Now I’m just making myself depressed.
This is Bubba Copeland. He was the Republican mayor of a small town in Alabama, and also the pastor of a Baptist church…about the last person I’d identify with in this country.
He was recently exposed as a human being.
Copeland’s private life was exposed Wednesday by the conservative blog 1819 News, which was once owned by the right-wing Alabama Policy Institute and whose top editor is a former Breitbart News contributor.
That post, written by Craig Monger, had the rambling headline: The secret life of Smiths Station Mayor and Baptist pastor F.L. ‘Bubba’ Copeland as a ‘transgender curvy girl’: ‘It’s a hobby I do to relieve stress’.
1819 News published the username to Copeland’s Reddit and Instagram accounts, writing that he posed “in various outfits, some more racy than others.” The blog also said that Copeland used the pseudonym “Brittini Blaire Summerlin” and posted pornography and advice on chemically transitioning.
All of that is perfectly fine, carried out privately in his own home, and none of anyone else’s business. He wasn’t forcing himself on anyone, and you needed to seek out his internet presence. But of course, he was outed by a hateful conservative blog, and then the town made it it’s business.
Copeland’s extracurricular activities quickly turned into a community-wide controversy. His church referred to “unbiblical behavior” in a statement, and Copeland reportedly told his parishioners that the article did not represent “who or what I am.” He added that it would “not cause my life to change.”
“This will not waver my devotion to my family, serving my city, serving my church,” Copeland said Wednesday before giving his final sermon, which was live streamed online.
Copeland, who was married, said he was the subject of an “internet attack.” He added that “a lot of things were taken out of context” and that “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people” had reached out to offer their support for him.
“Yes, I have taken pictures with my wife in the privacy of our home in an attempt of humor because I know I’m not a handsome man nor a beautiful woman, either,” he said. “I apologize for any embarrassment caused by my private, personal life.”
Like I said…this is a Republican and a Baptist politician in Alabama? He just humanized himself to me, at least. Good for you, Bubba! He’s breaking stereotypes.
Except, you know this wasn’t going to have a happy ending.
The uproar took a tragic turn on Friday, when Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said that deputies who tried to pull Copeland over for a welfare check witnessed Copeland step out of his car and shoot himself.
The person who ought to be deeply ashamed of himself is this Craig Monger, a “journalist” on a hate blog who has written multiple articles on this disgraceful “exposé”. Here’s what he looks like.
Craig “Hate” Monger
You know, just in case you see him in the street and want to spit in his face.
Nina Simone sings truth even if the particular state inquestionis different here – hey, the first word is even Alabama.
Just sad he/she didn’t get a message “Hey, your life isn’t over; come to Austin or NY or SF or any of the big places where no one will care who you are and find the life you want to have.”
It would be amazing to live in a world where people could be who they are.
P.S. This happened in Alabama but it could have been in most places in this country.
I”m sure Monger has come to grips with the suicide, believing it not to be his fault. After all, he was just reporting it for Jay-sus.
Fucking wanker!
Excuse my paranoia, but are there any witnesses to the shooting other than law enforcement officers? And which “law” were they enforcing, Alabama’s or Ga-odd’s?
This story doesn’t sound true at all.
The county cops pulled him over for a “welfare check”?
Since when do the cops care about anyone’s welfare, much less pull people over to ask them how they are feeling.
Let’s try the truth here.
It’s a small town southern christofascist redneck thing.
I get we cannot make a gofundme to pay someone to shoot Craig Monger because, laws, but can we maybe make a t-shirt?
With the text “I shot Craig Monger” or something. *
*Stealing the idea from the team of Skepticrat, the episode discussing the anti-vaxxer dude in UK.
Hints only. No one has said it. I will. My first thought was that they executed him.
@6 raven
I don’t know how wellness checks work in the US, but they are common here in BC. I was absent from social media for longer than usual one time and a relative asked the RCMP to do a wellness check. They went to my home, my roommate told them I was at work and they came to my workplace to make sure i was ok.
We have them here as well.
They are common.
.1. Generally, someone has to ask the police to do a wellness check.
They need a reason and an address.
.2. Generally, the question is, “Are they still alive and/or conscious and mobile?”
.3. I’ve never heard of the police doing a wellness check by pulling a car over before.
This doesn’t make any sense.
“Sir, we are just checking to see if you are still alive?” Really, how many dead bodies are driving cars around these days?
If someone is panicking or having a mental health crisis, the police shouldn’t be the ones to check on them. It can make things worse. Look what happened to this guy.
.4 There is definitely a place for wellness checks though and they can be literal lifesavers.
They don’t have to be done by the police though.
A few months ago, my friend was found dead on her floor. Long Covid medical problems.
Someone was watching out for her and when she lost contact, they went and checked.
Another very old (80s) woman stopped picking up her mail. Someone checked.
She was found sick and confused and is now in a care facility and won’t last much longer.
A friend of mine writes, in a forum we are on:
A friend of mine writes, in a forum we are on:
@azpaul, #8: I regard “harassment that ultimately drives the victim to suicide” as fully equivalent to murder, and hope the law will catch up one day.
Unfortunately, the wrong person got shot. Craig would be an approved target.
With both shots to his smaller and more intelligent head using a howitzer.
A reasonable substitute for that would be beating him to death over the head using his own cranium.
Although, I’m still working out the math on that one…
As for the mayor’s choice of apparel, I long ago ran flat out of fucks to give as to what anyone wears or doesn’t wear.
As for the welfare check, there is one exception, where he’s warned he was suicidal and was armed. And being pulled over would’ve precipitated the act, as now he’d have witnesses.
Well, off to walk off some rage, while getting a case of crushed tomatoes, vodka and a couple of cans of whole plum tomatoes. Out of stock here and the only crushed tomatoes I have are juice tomatoes and will be going onto the food bank table on the way out the door. And a bag of potatoes, totally out of those as well.
And a loaf of rye bread.
And take off and nuke the site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
@ #s 5,6,8,9: I wouldn’t assume the cops executed her. I’d wait for a forensics report before making that conclusion, I’d also ask if there was a body cam recording (might not be, but worth checking out). I don’t see a traffic stop for a welfare check as suspicious in itself. Suicide by car isn’t unusual. That said, a wellness check can also trigger a suicide. Particularly a traffic stop where one expects to be taken into custody.
Judging from Craig’s photo above, I can definitely say he’s got a face in need of a fist. It’s very possible he’ll get one. Or several.
That is really sad, many of us have to hide our private lives because of the harrassment we would receive if we revealed our true selves, under our given names.
I have been a crossdresser since I was a child, I have been caught many times. I have been vilified, ridiculed and even had a couple of blackmail attempts.
Now it’s got to a point where I am very careful with my alter-ego’s online presence.
At least I am still alive. :(
Could we not fantasize about the death of Monger? He’s scum, it’s enough that he be vilified for his actions (which won’t happen. Right wing media will promote him, instead.)
Craig Monger probably thinks of himself as a hero, exposing the “other” living in our midst, as if it was an alien invasion scenario (which, considering how bigots view the world is probably how some Alabamans think of it).
For the bigot, the unfamiliar is always a threat (unless it is someone big in the Republican party, which usually negates everything).
The only transitioning I hate is the attempt by xtian terrorists to transition the united states into a christo-fascist society. Human life is so precarious. it is sad when anyone is bullied into suicide, even xtian terrorists (although that is something those arrogant, soulless aholes would never contemplate). Human society is largely a failure. Welcome to the New Dark Ages.
I think you’ve spelled Mr. Monger’s first name wrong. It’s H-A-T-E.
@ PZ, # 17: I don’t want him dead, I want him to live long enough to face the consequences of what he did. I don’t have a problem with him being punched though.
I don’t want mr. Monger dead. I want him to live long enough to experience the shortage of services for elderly in a society that has been thoroughly Reaganized.
Anyone who thinks the Republicans would demand a conservative senator or Supreme Court judge step down if he was considering a sex change?
I’m with the consensus here. Unless there is video showing the cop’s account as factual, my money is on an extrajudicial execution by the Blue Klux Klan. They have provided SO MUCH evidence to support that assumption, I feel it’s pretty safe.
I actually don’t want the bastard dead, just the recipient of our deficient penal justice system, with all of the dressings.
As in denied affordable housing “because you have a record” after his sentence is served.
Got that treatment myself, “because you have a record”, of a case that was rightfully dismissed, as I got a property offense charged for inherited hoarder property. The real estate office that informed me, quite loudly in mid-office, is now closed, as the military base no longer will do business with them. And has since settled for price fixing…
Beau of the 5th column seems to share your sentiment, PZ
https://youtu.be/V8YbqYghtBc?feature=shared
He was a conservative, in a conservative town, in a conservative state, who knew damn well what sort of lunatic laws and BS his own party wanted, had, or where, intending to pass. They might have even had a law in the works involving arrest of trans people. Given all these things, what the F would you imagine the cops where actually doing if they pull you over out of no where, for no reason, and you just got exposed as something your “side” absolutely hates? Not that I know what his state of mind really was, but.. I can easily imagine what I might be when he knew damn well what everyone, including the likely pro-GOP local cops likely thought about such a “non-bigoted, sorry I mean slightly less bigoted.. no sorry again, I meant ‘non-Biblical’ lifestyle”…
Monger really looks like someone who peaked in high school.
Yep, James O’Keefe 2.0.
I’m throwing in with the “cops’ story is sus” crowd.
Meanwhile in Western Australia :
Source : https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-07/morris-leondard-deale-guilty-of-sexual-abuse/103074916
@29. Raging Bee : What the NASA Administrator? Oh wait, no that was Sean O’Keefe.
See : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_O%27Keefe
@32
No, this jerk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_O%27Keefe