I write this with shaking hand and tearing up eyes. In this world of tumult and despair comes a story that redeems faith in one’s fellow beings. And it comes from Idaho, which for so many of us, including yours truly has become a byword as a fertile incubator for the worst right wing extremism.
From the Guardian:
“ A jury has awarded more than $1.1m to an Idaho drag performer who accused a far-right blogger of defaming him when she falsely claimed that he exposed himself to a crowd, including children, during a Pride event in June 2022. “
This was the Pride event that made national headlines as 31 members of the far right Patriot Front ready to swoop in and cause mayhem were arrested. Eric Posey aka Mona Liza Million’s saga was also beginning to unfold while performing at that event. Summer Bushnell, a meretricious and cruel far right blogger (are there any other kind) who was covering the arrests during that day claimed he “flashed his genitals to minors and people in the crowd.”
Except none of it was true. It was all a lie . Posey was fully clothed throughout, and once those Patriot Front bigots were arrested, everyone had a good time, and no tender young being was harmed in any way. Even the prosecution declined to pursue charges.
Eric Posey, who was defamed had this to say, “Imagine being in a dark hole where you have nobody and you felt the whole world turn their back on you,” he said in court last Thursday. “But somehow, you were surrounded by warriors, true people of Idaho – not transplants, true people of this soil. I am fortunate to say I have people like that around me, people that lifted me up.”
This really had me going. Eric Posey became a lightning rod in the feverish swamps of a theocratic movement that paints every drag performer as a child molester or a groomer. Ron De Sanctimonious became “a serious candidate for President” as part of that national framing.
I can’t imagine the despair and isolation Eric must have felt or the constant threats of harm he must have received but all through this he never lost faith in his community. And the good people of Coeur d’Alene saw through the BS and the lies and cruelty and unanimously awarded him damages. Thereafter, they sought him out to shake hands or hug him. Coeur d’Alene has a more notable and contentious history of neo-Nazis and the Aryan Nation moving in, trying to create a safe haven for their fascism but to it’s eternal credit, the community has managed to turf them out.
Perhaps some one with more local knowledge can enlighten with a comment or two but this is such a life affirming story coming from an unexpected quarter that I thought it was worthwhile posting. A glimmer of hope in a well and truly imperfect and unequal world. Well done Idaho.