Category: HRH Report

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: It’s like screaming, “Red light! Red light! Red light!†and the driver floors the accelerator. With a riveting three days of testimony before the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, that in a normal era would have ended Donald Trump’s presidency, essentially nothing has changed.

“We have a criminal living in the White House,†said Kamala Harris during the Democratic debate on November 20. Truer words have never been spoken but it doesn’t matter.

There was quid pro quo

Ambassador Gordon Sondland declared to impeachment investigators that President Donald Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani explicitly sought a “quid pro quo†with Ukraine, leveraging an Oval Office visit for political investigations of Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

Additionally, he told the House Intelligence Committee the U.S. offer of a coveted meeting at the White House, and nearly $400 million in military aid, was being delayed until Ukraine president Zelensky announced the investigations publicly.

“In often stunning testimony, he painted a picture of a Ukraine pressure campaign that was prompted by Trump himself, orchestrated by Giuliani and well known to other senior officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Sondland said he raised his concerns about a quid pro quo for military aid with Vice President Mike Pence — a conversation a Pence adviser vigorously denied,†wrote the Houston Chronicle.

Ukraine knew

Trump and his cronies have consistently claimed there could be no quid pro quo because Ukraine did not know that their military aide was being delayed. Defense Department official Laura Cooper testified Ukrainian embassy staffers were aware something was holding up U.S. military aid to their country as early as July 25, the day President Donald Trump pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

“Cooper told the House Intelligence Committee’s impeachment inquiry into Trump that her staff received emails from Ukrainian officials based in Washington on July 25 asking what was going on with the $391 million in military and security aid. The emails came five hours after the phone call where Trump asked Zelensky to “do us a favor†by investigating the Biden’s business activities in Ukraine,†wrote HuffingtonPost.com.

Facts Don’t Matter

Do not present Republicans with facts. They simply do not care. Despite being presented with a mountain of evidence that Trump abused his office, tried to extort a foreign leader, and obstructed justice, it appears they will stick with him.

If there is any justice left in this world, Republicans should be wiped out next November. Trump being exposed as an unabashed criminal is not going to help them win elections. It can only make them lose more. Or they can turn on Trump.

Are Republicans OK with the president’s extortion or bribing foreign countries into doing his bidding? If so, it only confirms what I have believed for some time — that they have sold their soul for power.

They do not care about the rule of law or the Constitution. They do not care about facts. They care even less for the truth. That’s where they are now and these hearings are laying out the criminality of Trump for everyone to see. Rather than admit that they were wrong, they’d rather watch the whole world burn to protect themselves from the truth that they are complicit in his crimes against our Republic.

Oklahoma GOP Rep. Tom Cole said, despite all the evidence, “It doesn’t matter much anymore.â€

If you have ever had a discussion about politics with a Trumpster, you already know they do not care. The new GOP talking point is no harm, no foul.

Ukraine got the military assistance, no investigation into the Biden’s was launched, and President Zelensky got his meeting with Trump so no harm, no foul. That’s a lot like saying, the bank robber ran out when the alarms went off and didn’t get any money, so there isn’t a crime.

Here is another fact. The Republican-controlled Senate will not vote to remove this president even though Trump clearly placed his personal interests above the nation’s security. Again, his criminality does not matter to them.

We, however, can remove this criminal from the White House, his mafia-style family, and the crime syndicate masquerading as this administration.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: Two of the biggest stories of the past couple of weeks involve a city election and the unexpected death of a trans activist.

In a perfect world, we are all equal, no child goes to bed hungry, and our elected leaders are impeccable.

All too often, voters complain about having to choose between the lesser of two evils. Many people who helped to elect Donald Trump president did so because they just couldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton. “She’s too corrupt,†and “She does nothing but lie,†and “Her emails!†were frequent excuses for why we currently have a president about to be impeached for being the most corrupt president in history, including extortion of a foreign government, who has told over 12,000 lies since assuming office and is still using an unsecured phone to send threats and insults via Twitter.

Houston Mayor’s race heads to a runoff

More than half of Houston voters pulled the lever for someone other than incumbent Mayor Sylvester Turner, forcing a runoff against high profile attorney Tony Buzbee on December 14. Final results showed Turner with 47 percent of the vote to Buzbee’s 28 percent. Coming in a third place in the field of 12 was Bill King with 14 percent of the vote and City Councilman Dwight Boykin was fourth with six percent.

Sylvester Turner barely won the mayor’s office in 2015 so it is no surprise that he failed to win a majority of the vote in a field as big as this one was. He is far from a perfect candidate as his record shows and Buzbee pointed out during the campaign.

Turner and Buzbee both launched negative televisions ads against each other, attacking each other’s character. A Turner ad accused the millionaire lawyer of donating to the former district attorney’s campaign in exchange for a dismissal of his drunken-driving case.

Another ad pointed out Buzbee’s relationship with the President. Buzbee hosted a fundraiser for Trump in 2016 and later gave $500,000 to Trump’s inauguration committee. “Tony Buzbee is one of Donald Trump’s biggest donors, and just like Trump, he’s trying to buy his way into power,†the ad narrator says. “Follow the money, and don’t let Tony Buzbee buy City Hall.â€

A Buzbee ad draws into question Mayor Turner’s request for an intern position to be created. Reports indicated that Turner approved a $95,000-a-year airport internship and initially said he did not know the man who got the internship, despite evidence to the contrary. Buzbee has held up the revelation as Exhibit A of City Hall corruption, while Turner has defended the intern’s pay by arguing, among other things, that it is consistent with his credentials.

“The controversy quickly spilled on to the airwaves, where Buzbee aired an ad featuring apparently edited photos of Turner and the intern as well as purported ‘late-night texts’ between them. Buzbee claims to have ‘heavily redacted’ texts between the mayor and intern but has not made them public yet,†wrote TexasTribune.org.

So here we are, stuck with having to choose between two flawed candidates. One is a long-time ally of the LGBTQ community. The other throws money at right-wing causes and courts Donald Trump’s favor. You decide.

IN MEMORIAM: Nikki Araguz Loyd

Nikki Araguz Loyd, a transgender artist and activist for causes including marriage equality and HIV awareness, has died at age 44. Her husband, Houston-based artist William Loyd, reported her death via a Facebook post. The cause of death has not been revealed.
TheAdvocate.com wrote, “Araguz Loyd, who was born in California but spent much of her life in Texas, first became prominent in the 1990s, appearing on TV talk shows to discuss being transgender and the fact that she contracted HIV when she was raped as a youth. Her profile became higher in the next century.

“After the breakup of her first marriage, she met Thomas Araguz III, a trucker and volunteer firefighter in the small town of Wharton, Texas. They fell in love quickly and married in 2008, and he soon gave up his trucking job to be a full-time firefighter. Nikki started a magazine in Wharton and ran unsuccessfully for mayor. In 2010, she was widowed when Thomas died fighting a blaze at an egg production plant. “When she tried to claim a portion of his death benefits, his family fought her, claiming she wasn’t really his widow — that their marriage wasn’t valid because she had been assigned male at birth and hadn’t had gender-confirmation surgery by the time of their marriage, although she did shortly afterward. And Texas didn’t recognize same-sex marriages at the time. A Texas judge initially declared the marriage invalid, but after several years of court battles, an appeals court in 2015 ordered the first judge to reverse his ruling.

“Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: Current events are pretty scary and frightening and deserve attention, but once in a while we like to step away from politics to share a funny story or a memory. This is one of those times.

The best way to celebrate Halloween is to get scared out of your skin. One can compare it to the thrill of riding a roller coaster or walking through a cemetery at night. It is also an excellent opportunity to create memories that last a lifetime.

My late best friend loved October and especially Halloween. Jack would get so excited when the leaves started turning yellow and orange and practically orgasm when the first cool front of the year blew in.

For about 20 of the 25 years of our friendship, we were roommates. I could hardly get him to lift a finger to decorate at Christmas but he would go all out at Halloween.

Never one to dress up for Halloween, Jack took pleasure in decorating for the holiday, and would hang ghosts from the trees in the yard, decorate the porch, and buy pumpkins for everyone who stopped by to decorate. Halloween put him in his element. 

When we moved into the townhouses along Pacific Street, across from Blur Bar, more pedestrians were available to witness his diabolic acts, and Jack came into his true prankster glory. One year we bought a giant spider that we tied to a string and draped it over a limb of the large oak tree in front.

We then situated ourselves at Jack’s bedroom window that overlooked the sidewalk and dropped the spider down on passers-by. We got such a kick from seeing drag queens, twinks, and especially the big macho hunks scream like little girls as the gigantic spider descended upon them.

Another time we bought a fog machine and positioned it at the front door of the house. When it would get turned on, it would fog up practically the entire block and drift down to the 800 block of Pacific Street.

One time, and one time only, Jack and I went to a haunted house together. It was early in our friendship and it was my first such experience, but Jack had been doing this for years. Having seen my reaction at horror movies (I tend to jump and flail limbs a lot), he was looking forward to my reaction to being scared shitless.

We got to the haunted house, paid our admission fees and advanced into the house of horrors. Barely a step into the house, the terror began. There was mood music (think Dark Shadows), almost complete darkness, and sometimes strobe lights flashing. 

Most of the exhibits were stationary prompts and there were a few live acts, as well. They usually kept their boundaries. Suddenly something jumped out in front of me. It was masked in a white hockey type mask. While most people would have screamed and clutched their pearls, I slapped at the creature and landed a blow to its face. My smack reminded myself of Dorothy slapping the Cowardly Lion on the snout in The Wizard of Oz.

“It†turned out to be a female employee of the haunted house who screamed out, “He hit me.†Immediately the lights came on. I was so embarrassed that all I could do was look down. The “monster†told someone, “There he is. He’s the one.â€

I kept my head down as the staff ushered someone out of the house or horrors. “What a relief,†I thought. They didn’t know it was me. Then the lights went out and I continued my journey through the darkness.

When I reached the end of the tour through hell and stepped onto the brightly lit sidewalk, Jack was standing there smoking a cigarette, calm as can be. It looked like he had been there for quite some time. I approached him and said, “What are you doing out here?†

He replied, “They threw me out. They said I hit someone.â€

My first thought was, “So that’s who she mistakenly identified as her assailant.†My initial impulse was to stay quiet and keep the truth to myself, but I told him the truth as we got in the car and headed out to have a drink.

Surprisingly, he didn’t get mad at me that night and we laughed about it for years afterwards. 

Not surprisingly, he never went to another haunted house with me again. e

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: Halloween is the great gay holiday. Long before June officially became Gay Pride Month and October became Coming Out Month for the LGBTQ community, Halloween was unofficially our yearly celebrated “holiday,†dating as far back as the 1970s, when it was a massive annual street party in San Francisco’s Castro district.

Gay cultural influence on Halloween has become an unstoppable phenomenon. Many straights may attend a gay bar during Halloween, the one time a year they step onto the “other side.†Why? They want to see what crazy and outlandish costumes we will come up with. We never disappoint.

The annual street festival and show in front of JR’s on Pacific Street is attended by hundreds of neighborhood locals, many of whom bring their children to soak in the atmosphere. Costumes vary from Jason of Friday the 13th fame to the obligatory Dorothy and friends from The Wizard of Oz. But it’s the original, current costumes that everyone seems to appreciate the most.

Halloween, like other holidays, has movies and television shows that are must see events. Christmas just isn’t Christmas without A Christmas Story and October isn’t complete without taking in a view must see viewings.

We have complied a list of the top 10 Halloween shows that should be required viewing this time of year.

10. Bewitched (1964-72). One can’t discuss Halloween shows without considering the television series that made witches fun: Bewitched. During its eight years on ABC, Bewitched produced five Halloween episodes.  Watch them all with time permitting. The 1969 episode titled “To Trick or Treat or Not To Trick or Treat†deserves props for its promotion of UNICEF. Seeing Endora blow her lid over all the kids in witch costumes is worth the view.

9. The Munsters (1964-66). 1313 Mockingbird Lane was home to Herman, Lilly, Grandpa, Marilyn and Eddie. This short-lived TV series remains 30 minutes of ghoulish fun.

8. The Addams Family (1964-66). Go ahead and admit it. You cannot even read the title without humming the catchy theme song from the TV series. The close-knit family with decidedly macabre interests and supernatural abilities have been creepy and spooky in books, television and the big screen, in live action, and now animated form. Morticia remains every lesbian’s dream girl. 

7. Dark Shadows (1966-71). It was Halloween every day when this Gothic soap aired weekday afternoons on ABC. Dark Shadows is the soap that will not die, having more lives than Cher has had comebacks. Depending on the storyline there are witches, werewolves, a phoenix, ghosts, time travel, a parallel universe and, of course, a vampire. Catch reruns of this unique show weeknights on Decades TV. Johnny Depp’s 2012 laughable take on this Gothic soap did not do the original justice.

6. Carrie (1976). You will never look at a school dance the same way again after watching this classic horror film. Sissy Spacek stars as a mocked and bullied high school student with telekinetic powers. She gets the last word in an unforgettable revenge scene. Bullies should take notice.

5. Friday the 13th(1980). Jason Voorhees, who drowned as a boy at Camp Crystal Lake due to the negligence of the camp staff, returns decades later to seek revenge. Hockey masks have been a Halloween staple ever since this film was released 39 years ago.

4. Halloween (1978). The music. The mask. Michael Meyers. There’s a reason this is one of the best Halloween movies of all time, and it’s not about its title. Co-written and directed by John Carpenter, the original of this series tells the story of Michael Myers as he stalks and kills teenage babysitters on Halloween night. The film begins with six-year-old Michael killing his older sister on Halloween night 1963. Jamie Lee Curtis is the star in her film debut. 

3. Night of the Living Dead (1968). “They’re coming to get you, Barbara.†This is the movie that started the zombie craze. Though in black and white, this George A. Romero classic remains one of the scariest movies of all time.  It has some pretty gory scenes. Re-animated corpses are shown eating the organs and entrails of the victims they have recently killed. A young girl turns into a zombie and stabs her mother to death repeatedly with a trowel. 

2. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966). “Tricks or treats†abound in this animated favorite. Airing annually since it first premiered 53 years ago, Linus is still waiting to meet the Great Pumpkin and Charlie Brown is still holding a bag of rocks.

1. Hocus Pocus (1993). This cult classic stars gay icon Bette Midler in perhaps her most memorable role. The magical combination of Disney magic and 1990s nostalgia has propelled this little movie to must-see status and inspired marathon viewings, and Sanderson sisters’ costumes rival The Wizard of Oz in the number of Halloween costumes. And did we mention it stars Bette Midler?

Happy Halloween!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR.

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: There are five definitive warning signs of a cult. 1. The leader is always right. 2. Criticism of the leader is characterized as “persecution.†3. No matter how harmful, the leader’s behavior is justified. (Pay close attention to this one.) 4. Adherents are obsessed with the leader. 5. The leader has the exclusive franchise on “truth.â€

As hard as it is to believe, gay Trumpsters are a real thing. You probably even know one or two, talked to them at a gay bar, or even slept with one (or two or more). Gay members of Cult45 are not unlike straight ones. Their allegiance is solid and unwavering. They have drunk the orange Kool-Aid. They are in a cult!

In the cult, to criticize the president is to persecute him. When Trump tweets, “There has been no President in the history of our Country who has been treated so badly as I have,†they believe him. Trumpsters have short memories.

Donald Trump has attacked the Constitution, the free press, the FBI, the military, Congress and the intelligence agencies. Crickets from the cult.

More recently, Trump has used the power of his office to extort a foreign country and made efforts to cover it up. Accusations of abusing his office for personal gain, bribery, extortion, and obstruction of justice will likely be levied against the sitting president.

Those charges finally convinced House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that it was time to initiate impeachment hearings against Donald Trump. That announcement was enough to send gay cult members over the edge, a short trip for many. We found this particular tirade on Facebook from a gay Trumpster to be representative of many in the cult.

A typical Trumpster rant

“If Trump and Trump Jr. swapped with Joe and Hunter Biden. Trump would be in jail or murdered. I seriously can’t believe you fucking retards think Trump will be impeached. Biden and Hillary need to get locked up and sued!!!! Also the Obamas!!!! No one should leave a government job super fucking wealthy!!! You people are complete and utter asinine trash. Trump loves this country. RECORD LOW UNEMPLOYMENT FOR LATINOS, BLACKS, ASIANS, AND WOMAN IN THE WORKPLACE. THE FIRST PRESIDENT EVER TO OPENLY SUPPORT GAYS. For me the economy and security are very important to me he’s doing it. Passed right to try! Lowering drug prices! Helping Vets with vet choice so they don’t kill themselves! Creating a strong border to end drug smuggling and human trafficking you sick fucks!!!!! People are dying and becoming homeless because you want to be PC with NO BORDER!!! He donates his presidential salary to various causes in the US. You are mentally f*cking ill. Democrats are the party of racism and division, open borders, drugs pouring in, endless human trafficking and killing unbabies. Destroying our economy putting more and more people on the tits of the welfare system. The only good thing going for them is wanting to become green but only because they want to engulf the Green Party but with an approach so radical we’ll all lose our fucking cars and we’ll be waiting in a bread line!!! I don’t care if I end up with one friend on Facebook I don’t want stupid asinine people that are mentally retarded in an undiagnosable way for friends please delete. If you seriously think voting for a socialist is smart look at every other socialist nation. It’s garbage. Look at Venezuela they promised all this bullshit, took away their guns and now they are getting run over by tanks. Waiting for breadcrumbs and the most pathetic run-down nation when they used to be one of the wealthiest. People who constantly talk about being broke, race and being apart of a stupid group then being an American votes democrat. Sad!!! End rant while driving!â€

Loyal to the end

Like their leader, the Trump cult has become experts at deflection, blame and changing the subject. If you have ever gotten into a discussion with a Trumpster, more than likely several of these arguments have been used to make their point.

The quotation listed above covers all five components of a cult follower. Poor Trump is being persecuted and would be jailed or murdered had he done what he is accusing Biden of doing.

Seldom can a Trump supporter defend him without evoking the names of Clinton or Obama. That’s their reliable stand-by. Calling the opposition names is another. Their leader taught them well. And of course rambling on about a million non-related topics is a pre-requisite of a Trump supporter.

The realization that their leader has been caught and admitted to what are clearly impeachable offenses is surely upsetting to the Cult45. We do not expect them to admit that their leader is a fraud and is a criminal; cults do not work that way. Long after Trump has been impeached and removed from office or has resigned, they will still be lamenting how he was a victim of the media and was treated unfairly.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR. Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: Review! Reviews! Reviews! Businesses are all about the reviews they receive nowadays. Unfortunately, most people only take the time to write a review when they have had a negative experience. And write, they do! Why is it that negative reviews are always 10 times longer than a positive one?

The next time you have a great experience at your favorite bar or restaurant, besides just leaving a good tip, write a positive review about your service, waiter, bartender, or drag performer. We really don’t care that your water glass was not kept full enough to your liking. 

Meantime, Houston’s gay bar scene continues to evolve. The home of the Montrose Mining Company is now Postino Wine Café, having just opened. One of the most exciting elements of the 805 Pacific Street locale is a wall of images that pays homage to the space’s history as a number of bars, including the Tattooed Lady, Pacific Street Station, and Uncle Charlie’s.

Rich’s, a staple in the gay club scene since the 1980’s announced they are abandoning the 2401 San Jacinto Street location on September 28. The club plans to relocate to an undisclosed Montrose locality at the shuttered F Bar setting on Tuam Street.

Speaking of reviews, Rich’s currently is among the lowest rated Bayou City gay bars, according to Google reviews. Its 3.9 average places the midtown party spot well below most of its competition for the LGBTQ dollar.

Here are the Google reviews for Houston’s gay bars along with select comments from the reviewers: (In cases of a tie the bar is listed in alphabetical order.)

1. Hamburger Mary’s (4.5) ties for the top rating among Houston area clubs, with a 4.5 rating. “Amazing food! The burgers and queso were top notch! Service was very friendly; Wayne helped us with making decisions as all of the food looked delicious. Make sure you get a reservation for the show! Those ladies are amazing and always entertain!†says a review.

2. Neon Boots (4.5) ties for first with a reviewer saying, “I loved this bar. I happened to stop by here on a Friday evening and the night turned out amazing. Fun environment. The DJ is awesome. They play everything here and all kinds of music! Good drinks as well.â€

3. Eagle (4.4). “Fun atmosphere and love the music! Great crowd of people!â€

4. Michael’s Outpost (4.4). “Went with a group of folks to celebrate a passing of a friend who frequented Michael’s. We had a great time. It was caberet [or cabaret?] night and what a blast! The hostess was sassy, foul mouthed (where’s the tip jar!) and a lot of fun! The venue is small and cozy. Bring ones for tipping your queens! After the show, it was piano time. Billy Joel and Elton John songs were sung by the crowd sitting around the piano. Reminder, it is a dive bar so stick to your basics.â€

5. Pearl Bar (4.4). “I was there with a friend and my daughter. This is a very laid back chill bar. Everybody at the bar was great. And it was Tuesday night steak night. This by far was the best steak that I have outside my own. And I have been to all the steaks houses in Houston. The owner cooks the steaks on the grill outside on charcoal. You cannot get better than that. Great drinks.â€

6. Ripcord (4.4). “One of the best bars in that area. Definitely the most unpretentious, low key and down to earth vibe than the others. My go-to spot.â€

7. Tony’s Corner Pocket (4.4). “The shows are worth the trip there alone. The bartenders are nice and good drinks. Plus the view downtown is breathtaking.â€

8. Guava Lamp (4.3). “Went to Guava on Sunday. I really enjoyed the overall Guava atmosphere. Employees were very friendly, the place was very clean, and most importantly drinks were great.â€

9. La Granja Disco Y Cantina (4.3). “Fun place. They always make you feel welcome. Great music to listen or dance to. It is great to have a close neighborhood bar. Come check it out. You will be pleased!â€

10. Ranch Hill Saloon (4.3). “Best local gay bar. Very friendly.â€

11. Viviana’s (4.3). “Great service. No words to describe the best customer service. 10 stars up.â€

12. Crocker (4.2). “Hands down, one the best bar in the Montrose area. Great service. Friendly environment. Strong drinks for a good price. Strict with the ID rule so don’t forget to bring it.â€

13. JR’s (4.2). “Honestly one of the best places in Houston to visit. The beer and the bartenders are fantastic. Make sure to visit and enjoy!â€

14. Barcode (4.1). “Great shows, great crowd, everything was super nice! Also loved the restroom sign.â€

15. George (4.1). “Cozy sports bar in the heart of the Montrose. Extremely friendly staff.â€

16. The Room Bar and Lounge (4.1). “Cute place. So much better than I expected.â€

17. Blur (3.9). “Blur is awesome, hands down. Never had a bad moment here, just fun times. Love you, Blur.â€

18. Rich’s (3.9). “This place guarantees you a great night out. It’s really big and has an upstairs, providing separate event rooms. I recommend buying a ticket online (for events) and skipping the line.â€

19. Crystal Night Club (3.4). “I like this place. Good Latin music to dance and have fun. I recommend this place.â€

We focused on only positive reviews for this article. See, it’s not that hard.

Correction: In the September 4, 2019 HRH column, Lamar Consolidated was named as having won the state championship in 2006. It was, in fact, 2007. We apologize for the error.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR.Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

|Predictions for this football season

By Johnny Trlica

Football season has arrived and yes, there are lots of gays who know, love, and understand the gridiron game. We can talk about tight ends and wide receivers and it’s not a Grindr conversation.

Besides patting each other on the butt, football can be a bonding experience. My siblings and I will never forget traveling around the state following our high school alma mater, Lamar Consolidated, en route to a state championship in 2006. Go Mustangs! Our mother had passed away earlier that year and those trips were the perfect instrument for us to reflect, remember, and forge a never-ending bond.

Some of my fondest football memories came when the Houston Gamblers joined the USFL in the 1984. Future Hall of Famer Jim Kelly directed the run ’n’ shoot to pro football offensive records that still stand. Jack Pardee was head coach and went on to lead the Houston Cougars to big wins that included a 95-21 blowout of SMU. He also led the Houston Oilers to some of that team’s best seasons.

Most people credit Donald Trump for the demise of the USFL. (Dang it! I thought I could get through a column without mentioning him.)

College football can be just as exciting as the professional version. The Bayou City is lucky to have four collegiate teams that play the sport: University of Houston, Rice, Texas Southern and Houston Baptist. And don’t forget about the high schools and Friday night lights, or Thursday or Saturday for that matter.

No one here is claiming to be an expert football prognosticator but several years ago, Yahoo had a program where participants could make predictions on upcoming NFL games. Yours truly was correct about 85 percent of the time.

So based on the record that would make the most successful Las Vegas bookies envious, here are my predictions for this season in the NFL:

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

AFC East:
New England
Miami
NY Jets
Buffalo

The New England Patriots are a cinch to win yet another division title, albeit a division that is probably the weakest in the league. Hate him if you like but Tom Brady is arguably the greatest quarterback in history, and still easy on the eyes.

AFC North:
Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Baltimore
Cincinnati

The Cleveland Browns are much better but not quite there. The Pittsburgh Steelers win by default.

AFC West:
Los Angeles Chargers
Kansas City
Oakland
Denver

The Kansas City Chiefs have star power in Patrick Mahomes but the Chargers take the division. The poor Oakland Raiders are spending a lame duck season at the Coliseum in Oakland. Want to know how that will work out? Ask the 1996 Houston Oilers.

AFC South:
Indianapolis
Houston
Tennessee
Jacksonville

I hope I am wrong on this one. It’s win or go home for Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brian, especially after the fiasco with trying to hire a new general manager. The Indianapolis Colts should squeak out a title in a competitive division.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

NFC East:
Philadelphia
Dallas
New York Giants
Washington

Sorry, Dallas Cowboys fans. I cannot in good conscious bet on the Cowboys to win anything. Nada! No championships for you. Dak Prescott wants to be the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. That’s pretty lofty goals for a mediocre player.

NFC North:
Chicago
Detroit
Minnesota
Green Bay

The “Black & Blue Division†contains some of the oldest rivalries in pro football. The Green Bay Packers lead the all-time series with Chicago 97-95-6, having first met in 1921. Look for the Chicago Bears to even up the series this year.

NFC South:
New Orleans
Atlanta
Tampa Bay
Carolina

The New Orleans Saints were robbed last year so look for revenge to be on their minds in 2019. The pass interference call that wasn’t called in the NFC Championship game last season caused a rules change this year. Drew Brees should lead the Saints to a Super Bowl win.

NFC West:
Los Angeles Rams
Seattle
Arizona
San Francisco

Last year’s Super Bowl runners up should take this division fairly easily but falter in the play-offs.

Wild Card Teams:
AFC:
Houston, Denver
NFC:
Dallas, Seattle

AFC Champions: Kansas City Chiefs

NFC Champions: New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl Champion: New Orleans Saints

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STARJohnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: The LGBTQ community knows all too well what it’s like to be in the crosshairs of a deranged person filled with hate. When the killer (we will not publish the his name) drove more than 650 miles from Allen, Texas to El Paso for the sole purpose to “kill as many Mexicans†as he could, we know that his and other hate-filled whack jobs’ target could have just as easily been us.

In an El Paso Walmart, 22 people were gunned down and dozens of others wounded by a young man intent on carrying out his manifesto inspired by Donald Trump. It is the deadliest incident of violence against Hispanic people in U.S. history.

The New York Times wrote, “At campaign rallies before last year’s midterm elections, President Trump repeatedly warned that America was under attack by immigrants heading for the border. “You look at what is marching up. That is an invasion!†he declared at one rally. “That is an invasion!â€

Nine months later, a 21-year-old white man is accused of opening fire in his twisted effort to carry out the President’s command. This attack was a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas Donald Trump spoke of.

In the crosshairs

My first visit to a Walmart after the El Paso attack came a few days later. It was mid-morning and the store on Galveston’s seawall wasn’t too crowded. I just needed a few items so I pushed my mostly empty cart from aisle to aisle trying to remember what I came into the store for and not think about the recent rash of Walmart attacks.

I came upon a Hispanic family, parents and two children, probably between 6 and 10 years old. They were speaking Spanish. My first thought was, “I wonder if they feel safe.†Surely they were aware of what happened at the other end of Texas just a few days before.

They seemed happy enough as they tried to decide which soft drinks to put in their basket. I carried on and minded my own business. As I turned the aisle a thought crossed my mind.

So what is it like to walk around knowing you have a target on your back? Most people fortunately will never have to answer that question. Then I realized, I’ve been there.

While seeing that innocent family, I felt a sudden sensation of empathy. That, of course, is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another and to walk in someone else’s shoes, a quality lacking in the president. That caused me to realize that I and all other LGBTQ individuals have walked in their shoes.

We are Orlando

We walked in the shoes of Orlando, where a hate-filled homophobe entered Pulse nightclub with the intent to kill as many queers as he could. Like El Paso is the deadliest act of violence against Hispanics, Orlando is the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in U.S. history.

In the wake of the horrific massacre in Orlando, a makeshift memorial was erected in the median near the corner of Westheimer Road and Montrose Boulevard in Houston. It was vandalized repeatedly until a permanent structure was dedicated in April at Tony’s Corner Pocket.

The flag at the memorial is emblazoned with the words, “With Love, Houston.â€

Hate crimes are on the rise since Trump took office and we cannot expect that to change as long as he remains there and continues his hateful rhetoric. Under Trump, the GOP is attracting the support of the KKK and other right wing extremist organizations, as he embodies their values.

Trump has been a racist for years, and is pretty public about it. Heck, his father was a card-carrying member of the KKK. Take a look at the birther thing, or the racist attacks on a Federal Judge of Hispanic heritage, wanting to ban Muslims from entering the country or even his presidential candidacy announcement. Racists and bigots have embraced Trump and he, them. After all, they all hate the same people. Do not look for Republicans to call Trump out for his racist remarks. They fear retaliation and/or agree with him. Their silence speaks for itself.

We cannot change the hearts of racists and bigots but we can outnumber them. All minorities and oppressed groups must stand together. Adopt the phrase, “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us,†and mean it. Your silence is complicity. Call out your racist friends when they make racist comments.

Years ago, Republicans tried to make the word “liberal†a dirty word. We chose to wear it as a badge of honor. Let’s see if they can do the same with the word “racist.â€

The attacks in Orlando and El Paso were a direct assault on a specific community. It could have been us. It could have been you.

We are El Paso! With Love, Houston.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR.
Prayer vigil in El Paso. Photo via NYTimes.com

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: Licking ice cream and returning it to the store shelf, gargling with mouthwash and spitting it back in the bottle, and urinating on potatoes on a store shelf are three things I would never even think of, as would most rational individuals. My mother taught me right from wrong.

Once when I was 8 or 9, Mama sent me to the corner grocery store to buy Kotex, handing me just the right amount of money as I had performed this task before. As embarrassing as that was, what happened afterwards made an even more indelible impression on me. While there I snuck a candy bar in my pocket and strolled out of Luksa’s Grocery without paying for it.

Not only was Luksa’s Grocery a block away from home, but the family who ran it lived nearby were also a family of Czech origin, and the kids went to school with us. I clearly was not thinking about the consequences should I get caught.

When I walked the short distance back home and handed my mother the bag containing her feminine hygiene products, she noticed the chocolate candy. Asked where I got it, I wrestled for an answer. Never being a good liar I confessed to her that I had stolen it.
A good spanking would have been deserved but Mom did something even more impressionable. She had me walk back to the store and return the stolen merchandise. Pretending I did so was out of the question so I did as told. As I handed the candy to the elderly lady at the cash register I remember feeling so embarrassed, not only for myself but also for my entire family.

It was as though I had brought shame to my siblings and parents, as well. The store’s owners would surely think less of us after what I did, maybe even ban us from the store. Living in a small town I thought everyone would from this day forward look at all of us as a bunch of low-life white trash.

The cashier accepted the candy bar and thanked me for my honesty. She never said another word about it during my many more visits back to the store and as I got older, she always welcomed me with a smile and friendly greeting.

Blue Bell, mouthwash, and potatoes, oh my!

That brings us to today. A Lufkin, Texas Walmart was the epicenter of a series of disgusting acts in grocery stores involving mouthwash, potatoes and, yes, ice cream.

A teen was recorded snickering with pleasure as she opened up and licked a carton of Blue Bell ice cream at a Walmart before putting the container back into the freezer. The person filming her egged her on, cheering her to “lick it, lick it.â€

“We have identified the ‘Blue Bell licker’ as a juvenile from San Antonio,†Lufkin Police wrote. “Under Texas law, anyone under the age of 17 is considered a juvenile.â€

It’s enough to make you want to eat the store brand.

Only a week later, a different Walmart customer was videoed gargling mouthwash, spitting it back in the bottle, and returning it to the store shelf.

Maybe I’ll start rinsing with cologne.

Then came the piss de résistance, err, pièce de résistance. A Pennsylvania woman was caught with her pants down, literally, via a screen grab from a surveillance camera at a Walmart. (Insert Walmart People joke here.)

According to a Walmart spokesperson, a store employee claimed to have seen the woman urinating on a display of potatoes. The store immediately disposed all of the exposed merchandise and sanitized the area.
Perhaps I’ll grow my own spuds.

Tampering with consumer products penalties

The Texas Penal Code defines “Consumer Product†as any product offered for sale to or for consumption by the public and includes “food†and “drugs.†“Tamper†means to alter or add a foreign substance to a consumer product to make it probable that the consumer product will cause serious bodily injury.

Tampering with a consumer product is a felony of the second degree unless a person suffers serious bodily injury, in which event it is a felony of the first degree. Simple tampering, such as breaking the seal on a product is a felony of the third degree.

Society has gone from sampling a few grapes or nuts while shopping (while technically theft but usually ignored), to cruelly tampering with products others will use.

Tampering with food and consumable products are crimes, just as theft is. My mother taught me a lesson early in life about respect for others’ property, the difference in right and wrong, and about consequences for your actions.

The perpetrators in the recent rash of malicious acts against consumers unfortunately have not learned those lessons. Lack of respect for others property while seeking one’s 15 minutes of fame has taken precedence over the shame incurred, if any, to self and family.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR.Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.

By Johnny Trlica

Commentary: It’s a known fact that one never really knows a person until they have lived together. Some longtime friends become roommates only to find the other has some peculiar and/or disgusting habits. Like not bathing on a regular basis, staying up partying all night, being a filthy pig, having family over all the time, failure to replace the toilet paper — or worse — putting it on the holder the wrong way, or finding out that your live-in companion is a crook, racist, nudist, slut, or all of the above.

Love it or leave it

Jack, Chrissy and Janet (Three’s Company) were roomies who got along fabulously, and Will and Grace held no secrets from each other. The United States has lived with Donald Trump as president for almost three years and unlike the aforementioned roommates, we have discovered some pretty revolting things about the occupant of the White House, and each other.

If separating babies from their families at the border or locking children in cages didn’t evoke your emotions, maybe the president’s racist tweets and incendiary words did. The president’s criticisms and singling out of four members of Congress, all women of color, fully exposed the president’s racism.

At a fascist rally in North Carolina, the president threw red meat to his base, advocating kicking the congresswomen out of the country because they had the audacity to criticize his administration. In remarks to the crowd, Trump said, “You know what, if they don’t love it, tell ’em to leave it.†He then looked on, doing nothing, as the primarily white crowd chanted, “Send her back!â€

That phrase was used often in the 1960’s and directed at civil rights and anti-war protesters.

“I was arrested in 1960 trying to get into a public library,†said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a prominent civil rights activist. “We were told ‘love it or leave it.’ It was just a way of saying we didn’t belong.â€

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to condemn Trump for his racist tweets, the first time in more than 100 years Congress offered a formal rebuke of a sitting president.

Trump’s supporters haven’t had the moral conviction to call him on his racism.

Go back to your closet

Starting with his campaign for the presidency, Trump has enjoyed sizable support from the LGBTQ community. During his convention speech he declared, “As your president I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.†That didn’t happen!

During Pride month the administration refused to allow foreign embassies to fly the rainbow flag. Unlike during the previous administration when the White House was illuminated in rainbow colors throughout Pride month, there was no such show of support this year.

This administration banned transgender people from military service.

If calls for American citizens to go back to where they come from, are demands for us to return to the closet forthcoming? Trump’s gay followers seem all too willing to kowtow to his demands so far. 

Pedophile friends and accusations

Poor President Trump; everyone around him is a bunch of crooks and low-lifes. You gotta feel for the man. If you are still defending Trump’s racism and believe him to be an LGBTQ ally, what are you going to do if he’s accused of pedophilia? That’s a situation not out of the realm of possibilities.

Jeffrey Epstein was denied bail after being arrested on sex trafficking of minors charges. Trump palled around with the convicted sex offender years ago and said, “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.â€

Although the president proclaimed the two were not close and “I was not a fan,†video surfaced from NBC News showing them at a party at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in 1992.

Confiscated was Epstein’s black book which may contain damning information on a multitude of influential people. Trump’s connections to Epstein’s sex trafficking may be legit. In 2016, “Jane Doe†filed a lawsuit against Trump alleging a “savage sexual attack†in 1994 when she was 13 years old in which he tied her to a bed at Epstein’s house, raped her, and struck her in the face. The account was corroborated by a witness who claimed to have seen the child perform sexual acts on both Trump and Epstein.

Previously, sixteen women have come forward with allegations against Trump, each accusing him of charges ranging from unwanted touches to rape. 

Trump’s supporters say all these women are liars but will they have the moral convictions to reject a pedophile?

Not a difference in politics, a difference in morals

During the Watergate scandal, it was often said of President Richard Nixon, “A man is judged by the company he keeps.†As it turned out, the 37th president was surrounded by crooks and low-lifes. The resulting fallout produced the indictment of 69 people, with 48 being found guilty. 

Two and a half years into the Trump administration, 34 individuals have been indicted, eight have pleaded guilty to or been convicted of felonies, including five Trump associates and campaign officials.

Nixon had supporters even as he resigned from office. There must come a point when even Trump’s staunchest supporters have had enough of the racism, corruption, nepotism, and outright disregard for the rule of law. Is there a breaking point that makes them realize they are in bed with the devil?

Until then, our difference is not our politics, it’s our morals.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the MONTROSE STAR.

Johnny Trlica is the manager of the Houston Rainbow Herald Facebook page, your source for the latest LGBTQ news and information. Contact him at HRHeditor@gmail.com.