August 7th, 2019 was the open forum to bring up topics of public interest to the City Council. A candlelight vigil was arranged outside, where nearly a hundred people held signs and posters, declaring the message of “hate wrapped in religion” unwelcome here.

It was inspiring to see how much of the community passionately disapproved of the Straight Pride Event. For every person that would defend it as a peaceful religious event, there would be another ten that would call it out for what it is – thinly veiled white supremacy. Don Grundmann spoke early in the meeting, tearing into Councilperson Kristi Ah You. She had released a statement to the media condemning the event.

As many of our Modesto citizens are aware, a group of people planning a “Straight Pride Parade,” at Graceada Park have applied for a permit with the City of Modesto in order to host their event.
I personally value our first amendment rights, our rights to freedom of speech, and our right to peacefully assemble.
However, nothing about this event is presented as peaceable, it is not a picnic or a parade. It is a hopeful and dreadful rally in the making, to make a mockery of people that are different than the organizers of this event.
I have personally researched all aspects of the organizers: The Modesto Bee reported, “The permit says organizers expect 500 people to show up to hear speakers from across the nation present the coalition’s ideals in the park’s Mancini Bowl. Grundmann and Mason also said they hope the Proud Boys will show up, an organization self-described as “western chauvinists” and designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Antifa, a group characterized by its militant opposition to extreme right-wing ideology, is also expected to show up, Grundmann and Mason said.”
I believe that we are living in a community that should absolutely respect each-others race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation so that we may all live peaceably.
I believe this event is hateful, harmful, insincere, and dangerous. The reason I believe this to be true is that these two organizers are encouraging two groups that are both known for violence to come to their “celebration of life.”
I cannot and will not support granting a permit for this event. If this decision makes it to council for a vote, I will not be supporting the granting of a permit.
Thank you to all whom have personally reached out to me and shared your thoughts, comments and concerns. I appreciate all of you.
With love and respect,
Kristi Ah You

Kristi Ah You

Grundmann then went on a tirade of martyrdom, calling the claims of racism baseless and hurling insults at his detractors. He eventually got worked up enough that he made the ultimate Freudian slip, shown in the following video.

That’s right. They are a “totally peaceful, racist group.” Why were we so worried?

After this, he was dismissed from the podium by the mayor. He stormed off, not staying to see what the community had to say.

Most of the people that spoke, spoke from the heart. They talked about fear, hate, intolerance, personal stories… pleading for the city to listen to its people. But government has not always kept the best interests of the community at heart. The City was scared of a First Amendment lawsuit should they deny the permit. They needed a way out that saves face and covers them legally. That was my strategy when I spoke:

I’d like to thank the mayor and the City Council for tonight’s opportunity to put our heads together and find solutions that balance the notions of free speech and public safety.

We all feel the looming specter of the permits. But we are not out of options.

Don Grundmann publicly invited the Proud Boys to his Straight Pride event. The Proud Boys are a recognized Hate Group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They organized the Unite the Right rally in which protester Heather Heyer was murdered by a car in Charlottesville, VA. 
{raises clipboard to present a picture of the victim to the Coucil}
They then publicly invited Antifa to the event, counting on the fact that the Proud Boys are known to clash with Antifa in past events, breaking out in violence.
The National Straight Pride Coalition’s website mentions the word “War” 6 times in just 18 sentences. The United States Declaration of War against Germany only used it four times.
They reference white supremacism on their website, in Facebook, and in newspaper interviews. They espouse Nationalism, alongside their brethren the Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis. 

This is a clear indication of their desire for violence, and completely undermines the advertised scope and intent of their event. This negates any permit and insurance applications, as they were made in bad faith by massive and intentional misrepresentation.
If their hateful, dangerous event is to be permitted, I urge the City to take two actions:
1)  Require the event organizers to provide adequate security, not just for their own attendees, but for the counter-protest that they have caused. Require they foot the bill for hundreds of police officers and other first responders to ensure there is no repeat of Charlottesville. And,
2)  Pick up the phone and contact their insurance underwriter. Ask them if they are truly aware of the scope, intent, and history of events such as these. This was never about straight. This is about hate.Ask them if they are aware of the open invitation to a violent hate group. Ask them to reassess their risk. Insist that their insurance be rescinded.
This isn’t about free speech, it’s about inciting violence.
It’s an insult to the religious, and instills terror in the marginalized.
Your people, your families, your neighbors are afraid.

How much would a First Amendment lawsuit cost?
Can you put a price on Heather Heyer?
Can you put a price on us?

I lobbed that ball, and a friend on the inside caught it and ran with it. By the next day, their insurance had been voided. Friday, it was announced that the city had denied their permit on grounds of “Safety concerns” and the lack of liability insurance.

But, the city is so worried about losing the Nazi vote next election that they gave him another deadline. They gave him until Tuesday to produce insurance, and they offered a different venue, safely away from residential parks. Tuesday came, and he still had nothing. So the city denied him again, right? Wrong. They gave him another extension, this time by Friday August 16th, to get all paperwork for the event in order. We will see.

In the meantime, both Mylinda and Don have told the media that they will hold the event on the 24th, even without any permits. This seems to undermine their “virtuous, law abiding, righteousness” that they want to project. Keeping that in mind, it looks like we may have a protest, no matter what.