A Christian activist known for his anti-LGBTQ views was rebuked by a Florida Democratic state senator during his public remarks supporting legislation endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis that would ban Pride flags being displayed at government buildings. The bill claims they represent a “political viewpoint.”
The GOP-sponsored bill, SB 1120, says a “governmental entity may not erect or display a flag that represents a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint. The governmental entity must remain neutral when representing political viewpoints in displaying or erecting a flag.”
Equality Florida says the “bill was clearly designed to slander an entire community with baseless & malicious lies.”
John Labriola of the Christian Family Coalition Florida, which calls itself a “human rights and social justice advocacy organization,” had strong words opposing LGBTQ pride flags and in support of the controversial bill that would ban them from public buildings.
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Labriola told lawmakers on the Florida State Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability Tuesday evening the bill would prevent “would-be activist teachers from pushing indoctrination.” (Full video here.) He claimed the legislation was needed because “just a couple of years ago, a father of a 12-year old in Palm Beach County…sued the school district because the teacher was putting up rainbow flags and pushing that indoctrination in the classroom.”
He then denounced “the idea that the flag, the rainbow flag is inclusive,” because “there is no color there for ‘heterosexual.'”
Labriola told lawmakers the pride flag is “deeply offensive” to people of faith, and “gaslighting.”
“We don’t want government pushing an ideology,” he added, before claiming there are “victims” of the LGBT movement. He named one alleged “victim of the indoctrination, a victim of the rainbow flag, and everything that that represents.”
“It is demonic. We are the Christian Family Coalition and we believe that this is demonic. Why Should Christians be forced to to subsidize something that is demonic, the idea that a child can change their gender that’s included in the in the rainbow flag, that’s an ideology that’s included in the rainbow flag. Heterosexuality isn’t as I said, but that is and so let’s talk about the victims of the LGBT movement.”
He also praised the bill, saying, “it takes the ideology and the indoctrination out of the school room and also empowers taxpayers to not have to subsidize the ideology that has harmed so many people, both parents and children.”
LGBTQ is not an “ideology.”
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But then Committee Democratic Vice Chair Tina Polsky had a few questions for Labriola.
“Can you explain how, under this bill, a poster of a rainbow flag will be allowed? So if that’s the case, I want to make sure we’re all aware of the terrible dangers that await our students,” she said, apparently sarcastically. “How does a rainbow flag indoctrinate students?”
“A rainbow flag is intended to indoctrinate,” he replied, matter-of-factly. “A rainbow flag is intended to promote the concept to students that there’s such a thing as transgender, that you can change gender, that sexuality, you know should be celebrated if it goes against heterosexuality because it doesn’t, it doesn’t promote heterosexuality. It promotes homosexuality. It promotes bisexuality, it promotes everything except heterosexuality. So that’s indoctrination.”
He then claimed that the “label ‘queer’ has to do with sexual activity. And if the child is below 18, that is a form of grooming, that is a form of sexual grooming, and really pedophilia, when you say a ‘queer student.’ That should not be those two words should not be juxtaposed –” he added before Senator Polsky interrupted him.
“You should stop talking,” she told him, but was ignored.
“That is grooming and that is pedophilia whether you like it or not, you do not put that label on a child because you’re essentially saying that child can be sexually active.”
A child or adult who identifies as LGBTQ is not stating they are sexually active — being LGBTQ is not an act, it is an identity.
“I’m not sure what any of this has to do with flags,” Polsky added. “I’m done with this person.”
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The bill, Florida Politics reports, is currently stalled.
Watch a short clip of Labriola’s remarks below or at this link.