A gay man reacting to the Orlando nightclub massacre emotionally described being called a "fucking fag" while live on MSNBC Tuesday, leading to him being briefly admonished by host Jose Diaz-Balart.
Pedro Julio Serrano is a human rights activist and executive director of Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, a non-profit which advocates for LBGT rights in Puerto Rico. Many of the 49 victims of the Orlando terror attack were of Puerto Rican descent.
Serrano spoke with host Diaz-Balart about how at one point in his in life, he was threatened to be killed because of his orientation.
"It's an unspeakable tragedy for the Puerto Rican people," he said. "You know? It could have been me, you know? I'm gay. I'm Puerto Rican. I've been to this club."
Diaz-Balart jumped in.
"You've been to this club?" he asked.
"I knew some of them," Serrano said. "It just hit me hard, you know? I've had rifles, like the one that was used, pointed at me, and they told me, ‘We're going to kill you, f---ing f-g.'"
Diaz-Balart interrupted to remind him that they were on the air, live.
"I didn't say the words, but I want to tell people how much hate there is out there," Serrano said.