‘From Stonewall to Laramie and Now Orlando’: Clinton Speaks on Anti-LGBT Terror

‘You Have Millions of Allies Who Will Always Have Your Back, and I Am One of Them’ Clinton Promises LGBT Community

Monday afternoon, just 37 hours and five minutes after an anti-gay terrorist began his more than three-hour assault on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Hillary Clinton stood before a crowd in Ohio and put that act into historical perspective.

Denouncing the act of terrorism as born of hatred and bigotry, Clinton said specifically, “I want to say this. To all the LGBT people grieving today in Florida and across our country: You have millions of allies who will always have your back, and I am one of them,” the former Secretary of State said.

“From Stonewall to Laramie and now Orlando, we’ve seen too many examples of how the struggle to live freely, openly and without fear has been met by violence.”

“We have to stand together, be proud together,” she added.

She closed her speech with a call for unity.

“I remember how it felt on the day after 9/11, and I bet many of you do as well. Americans from all walks of life rallied together with a sense of common purpose… we had each other’s backs. I was a senator… there was a Republican president, a Republican governor, and a Republican mayor. We did not attack each other. We worked together… President Bush went to a Muslim community center just six days after the attacks…

“It is time to get back to the spirit of those days. The spirit of 9/12.”

 

Hat tip: Towleroad, The Guardian, Star-Telegram