A Christian pastor from Washington state is claiming Facebook censored his account after he authored a post criticizing Iran’s treatment of LGBTQ people.
Ken Peters, pastor of Covenant Church in Spokane, posted a tweet Friday afternoon about his suspension from Facebook.
Peters said he was contacted by Facebook and told his post — “The LGBTQ supporting Iran is like chickens supporting KFC” — suggested those in the LGBTQ community are “less than human.”
“My post was in no way hateful,” Peters explained in a statement to TheBlaze. “I was making the point that totalitarian Muslims in Iran persecute and execute LGBTQ people. On the other hand, freedom-loving Christians in America disagree with their immorality but would never hurt them.”
“It is strange and ironic,” he continued, “that the LGBTQ community would take the side of those who would murder them if they could.”
What’s the background?
Peters’ post came shortly after President Donald Trump authorized a strike to kill Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whom he has said was plotting “imminent and sinister attacks” on U.S. citizens.
In a statement earlier this month explaining the decision, which the president actually authorized in June, Trump said the drone strike on a Baghdad airport was an action “to stop a war.” During a rally in Miami, Trump said Soleimani “was planning a very major attack and we got him.”
Democrats, though, have described the killing of Soleimani, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Forces, as a dangerous escalation, making U.S. dealings in the region less safe. None have defended the Iranian commander or mourned his death. Rather, they have questioned the wisdom of Trump’s decision to take action.
“No American will mourn Qassem Soleimani’s passing,” said former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. “He deserved to be brought to justice for his crimes against American troops and thousands of innocents throughout the region. He supported terror and sowed chaos.”
However, now that Iranians are protesting their own regime — not Trump — following the shoot-down of a passenger plane during attempted attacks by Tehran on U.S. bases in Iraq, Democrats have been largely silent.
Journalist Yashar Ali, who is of Iranian descent, has called out lawmakers on the left for seemingly only speaking out in support of Iranian protests when said protests are against Trump.
“In this context,” he continued, “Iranians are being used by certain people on the left (i didn’t say all) as a tool to attack President Trump. But these same people don’t seem to care to … support their right to protest?”