The chair of Colorado’s Republican party, Dave Williams, is under fire for an email he sent out that criticized Pride month and advocated for people to start burning Pride flags.
“God Hates Pride”
The subject line of William’s email read, “God Hates Pride,” and accused LGBTQ+ members of being “godless groomers” who are conspiring to harm children.
June Has Arrived
The email read, “The month of June has arrived and, once again, the godless groomers in our society want to attack what is decent, holy, and righteous so they can ultimately harm our children.”
Offensive Email Details
The email also included a sermon by anti-LGBTQ+ pastor Mark Driscoll titled “God Hates Flags,” a play on words referencing Pride flags and a less than subtle homophobic slur.
Intense Backlash
Unsurprisingly, the email was met with an intense backlash from both inside and outside the Republican party due to the intensely homophobic nature of the email.
Internal Criticism and Calls for Resignation
One candidate for Colorado’s first district and leader of the state’s Log Cabin Republicans, Valdamar Archuleta, criticized the email and called for William’s resignation.
Taking Talent
Emphasizing Williams’s inability to lead effectively with such a mindset, Archuleta said, “Building an effective winning team takes skills and talents not everyone has.”
Party Division and Leadership Discontent
Colorado House minority whip Richard Holtorf also supported the call for resignation and said Williams is “incompetent” for causing such serious division within the party.
Destruction in Colorado
Holtorf said, “He’s done so many destructive things in Colorado to not promote unity and [done] things that are outside the boundary and the scope of his role and responsibility as the state party chair.”
Further Endorsements for Resignation
Chair of the Colorado House Republican caucus, Mary Bradfield, expressed her disapproval of Williams’s statements by calling them “inappropriate” and urging him to step down.
He Should Step Down
Bradfield wrote in an email to the Guardian, “I think these statements made by chairman Dave Williams are inappropriate. He should step down.”
Making No Apologies
Despite the backlash from all sides of the political aisle, Williams remained unapologetic and said that the Colorado GOP “makes no apologies” for their stance against Pride and Pride flags.
Defending the Email
Williams defended the email’s content by saying, “We make no apologies for saying God hates pride or pride flags as it’s an agenda that harms children and undermines parental authority.”
Public Outcry
Public reaction to the email has been overwhelmingly negative, with many expressing outrage over the discriminatory tone and content of the email during a month intended to celebrate a marginalized community.
Historical Context of Pride Month
Pride month is celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising, which is considered a pivotal event in the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement that would eventually lead to their greater cultural acceptance.
Tough Timing
This historical context surrounding Pride month underscores the significance of the backlash against the now infamous “God Hates Pride” email because it directly attacks a time meant for LGBTQ+ celebration and visibility.
Local Leaders Join the Call
Nancy Pallozzi, chair of the Jefferson County Republicans, joined party members and private citizens in calling for Williams’s resignation.
We’re Done
Pallozzi said, “This last email — that was it, we’re done. It was disgusting. I don’t encourage burning the Pride flag. It was a message that should not have been sent out by the Republican Party.”
Senator Says Resign
Republican state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer might be the biggest name to speak out on the email, echoing the sentiment expressed by others and saying Williams should “Resign!”
What Unites Us
Kirkmeyer said, “Instead of focusing on what unites us, under the leadership of Dave Williams the message from the state GOP has been one of division fueled by hateful narratives.”
A Message of Hate
“Dave Williams uses state GOP funds that are supposed to be used to defeat Democrats to further his own candidacy, attack Republicans, and just recently to deliver his latest message of hate,” Kirkmeyer said.
Past Time
Kirkmeyer concluded her statement by saying, “It is past time to part ways with Dave Williams. His tactics are undermining our ability to lift up Colorado.”
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