1. Portland, Oregon’s annual Rose Festival has taken place for over 100 years. What is Portland’s Rose parade?

2. As is typical for many local Democrat and Republican party groups in parades across the country, the Multnomah County Republican Party was set to march as usual in this parade. What did two self-described “antifascist” groups threaten to do this year if the Republicans were allowed to march?

3. a) What additional threat was made against the parade through an anonymous email? Be specific.
b) What reason did those behind the email give for their threat to “drag and push” law-abiding citizens out of the parade?
c) Define espouse. Do you know any Republicans? Ask them if they espouse hatred toward these groups.

4. a) Before canceling the parade due to threats, what did the organizers ask the Republican group to do?
b) What is your reaction to this request? and to the fact that the Republicans declined, but instead asked the police and mayor for protection?

5. The “antifascist” groups who organized protests over the parade due to the Republicans marching said they were not responsible for the threatening email. What do you think?

6. How did James Buchal, chairman of the Multnomah County Republican Party, explain his group’s belief that the parade should continue? How does he defend the MC Republicans?

7. What role do you think the Portland mayor and police department should have in ensuring the right of every citizen who had been approved to march in the parade to be able to do so safely?

8. What do you think:
a) Is there a double-standard in Portland? If conservative protest groups opposed a Democratic Party group marching in the parade because they disagreed with their point of view on issues and called for protests against them, would the result have been the same? Explain your answer.
b) How should university officials and police and local government officials respond when protesters shut down a talk or threaten marchers in a parade?

9. Fascism is defined as: a political system based on a very powerful leader, state control of social and economic life, and extreme pride in country and race, with no expression of political disagreement allowed (Cambridge Dictionary).
Why do you think the progressives and anarchists, who forcefully shut down any speech or group they oppose, call those they oppose fascists?