03/22/2024
*** Please support UpRising Bakery and Cafe in Lake in the Hills, IL. https://www.uprisingbakeryandcafe.com/ ***
If you've been hearing the word "groomer" more and more lately, you're not alone.
It's election year, which means Republicans from Joliet to Frankfort and throughout the entire US are ramping up their fear-mongering efforts.
Bolstered by a governorship win in Virginia campaigning on "CRT" (remember that? the thing that's not taught in K-12 schools?) and the recent SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v Wade, the GOP has turned its sights on to the LGBTQ community; specifically, attacking drag shows and labeling anyone in the LGBTQ community (including its supporters) -- even going so far as to include local educators -- as "groomers" and "pedophiles".
Just as with Fox News, Newsmax and Breitbart, have followed suit. We've already highlighted numerous anti-LGBTQ posts from area Republicans, including Will County Republican Central Committee Chair, George Pearson.
Emily Cahill, treasurer for the Will County Young Republicans, jumped on the anti-drag show bandwagon months ago, but is causing controversy over her recent Twitter posts encouraging her and Jack Lombardi's followers to join their 'local Proud Boys' in protesting the UpRising Bakery in Lake in the Hills for their utter audacity to host a "Brunch at Night" drag show event.
Despite the local GOP's fears, attending this event was not mandatory; "Pro-freedom" Republicans like Cahill, Pearson and Lombardi were not in any way contractually obligated to attend, but had to complain nonetheless.
After weeks of threats and posts like Cahill's from all over the region, the drag show was canceled after acts of vandalism the night before the event.
And while Emily Cahill will point to the words "peaceful protest", anyone paying the slightest attention to the news in past years understands that the 'Proud Boys' do not reflect 'peace', but absolute political violence that Cahill, Lombardi and are apparently OK with.
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UPDATE: "Crowds turn out in support of UpRising Bakery & Café in Lake in the Hills
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/video/crowds-turn-out-in-support-of-uprising-bakery-cafe-in-lake-in-the-hills/