In the hours following the mass murder of 49 people at an Orlando gay club’s Latinx night, many public officials took to social media to make statements. Some Twitter users seized the opportunity to point out what they view as the hypocrisy of lawmakers who pass legislation that makes it legal to discriminate against queer, trans and Latinx people but express their condolences when those very people are murdered. Here are some of the most insightful tweets:
The Christian Right has introduced 200 anti-LGBT bills in the last six months and people blaming Islam for this. No. #PulseNightclub
— Chase Strangio (@chasestrangio) June 12, 2016
Straight people worry about sharing a bathroom. Queer people worry about being murdered for existing.
— Saque de Banda (@aurabogado) June 12, 2016
It turns out there are 3 words you can say in the wake of a mass shooting that are worse than “thoughts and prayers” pic.twitter.com/Crz0S4gDQ8
— Freddie Campion (@FreddieCampion) June 12, 2016
Mass violence against #LGBTQ Latin@s in a country that openly embraces violence against LGBTQ & #Latino people. No other facts are relevant.
— George Ciccariello (@ciccmaher) June 12, 2016
I literally never want to hear again that LGBT people in the bathroom are a threat to public safety.
— Jeremy Moss (@JeremyAllenMoss) June 12, 2016
Also, "don’t politicize this"? Really? You’ve politicized queer people using bathrooms and having jobs, you can’t depoliticize their deaths.
— Amy (@spooloflies) June 12, 2016