FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Stonewall Democratic Club Condemns the Decay of Freedom and
The Rising Hate in America and
Calls for Action After the Murder of Jonathan Joss.
LOS ANGELES, CA — [June 3, 2025] — The Stonewall Democratic Club today issued a forceful statement condemning the growing climate of hate in America following the murder of Native actor and cultural icon Jonathan Joss, known for his beloved roles in Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill, True Grit, and The Magnificent Seven.
While the San Antonio Police Department quickly issued public statements downplaying any connection to hate, claiming “no evidence” of a hate crime, and Fox News reported the story with minimal acknowledgment of the victims’ fears, the Stonewall Democratic Club called out this dangerous pattern of erasure and minimization.
“The Burden of Proof Is Killing Us”
“We are deeply troubled that our community — LGBTQ+ people, Native peoples, immigrants, women, people of color — must carry the burden of proving beyond doubt that hate was involved before anyone in power takes our fear seriously,” said R. Grace Rodriguez, President of the Stonewall Democratic Club.
“We live in a time when harassment, intimidation, and violence are justified under banners like ‘religious freedom,’ ‘freedom of speech,’ or ‘Second Amendment rights.’ But these are not unintended side effects — this is part of a deliberate, organized effort to marginalize, silence, and erase anyone who challenges a narrow, fearful vision of America.”
Hate Speech Is Not Political Speech or Religious Freedom
The Club emphasized that hate speech is not political speech and not protected under the First Amendment when it incites violence or seeks to silence or eliminate entire groups of people.
“Freedom of religion was never meant to be a license to discriminate, dehumanize, or destroy,” Rodriguez said. “It was meant to protect genuine expressions of faith — not to cloak campaigns of intolerance and cruelty. Hiding behind religious justifications or political slogans does not excuse acts of hate.”
When a Whole System Turns Against You
Rodriguez added a blunt warning:
“When your president is trying to erase you, when your news media dismisses you, when your neighbors are too frightened to defend you, when an entire political party openly seeks to end your civil rights and condones murder — and when you, the voters, cast your ballots to keep these people in power — you are not just a bystander. You are an accomplice.”
The Stonewall Democratic Club stressed that this is not hyperbole but the lived reality of millions of Americans.
Why Pride Month Matters
As Pride Month unfolds, the Club is reminding the public why this month matters so deeply:
“Pride is not just a celebration — Pride is a demand for visibility, for dignity, for justice, and for survival,” Rodriguez said. “We stand with the victims. We stand with Jonathan Joss and every community under attack. We exist. We matter. We will not be silent. And we will not be erased.”
Call to Action
The Stonewall Democratic Club calls on:
- Law enforcement to take allegations of hate seriously from the start, not just after media or public pressure.
- Media outlets to stop minimizing the pain of marginalized communities and report on these tragedies with the gravity they deserve.
- Political leaders to denounce hate speech wherever it emerges, without hiding behind constitutional or religious excuses.
- And all Americans to understand: your vote has consequences — and your support of those who push hate makes you responsible for the harm they unleash.
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About the Stonewall Democratic Club
Founded in 1975, the Stonewall Democratic Club is the nation’s oldest LGBTQ+ and feminist political organization, dedicated to progressive advocacy, political action, and the defense of equality and human rights.
Media Contact:
Alex Banx, Interim VP of Communications
Stonewall Democratic Club
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (323) 650-8190
Website: https://www.stonewalldems.org/