MSNBC reports:

Hawkins said he learned of the decision May 4 in a meeting with team leaders, an assistant coach, faculty advisers and a university official. Hawkins said the group offered eight reasons not to renew his annual contract, which expires May 31.

Among the concerns: dissatisfaction with his practice regimen and the coach’s negative reputation outside the school.

“Those are laughable,” Hawkins said. “A week and a half before the meeting, they had sat in front of the ESPN cameras and said what a great coach I was.”

His young charges agree that Hawkins performed his duties well, but still aren't convinced he's the right man for the job.

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