Beloved local llama becomes target in right-wing culture war

Caesar the No Drama Llama & his owner slandered by far-right extremists

Here’s a sentence you’d hope never need be written: 

A member of a local band called “The Defamation League” has launched a defamation campaign to attack local legend Caesar the No Drama Llama.

It’s true. The Defamation League band - listed as two people, James Suraci and Joshua Vierra - left several comments recently on a Facebook post from The Statesman Journal about Bud Light’s plans to discount their beer during the 4th of July holiday weekend. 

Profile image from Caesar’s FB page

Some of the comments were posted in reply to Caesar The No Drama Llama's account - who also commented on the Statesman Journal’s original post.

Here’s what the initial interaction looked like:

The link the band account shares leads to a YouTube Channel operated by James Lindsey - a virulent homophobe and fascist bag of dicks. 

“The Defamation League” account went on to post on their own page making wild accusations against Caesar and his owner, Larry McCool. 

The first one, from June 29:

And from the following day, in response to something posted from Caesar’s account:

Since the posts are being made from the band’s account, it’s difficult to know which of the two folks listed as members are spreading this dangerous misinformation intended to harm a beloved community member.

(According to later posts on Caesar’s Facebook page & referenced below, some internet sleuthing determined it was likely James “Jim” Suraci making these harmful & baseless accusations.)

On June 30, someone from Caesar’s team posted a lengthy update on the situation, with a plea to help ID the person making these accusations. 

Some excerpts below:

“Remember I believe in everyones right to their opinions, even when we might differ. But I am needing to find out who this unstable person might be and plan on filing a report with the Salem PD and Marion County Sheriff’s Dept. Last thing I want to do is always having to look over my shoulder when Caesar and I are out and about doing the community events that you all know he is famous for.”

So I am not sure if we ever met this person, but I for sure want to identify him so that if he does show up at one of our Childrens event. And most of you know, that is most of what Caesar is know for, we don't have to be concerned this unstable person isn't going to do something.

And in a July 1 update, Caesar’s team posted:

The “Jim” being referred to is James Suraci, one of the members of the band “The Defamation League,” a local death metal (?) band that recently began attacking Caesar the No Drama Llama.

Current trends in violence against the LGBTQ+ community make casual accusations like this a real threat

In the above screenshot, you see Caesar’s account talking about the fear of “inciting personal attacks and violence” not just against Caesar or McCool, but against the crowds of children that usually surround Caesar wherever they go.

When bigots use language like “if you see him at any events around town, keep your kids away from him and ask law enforcement to keep an eye on him.” And that’s after calling him a “groomer/pedo.” That’s not some passive thought. That’s a call to action.

And with violence against LGBTQ+ people rising here and across the world, largely because of a coordinated culture war-fueled propaganda effort to demonize transgender folks, it’s not a stretch to consider this a threat to Caesar and team.

Think about that for a minute. Some angry bigot who is willing to put an actual target on the back of a guy who is known worldwide for bringing joy and peace to children, their families, and various communities.

Simply because they feel differently about what a beer company did.

Folks, that is fucking pathetic. This is crazy. There's no rational world where a guy gets so mad about a beer sponsorship that he threatens a community treasure with violence. 

Clearly, this band and the person posting through their account is insignificant and their efforts to disparage and target Caesar and Larry will likely amount to nothing. 

But the implications are real. Caesar, Larry and their team now carry the burden of the possibility that some deranged fuck could be inspired to freak out on them at a public event. 

It’s worth taking a second to remember how we got to this point.

It’s not super complicated. At least the recent history of how we got here. 

The entire right-wing information machine has recently been aimed at dehumanizing transgender people. 

• You see it from our elected officials - almost always Republicans like this Ed Diehl dude (spoiler alert: he’s absolutely obsessed with children and their genitals). 

• You see it from the right wing media that furiously pump disinformation into our communities. Thanks to media companies like KSLM here in Salem, and people like this guy reaching into the minds of right-wingers near you. 

• You see entire sections of our country become unlivable for non-binary folks overnight as laws go into effect that endanger their lives - e.g. Florida or Texas.

Bigots like the person harassing and defaming Caesar and Larry McCool are programmed to blurt out things like “groomer” and “pedo” because they understand the severity of the accusation. 

And they have been given social permission to aim that power and threat at the LGBTQ+ community because that right-wing information machine reshapes right & wrong into us & them.

Hopefully some of our local elected Republicans - here in Salem and across Oregon - and the folks on the right who have been indulging in these culture war campaigns can use this absurd situation with Caesar the No Drama Llama to realize they are inspiring actual threats to real people. 

And llamas.