Liberal activists and journalists expressed outrage after former President Barack Obama praised the late U.S. evangelist Billy Graham on Wednesday.
"Billy Graham was a humble servant who prayed for so many—and who, with wisdom and grace, gave hope and guidance to generations of Americans," Obama tweeted after Graham died on Wednesday at the age of 99.
Billy Graham was a humble servant who prayed for so many - and who, with wisdom and grace, gave hope and guidance to generations of Americans.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 21, 2018
Graham, who became a de facto White House chaplain to several U.S. presidents, will become the first religious leader to lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda next week.
Several liberals were quick to castigate Graham on Twitter for his opposition to same-sex marriage and other views on LGBTQ issues, and chided Obama for praising the Christian preacher, the Daily Caller reported.
why
— KT NELSON (@KrangTNelson) February 21, 2018
Billy Graham was a bigot. https://t.co/tby6LoUOZ8
— RPBP (@rpbp) February 21, 2018
Delete this.
— Calvin (@calvinstowell) February 21, 2018
Unfortunately, Billy Graham also destroyed many lives. He said, "The realization that someone you love is gay can be a shattering experience." He spoke out against #LGBT rights (like marriage equality) and told people to "seek freedom from homosexuality." https://t.co/5ujyJ3Dbhe https://t.co/bDw6IWTN57
— Eric Rosswood (@LGBT_Activist) February 21, 2018
No no no no no.
"Let me say this loud and clear, we traffic in homosexuality at the peril of our spiritual welfare." - Billy Graham, 1974.
Barack, you're great, but please delete this and find a different way to memorialize a person who made life harder for many many people. https://t.co/LzMHol8GzL— Dylan Marron (@dylanmarron) February 21, 2018
nah
— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) February 21, 2018
Hard pass https://t.co/brYsNxil19
— David Rudin (@DavidSRudin) February 21, 2018
... by dying. *swish* https://t.co/dhHnPPGCef
— Allie Goertz (@AllieGoertz) February 21, 2018
Graham was a homophobe. https://t.co/5fL4127NSB
— Asia Kate Dillon (@AsiaKateDillon) February 21, 2018
You don't have to do this anymore! https://t.co/njfXW8K3By
— Bryan Maygers (@bmaygers) February 21, 2018
What exactly did he guide them towards, except not being gay and not supporting women's equality? Religion is not inherently virtuous https://t.co/MLGcbe5HAD
— Adam Banks (@adambanksdotcom) February 21, 2018
Um…. and also a man that vehemently hated LGBTQ people and made life infinitely more difficult for them across the board. https://t.co/9nfIWQXjYF
— James Michael Nichols (@JMN) February 21, 2018