The New York Times reports that personal attacks on the outspoken students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have increased since the March of Our Lives rallies. See Parkland Students Find Themselves Targets of Lies and Personal Attacks.
Emma González, age 18, has been criticized for wearing a flag that represented her Cuban heritage. Internet trolls Photoshopped a picture of her to make it appear the high school senior was tearing up the Constitution. She has been called a “skinhead lesbian.”
Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill went after Gonzalez’s appearance on Facebook on Sunday morning when he shared a meme that criticized the girl for wearing a Cuban flag on her jacket. He wrote, “Isn’t she a cute little insurgent!â€
When someone defended Gonzalez’s right to express her opinion under the First Amendment, the commissioner responded, “And I am free to call her an uninformed miscreant and threat to our nation.â€
Emma Gonzalez’s parents fled Communist Cuba in 1968. The NY Times article shares at Tweet from Frank Luntz: “Cuba’s flag has been used by the country since 1902, before they adopted communism. It’s even regularly displayed in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood that – where the people are no fans of Castro.”
Luntz is Republican Party strategist and regular guest on Fox News.
Underhill has described the March for Our Lives students: “pathetic,” “miscreants” and “little monsters.” He labeled the city of Parkland, Fla.: “radically leftist south Florida town.”
On Monday, the commissioner told WEAR TV that he stands by his Facebook posts.
However, he also said, “If you don’t figure out a way to stop creating hate and propagating hate, then it doesn’t matter what the tools of hate are, the end result will be the same and that will be dead people, dead children and rending the fabric of our society.”
Note: Inweekly suggests the first step to stop creating and propagating hate is to stop the name-calling.
I should not have commented. It is very unlike me to exercise my first amendment rights. Especially on a social or media sight. But I felt compelled since the children’s message was to ban guns, and to repeal the 2nd amendment. And yes, on a national level there was some nasty and hateful messages. But that’s OK . They have the right. Just as we have the right to bear arms. As a recently retired 30 year Police veteran , I can tell you the problem is not the guns. Its our society. I have my theories, but something has radically changed our children’s thinking over the past twenty years. Lets figure it out together.
I agree with you. There was nothing spontaneous about this “march”. But when you point out that fact to these true believers, you are ignored, labeled as a racist or ‘hater’ or being a NRA shill. (For the record, I don’t belong to the NRA).
These delusional marchers are the same intolerant people that if you don’t bend a knee and agree with them, they would have no problem detaining you to “reeducate” you for your “thought crimes.”
Let me assure you, this is NOT about Children, this is about the Liberal Agenda. Children did not organize and pay for this, Hollywierd, Liberal Billionaires, Liberal PACs all paid and organized this. In fact, the entire Washington March was handled by a Hollywood Event Producer!!!
NOW NOW NOW RANDEEE : You so eloquently state: ” I have watched the kids march with signs of hate for the last month”. My 17 yr granddaughter and her two friends participated in the MARCH FOR LIFE… There was NOT ONE single sign reflecting any hate of anything. They are NOT MONSTERS, NOR WERE THE PROSTUTION FOR ANYONE OF ANYTHING, Mr. spoke person for the to be Commissioner…. There were only a few signs, and they posted: NEVER AGAIN; KEEP OUR SCHOOLS SAFE; BAND ASSULT RIFLES. It was truly wonderful see our citizens, age’s ONE yr old to 90 yr’s old, peacefully march to show respect for those whom have been killed by guns….
Now now Jacqueline. There are two sides to this story. I understand that only the left can throw flags of “Hate” when a conservative doesn’t agree with their agenda. I know its odd to have a conservative speak out against these misguided children who are killing each other at an alarming rates . But Mr. Underhills opinion and message resonates with me and millions like me. I have watched the kids march with signs of hate for the last month. With no thoughtful solutions to why only their generation is doing this. No thanks to the media. Talk about propagating hate. So, thank you Mr. Underhill for having the guts to represent me and my constituents. Now, lets find common ground.
Seems to me the only one propagating hate, is the person attacking teenage survivors of a school massacre.
These comments are disgusting. I hope that the Commissioner realizes that he is embarrassing his constituents, whom he is supposed to represent.
Unfortunately, attacking citizens and constituents seems to be the normal for Commissioner Underhill. Its disappointing.