Happy Friday, friend.

Last weekend I attended Redding's 13th Annual Pride Event. It was great seeing people of different gender and sexual orientations supporting each other.

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That's what MY America is all about.?

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About 800 people attended the Saturday night drag show. That's amazing - especially for Redding. But, as one of the announcers noted, it's equally amazing how far Redding has come on LGBT+ tolerance. 40 years ago, an event like this would have been "unimaginable".?

This steady march of progress is what makes America great. Sure, we're not a perfect nation, but we get better - more tolerant, more understanding - over time.?

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The real threat of Trumpism is that he wants to return to a set of mythical "real American values". They don't see the progress we've made as a country, they want to turn the clock back. They are using the word "again" as a threat. Many in the GOP wants the LGBT+ community to be chased out of view (again), they want women back in the home (again), and they want interracial relationships illegal (again).

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That's why it's so important for LGBT+ allies to stand up. We need to defend their rights as well as reproductive freedom and democracy.

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This November, these rights are on the line. Vote.

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Max

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P.S. One of the candidates for Redding City Council was at the event in support of the LGBT+ community as well -- Ian Hill (second picture). If you're in Redding, you should check him out! He earned my brother's and sister-in-law's vote last night!