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CREATED:20200811T095200Z
DESCRIPTION:It looks like one failed demonstration was not enough for local Republican 
 organizer Mylinda Mason and life-long bigot and former member of Operation 
 Rescue, Don Grundmann. In August of 2019, the California Straight Pride 
 Coalition organized what was initially intended to be a march and rally, 
 but ended up being a 20-person picket in front of Planned Parenthood; the 
 same facility which was targeted in an arson attack back in 2016. Their 
 demonstration, which was explicitly anti-gay and anti-trans, also 
 championed the “superiority” of “whiteness” and the “Caucasian” 
 race, along with “nationalism” and "Western Civilization."\n\nIn the 
 build-up to the event, the organizers, who are directly tied to local GOP 
 leadership and elected officials, also encouraged the Proud Boys (a 
 neo-fascist and pro-Trump street gang which took part in the neo-Nazi rally 
 in Charlottesville) to attend. In the lead-up to the rally, the local PRIDE 
 center and various progressive churches were vandalized with neo-Nazi 
 posters, windows were broken out and a priest was attacked at the local 
 Sikh temple in nearby Hughson, and during a press conference announcing the 
 counter-protest, a group of men followed people back to their cars in a 
 clear act of intimidation. \n\nIn the end, despite these attempts to 
 terrorize the surrounding community, the bigots were met with a 
 counter-protest multiple times their size and they eventually left with 
 their tails between their legs. Now they're coming back for second round on 
 August 29th, in the wake of the continuing rebellion against white 
 supremacy following the police murder of George Floyd. It's no surprise 
 then, that their flyer features the slogan, #AllLivesMatter.\n\nSince the 
 Straight Pride Rally in 2019, Mylinda Mason has continued to organize with 
 the California Republican Assembly in Stanislaus County, hosting speakers 
 such as local GOP officials and candidates running for office. According to 
 the group's Facebook page, this has included a representative of local 
 Republican running for the US House, Ted Howze, who has recently been in 
 hot water over a series of racist and far-Right social media posts. The 
 fact that Mason is both directly involved in hate-groups and the local GOP 
 is sickening. \n\nEven more shocking are recent videos filmed at Mylinda 
 Mason's home featuring Grundmann speaking with Aubrey McGann, a chaplain 
 for the Modesto Police Department as well as David Preston Bush, pastor at 
 Oak Hill Presbyterian Church in Sonora, CA, who is also the chaplain for 
 the Sonora Police Department and Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office. While 
 many may dismiss Grundmann, its clear that he is connected to people with a 
 foot in the door of local government and police departments.\n\nMoreover, 
 since the last 'Straight Pride' rally in 2019, neo-Nazi and white 
 nationalist groups have continued to put up stickers and write racist 
 messages in our communities, while groups like the Proud Boys have rallied 
 in support of the police at local "Back the Blue" demonstrations in 
 opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement. Now, some of these local 
 far-Right organizers are signaling that they will be attending the rally on 
 August 29th. \n\nIt is crucial that we prevent the far-Right from hosting 
 successful demonstrations in our communities for the safety of all who live 
 there but especially our gay, trans, black, and brown neighbors. We must 
 organize and confront them when they meet and make sure that our message is 
 heard loud and clear: that they and their poisonous ideologies are not 
 welcome. We encourage people to mobilize in mass numbers to once again send 
 these hateful bigots packing. \n\nMOBILIZE: 11 AM, Saturday, August 29th, 
 1431 McHenry Ave, Planned Parenthood Parking lot. Wear a mask, practice 
 social distancing, bring water, signs, banners, noise makers, and lots of 
 people!\n https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/08/11/18835850.php
SUMMARY:#AllOut Against Racist 'Hate-Pride' Anti-LGBT Rally in Modesto
LOCATION:1431 McHenry Ave, Planned Parenthood Parking lot.
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/08/11/18835850.php
DTSTART:20200829T180000Z
DTEND:20200829T200000Z
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