Floridians see far too much bigotry on display in their state Capitol. It’s often thinly veiled or cloaked in lies, such as repeated allegations that gay, lesbian and transgender people “groom” others or need state-issued control through new laws like the “Safety in Private Spaces Act.”
But it’s rare to see a raw display of hatred from a member of the Legislature.
At a hearing Tuesday on a bill (HB 1521) that would force transgender people to only use bathrooms corresponding with the gender they were assigned at birth, Republican Rep. Webster Barnaby of Deltona spewed two minutes of hate and abuse and heaped shame on himself and the institution. After several transgender people and family members offered testimony — some angry, some sorrowful, all heartfelt — Barnaby said this (published in its entirety):
I’m looking at society today and it’s like I’m watching an X-Men movie, with people that, when you watch the X-Men movies or Marvel Comics, it’s like we have mutants living among us on planet Earth. And, you know, some people don’t like that, but that’s a fact. We have people that live among us today on planet Earth that are happy to display themselves as if they were mutants from another planet.
This is the planet Earth, where God created men male and women female. I’m a proud Christian conservative Republican. I’m not on the fence. There is so much darkness in our world today. So much evil in our world today. And so many people who are afraid to address the evil, the dysphoria, the dysfunction. I’m not afraid to address the dysphoria or the dysfunction.
The Lord rebuke you, Satan, and all of your demons and all of your imps who come and parade before us. That’s right, I called you demons and imps who come and parade before us and pretend that you are part of this world. So I’m saying my righteous indignation is stirred. I am sick and tired of this. We — I am not going to put up with it. You can test me or try to take me on, but I promise you I’ll win every time. Let’s all vote up on this bill. Thank you.
A half-hearted apology
Barnaby, 63, was elected in 2020 to represent a moderate Volusia County district, east of Orlando. As his rant went viral, he issued a half-hearted apology, saying: “I referred to trans people as demons. I would like to apologize to the trans community for referring to you as demons.” He then took down his Twitter account, but only after illogically tweeting “I am proud to stand by my entire statement, including my apologies.”
Equality Florida, a leading advocacy group for LGBTQ Floridians, quickly called on Barnaby to resign, and is urging people to call House Speaker Paul Renner’s Capitol office in support of censuring him. (The speaker’s phone number is 850-488-1450).
The organization also warned LGBTQ visitors not to come to Florida — not to advocate an economic boycott, but for their own safety.
In his first comments on the matter, Renner said he counseled Barnaby and added: “You can’t let emotions get away from you. Stick to the facts. Stick to your position … Don’t make it about people.” He also criticized Democrats who refer to Republicans as “fascists,” as if that were analogous to Barnaby’s vicious tirade against an entire class of people. It isn’t.
Barnaby’s duties include being vice chairman of the House subcommittee on — get this — constitutional rights, rule of law and government operations. Nobody who thinks the way he does should be entrusted with safeguarding anybody’s constitutional rights.
Did he break the rules?
Brush up on the House code of conduct, Mr. Speaker. The rules say this: “Legislative office is a trust to be performed with integrity in the public interest.”
Bigotry, heartlessness and stupidity are not specifically prohibited. But the rules say members should promote public confidence in the House and a “professional environment.” Barnaby did neither.
A far better demonstration of leadership came from Barnaby’s hometown sheriff, Mike Chitwood. “While we have Neo Nazis and other hate groups invading our area and targeting people for their faith, their ethnicity and their sexuality, our own state representative @websterbarnaby wants to put another target on their backs,” Chitwood wrote on Twitter.
A frightening wave of anti-LGBTQ hysteria has swept over this state. Politicians advancing anti-gay and anti-transgender legislation, from bathrooms to drag shows, have made it more likely that these vulnerable groups will be targeted with harassment, online vitriol, personal threats and even physical harm.
Let’s make it clear: Transgender people deserve respectful treatment and equal rights.
Barnaby ‘an embarrassment’
In another tweet, Chitwood, a registered Independent, called Barnaby “an embarrassment to Volusia County and to the state of Florida, and in my opinion, his words prove he isn’t fit to represent our community.”
Barnaby did accomplish something. He exposed the uneasy silence of too many Republicans who may not hate or fear gay people, but who are passively going along with their leadership.
Sooner or later, they must stand up for their vulnerable constituents. It would also be great to see a serious candidate emerge as soon as possible to try and end Barnaby’s career in the 2024 election.
By the way, the transgender bathroom bill, a key part of the GOP’s culture war agenda to distract Floridians from serious pocketbook issues, passed the Commerce Committee, 14 to 5, with Democrats voting no and Republicans voting yes, including Broward’s lone GOP lawmaker, Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point.
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The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Editorial Page Editor Dan Sweeney, and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Editorials are the opinion of the Board and written by one of its members or a designee.
