They’re Organized!

They believe they have god on their side.

They are better organized.

They are better financed.

This is not the Lavender Scary 2.0. This is the Lavender Scary on steroids.

The right wing is waging a war on all things Pride. We can't let them win.

USA Today

By Mike Freeman

May 2, 2023

There's something an anti-LGBTQ extremist recently stated that every person who considers themselves decent and human, and who believes that Pride Month is an extraordinary thing, a good thing, needs to know. You need to pay attention because it signals something we possibly haven't seen before.

The quote comes from Candace Owens, who if there was an Avengers of hate, she'd be a founding member. This is what she said: "I think that my colleague, Matt Walsh, probably said it best in this tweet. He wrote, 'The goal is to make Pride toxic for brands. If they decide to shove this garbage in our face, they should know that they'll pay a price. It won't be worth whatever they think they'll gain. First, Bud Light, and now Target. Our campaign is making progress. Let's keep going.' And he is absolutely right. It is making progress. And it's absolutely right that we have them scared. As I said, we have them backed into a corner, and now is absolutely the time for us to pounce. So do not shop at Target or else you're gay and you're a pervert. And that's all I have to say about that."

The quote comes from Candace Owens, who if there was an Avengers of hate, she'd be a founding member. This is what she said: "I think that my colleague, Matt Walsh, probably said it best in this tweet. He wrote, 'The goal is to make Pride toxic for brands. If they decide to shove this garbage in our face, they should know that they'll pay a price. It won't be worth whatever they think they'll gain. First, Bud Light, and now Target. Our campaign is making progress. Let's keep going.' And he is absolutely right. It is making progress. And it's absolutely right that we have them scared. As I said, we have them backed into a corner, and now is absolutely the time for us to pounce. So do not shop at Target or else you're gay and you're a pervert. And that's all I have to say about that."

There's a lot of ugliness there. It's telling how she uses the language of aggression and violence. "Scared." "Backed into a corner." "Pounce."

These people dislike our guts… they believe that we choose to be LGBTQ+ and that is why they call us “groomers” but in reality it is they who are stirring the pot. They believe that they are on a religious mission to eradicate us. So when they see ads like Bud Lite, or Target or North Face their blood boils.

In the past, the right often ignored Pride Month, and Pride events. Or just mocked them. That's no longer the case. Now, we're seeing a war on all things Pride. That word, war, is not used lightly. It's accurate.

It's a war they're playing for keeps. They like the viciousness of it. The idea of it. The power of it. The pain it causes. They like that it terrifies companies and people alike. There is no goal other than to bash the LGBTQ community and force companies to capitulate. If you don't believe me, just look around.

The scary part is that these are religious fanatics and they are armed and  on a mission from god!

The Washington Post recently said that the right is launching a guerilla war on Pride. But that type of action implies sporadic bouts with limited resources. The right is using a vast array of powerful weapons including television networks and a Twitter that's more bigoted under Elon Musk. Owens, for example, has 2.7 million followers on the site.

They also have the far right-wing media that is pumping them up in their echo chamber. They have mega churches who are preaching fire and brimstone against us.

There's another reason why opposing the raw bigotry we're seeing is important. It won't stop with Pride. They will attack anything representing Black History Month next. Or AAPI month. They will attack anything that celebrates our diversity and unity.

They will expand their war on all fronts because their goal is to drag us back to the antebellum.

It's Pride now, but it could be something or someone else next time. Maybe you. Or you. Or you over there who thinks it will never be you.

They are against anything that is different from them. Remember Martin Niemöller poem.