Pulse Nightclub survivor rails against Republicans leading the charge to violence: 'We deserve to live!'
In a powerful commentary about the ongoing Republican attacks against LGBTQ+ people, former Pulse Nightclub survivor Brandon Wolf, who currently works for Equality Florida, unleashed in an interview with MSNBC's Joy Reid.
"I'm angry tonight. I'm angry because this is what we warned would happen," said Wolf. "This is what we warned would be the inevitable consequence of unmitigated unbridled hate in this country. You just saw what's been happening for the last few years. Right-wing grifters including politicians like Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott have been spewing this vile, hateful rhetoric. They have been accusing us of posing a threat to children simply because we exist on planet Earth. And we warned them that inevitably, this would result in violence. But they just couldn't help themselves."
He continued: "They couldn't help themselves from crafting one more fundraising email or hitting send on one more grotesque tweet. They couldn't help themselves as the temperature around the country continued to rise, as young people told us that life was getting less and less safe for them. They couldn't help themselves as armed protesters started showing up at drag shows across the country or when white supremacists were being arrested outside of pride festivals. They couldn't help themselves when children's hospitals in Boston and other cities were getting bomb threats having to install airport security terminals to keep people safe. They couldn't help themselves when a doughnut shop was firebombed for daring to advertise a drag show, and now five people went to a space that was supposed to be safe for them, a space like the one I knew well at Pulse Nightclub, and they came out in body bags."
He explained that dozens of people were not only injured, but they have scars that they're going to carry forever.
"An entire community is terrorized. They paid the price for this short-sighted, cynical, and sinister hate these people have been pumping into the ecosystem," said Wolf. "I'm angry because I'm tired of asking, of begging, of screaming and scratching and clawing for people to just see us as human. See us as your family members, your neighbors, your friends. Please. I am begging you to treat us with a basic level of decency and respect. I'm angry because we deserve to live. Those people deserved to live, Joy."
Ron DeSantis targeted all LGBTQ teachers, saying that they couldn't mention their lives or their families to children. All teachers are required to "out" students to their parents if they seek help or advice from them. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declared it child abuse if parents agree to help their child move through with gender reassignment or even gender-related counseling. For years, Republicans have pushed laws that outright banned same-sex marriage, only to be overruled by the Supreme Court. Now, the justices on the Court want to take that right away.
See the takedown below or at the video here:
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