According to new House Speaker Mike Johnson, gay people will lead the United States into “chaos and sexual anarchy.”
A History of Abhorrent Views
Speaker Johnson has a history of voicing abhorrent views. He once claimed that teaching children about evolution is “government abuse,” for example. But on top of his outspoken creationist beliefs, he’s made a point of repeatedly spouting anti-LGBTQ+ remarks.
A Dangerous Lifestyle
In a 2004 editorial, the now-51-year-old said that homosexuality was a “dark harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy.” In another piece, the Republican described gay people as “inherently unnatural” and said their lifestyle was “dangerous.”
Threatening the Democratic System
As if the aforementioned comments weren’t shocking enough, the now-speaker went on to add that gay people were a threat to “the entire democratic system.” He also wrote: “If everyone does what is right in his own eyes, chaos and sexual anarchy will result.”
In Favor of LGBTQ+ Discrimination
In another editorial, Johnson protested including sexual orientation and gender identity in employment discrimination laws. He wrote: “Your race, creed, and sex are what you are, while homosexuality and cross-dressing are things you do. This is a free country but we don’t give special protections for every person’s bizarre choices.”
Working for Hate Groups
Johnson also has a career in law, which he predominantly uses to oppose legislation supporting LGBTQ+ rights. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is a Christian law firm in favor of criminalizing homosexuality and sterilizing transgender people. It was labeled an anti-LGBTQ+ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Naturally, Johnson worked for ADF back when it was known as “the Alliance Defense Fund.”
Lawrence v. Texas
While he worked for ADF, Johnson wrote an amicus brief opposing Lawrence v. Texas, a U.S. Supreme Court decision that found banning consenting adults from engaging in same-gender sexual activity unconstitutional.
A Strategic First Shot
Johnson wrote: “Make no mistake, the Lawrence decision opens the door to the undermining of many important laws and is ultimately a strategic first shot for the homosexual lobby’s ultimate prize – the redefinition of marriage.”
An Anti-LGBTQ+ Counterprotest
In 2005, during Day of Silence demonstrations – protests against anti-LGBTQ+ bullying and discrimination in schools – Johnson and the ADF centered themselves in a counterprotest. They named it the “Day of Truth.”
Still Anti-LGBTQ+
Johnson’s anti-LGBTQ+ words and actions didn’t end with the 00s. Since becoming a congressman in 2016, the now-speaker has dedicated his time to attempting to overturn same-gender marriage laws and trying to prevent kids from being taught about the existence of LGBTQ+ people in schools.
Second in Line
Now, Johnson is second in the line of succession to the presidency. With concerns about Christian nationalism and a theocracy rising, people are understandably concerned about what the future will bring.
The Internet’s Response
News of Johnson’s bigoted past was shared across the internet and people flocked to comment sections to give their views on the matter. One commenter, extending the discussion to the now-speaker’s unsurprising misogynistic views, said: “Women should remember, when voting, that this man states that forcing them to give birth will provide America with more workers. Really, he said that.”
But How Is “Creed” Not a Choice?
Another person wrote: “I wish I could ask him to explain how religion – creed – is not a choice while homosexuality is… and why someone would choose to be homosexual when they lived somewhere where that ‘choice’ would get them bullied, beat up, or worse.”
Digging up More Dirt
One person said they were looking forward to seeing what other dirt gets dug up regarding Johnson: “I’m just going to point out that this man has largely avoided the spotlight for years because he’s a bland nobody – and we already know this [his anti-LGBTQ+ history] about him. I can’t wait to see what we discover now that people are paying attention to him.”
A Standard-Issue Christofascist
Others pointed out the terrifying nature of the situation: “So a standard-issue Christofascist is now second in line to the U.S. presidency at a time when his colleagues aren’t shy about using violence to achieve their political ends? Cool, cool.”
An Unreasonable Fixation
Another commenter wrote: “I find it hard to understand how some people can get so fanatically worked up over what other people are doing in the privacy of their own bedrooms. Not only do I not care much about what they are doing in bed, but I’m not interested in what they are doing in bed.”
A Sick Man
One person summed Johnson up very well. “A sick man who would like to impose all of his personal beliefs and his way of life on the rest of the country,” they wrote. “What a despicable human being,” another said.
Dooming the GOP
Others said Johnson could doom the GOP: “He keeps spewing far-right talking points and the Democrats can flood the airwaves with ads that say, ‘This what happens when you put Republicans in charge.’ [The GOP] might never win the presidency or a majority in either house again.”
Johnson’s Hate Agenda
One person turned the discussion to the now-speaker’s TV personality history: “Mike Johnson used to be a television personality and had a show where he documented his hate agenda. Many are busy combing the archives for footage.”
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