The Far-Right's Assault On An Idaho Pride Event Was Meticulously Planned

[marmar]

(HuffPost) At a Republican fundraiser in Stateline, Idaho, a local GOP official named Dan Bell was excited to introduce the next speaker.

“He’s definitely not OK with trans or any of that gay shit,” Bell, youth chair of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, said into the microphone as the crowd laughed. “Please give it up for Dave Reilly!”

Reilly took the stage that day, April 16, to cheers. “A big round of applause for our Sheriff Norris, who keeps us safe!” Reilly said, pointing to Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris in the crowd, according to video footage obtained by HuffPost. Reilly is a white nationalist who recently moved to Idaho and aims to take over the state political system from the ground up.

In the crowd with the sheriff was a mix of fellow white nationalists, along with Proud Boys, militiamen and a far-right bike gang. Over the ensuing two months, what bound this group together was a deep ire toward LGBTQ people and a desire to stop a Pride event in nearby Coeur D’Alene on June 11.

With the blessing of local Republican officials and using the same rhetoric as many GOP politicians nationwide, this far-right coalition churned out propaganda falsely labeling Pride as a haven for “groomers” and “pedophiles.” Participants also issued warnings to would-be Pride attendees: We’ll be there to confront you, and we’ll be armed. ............(more)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/groomer-panic-idaho-white-supremacists-lgbtq_n_62acc960e4b06594c1d6348b

[mopinko]

1. the sheriff 'keeps us safe'

umm. i have questions.

[BlueIdaho]

6. The sheriff is a recent replant from conservative California.

He’s busy empire building in Kootenai county. His recent effort to get the county to buy him a helicopter was shot down in flames by county commissioners. He LOVES showing up at John Birch and Freedom Foundation meetings. Frankly I think the only reason he scrambled his forces was to make another run at a shiny new helicopter.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

2. These radical right fascists must be charged by the feds as domestic terrorists.

It is clear that their intention was to terrorize the LGBT+ community and allies.

This shit has got to stop. Jail them before they multiply. Congress needs to pass a broad domestic terrorism law that makes it easier for the feds to surveil, arrest, and prosecute these Nazis for terrorism related offenses.

[elias7]

3. Groomers and pedophiles. Not like the Catholic Church or anything.

What was their endpoint? Deaths?

[Gore1FL]

7. Votes

Deaths are simply a price they are willing to pay for them.

[Martin Eden]

4. "With the blessing of local Republican officials"

... they blessed hateful lies against LGBTQ citizens at an event featuring White Nationalists and violent insurrectionists who went on to plan a violent attack against a peaceful Gay Pride Event.

These are not patriots defending freedom.

They are foot soldiers in a violent culture war that seeks to deprive citizens of their rights and overthrow our democracy -- while claiming to be good Christians.

The primary difference between them and the Taliban in Afghanistan is White privilege and affluence.

[hadEnuf]

8. Yes, they are terrorists. No other word for them.

The "war on terror" needs to be directed at them. That's why it was created, right?

[Traildogbob]

5. Imagine

The stretch bellowing out of the UHaul Truck when officers opened that door. Fresh baked shit, from the smell of fear in those tan, (with dark brown patches on the asses of those Kakkies).
Even before the gastro intestinal purge, those Inceks had a stench packed in there, nut to butt. You would think their homophobia would ratchet up with all that male on make rubbing back there in a dark confined truck trailer.

[AllyCat]

9. Point of order! I object to calling these people "militiamen"

They are terrorists!

[AllaN01Bear]

10. to me ,millitia means national gaurd . where is the well regulated and the election of officers ?

but u r right on them being terrorists!

[keithbvadu2]

11. GOP is a haven for "groomers" and "pedophiles."

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/8/26/2048394/-Republican-Sexual-Predators-Abusers-and-Enablers-Pt-26

[onethatcares]

12. what's matt gaetz up to these days?

he seems to have dropped off the front page or started dating bobbinboebert.

[AntivaxHunters]

13. wow............

[IngridsLittleAngel]

14. The Divided States of Stochastic Terrorism

The QOP and reich-wing media have worked so hard in 2022 to make the LGBTQ community the ultimate enemies. So of course the mindless drones with more guns than brains now think it's okay to terrorize and kill us.

This is what happens when these fuckers "other" people they don't like. And in my time I've never seen a group "othered" the way LGBTQ's have been this year. Hundreds of bills. Nonstop hate from "leaders" and the media. "Groomers." It just never fucking stops.

I'm so tired of waking up with dread, worrying I'll check here and see a Pride event shot up or blown up with multiple fatalities... While the QOP laughs, the reich-wing media says "You deserved it" and the "mainstream" media like CNN tries to "both sides" it.

This has gone beyond a joke (not that it was ever a joke). This has gone beyond a "culture war" (not that it was ever a culture war). This is rapidly spinning toward violence and murder - all because a pack of stupid whiny incels can't handle the fact not everyone is cishet.

[yardwork]

15. This is the GOP strategy to get out the vote this fall.

We gays are back on the menu.