Gay man's 'Trump Lost LOL' flag angers pro-Trump neighbor who's caught on video yelling anti-gay slur at him. Oops.



Tim Mielke had an idea.

While his Helena, Montana, neighborhood is filled with supporters of former President Donald Trump — and had been decorated with multiple pro-Trump flags and signs in various yards — Mielke thought that when Trump lost the election in November the flags and signs would come down, the Independent Record reported.

No chance.

So Mielke, 36, decided to offer a countering point of view: A flag that looked an awful lot like pro-Trump banners and flags and signs — except for the wording.

It read, "Trump Lost LOL," the paper said.

"I just was sick of the entire neighborhood looking like it was for Trump," he told the paper in a previous story. "I wanted to let people know other views existed."

Uh oh

As you might imagine, not everyone was happy to get an eyeful of Mielke's new flag.

In fact, he told the Independent Record that folks with Trump flags have tried to run him off the road — but Mielke apparently is unconcerned about things getting out of hand.

"Even if they do shoot at me they don't know how to aim," he said.

So, on March 1 Mielke's security camera caught a man across the street hollering at Mielke, "When are you gonna take your [anti-gay slur]-a** flag down?" the paper said. The man added that Mielke was "in the wrong neighborhood" and also called him a "queer."

Mielke — who is gay, the Independent Record said — remained polite while engaging with the man across the street, who added that the way Mielke was responding was "what all [anti-gay slur] say." He also called Mielke a "p***y."

Well, the neighbor across the street — 43-year-old Michael Challans — was cited for disorderly conduct March 9 by Helena police who said they got a complaint a few days after the incident saying Challans had used "loud, profane and offensive language," called his neighbor a "queer," and used a vulgar slur.

"He is going to fly that flag, and he expects no one will say anything to him?" Challans told the paper after being cited. "I was in my own yard, and behind my fence. How could anyone get in any trouble for that?"

Challans added to the Independent Record that Mielke is "just antagonizing people to say something to him and then he calls a cop. He causes problems."

He also told the paper, "I didn't harm him or anything. I have no problems with gay people."

But as his Monday hearing approached, Challans showed some remorse.

Before entering the courtroom, Challans told the paper he apologized to Mielke: "I used the wrong words. I feel horrible for what I said to him. Nobody deserves that."

Challans added that Mielke "deserved an apology. If I had known he was gay I wouldn't have used the words I did," the Independent Record reported.

What went down in court?

Challans pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor Monday in Helena Municipal Court and was ordered to pay $100 in fines and $85 in court costs, the paper said.

Judge Courtney Cosgrove told Challans he'd have to go to the police department to be fingerprinted and have a booking photo taken, given the nature of the citation, the Independent Record said, although Challens was not to be detained.

Mielke seemed satisfied with the outcome, telling the paper "it seems the issue is resolved, and that is fantastic."

Still, Challans added to the Independent Record that since the incident was reported he's received threats on social media from users who said they'll burn down his house.

"What is the difference of what I did to them and them burning my house down to make me pay in some kind of way?" he asked the paper before his hearing. "It's an outrageous double standard."

"Whatever happened to sticks and stones?" Challans asked the Independent Record. "The world is so sensitive. Words can't hurt you."

Neighborhood harassment over political flagsyoutu.be

'Are you gonna pay my rent?': California restaurant owner explodes at health dept. workers citing him for defying closure order



The owner of a restaurant in Ventura, California, exploded in anger at a couple of health department workers who issued him a citation Monday over his refusal to close and thus "breaking" the "law."

A news outlet's video camera was already at Nick the Greek for an interview with owner Anton Van Happen — and it picked up the highlights of him reading the riot act to the officials enforcing far-left Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's new COVID-19 order requiring restaurants to serve only takeout and delivery.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"Are you gonna pay my rent?" Van Happen hollered at the officials.

"Are you going to pay my rent ? says owner Anton Van Happen of 'Nick The Greek' to public health inspectors issuing… https://t.co/OLzzco4hR5
— Jorge Ventura Media (@Jorge Ventura Media)1608005773.0

One health department worker accused the restaurant owner of "not following the rules" — stemming from Van Happen's protest last week inviting patrons to sit at tables outside the restaurant after receiving their takeout orders.

"I followed the rules! I continue to follow the rules and you guys still, time after time, are giving me citations, telling me I have to close my business! What about my employees?" Van Happen asked the visiting health department workers.

The worker noted that "there is a law that you're breaking right now by operating without a permit."

"Because you guys put this closure on my restaurant!" Van Happen shot back. "So you guys yourselves are creating your own rule. And you're giving out citations for your own rule that's created. It's not by law that you cannot sit outside and eat; that's not law."

The other worker told Van Happen that his restaurant "is already closed. The permit has been suspended."

Here is the moment public health issues Anton Van Happen the owner of 'Nick The Greek' in Ventura a citation for re… https://t.co/8t5ahy2ylV
— Jorge Ventura Media (@Jorge Ventura Media)1608007522.0

Some bright spots

It was looking pretty bleak Monday, but amid the fiery confrontation there were at least two bright spots.

First, a customer standing just outside the restaurant's doorway boiled over in frustration at the health department workers and told them to leave.

"Why aren't you guys at Costco right now? There's 500 people inside Costco!" the customer yelled. "There are 100 people inside Walmart! What are you doing? Just get out! No one wants you here! Go away! Nobody wants you here!"

The customer's gesture earned him a round of applause from those within earshot:

"Why aren't you at Costco right now, there's 500 people inside Costco" a customer of 'Nick The Greek' says to publi… https://t.co/vrcb2uA1kS
— Jorge Ventura Media (@Jorge Ventura Media)1608006802.0

And then there was this cool moment:

After the public health inspectors left Anton's restaurant 'Nick The Greek', someone who was watching my livestream… https://t.co/UTeK7j3BWK
— Jorge Ventura Media (@Jorge Ventura Media)1608008103.0

Anything else?

KEYT-TV spoke to Van Happen last week after he staged his outdoor seating protest.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"I am trying to start something where all restaurant owners are going to wake up," he told the station, adding that "my calling is to all the other restaurant owners to open your restaurants. If we all open up, they can't do anything."

Downtown Ventura restaurants defying stay-at-home orderyoutu.be

Church cited after maskless pastor — who's alone in building — answers door for health official. Warnings of closure, fines, jail time follow.



A Pasadena, Maryland, church was cited recently after the pastor — who was alone in the building during office hours — answered the church door without wearing a mask for a health department official, who was making an unannounced visit, the American Constitutional Rights Union said.

What are the details?

After issuing the citation, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health official told the Rev. Dennis Jackman that he would return, and if Community United Methodist Church in Pasadena was not in full compliance with COVID-19 guidance that the church would be deemed an "unsafe facility" and "closed until the state of emergency has been terminated," the ACRU added.

The citation also warned of criminal charges and "imprisonment of up to one year, and/or a fine of up to $5,000," the organization noted, despite the church following all county guidance for services and making an effort to ensure the safety of worshipers.

What did the ACRU have to say?

ACRU President Lori Roman took Maryland officials to task: "Within the span of a week, Governor [Larry] Hogan has signed an executive order releasing prisoners, citing COVID, and health departments across the state have been unleashed to threaten and harass pastors and churches. The entire country is watching this juxtaposition of principles and priorities."

What did the pastor have to say?

"I was in my office alone, without a mask on, and heard someone at the locked door of the church," Jackman told the ACRU. "I was not expecting anyone, so I went to see who was trying to get in the church. Immediately after answering the door, I went to my desk and put on my mask, but the health official seemed intent on finding something worthy of a citation."

The pastor also appeared Tuesday on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight," and the host said the county health department told the program that it had been receiving complaints about the congregation engaging in "hand shaking, high fives, and fist bumps" — which Carlson mockingly referred to as "illicit worship."

Jackman told Carlson he hadn't heard of such complaints, that the church has been taking numerous steps to keep visitors safe — and that he's been preaching his sermons from the back of a truck in the parking lot.

Pastor given citation after anonymous complaints of 'fist bumps' joins 'Tucker'youtu.be

Anything else?

Jackman isn't the first Maryland pastor to square off with local government over church services amid coronavirus restrictions.

Back in May, Stacey Shiflett — pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Dundalk — read from an "intimidating" cease-and-desist letter he said he received from Baltimore County's Department of Health and Human Services, warning that the church "could be subject to a fine of up to $5,000" if further in-person services were held in violation of executive orders.

Well, Shiflett went right ahead and not only held a Wednesday night service for 100 attendees in the 600-capacity sanctuary, Fox News reported — but also he tore up the cease-and-desist letter in the middle of his sermon.

https://t.co/klOrD2Bgn7
— Stacey Shiflett 🇺🇸 (@Stacey Shiflett 🇺🇸)1590060140.0

"Pharaoh doesn't get to dictate to God's people how they worship their God," Shiflett said with a raised voice. "God's the one that defines the parameters, God's the one that communicates his will and his plan for his church — not Egypt."

During that period of time, Rev. Alvin Gwynn — pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Baltimore City — had harsh words for Democratic Baltimore Mayor Jack Young, who was keeping the city under a stay-at-home order even though Gov. Hogan said restrictions could be loosened.

"We got a mayor saying we can only worship in our parking lots, which is ridiculous," Gwynn said.