The anti-Obama Facebook phenomenon is really getting out of control and, luckily, some ignorant crazies are being forced to pay the consequences. Meet Buck Burnette, a football player for the University of Texas and blatant racist. Shortly after the election, his status read: "all the hunters gather up, we have a #$%&er in the whitehouse." Classy guy, that Buck.

As you can imagine, coach Mack Brown kicked him off the team immediately. Buck then issued an apology that was obviously not written by him.

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Texas man Terry Mark Mangum faces a dismal future.

A judge this week sentenced the 27-year old to life in prison for the 2007 murder of 46-year old Kenneth Cummings, a flight attendant Mangum met at a local gay bar. After leaving the bar together, Mangum went to Cummings house, where he stabbed him in the head before burning and burying the body.

It was, schizophrenic Mangum says, God's plan:

Shortly after the murder, Mangum admitted to the crime in a jailhouse interview with a reporter from The Facts, a Brazoria County newspaper. Mangum told the reporter, who testified during the weeklong trial, that God had called on him to “carry out a code of retribution” by killing a gay man because “sexual perversion” is “the worst sin.”

Mangum later pleaded not guilty to the crime by reason of insanity. Psychologists testified during the trial that Mangum is delusional and schizophrenic, according to The Facts. Mangum, who went by the names of biblical characters during interviews with the reporter and police, believed he was “anointed and appointed by God” to commit the murder, the psychologists testified.

The insanity plea wasn't enough to save Mangum from a hate crime charge, which accounts for his steep sentencing and makes parole a bit tricky. But he won't have to worry about that for about thirty years or so.

On another note - Mangum? That's unfortunate.

Legal procedure can be queer.

Dallas prosecutors announced yesterday that they will not seek hate crime charges for Bobby Singleton and Jonathan Gunter, who are accused of beating gay man Jimmy Lee Dean last month.

Investigators do, however, acknowledge that homophobia played a part - particularly because the men - 29 and 31, respectively - shouted anti-gay slurs while beating Dean. But just because they won't be charged with a hate crime doesn't mean they won't have to do the correspondent time…

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There's some queer politicking in Dallas, Texas.

Openly gay Justin Nichols has reached a deal to step down from his gig at Collin County’s teen court program. Nichols' sexuality first became a matter of debate in March, when he was running for city council and an opponent questioned whether he was fit for his position.

Though neither Nichols of Collin County will comment on the logistics of the deal, it seems pretty clear that people had a problem with Nichols same-sex loving ways:

Mr. Nichols would not comment on the deal, citing a confidentiality clause in the agreement.

This morning, he said he was ready to sign the deal, which the Collin County Commissioners Court approved in a 3-1 vote following an executive session June 10.
…
The controversy began in March after the Dallas Voice, a weekly gay and lesbian newspaper, ran a story about Mr. Nichols’ city council candidacy that mentioned his sexual orientation.

Commissioners subsequently planned to discuss Mr. Nichol’s job status during an April meeting, but later decided not to. At the time, the court offered no reason for its discussion of Mr. Nichols.

Let's all say it together: sha-dy!

The GOP jokesters (is that an oxymoron?) who came up with this handy pin probably thought they were being original, not knowing that the joke is so old and tired that old and tired Southwesterners in bolo ties were getting in trouble for uttering it in public places months ago.

Nevertheless, Republicanmarket.com printed up the “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?” of racist political jokes on a bunch of pins and sold them at the Texas Republican Convention last weekend.

Of course, after photos of the pin hit the press yesterday, the state GOP representatives were shocked and appalled, vowing to never again invite the vendor to an event.

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Are there dirty politics at work in Texas? Phyllis Cole says, "yes."

The City Commissioner of Plano, Texas, Cole accuses her enemies of enlisting some unseemly practices to derail her campaign, primarily the implication that her gay ally, 23-year old Justin Nichols' homosexuality makes him unfit for children:

An openly gay City Council candidate is being used like a pawn in an effort by right-wing conservatives to seize control of the Collin County Commission.

This is according to County Commissioner Phyllis Cole, who faces an April 8 runoff against Matt Shaheen for the Precinct 2 seat she’s occupied for the last 17 years.

An anonymous e-mail reportedly was sent out last week attacking Cole for her support of Collin County Teen Court coordinator Justin Nichols, 23.

The e-mail stated,“Look who Phyllis appointed to work with your kids,” and contained a link to a March 14 Dallas Voice article about Nichols, who’s vying to become the first-ever openly gay member of the City Council in the May 10 municipal election.

“I’m very disturbed about the whole thing, because I like what Justin does, I like Justin,” Cole said. “I don’t want to be a commissioner anymore if this is what’s going to be involved, taking a nice young man like Justin and hanging him out to dry.”

Shaheen, for the record, denies smearing Nichols, who happens to be the city's youngest city council candidate ever.