Jaws drop as Republican says terrorists ‘hate homosexuals more than we do’

Jeff Holcomb addressing Florida house of representatives

Jaws dropped on the floor of the Florida House of Representatives as a Republican lawmaker claimed the United States’ “terrorist enemies” hate gay people “more than” the GOP.

Jeff Holcomb was addressing the chamber in favour of Senate Bill 1382, a “deeply offensive” piece of legislation which opposes LGBTQ+ members serving in the US military and “questions their skill and devalues their dedication because of their minority status”, as described by Equality Florida

The bill urges Congress to prohibit “’woke’ social engineering and experimentation practices” in the military, which backers claim are “eroding” its “effectiveness”. 

Hitting back at accusations that the US military is racist and discriminatory, Holcomb – who has served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and reached the rank of lieutenant – described terror groups, including ISIS, the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda, as the ones who discriminate. 

“We bombed a building in 2017 like we never usually do,” he said.  

“We bombed it because they threw homosexuals off that building. Our terrorist enemies hate homosexuals more than we do.” 

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Gasps were audibly heard around the chamber after Holcomb made the outrageous remark, with the jaw of Democrat Kelly Skidmore – who was sat behind Holcomb – dropping open. 

A video of the statement, shared on social media by LGBTQ+ Democrat Carlos Guillermo Smith, has been viewed nearly two million times. 

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“Florida GOP Representative Jeff Holcomb says the quiet part out loud on the House floor today,” Smith wrote on Twitter. 

““Our terrorist enemies hate homosexuals MORE THAN WE DO.”

LGBTQ+ social media users were quick to admonish the Republican’s words and see it as confirmation of the GOP’s view on LGBTQ+ people. 

One user described Holcomb’s words as “hate speech” whilst another said they were not surprised this is coming out of Florida’s legislature, given other anti-LGBTQ+ legislation which has been passed in the state.

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