“Freedom of Speech Should Have Some Limits”: Pastor Calls for Trans-Accepting Parents to Be “Shot in the Back of the Head”

Amy LewisNov 21, 2023

Minute Read

Jason Graber – a pastor – has said that parents who let their kids have “a transgender surgery” should be shot and hung from bridges.

A Vile Remark

Graber is a New Independent Fundamental Baptist. He said: “Any parent that would have their child would have a transgender surgery done on them, any parent that would do that, they just need to be shot in the back of the head.”

It Gets Worse

Graber continued: “They need to be convicted in trial and immediately shot in the back of the head. Then, we can string them up above a bridge so that the public can see the consequences of that kind of wickedness. There should be no excuse to not put these people to death, no excuse whatsoever.”

A Public Execution

As if the aforementioned comments weren’t bad enough alone, Graber then appeared to call for all LGBTQ+ people to be executed. He said other preachers aren’t willing to say that “all the LGBTQ people, people that desire strange flesh, that they should all be put to death in a public execution by the government.”

Jason Graber’s Bigotry

As disgusting as Graber’s comments were, they didn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’d previously heard of him. He once referred to gay people as “AIDS dispensers,” called for their execution, and bizarrely claimed that teachers want to turn kids transgender to make them hate God.

Many Death Threats

Earlier this year, Graber’s church posted to social media complaining about death threats it received after repeatedly advocating for the murder of queer people. It said: “When someone actually follows through with one of the many threats to kill me, my family, and blow up and kill everyone in my church, and many other vile and filthy things threatened – what will you say?”

The Internet’s Response

News of the pastor’s bigotry was shared across the internet, and, of course, people were disgusted. Lots of people pointed out that calling for the murder of human beings is behavior that couldn’t be further from the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Freedom of Speech

Some people called for limits on freedom of speech. One such individual wrote: “Every day, I’m becoming more convinced that freedom of speech should have some limits. Preaching that someone should be shot is one of them.”

An Absurd Loophole

Plenty of people shared the opinion of the previously mentioned commenter. Another individual said: “Making death threats against a specific person has already been illegal for decades. So, in this case, when it is directed at a specific group of unnamed people, I guess it’s protected by free speech? How absurd is that?”

Trans Kids and Surgery

Another commenter wrote: “First of all, trans kids are not having surgery! These idiots are freaking out over something that almost never happens. Gender-affirming care is letting your kid dress as they want, using their preferred pronouns and name, and maybe hormone blockers – but not always.”

A False Narrative

The commenter continued: “I know, I work with LGBTQ+ teens. This is what the care consists of. HRT and surgery come after age 18. It is the trans adults who choose how to transition, and counseling is a part of it. I am so done with this false narrative.”

A Personal Story

Replying to the aforementioned individual, another person said: “I feel this so much. My oldest son is trans. He knew at 16. He wasn’t able to get so much as a prescription for testosterone until he was over 18 and was finally able to have his top surgery done at 21, and, even then, there were certain requirements.”

No HRT and No Surgery

The commenter continued: “His trans friends had the same exact experience. No HRT, no surgery until they were over 18. Anyone arguing that minors are having gender [affirmation] surgery is delusional and should probably get that checked.”

Pastor Above God

Others pointed out that, according to the Bible, God is intentional with his creations. One person said: “According to their ridiculous book, God made these people gay [and] trans. Shooting them would be a direct violation of God’s creations. They don’t even see how they are actually against God, saying they are above him.”

Trusting Religious Individuals

One person expressed a lack of trust in religious people. They said: “Oh look, another reason why I don’t trust religious people! The amount of vile violence I’ve heard from these people is astounding, especially when I remember I was having a mental health episode and, instead of helping me, they prayed for me.”

A Terrifying Warning

Some commenters left warnings about Donald Trump. “If Trump is elected, democracy will end, and this kind of genocide will begin. There are too many groups that Republicans have threatened to kill,” one individual wrote. “If elected, Trump may be our last elected president,” another replied, implying that the criminal defendant could start a dictatorship.

Asking Jesus for Forgiveness

Lots of people pointed out the horrors that occur within the church even today. “What about all the pastors abusing little boys? Shouldn’t he be calling for them to be shot, too?” one person said. “Well, you see, they’ve asked Jesus for forgiveness. So it’s all good!” another sarcastically replied.

Leaving Christianity Behind

Others said that they no longer identify as Christians because of the sheer amount of hatred among the religion’s followers. “This is why I no longer consider myself a Christian. This [stuff] has been normalized by people who were supposedly tasked by God to not be judgmental,” one person said.

Opposing Jesus Christ

Plenty of Christians gave their opinions on the matter. One wrote: “The biggest issue with this guy isn’t even the bigotry, it’s the fact that he is calling for violence and hate against another group of people. This is the exact opposite of what Jesus stands for.”