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A Republican politician in Utah has sparked outrage for suggesting in a tweet that people turn "muskets" on LGBTQ people trying to enter a Mormon youth seminary in the state.
In his since-deleted Twitter post, Gregory Smith, a failed candidate for the city council in North Ogden, referenced a speech delivered by an anti-LGBTQ Mormon Elder that many interpreted as a call for violence against LGBTQ people.
LGBTQ rights organization Equality Utah shared a screenshot of Smith's tweet, seen below.
Equality Utah responds to Elder Holland\u2019s call for \u201cmusket-fire\u201dpic.twitter.com/ZcWqJjuuk9— Equality Utah (@Equality Utah) 1629824576
Smith's tweet included a screenshot of a Facebook post from Natalie Cline, a far-right anti-LGBTQ activist and an elected official in the Utah Department of Education. Cline's post showed a pro-LGBTQ image from a welcoming presentation at Layton High Seminary, a Mormon youth seminary in Layton, Utah that read, "If you are LGBTQIA+, welcome to seminary!"
Above the screenshot, Smith wrote:
"Time to get out our muskets."
It is believed Smith's tweet was a reference to a speech given earlier this week by Mormon Elder Jeffrey Holland at Brigham Young University. In it, Holland called for the use of muskets, a primitive firearm first invented in the 16th century and a symbol to many Americans of the American Revolution, to "[defend] marriage as the union of a man and woman."
Along with a screenshot of Smith's tweet, Equality Utah also issued a statement condemning his comments, Holland's speech, and Cline's relentless anti-LGBTQ activism, all of which came just days after a newlywed lesbian couple, Crystal Turner and Kylen Schulte, were murdered by a "creepy guy" who had been lurking around their campsite near the city of Moab, Utah.
Referencing Turner's and Schulte's murders directly, as well as the 2016 Pulse massacre, Equality Utah wrote:
"Words matter... Reckless rhetoric often precedes acts of violence..."
"...Words matter. Especially when they come from leaders."
On Twitter, people were both outraged by Smith's tweet and appreciative of Equality Utah and the Layton High Seminary for their responses.
Excellent statement by @EqualityUtah. The divisive rhetoric must stop. The politics of exclusion must stop. The targeting marginalized communities to treat as second-class citizens or inhumanly, must stop. Those who continue to do so, must be held accountable. @UTBoardofEdhttps://twitter.com/EqualityUtah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— Darlene McDonald (@Darlene McDonald) 1629837860
So grateful for this statement from @EqualityUtah. Absolutely spot on. Words do matter.https://twitter.com/EqualityUtah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— Derrick Clements (@Derrick Clements) 1629832655
Love and kindness is the correct answer to diversity and inclusion. Thank you @EqualityUtah for reminding us the importance of our words.https://twitter.com/equalityutah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— ElegantlyOwned (@ElegantlyOwned) 1629852248
Thanks Troy and the LDS students at Layton High School for doing better than the adults passing down \u201cteachings\u201d such as Holland\u2019s. Every human deserves to be loved and it brings me hope in the next generation that they will continue to try and do better than these adults.— arobotmommy (@arobotmommy) 1629829810
so so so proud of the progress being made at my former high school, and absolutely disgusted by the reaction it causedhttps://twitter.com/EqualityUtah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— jc \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@jc \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1629841893
if anyone wonders why I left the church, this is a start... thank you @TroyWilliamsUT and @EqualityUtah for all you do https://twitter.com/EqualityUtah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— Danielle Dustin (@Danielle Dustin) 1629832125
This is an important point \u2014 we literally JUST saw a lesbian couple murdered in Utahhttps://twitter.com/equalityutah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— jaclyn (@jaclyn) 1629830514
@EqualityUtah condemns the rhetoric by @Ch_JesusChrist and @HollandJeffreyR . I moved to Utah my last year of high school as the only convert in my family to the LDS church. Moving to Utah ultimately led me out of church. But I'll always be proud to be a Lancer grad @LaytonHighhttps://twitter.com/EqualityUtah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— Cory Crabtree (@Cory Crabtree) 1629825245
Proud to be an ally to @EqualityUtah! We must all take a stand against hate and divisiveness. We won\u2019t rest until all feel safe.https://twitter.com/equalityutah/status/1430214051192131584\u00a0\u2026— Ann (@Ann) 1629824792
Smith has since deleted his social media presence, expressing embarrassment over the controversy and telling media earlier this week "I'm off Twitter, I'm an idiot."