Rep. Brian Sims welcomed Vice President Mike Pence to Philadelphia yesterday… by giving him the finger.
Pence was in the City of Brotherly Love to attend a fundraiser for Scott Wagner, the Republican nominee for governor in Pennsylvania.
Related: Rep. Brian Sims totally out-trolled an antigay troll and the Internet is living for it
In a now-viral “official welcome” posted to social media, Sims detailed all the things that make Philly a tolerant and diverse city–and why Pence really doesn’t belong there:
To be clear, we’re a city of soaring diversity. We believe in the power of all people to live and to contribute: black, brown, queer, trans, atheist, immigrant, we want you and we’ll respect you.
So keep that in mind while you’re here raising money to attack more families, spread more lies, blaspheme with your bible, and maybe even talk to a woman without your wife in the room. We have plenty of [diverse people], and they’re pretty much all more powerful and more real than you have ever been.
So…get bent, then get out!
OFFICIAL WELCOME: @MikePenceVP let me be the first to officially welcome you to the City of Brotherly Love and to my District! We’re a City of soaring diversity. We believe in the power of all people: Black, Brown, Queer, Trans, Atheist, & Immigrant. So…get bent, then get out! pic.twitter.com/G9eLrXgeVn
— Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) June 19, 2018
Ouch.
But the savagery doesn’t stop there.
Sims’ message to Pence has received a ton of support; it’s also drawn a lot of criticism… which Sims gives absolutely zero f*cks about:
Bigotry isn’t funny or cute, @RepStevenSmith. Making light of it in such a flippant and callous way is gross. Shame on you. https://t.co/DQrt7Ji5z9
— Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) June 20, 2018
And the saddest, weakest response goes to…this fella! If only I were a real Princess, I’d spend enough money on education that silly weak men wouldn’t exist anymore and you’d never hear this kind of broken misogyny again. If only… https://t.co/lpqONtiZy2
— Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) June 19, 2018
Don’t be so obtuse, it’s reeks of inauthenticity. I don’t except respect. I expect equality under the law no matter what faith someone heading our secular government pretends to adhere to. https://t.co/cOU0gTRa4H
— Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) June 19, 2018
Imagine how embarrassed you’re gonna be when you learn that you live in Ohio and I’m not your State Rep.! ????? https://t.co/smowoQZMm2
— Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) June 20, 2018
Related: Brian Sims on becoming a gay sex symbol, bears and why Oprah should not run
DarkZephyr
Don’t get me wrong, I love Brian Sims and these are all great Tweets but the problem with them is that he tweeted to a parody account and not the real Mike Pence. Tweeting to the real VP is “@VP” and not “@MikePenceVP”.
o.codone
And why? Because he’s an idiot. That’s why.
QueerTruth
I support his message of diversity. But a congressman posting pics of himself giving anyone, let alone the Vice President, the middle finger completely destroys his message of equality and inclusion.
Instead he looks like an ignorant dope further dividing the citizens he is supposed to represent.
Please do better than our oppressors, Congressman.
Mandrake
Totally agree with you! Sims behavior only increased the level of discord and divisiveness.
lauraspencer
Not a Pence fan, but Sims’ response was inappropriate and distasteful for someone in his position. So much for going higher.
MonkeyMan
I wouldn’t have dared to do something like that if I had Sims’ job, but I think it’s cool he has the balls to upload a pic like that.
People who cry “distasteful” and “inappropriate” haven’t arrived in Trumps America. A middle finger is the language that we speak in these times. Politicians on both sides should go even harder until someone genuinely takes it too far that’s the only way anything substantial can come out of this back-and-forth. It hasn’t happened yet.
orfunnyhaha
This isn’t “Trump’s America”, its America. Good and bad, it belongs to all of us. I support free speech, but giving someone the finger is something an 8-year-old would do. It’s not becoming of an elected official.
ShowMeGuy
So which is it? Do you support free speech or not? Either you believe in freedom…..or you don’t.
Aires the Ram
A State Rep. giving the finger to the visiting VP? No class. Only more divisiveness.
Simms doesn’t realize how good his day-to-day life really is, does he?
russdog
@ShowMeGuy, You can disagree with someone’s words or actions and still support free speech. I may believe in your freedom to act foolish, but I don’t have to agree with it.
Mick406
All these people clamoring for ‘rights’, complaining and bitching . . . are having hallucinations. Trump hasn’t changed anything in America in regard to denying certain people their equal rights. It’s all in their heads. Liberals are mad because Trump won. Well, get over it. I didn’t like it when Obama was in power, but I didn’t go around sticking my middle finger up in the air to him or anyone else. What a crybaby bunch of so-called grownups we have now today. My ‘old age’ tells me all this crap is just nonsense. And if this is over immigration, then all I can say is we have LAWS and we had better uphold those laws or we will be over run with illegals This Congressman needs to go stick his head in the sand. Contempt for our country and those we elect, doesn’t fly with me.
ShowMeGuy
Trump didn’t win. He lost by over three million votes.
Aires the Ram
Couldn’t’ve said it better myself Mick406
Mick406
To ShowMeGuy and Aires the Ram
WOW! I never expected ANYONE on here to agree with me. Holy smokes! I got 2 out of 3. I expected to come back to this page and see about 50 messages blasting me. All I can think to say is, based on this feedback, there is still hope for this country!!!
Aires the Ram
@ShowMeGuy: We have this thing called “The Electoral College”, which was our very wise forefathers way to insure that not only the populations of the big cities elected Presidents, but that all areas of the country, cities and rural, had equal representation in Presidential Elections. President Trump won the 2016 election with 306 Electoral Votes. Pay attention. Learn some history. Get over the fact that your flawed candidate did not win the 2016 election.
Kangol
People on the right did far worse to Obama, and you know it! A Republican Congressman screamed out “you lie,” breaking all decorum, at Obama’s first State of the Union speech. As it turned out, that Republican was the liar. So before you get on your high horse, just look at a little bit of history and recognize that the GOP acted like crazy people, full of contempt, not only during Obama’s presidency, but they were as bad when Bill Clinton was president, and like Obama and utterly unlike Trump, Clinton repeatedly tried to meet their demands and work with them!
WindChime
So you are encouraging or condoning bad behaviors just because some of your political opponents have done the same thing before? One is supposed to rise on the occasion, not sink so low for short-term political gain.
Aires the Ram
Oh, I see, some Republican yelled “you lie” to Obama in one of his first speeches, and to you that is as bad as the antics of Antifa, Black Lives Matter, kicking government representatives and workers out of restaurants and making a scene, movie stars advocating the kidnapping and rape of the Presidents 12 year-old son, Maxine Waters advocating that people harass members of the government, surrounding their private homes and threatening kidnapping and doing harm to their children? Do you really ACTUALLY believe your own sides bul(sh&%t??????? Do you people have ANY sense of morality left in your souls???
QueerTruth
That may or may not be true. What is true is it is irrelevant to the current story which is about an elected paid Congressman who goes on social media to give the VP the middle finger. It’s unacceptable and moronic.
fur_hunter
This man is totally amazing. He stands by his convictions and equality for all. I wish more gay people would try to run for political office. Yes. You might get defeated…BUT…..just like this man…..you might get elected. And…..DAMN…..if he isn’t incredibly hot eye candy! Geez! YeeeeHaw!!!!
fur_hunter
For those criticizing him for giving the finger, I say this. When you are dealing with politicians that act like children in the 3rd grade, you sometimes have to stoop to THEIR level just so they understand what you are trying to convey. Get it?
QueerTruth
I respect your sentiment, but that’s a weak answer to a serious problem.
We must never sink to their level. You rise above it.
jckfmsincty
I totally agree with Brian Sims. Why be polite to racists, homophobes, liars and assholes?
gymmuscleboy
Because otherwise lose civilised discourse. What would the founding fathers think of that? Without civility, basically we turn into a shithole country.
Dixin Yuras
Because it gives them ammunition to say ‘See see we are the victims’.
Kevan1
Hell, He is just speaking a language both Trump and Pence understand. I guess he should rise above them, but sometimes the only language you can get your point across is the same language the idiots speak. I hope non of you are so delusional to believe any of these men give a F_CK about any of us or for that matter anyone but themselves. So F_CK them.
gary69mike
Really, what good is that really going to do? Actually it really doesn’t make him look good. Keep it classy.
gymmuscleboy
Regardless of your value, Brian, this is a bad approach, and it will not help you in the long-term. I used to be on the left, so it’s kind of sad to watch them self-destruct.
Dixin Yuras
Wow both sides are just getting more and more childish. I’m sadden the level that American discourse has sunk to. This is what sensationalist biased media on both sides has gotten us. I’m disgusted by Trump, Pence, and this congressperson’s behavior. We have no right to tell our children to ‘grow up’ when the grown ups act like this
prarie pup
That’s nuthin’. I say at least four, far worse things about Trump/Pence before my morning coffee.
Aires the Ram
Seems you’re watching MSNBC & CNN a bit too much. Perhaps you should get out of the house more.