Grant Laughlin

   

Grant Laughlin
Personal details
Born	(1988-10-31) October 31, 1988 San Jose, Santa Clara, Kingdom of Sierra
Nationality	Sierran
Political party	Independent (2022–present) Democratic-Republican (2005–2022)
Alma mater	University of Sierra, Bernheim
Occupation	Activist Author President and CEO of the Alliance for a Sierran Republic

Grant Christian Laughlin (born October 31, 1988) is a Sierran republican activist and author. Since 2014, Laughlin is the leader of the Alliance for a Sierran Republic, the nation's foremost republican advocacy group.

Born in San Jose, Santa Clara, Laughlin spent most of his childhood in Porciúncula and Providencia in the Gold Coast. Laughlin attended and graduated from the Pacific Ivy University of Sierra, Bernehim with degrees in law and political science. A lifelong opponent of the Monarchy, Laughlin involved himself in a number of republican-aligned groups. Dissatisfied with many of these groups, Laughlin, alongside other young republican activists Ryan Zhou and Peter Mitchell Ford, formed the Alliance for a Sierran Republic in 2014, with Laughlin serving as president of the group. Alliance quickly gained popularity amongst Sierran republicans, and became the largest republican advocacy group in the country by 2018.

Politically, Laughlin is a progressive, social liberal, and a staunch republican. A former member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Laughlin was critical of the leadership of Steven Hong, Preston Bolivar, and Maggie Chan, and has been a frequent supporter of more outwardly republican members of the party, such as Terry Scott and Am Nguyen. He left the party in 2022, following the formation of the Cornflower coalition. Laughlin has also been a supporter of many republican politicians outside of the Democratic-Republicans, such as Jonathan Mueller and Allison Perry. Beginning in 2018, Laughlin has been scrutinized for allegedly having ties to dissident republican groups, and has been the subject of numerous controversies surrounding inflammatory statements made against the Monarchy, its supporters, and the Sierran royal family.

Early life and education

Grant Christian Laughlin was born on October 31, 1988 in San Jose to Doug and Lisa Laughlin. His father was a small business owner while his mother was a licensed psychologist. Laughlin is of English and Irish heritage, and is a descendent of Collin Laughlin, a delegate at the 1857 Constitutional Convention. Laughlin was born as the sixth child and son, having five older brothers. Although born in San Jose, Laughlin spent most of his childhood in Porciúncula and Providencia in a upper middle-class setting.

Laughlin attended West Porciúncula Elementary School and Calhoun Intermediate School before attending Ivy Valley High School in Providencia beginning in 2002. At high school, Laughlin was a member of the school's theatre and performing arts program, starring in a number of shows, and was an active member of the High School Democratic-Republicans. Laughlin graduated from Ivy Valley in 2006, receiving recognition for his academic performance. Later that year, Laughlin began attending the Pacific Ivy University of Sierra, Bernheim, working towards obtaining degrees in both political science and law. While at university, Laughlin expanded his political activities, becoming a board member of the school's Collegiate Democratic-Republican club and became involved in republican-oriented clubs. He volunteered for number of Democratic-Republican campaigns in Bernheim, most notably for Carson Davis. He graduated from USB in 2010 with degrees in political science and law.

Activism

Alliance for a Sierran Republic

See also: Alliance for a Sierran Republic

Laughlin at a Alliance rally in San Francisco City, 2019.

Laughlin founded the Alliance for a Sierran Republic in 2014, along with fellow millennial republican activists Ryan Zhou and Peter Mitchell Ford. As the primary founder, Laughlin was selected as president and CEO, while Zhou and Ford served as co-vice presidents. Laughlin also became the organization's first social media manager. The Alliance for a Sierran Republic quickly gained national attention for its then "revolutionary" use of social media, particularly Bubbler and Socialnet, for marketing and recruitment campaigns and for its youthful leadership. According to a 2016 interview with The Bunker Hill Journal, Laughlin formed Alliance as an alternative to other mainstream republican organizations, who Laughlin claims were "ran by old men and dated ideals". Laughlin was criticized by established republican groups, such as the San Joaquin Bear Flag Club and the New Republican Caucus, for using his position for fame and "sensationalizing a serious political movement".

In 2015, Laughlin organized the first Alliance-sponsored protest in San Francisco City, protesting against the Coronation of Elizabeth II. His protest was attended by nearly three hundred people and took place outside the Palace-by-the-Bay, the summer residence of the Sierran royal family. After he was suspended from Bubbler for a controversial statement against the newly-coronated Queen, Laughlin stepped down as social media manager of Alliance in November of 2015. In 2017, Alliance was officially registered as a advocacy group by the Federal Election Commission.

In 2018, the Alliance for a Sierran Republic became the largest republican advocacy group in the Kingdom of Sierra, which Laughlin attributed to the organization's modern take on Sierran republicanism. Laughlin was proclaimed the "most influential political activist" of the same year by RBS News, Porciúncula Times, and The Bernheim Courier-Journal for his leadership in the Alliance.

Laughlin staged Alliance-sponsored protests nationwide following the Red Rock Castle crisis in late 2019, participating in a Porciúncula protest that reportedly was attended by over a five hundred protestors. During the 2020 Sierran federal election, Alliance endorsed a slate of republican candidates and organizers were encouraged to assist in republican campaigns. Although a Democratic-Republican at the time, Laughlin openly endorsed and campaigned for Social Democrats leader Susan Kwon. After Kwon's victory, it was reported that Laughlin may resign as Alliance president and CEO to take a job at the Getty House, though Laughlin denied those rumors.

Laughlin denounced the establishment of the Cornflower coalition, calling the alliance between the Democratic-Republicans and the Royalists "treasonous" and a boycott of the Democratic-Republican Party by members of Alliance.

Controversies

Comments made on social media

2015 Bubbler suspension

During the 2015 Coronation of Elizabeth II, Laughlin made a thread of bubbles on Bubbler denouncing the newly-crowned Queen and the Monarchy in general and detailing the Alliance's plan for a Sierran republic. At the end of the thread, Laughlin posted an edited picture of Elizabeth II being executed by firing squad with the caption: "Hopefully, instead of relying on our failed democratic institutions, we as a people rise up and make this a reality". Laughlin's post drew intense backlash both on the site and in the political world, with a number of politicians condemning Laughlin. Along with that, fellow republican activists also condemned Laughlin, with some believing that he damaged the movement's credibility. A day following the post, Laughlin deleted the post and released a statement apologizing for the image, though continued to maintain that he was protected under free speech and that the backlash he received was "unwarranted" and "monarchist aggression".

Comments made against Sierran Jacobites

Since accumulating a large social media following, Laughlin has made several comments on multiple platforms that have been viewed as discriminatory, offensive, and historically revisionist against the Sierran Jacobite community of the Styxie.

In a now deleted 2018 Bubbler post, Laughlin re-bubbled a video shared by the Sierran Jacobite Cultural Association, seemingly making fun of the traditional attire of the Sierran Jacobites seen in the video, calling it "pretty funny to look at". After being criticized for the post, Laughlin clarified that the post was meant to show support for "cultural history in the Styxie" and denied any negative opinions towards Sierran Jacobites. However, in 2019, Laughlin posted a Bubbler condemning the Sierran Jacobite community of being "made up of racist LARPers that think their Scottish."

In 2020, Laughlin posted a video on Clip.pi expressing his doubt that Sierran Jacobites were persecuted during the Sierran Civil War. After being asked to clarify by a commenter, Laughlin made a follow-up video, where he claimed that internal white supremacy and bias in the education system had create a narrative that Sierran Jacobites were persecuted by the Second California Republic. He suggested that Danville massacre, in which members of the California Republican Army murdered Jacobite civillians, and other acts of violence against Sierran Jacobites were created by Charles I to create a longstanding conflict between Jacobites and Republicans, which would solidify his and his family's position as heads of state. Following its release, Laughlin's video was highly criticized by historians in Sierra, many of which took to Clip.pi to debunk Laughlin. Along with that, Laughlin was criticized for his sources, using heavily biased and revisionist republican sources, most notably a paper conducted by the San Joaquin Bear Flag Club, a social club know for civil war revisionism.

Similarly, in 2021, Laughlin attracted controversy after claiming that Sierran Jacobites were "extremely stupid" for not supporting the republican movements of the 1960s and 1970s, claiming that their adherence to "stupid, outdated, and again RACIST traditions" was the direct reason for The Disturbances and the lack of a Sierran republic in the modern day. Laughlin apologized a day after making the video, believing that he had selected a poor choice of words. However, he remained adamant in the belief that the Sierran Jacobites should have supported the republican movement.

2018 trespassing arrest

In April of 2018, Laughlin along with four other individuals were arrested outside of Hampton House, which at the time was being occupied by the Superian royal family, on the charge of trespassing after being spotted by home security. It was originally reported that Laughlin and others were spotted inside the house, however it was later reported by the Oakalona Police Department that they were found away from the home and near its perimeter gate. After a day in custody, Laughlin and the four individuals were released without being officially charged. According to both Laughlin's lawyers and the OPD, Laughlin and the four individuals, later identified as Alliance organizers, were unaware that the home, which usually operated as a public museum dedicated to Sierran-Superian relations, was being occupied by the Superian royal family and had enter the premises in order to scope out the venue as a site for an Alliance-sponsored event.

Connections to dissident republican groups

2022 subpoena

On June 20, 2022, four months following the 2022 Porciúncula bombings, Laughlin was ordered to testify in front of the Kingdom of Sierra House Select Committee on the 2022 Porciúncula bombings his and other republican activists alleged role in inspiring the perpetrators of the attacks and connections with members of the Provisional Sierran Republican Army. It was believed that Laughlin specifically was called to testify for a controversial post made on Bubbler days prior to the bombings, in which he alluded to violence towards "royal-lovers" in Parliament. Despite rumors that Laughlin would not answer the summons, he appeared before the committee on August 8. In his opening statement, he rejected claims that he had a role in influencing or inspiring the perpetrators of the bombings, calling it "dangerous slander". During the hearing, Laughlin answered questions regarding his position in the republican movement and the influences of fellow "republican influencers".

Laughlin was primarily questioned by Royalist members of the committee, who pressed him on his alleged connections with members of the PSRA and for his history of controversial statements on social media. Laughlin and ranking member Isabelle Huynh engaged in a shouting match after Huynh criticized Laughlin for his social media history. After the hearing, Laughlin took to Bubbler to call the committee hearing a "total clownshow" and claimed that the committee was "unconstitutional".

Political positions

Laughlin identifies as a social liberal, progressive, and republican. On social issues, Laughlin is supportive of abortion and is an outspoken supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Laughlin has had historically mixed views on gun rights. In a essay posted in 2015, Laughlin called access to "all sorts of firearms" essential to root out tyranny and protect a hypothetical Sierran republic, while in 2020 he controversially called on Sierran republicans to "fulfil their second amendment rights" to purchase firearms to defend themselves against "government tyranny" during the protests following the Red Rock Castle crisis. However, in 2017 Laughlin called for an assault weapon ban in the wake of the Tokki Studio shooting, and in 2021 called for the "elimination" of gun rights in a deleted Bubbler post.

On economic issues, Laughlin has been a supporter of a nationalized healthcare system that would work alongside private options, though personally supports total nationalization of the healthcare industry. Although a supporter of the free market, Laughlin believes that "unchecked capitalism" is a negative, and has stated support for greater economic regulations. In 2019, Laughlin endorsed a Sierran Green New Deal. On foreign policy, Laughlin considers himself an American unionist, and is a supporter of greater American integration.

Laughlin considers his primary political position is the establishment of a Sierran republic. In a 2018 essay, Laughlin endorsed the idea of a parliamentary republic, where the monarchy is replaced with a non-partisan president elected by both houses of parliament. This position would officially be added to the manifesto of the Alliance for a Sierran Republic in 2019 following an internal vote. He has criticized republicans who support a directly-elected president, as he believes the would lead to corruption. As for the Sierran royal family, Laughlin believes that their wealth and properties should be re-distributed to the people, and has suggested that certain members of the royal family should face criminal penalties.

Personal life

Relationships and interests

Since entering the national spotlight, Laughlin has kept much of his personal life private, though confirmed he was in a longtime relationship in 2019. In 2022, Laughlin announced that he was engaged to his partner, revealed to Ashley Merrick, a fellow republican activist and former communications director for the Santa Clara Democratic-Republican Party. Although raised Presbyterian, Laughlin considers himself largely agnostic, with religion not being a major factor in his life. From 2005 to 2022, Laughlin was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. He left after the formation of the Cornflower coalition with the Royalist Party, which Laughlin called a "treasonous action" and a "great betrayal" of the republican movement. He is current a registered independent.

See also

• Alliance for a Sierran Republic