Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock is pushing back on Republican outrage after President Joe Biden declared Sunday, which is also Easter Sunday this year, “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
Warnock, a pastor, denounced the criticism, claiming Republicans are trying to “divide” the country and saying House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) “finds transgender people abhorrent.”
“This is the opposite of the Christian faith,” Sen. Warnock (D-Ga.) told CNN State of the Union host Dana Bash on Sunday.
Transgender Day of Visibility has been celebrated on March 31 since 2009, while the date for Easter Sunday is variable but happens to fall on the same day this year. The date of Easter Sunday will no longer fall on March 31 for the next ten years.
In line with practices in previous years of his administration, President Biden released a statement last week observing the upcoming Transgender Day on Sunday, sending Republicans into a frenzy.
Senator Raphael Warnock (R) told CNN on Sunday that Republican outrage over this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility falling on Easter is another way for the right to “divide” Americans
Republican House Speaker Johnson blasted Biden for “betraying the central principle of Easter,” saying the “American people take note” of the “scandalous and disgusting” break with tradition.
“Apparently the Speaker finds transgender people disgusting, and I think he needs to think about that,” Warnock said in his interview on Sunday.
“The fact is, as you said, March 31 has been a day to uplift transgender people who endure violence and bigotry,” the Democratic senator said. “But this is just another example of people not knowing how to lead us and trying to divide us.”
The reverend added, “At a time like this, we need voices – especially voices of faith – who use our faith not as a weapon to beat down other people, but as a bridge to bring us together.”
Many Republican and Trump-aligned voices joined Speaker Johnson in railing against Biden’s statement, claiming he left out religion despite the president being a devout Catholic.
“For the holiest day in the Christian religion, Biden decides to make it Transgender Day,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) wrote on X, formerly Twitter. ‘I didn’t think this was real when I read it, but it is. At Easter I celebrate Jesus and his resurrection. Biden can continue to worship (sic) the alter (sic) of wokeism.”
Two days after the statement marking Transgender Visibility Day, Biden also released a statement honoring the Christina holiday on Easter Sunday.
Biden sparked outrage for celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility, which falls on Easter. The White House also banned children from submitting Easter egg designs for this year’s Easter egg roll with “questionable content,” including political statements and religious imagery.
Biden sent a message to celebrate Easter on Sunday — two days after angering Republicans by releasing a statement marking March 31 Transgender Day of Visibility
“Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world as they celebrate Easter Sunday,” the president wrote.
“When we gather with loved ones, we remember the sacrifice of Jesus. We pray for each other and cherish the blessing of the dawning of new possibilities.”
He also acknowledged foreign wars: “And as wars and conflict take their toll on innocent lives around the world, we renew our commitment to working for peace, security and dignity for all people.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. wrote in an This is the new religion of the left.”
‘They want people to worship the trans flag instead of God. They must be stopped,” he added.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said, “There is no length. Biden and the Democrats are not going to mock your faith and thumb their noses at God.
“We know that Christ is King and that God is not to be trifled with, just as we know that Joe Biden is not really the one calling the shots in the White House,” she added.