ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, decided on Monday to join other federal agencies and show their support for Pride Month by posting on social media. It was probably not the response that ATF expected.
ATF posted on X that they were taking a moment “to express our gratitude to our LGBTQI+ co-workers for their enduring commitment to ATF’s service and mission” and invited the users to learn more about the “diverse communities” of the ATF.
During Pride Month, we take a moment to express our gratitude to our LGBTQI+ colleagues for their enduring support of ATF’s mission and commitment to service. Learn about our diverse community at https://t.co/VXfA0FgSxE. #WeAreATF pic.twitter.com/v0fqJf5KKV
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) June 3, 2024
Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Presidential nominee, slammed ATF for its role in pushing President Joe Biden’s anti-gun agenda. He wrote: “Don’t wrap your gun control, and the violence that you commit, in the Pride Flag, you statists.”
Don’t wrap up your gun control and the violence you perpetrate in the Pride flag, you statists…#ArmedAndGay https://t.co/PSuUampljc
— Chase Oliver (@ChaseForLiberty) June 3, 2024
A user replied with a photo of the burning Branch Davidian complex in Waco, TX. This occurred after ATF and FBI engaged with the occupants in a shootout over illegally owned firearms. The user said, “I’m pretty sure [they] took pride in [a number of things] in the ATF… like burning people alive, including children.”
Pretty sure they had pride in alot of things in the ATF…like burning people alive including children…. https://t.co/JN9Aqo4lIX pic.twitter.com/KztdDUqsB8
— athus (@00Athus) June 4, 2024
One user joked that the ATF announcement had made him “want to buy a pretty pink pistol and make sure the ATF doesn’t know about it.”
This made me wanna buy a pretty pink gun and make sure the ATF knows nothing about it. Not that I have any guns they were all lost in an accident. It’s very sad. https://t.co/Aj1hlSHx16
— Jason Vaughn (@JasonVaughn) June 4, 2024
The user mocked the ATF, saying sarcastically that it was “comforting” to know that the ATF wasn’t biased towards the people who were murdered in dawn raids for minor paperwork mistakes.
Well isn’t that heartwarming?
It’s comforting to know the ATF isn’t prejudiced towards the people they murder in pre dawn raids over minor paperwork errors. https://t.co/itCpOx7dCx
— Spaceballs The X Account (@Grunt0313) June 3, 2024
Mike Collins, R-GA, referred to the agency’s tendency to kill dogs during arrests.
The only colors they don’t like are fawn, chocolate, black & tan, harlequin, brindle, and golden. https://t.co/cVfDz5JQpY
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) June 3, 2024
Biden’s efforts to reduce gun ownership has included the ATF. The ATF has implemented multiple rules to make it more difficult for Americans to exercise their rights to bear arms.
The ATF issued a rule in June 2023 requiring owners of AR-15 style pistols to register with the agency. Failure to comply with this rule can result in either a 10 year prison sentence or a $10,000 fine.
Last month, 26 state filed a suit against the Biden Administration over a rule that was enacted by April 2023 and required thousands of gun owners register as firearms companies even if they were not actually gun companies.
We can be thankful that the ATF does not discriminate against LGBTQ members if it is to serve as Biden’s antigun apparatus.
