I-1515: Anti-LGBT rhetoric needs to be called out

Re: “Hostility against I-1515 uncalled for,” (TNT editorial, 6/24).

I work every day at my job to reduce violence and have seen how prejudice has increased threats and violence to the LGBT community. That’s why I was upset at some missing information in this editorial.

I-1515’s campaign manager tells signature gatherers to break the law and follow women into bathrooms if they won’t sign the petition, while campaign supporters openly discuss hurting and even killing transgender people on campaign social media: “Line ‘em up and fill a hole. Good solution for deviants,” “Trans-whatever is a mental illness. Seek help or suicide,” and “Pistol. Gun shot, head shot.”

When I-1515’s backers went ahead with a one-sided campaign event attacking transgender people just three days after the Orlando massacre, why are we surprised people got upset? It wasn’t pretty or polite, but people were using their voices to defend themselves, their friends and family members.

I am glad the TNT is closely following every aspect of the I-1515 campaign but, rather than tell transgender people and their family members to sit down and be quiet, I hope future editorials will discourage I-1515’s incitement of violent speech against our friends, co-workers and neighbors.

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 12:12 PM with the headline "I-1515: Anti-LGBT rhetoric needs to be called out."