Gay Dad Rips Republicans In Heartbreaking Thread After Stranger Accosts His Family On A Train

Well that didn't take long. We decided to take a trip on Amtrak with the kids for spring break. 9 hours into a pleasant ride, a man was suddenly standing next to me, shouting across me at my 6yo son, "Remember what I told you. They stole you. They're pedophiles."

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649831026

"Family!? That's not a family! You're rapists. You steal black & Asian kids." My son and my 5yo daughter were both now openly crying, petrified. He yelled right at them, unmoved: "These guys aren't natural. Homosexuals are an abomination. They steal and rape kids." [3/10]

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649831031

I grabbed the kids and moved them to another car while my ferocious husband went into papa bear mode and shouted the man away from us. Eventually the conductor arrived and the man lost his focus on us. [5/10]

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649831039

This man was clearly angry at an unjust world; we have that in common. He's clearly not receiving the resources he needs. We've dealt with this brand of terrifying homophobic stranger before with our son. But "pedophiles" and "rapists" were new in the mix, at least out loud. 7/10

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649831039

Thank you. A lot of people nearby sent sympathetic looks or later told us sorry that happened which is nice (?) but they all just sat with their heads down while it was going on. I get how disorienting it can be, but we really need to be better at taking action for each other.

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649831871

The treatment of your children is both horrific and disgusting. I am sorry for the pain this caused and will continue to work for fair elections to insure we remove the perpetrators of these behaviors.

— Deb (@Deb) 1649863731

They\u2019ve emboldened that man\u2019s hate, though, for sure

— Just Joseph (@Just Joseph) 1649855397

Exactly, their world is dying and they're terrified.

— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 PashhaTheosifon \ud83d\udd1e (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 PashhaTheosifon \ud83d\udd1e) 1649882697

Republicans are, observably, a hate group; any individual\u2019s reasons for belonging, even if sincerely held, don\u2019t touch the fact of what the party is doing, which includes fomenting this violence.\n\nA tree is recognized by its fruit.https://twitter.com/robbiepierce/status/1514127186214621185\u00a0\u2026

— A.R. Moxon (@A.R. Moxon) 1649895120

I asked my son if he'd seen the man before. He said the man had confronted him when we let him go to the bathroom alone, which he'd been so proud to do @ 1st but too afraid to do again after. Yet *we're* the groomers. I'm livid & ashamed that I didn't notice something was up.

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649831040

To be clear, as much as we need people standing up for us in such moments of confrontation, we need allies to shut down this rhetoric everywhere it rears its ugly head anywhere, especially when we're not there. Don't vote for them or support their art or avoid confrontation.

— Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d (@Robbie \ud83c\udf2e\ud83e\udd9d) 1649836459

This is true. If one stranger stands up in defense, many will follow suit.\nAll it needs is one.

— ADNK (@ADNK) 1649861416

Silence = consent. He took their silence as agreement & acceptance of the foul putrid hate he was spewing. It's very difficult for many people to challenge bullies, unless the person being bullied is someone they love.We all need to vow to do better for strangers facing the same.

— Delaney Gates-Ashli Babbitt died for Trumps Sins (@Delaney Gates-Ashli Babbitt died for Trumps Sins) 1649862715

Absolutely heartbreaking thread. If you see this kind of utter repulsive nonsense happening, stand up. Intervene. Every little bit of this hateful garbage these people spew needs to be checked and shut down on the spot. Kids need love, not hate. It\u2019s pretty simple.https://twitter.com/robbiepierce/status/1514127186214621185\u00a0\u2026

— Mitch Gerads (@Mitch Gerads) 1649871591

Remember it was @GovRonDeSantis team that put this \u201cgroomer\u201d messaging in the public in a massive way to justify his #DontSayGay classroom censorship and book banning legislation. He has stoked hatred, division, and violence.https://twitter.com/robbiepierce/status/1514127186214621185\u00a0\u2026

— Nadine Smith (@Nadine Smith) 1649866200