Is it Porterville? The KKK marches in the 1920s

June 22, 2026

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In a previous blog post, “Porterville Mayor Greg Meister sends letter to FBI, invites Director to City event“, I included the above image in response to a comment the Mayor of Porterville, California, made about home-grown violence.

The image shows a large contingent of Ku Klux Klan members in a march in Porterville, California, sometime in the 1920s. I first saw this image hanging in a restaurant in Porterville, a place called “Stan’s Cafe” (since closed). I posted this image in a Facebook ‘share’ about the blog. Someone offered a correction.

“Mr. Reeves, this photo was actually taken in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Someone has apparently altered the photo so that it reads “Porterville” instead of “Bartlesville” underneath Hammond’s signature.“

I asked for some clarification, as I had seen this image before, but never in reference to Bartlesville. This is what that person added to the comment thread:

Screenshot

I think the AI hallucinated.

The University of California Press published this image, and as you can see, there is no visual evidence of a forged or altered signature.

In an internet map search, I turned up this image of the intersection of East Mill and Main Streets of Porterville. Note how the building on the left match in both images. The other buildings shown in the Klan picture are no longer in existence.

I’m satisfied the original image is indeed of a Klan march in Porterville, California, circa the 1920s.

If anyone can definitively prove otherwise, I’ll update this post.

Porterville Mayor Greg Meister sends letter to FBI, invites Director to City event

June 14, 2026

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In his letter, he thanks the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for their arrest of a Porterville resident on terrorism charges. He also invited Kash Patel, FBI Director, to attend Porterville’s event marking the dedication of their “Washington Monument” – uh, monument, I suppose.

In his Facebook post of June 11, 2026, he said, “Today I sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel thanking him for protecting Americans from an ISIS-inspired terrorist plot involving a Porterville resident who was planning an attack on American soldiers.
It also got me thinking: does anyone remember the federal weapons case tied to the old Trucker’s Mini-Mart on Westfield Avenue years ago?
We often think terrorism and serious criminal activity happen somewhere else, but history reminds us that threats can surface even in small communities. We must remain vigilant, stay aware of our surroundings, and never become complacent when it comes to protecting our community and our country.”

This image immediately sprang to my mind:

Porterville, about a hundred years ago.

My, how times have changed. Or have they?

UPDATE EDIT:

I just noticed something about this picture. None of the KKK members seem to have their faces covered. They’re quite proud of their association.

Cowardly Lions

June 2, 2026

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Meet Tulare County Supervisors Pete Vander Poel (left), and Dennis Townsend. Today they demonstrated a glaring lack of leadership during the June 2, 2026, Board meeting. Not just that, though. They sent a very strong message to their constituents. For their MAGA compatriots, they will no doubt be hailed as heroes. For the LGBTQ community, however, they sent a very different message. One of contempt and disdain.

Board Chair Amy Shuklian, seen below, issued a proclamation recognizing three LBGTQ organizations for their “contributions to Tulare County”. It was signed by Shuklian, and Board members Larry Micari and Eddie Valero.

You’ll notice two empty chairs on the dais. (Well, three, but Amy’s doesn’t count, since she’s the one making the presentation) Those empty seats belong to Vander Poel and Townsend. They wouldn’t even stay in the room during the presentation. This is a clear abrogation of their duties as representatives of Tulare County as a whole. There are over 473,000 people living here, and if the nation-wide percentages of the queer community as part of the total population hold true here, and there’s no reason to suspect they don’t, then at least 47,300 of those constituents are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Townsend and Vander Poel just told them what they think of them. There’s clearly no respect there.

Here’s the proclamation they wouldn’t be in the same room for:

It’s a sad commentary on right-wing politics (because both are local Republican leaders) when something as innocuous as a proclamation recognizing three organizations for their social outreach and public service activities is a bridge too far. It’s bad enough not to sign it, but leaving the room is a slap in the face of every LGBT person in Tulare County, and those that love them.

Cowardly lions, both of them. Oz needs to give them courage, and a heart. It’s clear they have neither.

Pride Visalia 2023

October 19, 2023

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Me, Executive Director Brian Poth, and Kou

October 14, 2023 was Pride Visalia 2023. Another great year for Pride, with the usual large turnout at Valley Strong Stadium (AKA Rawhide Stadium, AKA Oaks Ballpark, AKA Recreation Park baseball stadium). Here are a few pictures of my time at Pride. See more at http://www.pridevisalia.org

That’s Mariachi Arcoiris, the world’s first and only LGBT mariachi band!

Me, Kou, and David stand in remembrance of Ed Steck and “Free Dad Hugs”.

Reyes, me, and Kou. You’ll always run into friends and family at Pride Visalia!

Check out my Facebook photo album of the event, here.

See you next year!

4 U.S. Code § 7

April 15, 2022

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While on a bike ride recently, I happened upon this monstrosity.

It should be pointed out that the flagpole in question does not belong to the house in the background. The house out-of-frame to the right is the owner.

4 U.S. Code § 7

(c)“No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America,…”

https://www.military.com/flag-day/us-flag-code.html

The Boys Are Back

January 26, 2022

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You just can’t keep a good guy down. Or two good guys. After a (very) short hiatus, the boys in Porterville are back up.

The first sign.

Their first appearance in Porterville generated some angst when a local preacher decided this was just too much for his poor high-school-aged son to see. Apparently, if you stand at the far corner of the school’s property, and look north, you could see our boys. This generated an appearance before the City Council, and a plea to do something about it. They did. Billboards in the city will eventually be timed out, but it’s going to take some years before that happens. No word on if the preacher is molified.

The second sign

The scheduled appearance of our boys was up, but since Tulare County has a severe STI problem, and has for decades, they have made a comeback! Another billboard further south has appeared, posted along State Route 65, just north of the Tule River.

These signs join at least two others in the county, alerting people to STI testing services at The Source LGBT+ Center in Visalia.

No word on whether the preacher is upset that homeless folks living in the riverbed may see the sign.

A sign of the times: more

November 15, 2021

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Another sign of the times, this one just south of Visalia on Mooney Blvd. One of several rotating messages on an electronic billboard, this one still promoting STI testing but with a different image.

I haven’t heard of any complaints, so far. I’ll assume the Visalia City Council won’t hear about it, since it’s in the county, but will someone complain to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors? We’ll see.

Stay tuned.

The new NOH8 picture

October 28, 2019

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Jim_NOH8_2019

September 28, 2019

Taken at Common Space, Fresno, California

More

Eye candy is good for the eyes. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

March 16, 2019

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eyecandy03162019

It’s been a while since I posted any eye candy.

You’re welcome.

Mike Pence Secretly Gay?

February 11, 2018

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Vice President Mike Pence gay??
gay_pence_fake

While it would be a delicious rumor, that’s all it is. (as far as we know!)

pence_brad-patton

Sadly (or not), this image isn’t Mike Pence in his secret gay youth.  Turns out this is Brad Patton, a porn actor.

I never put much stock in the rumor that Mike Pence was secretly gay, but an image that popped up in my Facebook feed had me recalling it all again. It was deliciously ironic, or would have been, if Pence were actually gay and deeply closeted, and in self-loathing hell.

pence_selfie_pita_fake

Yep, that’s Vice-President Mike Pence, and Olympic athlete from Tonga, Pita Taufatofua. Pita has made quite the stir with his shirtless, oiled-body appearances in the Olympics opening ceremonies, twice in a row. Of course, the humor is in the assumption that closeted Pence would get a selfie with the hunky Tongan, after his apparent overtures to gay Olympic skater Adam Rippon fell flat. Sadly, the picture is fake. The number two man in the Trump administration is the victim of fake news. Go figure.

pence_selfie_original_crop

Here’s the original selfie used to make the fake one with Pita. Someone did a decent photo-shopping to create the image (at least on a phone screen. The edit is a bit more noticeable on a computer monitor.)

So “Mother” (what Pence calls his wife. Reagan did the same thing. I always found that a bit creepy) can rest easy. Her hubby doesn’t have a secret hankerin’ for the man meat. That we know about, anyway. He’s certainly acted in the past like a deeply conflicted, self-loathing, closeted queen, however, so one can never be quite certain.

Maybe, as in the X Files… the truth is out there.

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