Read on Twitter
Militia leader connected to Proud Boys threatens counter-protesters with #Kenosha like violence on eve of 2nd annual "Straight Pride" event in #Modesto. Militia is part of larger group which also includes GOP activist + local pastors; police chaplains. https://itsgoingdown.org/straight-pride-modesto-militia-2020/
Last year, career anti-LGBTQ bigot Don Grundmann finally got his 15 minutes of fame, after he made headlines proclaiming that he was part of a "totally peaceful racist group," planning a "Straight Pride" event in #Modesto.
Grundmann's group proclaimed the "superiority" of "Whiteness," the "Caucasian race," "Western Civilization," "Christianity," and heterosexuality - proclaiming that straight people were in an all out war with the "Satanic" pro-pedophile LGBTQ movement.
Grundmann was joined by local GOP activist and head of the Stanislaus County Republican Assembly (S-CRA), Mylinda Mason. The S-CRA hosts monthly events for elected officials and up and coming GOP candidates. Together they formed the California Straight Pride Coalition.
Mylinda has years of experience fundraising and organizing for local GOP officials and political hopefuls. She's also unsuccessfully campaigned on an openly anti-LGBTQ platform.
Grundmann proclaimed his rally in 2019 would bring out 500 - including the far-Right street gang, the Proud Boys. The event was a flop. The group tried to rally in a barn and was kicked out; 15 people rallied in front of an empty Planned Parenthood while hundreds opposed them.
After the failed rally, Mylinda Mason continued to organize with the Stanislaus County Republican Assembly and used the group to promote anti-Vaxx, Qanon, and #COVID19 conspiracy theories.
Despite her group promoting the literal superiority of "Whiteness" and her anti-LGBTQ views, Mylinda has remained connected to key GOP players and even elected officials, such as former Congressman, Ted Howze.
Recently, Ted Howze was disowned by the local GOP for sharing racist posts on social media. He's since run a series of adds attacking #BlackLivesMatter 
despite living in an area where protests have remained small and white nationalist activity has grown. https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-Republican-with-bigoted-social-media-15295557.php
despite living in an area where protests have remained small and white nationalist activity has grown. https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-Republican-with-bigoted-social-media-15295557.php
Despite this, according to Mylinda's Republican group, a representative from Ted Howze campaign spoke in front of her organization in January of 2020.
More recently, Ted Howze teamed up with Alt-Lite troll Scott Presler for a photo-opt of taking down a houseless person's camp site in #Turlock. Presler is a former organizer for 'Act for America,' which organized anti-Muslim "March Against Sharia" events in 2017.
While their rally in 2019 failed, both Mylinda Mason and Don Grundmann are now pushing for the "2nd annual" Straight Pride event, yet another protest outside Planned Parenthood - closed down because of #COVID19 - on August, 29th, 2020, in #Modesto.
This year another group is joining the mix - the Central Valley Militia, which run by Jenya Marie, and appears to have crossover membership or work directly with the #Modesto Proud Boys chapter.
Marie is a vocal supporter of Kyle Rittenhouse + her Facebook account is full of posts supporting the 17 year-old who is charged with multiple murders in #Kenosha.
In a cryptic post to Facebook, Marie on the eve of the "Straight Pride" protest, threatened counter-protesters with violence similar to that seen in #Kenosha. She then told her followers that the rally would " Not Be a Family Friendly Event."
Marie, leader of the Central Valley Militia, is also listed as a member on the official California Straight Pride Coalition Facebook page which is run by Mylinda Mason. It is clear that both groups are aware of each other and are in direct contact.
But while many may dismiss Qanon supporters, militia members, Proud Boys, and anti-LGBTQ bigots - Don Grundmann and Mylinda Mason have also managed to build bridges with local pastors and police chaplains.
Thanks to the tireless work of @SabineSFS, it has come to light that “Aubrey McGann, pastor for Valley Bible Fellowship, chaplain for the Modesto Police Department, and member of Modesto Police Clergy Council,” has been meeting with Grundmann + friends.
Even closer to Grundmann is another pastor, Rev. David Preston Bush, the minister of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in #Sonora, #California. Bush is open about his involvement in the Straight Pride group and has defended it in the local media. https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-union-democrat/20200731/281483573715973
"Pastor Dave" also claims to serve "the community as chaplain for the Sonora Police Department and Toulumne County Sheriff’s Office." He can also be seen in this recent video helping to plan the upcoming Straight Pride rally in July of 2020.
This crossover between violent far-Right groups, local #Republican organizers, and heads of local churches connected to police departments should raise a direct alarm to everyone.
For even more of a deep dive, check out the work of @SabineSFS and support them at: http://patreon.com/SFS_Sabine . They also have hours of footage on the Straight Pride Coalition: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR4lJ7YNM8aamEUF_7h10NQ
For our look at the Modesto Straight Pride rally in 2019 by the Grouch, go here: https://itsgoingdown.org/modesto-straight-white-pride/
The Straight Pride rally in Modesto also kicked off a wave of far-Right and neo-Nazi attacks, vandalism, and activity, which include neo-Nazi groups putting up flyers at the local PRIDE center and progressive churches and an attack on a Sikh temple. https://itsgoingdown.org/neo-nazi-posters-target-lgbt-center/
In this article we also talked to @LCRWnews, who broke down the connections between Qanon, the far-Right co-opting of the movement against sex-trafficking, and much more. Support their work and see what they have to say here: https://itsgoingdown.org/straight-pride-modesto-militia-2020/
If you appreciate It's Going Down and want to see us continue and grow into the future, please support us! You can also help by sharing the main article on Facebook, from which we are banned! https://itsgoingdown.org/shop/
