Just hours after the worst mass shooting in US history, Texas's Lt. Governor took to Twitter with a callous and bigoted response.
Texas is in my blood. My Texas roots can be traced back six generations. Texas influenced my formative education as I attended private Baptist schools in my early years. Nothing in my early Christian education allows me to think the despicable tweet Lt. Governor Patrick sent out just hours after news of the tragedy in Orlando began to circulate is Christ-like.
Lt. Governor Patrick's now deleted tweet said, "A man reaps what he sows."
While a spokesperson for the politician said the tweet had been scheduled prior to the massacre, it is hard to ignore the Lt. Governor's anti-LGBTQ record. Most recently, he campaigned to remove a school superintendent for supporting equal rights for trangender students. The Texas mother of a teen who is transgender reacted with outraged condemnation to Patrick's anti-transgender rhetoric:
"I'm here to tell Dan Patrick: You — specifically you — are endangering my child's life... [b]ecause you have now told everyone in the state of Texas that it's okay to harass my child, that it's okay for the school district to stop supporting them."
This latest tweet from Dan Patrick reads as if the Lt. Governor, a public official, is siding with a mass murderer and condoning violence against those who would violate Patrick's interpretation of God's word. This should get Patrick expeditiously removed from office, but a public apology could begin the process of making amends for his role in creating a climate of fear and intolerance.
If you agree that Lt. Governor Patrick's tweet was horrendous and that he should apologize for it, please join me in demanding he apologize.
Lt. Governor Patrick:
On Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 7am, you sent out a tweet that can be best described as atrocious and inhuman. You've deleted the tweet, but it still lingers. Nothing is ever truly deleted from the internet. You should absolutely issue a public apology to the victims and family of the victims of the tragedy in Orlando for your tweet.
In the wake of the worst mass shooting in US history, you could have easily used many Bible verses to call for peace and unity, such as "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." from 1 John 4:11. You did not.
[Your comments]
For Chistians, Jesus is love, Lt. Governor. Remember that and incorporate it into your apology.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
