California 'straight pride' parade plans draw critics: 'That’s all hate crime stuff to me'
Modesto, California, officials are weighing whether to approve a "straight pride" parade to "celebrate" heterosexuality and western civilization.
A so-called "straight pride" parade may be coming to California as Modesto officials weigh whether to approve plans for the event that would "celebrate heterosexuality."
City officials are reviewing an application for a permit to hold the event Aug. 24 in Graceada Park, CBS Sacramento and the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Although the city does not share in the beliefs of some groups that choose to hold their events here, we may not be able to deny a permit based on an organization’s values," Thomas Reeves, a spokesperson for the City Manager's Office in Modesto, told the Los Angeles Times.
Fliers circulating on social media advertising the event list not just "heterosexuality" but also "western civilization" and "Christianity" as causes of celebration. According to the Anti-Defamation League, white nationalist organizations often use terms like "promoting western civilization" as code words.
"There's essentially a war between two opposing religions. One is Christianity, and the other is satanism and humanism," Don Grundmann, head of the National Straight Pride Coalition, told USA TODAY.
'Looming social crisis': The young are regarded as the most tolerant generation. That's why results of this LGBTQ survey are 'alarming'
Grundmann, who is based in San Jose, however, insisted his group defends all races.
Describing a "broad cultural attack" on white people, traditional gender roles and "western civilization," Grundmann said "straight pride" as opposed to LGBTQ pride serves a summation of those opposing religious view points.
Grundmann said he's confident his group will get approval for the event, and he's planning for about 500 people to attend. USA TODAY has reached out to the City Manager's Office for further comment.
Some in Modesto have been critical of the event.
"Have you ever been fired from a job for being straight? Have you been banned from the USA for being Christian? No? That’s because it’s Straight pride day EVERY DAY," Modesto Progressive Democrats wrote in a Facebook post.
An event to protest the "straight pride" parade on the group's Facebook page already has more than 300 people RSVP'ed and a thousand more interested in going.
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Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., who represents Modesto, said he was "concerned about the organization’s troubling references to race."
"This sends a terrible message to our LGBTQ kids, who are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. A lot of these kids already feel alone and scared – this just makes things worse for them," Harder said in a statement.
Kristi Ah You, a Modesto city council member, was also critical of the event and told CBS Sacramento that she wouldn't consider the permit, if it were up to her.
"I don’t think we need to give a permit for anything that when you go to the page it talks about whiteness, it talks about western civilization, it talks about being Caucasian. That’s all hate crime stuff to me, that’s not okay," Ah You told the TV station.
Plans for the event come as a similar parade in Boston received approval last month.
Organized by a group called Super Happy Fun America and aiming to celebrate "the diverse history, culture and contributions of the straight community," Boston's "straight pride" parade is slated for Aug. 31.
'Suspicious packages'? Someone sent 'Straight Pride' parade organizers glitter. They called police for 'suspicious packages'
When plans for the Boston event were announced, critics called it a clear dig against LGTBQ pride parades and said it mocked the events that celebrate progress made by the LGBTQ community in the face of oppression.
Grundmann said he hasn't been in contact with organizers of the Boston event, but said the two events are "completely different" despite similar names.
"We have a far more comprehensive philosophy of why we need to do what we need to do," he said.
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A so-called "straight pride" parade may be coming to California as Modesto officials weigh whether to approve plans for the event that would "celebrate heterosexuality."
City officials are reviewing an application for a permit to hold the event Aug. 24 in Graceada Park, CBS Sacramento and the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Although the city does not share in the beliefs of some groups that choose to hold their events here, we may not be able to deny a permit based on an organization’s values," Thomas Reeves, a spokesperson for the City Manager's Office in Modesto, told the Los Angeles Times.
Fliers circulating on social media advertising the event list not just "heterosexuality" but also "western civilization" and "Christianity" as causes of celebration. According to the Anti-Defamation League, white nationalist organizations often use terms like "promoting western civilization" as code words.
"There's essentially a war between two opposing religions. One is Christianity, and the other is satanism and humanism," Don Grundmann, head of the National Straight Pride Coalition, told USA TODAY.
'Looming social crisis': The young are regarded as the most tolerant generation. That's why results of this LGBTQ survey are 'alarming'
Grundmann, who is based in San Jose, however, insisted his group defends all races.
Describing a "broad cultural attack" on white people, traditional gender roles and "western civilization," Grundmann said "straight pride" as opposed to LGBTQ pride serves a summation of those opposing religious view points.
Grundmann said he's confident his group will get approval for the event, and he's planning for about 500 people to attend. USA TODAY has reached out to the City Manager's Office for further comment.
Some in Modesto have been critical of the event.
"Have you ever been fired from a job for being straight? Have you been banned from the USA for being Christian? No? That’s because it’s Straight pride day EVERY DAY," Modesto Progressive Democrats wrote in a Facebook post.
An event to protest the "straight pride" parade on the group's Facebook page already has more than 300 people RSVP'ed and a thousand more interested in going.
Say her name: Marsha P. Johnson. Why we owe Pride to black transgender women who threw bricks at cops
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., who represents Modesto, said he was "concerned about the organization’s troubling references to race."
"This sends a terrible message to our LGBTQ kids, who are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers. A lot of these kids already feel alone and scared – this just makes things worse for them," Harder said in a statement.
Kristi Ah You, a Modesto city council member, was also critical of the event and told CBS Sacramento that she wouldn't consider the permit, if it were up to her.
"I don’t think we need to give a permit for anything that when you go to the page it talks about whiteness, it talks about western civilization, it talks about being Caucasian. That’s all hate crime stuff to me, that’s not okay," Ah You told the TV station.
Plans for the event come as a similar parade in Boston received approval last month.
Organized by a group called Super Happy Fun America and aiming to celebrate "the diverse history, culture and contributions of the straight community," Boston's "straight pride" parade is slated for Aug. 31.
'Suspicious packages'? Someone sent 'Straight Pride' parade organizers glitter. They called police for 'suspicious packages'
When plans for the Boston event were announced, critics called it a clear dig against LGTBQ pride parades and said it mocked the events that celebrate progress made by the LGBTQ community in the face of oppression.
Grundmann said he hasn't been in contact with organizers of the Boston event, but said the two events are "completely different" despite similar names.
"We have a far more comprehensive philosophy of why we need to do what we need to do," he said.
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