In the wake of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, people have taken to social media to share their grief and demand for stricter gun control legislation.
However, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tweeted something truly shocking on Sunday morning: an image that appeared to imply that the victims deserved the attack.
Long after national news outlets began reporting on the Orlando shooting, Patrick tweeted an image of a Bible quote saying, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
The response on Twitter was one of universal horror and disgust.
https://twitter.com/sacca/status/742000998743318528
Texas Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick wants the LGBT community to know that you deserved this. #ChristianLove
— JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) June 12, 2016
If a man does reap what he sows, the vile @DanPatrick 's just deserts are long overdue. You're not fit to serve Dan.
— Councilman Joel Burns (@JoelBurns) June 12, 2016
Patrick is a vocal opponent of LGBT rights issues including marriage equality. As of this writing, the front page of his website is a petition titled “Keep boys out of girls’ restrooms,” championing the wave of anti-transgender “bathroom bills” sweeping the country this year.
Three hours after the tweet was posted, a spokesman for the lieutenant governor told Austin reporter Ken Herman that Patrick “approved the Sunday post several days ago,” indicating that it was a scheduled tweet. Another Sunday morning Bible quote was posted half an hour later.
Despite this, the original “man reaps what he sows” tweet stayed online and continued to provoke outrage from mourners until late Sunday morning.
Update 11:28am CT, June 12: This article has been updated to reflect when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s tweet was deleted.