Well done to employees at a PetSmart store for not cowering to a YouTuber who demanded they remove a Pride flag they had displayed in their store.
So-called “authoritarian Christian nationalist,” Ethan Schmidt-Crockett, who is based in Arizona, has made a name for himself with his hate-filled, far-right ramblings on social media. This has included a previous threat to “hunt” down LGBTQ people.
A new video shows him in PetSmart, attempting to persuade employees to remove a Pride flag.
PetSmart manager stands up to Kari Lake supporter Ethan Schmidt, kicks him out of the store for harassing employees over a pride flag. pic.twitter.com/YGvFMG4cU9
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) July 22, 2022
The video begins with Schmidt-Crockett asking an employee what the rainbow flag near her checkout means.
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“I’m just curious, what is that flag right there?” he asks.
The employee responds: “I think it’s a pride flag.”
He then asks her to take it down, “Because it offends me greatly.”
She immediately calls for her manager to come over while Schmidt-Crockett says, “That stuff is satanic. We can’t have that, especially at PetSmart.”
When the manager turns up, Schmidt-Crockett repeats the same comments, saying he’s offended and wants the flag removed. The manager refuses, saying PetSmart supports “belonging, which includes LGBTQ.”
“You support pedophilia and child sexualization,” replies Schmidt-Crockett, “because that’s what that stands for now.” He continues to ask for it to be taken down but the manager shakes his head and says, “We aren’t going to.”
Schmidt-Crockett continues, calling the Pride flag, “The rainbow of Satan. The real rainbow is from God.” At that point, the employees ask him to leave the store.
Another member of staff is called, and he has little patience for Schmidt-Crockett’s nonsense.
“’All right, you gotta go bud. Come on. We don’t need it here. We’re gonna have the pride flag up. We have it all over our store,” he says, ushering Schmidt-Crockett toward the door.
Schmidt-Crockett mistakenly says, “Shame on PetCo,” as a parting shot before the latest employee corrects him: “This is PetSmart.”
“Hunting” LGBTQ people over Pride Month
In May, Schmidt-Crockett posted a video blasted Target for having Pride-related displays of goods. He also threatened to “hunt” LGBTQ supporters around Phoenix, Arizona, during Pride Month.
Related: Right-wing extremist promises to “hunt” LGBTQ allies during Pride Month in shocking video
“I also like to hunt LGBT supporters on my free time. That’s one of my favorite pastimes…. We’re going to be going on hunting expeditions pretty soon, y’know, hunting LGBT supporters across Phoenix and Arizona…. If you support the LGBT agenda, you’re not safe,” he said.
His latest exploits left many unimpressed.
So, this dude spends all his time focusing on LGBT? Yeah, I know where this is going…
— Ehren (@CampArlington) July 23, 2022
“Shame on PetCo”
“This is PetSmart” pic.twitter.com/p8gksBBHEf
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) July 23, 2022
If he was so offended why didn’t he just leave the store?
— John Rheinberger 🇺🇦 (@RheinbergerJohn) July 23, 2022
This guy has a problem with pride flags? Who’s going to tell him? pic.twitter.com/miZi2Us1XE
— 👹MrBlifil🤡 (@MrBlifil) July 23, 2022
What that famous expression about “doth protest too much?” pic.twitter.com/LVgnAZpahp
— Check It Out (@CheckItOutDR) July 22, 2022
Shoutout to the Phoenix @PetSmart cashier who remained cool, the assistant manager who restated the company’s support of lgbqt+, and the store manager who was having none of Ethan’s shit today.
— AngieⓂ️🌻🇺🇦 (@impudentinAZ) July 23, 2022
“I do not get paid enough for this shit.” pic.twitter.com/arX9B8lwRC
— Statistrician (@statistrician) July 22, 2022
I’ve been buying my cats treats from Amazon. But, thanks to this video, I’ll be shopping at PetSmart.
— Jay Quintana (@jayquintana_jr) July 22, 2022
Related: Trump-endorsed candidate Kari Lake rants about guns and freedom before storming off “60 Minutes” set
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ZzBomb
These people do not have lives if this is what they spend their time obsessing over. And that stache is horrendous.
abfab
He looks like Meghan Makane’s hair dresser.
Vince
He also has a video saying something similar about white pride month being a good time to hunt down Jews. Yeah, he’s a full on Nazi POS>
abfab
Tomorrow belongs
Tomorrow belongs
Tomorrow belongs to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Josh in OR
Entitled, horribly-mustachioed jackasses like this walking dumpster fire dressed like a person exist, yet there are people who say that ‘toxic masculinity’ isn’t a thing…
abfab
She needs to tell us what sort of ”glue” she uses on that hideous facial hair experiment. Ew.
jt1990
It’s not a very common thing, but division is the bread and butter for Leftist politicians. This guy is obviously a paid off hate performer by some Democrat interest group. It’s obvious that is the case when the alleged Neo-Nazi is sporting the nambla-approved mustache and dyed-blonde hair, while pretending to oppose lgbt…
abfab
So, NAMBLA sounds like your thing. Thanks for the info you lousy cretin.
Bosch
@JT
Ah, the old “that’s not a real conservative” argument. He literally says the same stuff as some of you numbskulls here. Are you also “paid performers”? Does Queerty pay you to say really stupid things, so that we’ll stay here and argue?
Josh in OR
@JT: Sure. I mean, that COULD be.
But applying Occam’s Razor to the situation, what’s more believable:
1) This man is what he claims to be, and is spouting a perfect playbook of buzzwords from the far right without much understanding of anything OUTSIDE of that playbook. He is a hyper-partisan far right douche canoe, like the ones we’ve all seen over and over in life and in media.
2) This man is a ‘crisis actor’ and is part of a vast conspiracy to make conservatives SEEM like regressive douche canoes by having conservatives say and do things (and vote) like regressive douche canoes in public, while in private, where there are no cameras, they secretly DONT hate gay people and people of color and women and fun and joy.
By applying Occam’s Razor, it becomes pretty obvious that he, like you, are a regressive douche canoe masquerading as a conservative and spewing ignorant hatred for all the world to see (because ignorant hatred is all MAGAts have).
Nice try, tho!
Cam
@jt1990
Hi one of Mario’s other screenames. How typical of your little right wing efforts. Trying to use a bigoted, rac-ist Republican caught on video as an opportunity for you to try to attack or blame LGBTQ people for the ills of the world.
We get it, you’re here to defend Republican bigots. But unfortunately for you, your troll game is sad and weak.
Joseph
Hey Cam, how’s the basement going?
Manray
If he was masculine. Typical self hating closet dweller. He needs dick.
cynicalsteve
Why give this douche bag air. I’ve seen him before and he’s nothing but an attention whore.
Charlie in Charge
So honestly it was just really refreshing to watch people stand up to this nonsense.
someone
The religion of love and forgiveness at it again.
They’re OK with:
– Burning people alive
– Worshipping an evil sky-daddy who slaughtered millions
– Following a profit who ordered the rape and murder of children
But they take issue with a colourful flag at a department store. Hmmm
The behaviour of these people continues to highlight the incompatibility of Christianity and modern society.
Can we just deport all Christians to some remote location where they cannot force their mental illness onto others?
Mister P
Nice try JT. Your skill at comedy is as pathetic as your trolling.
bachy
Schidt-Crocke is a GINORMOUS A*ZHOLE.
Major respect to the cashier, assistant manager and store manager! Common decency wins again!
still_onthemark
Hmm, a demented young homophobe with one of those precious hyphenated surnames. He ain’t British, so I’m guessing that “Heather has two mommies” and his two mommies have disowned him!
Fahd
Could he be begging any louder for a spanking?
Appalling that social media offers the prospect of monetizing this sort of anti-social behavior. He should get a regular job or else he’ll wind up behind bars.
Prax07
Dude is obviously a closet case, bet it comes out he’s been getting banged by an uncle or his local GOP leader.
Neoprene
The store employees need better training and it’s not that difficult: “No, sir, we’re not taking the flag down. Let us know if we can help you find a product you need.” End of discussion. No engaging around his indoctrination nonsense or anything else. If he appears to be escalating at all, dial 911, monitor the guy and everyone’s safety but no more talking.
Robothedestroyer
Something poetic about the fact that he became so flustered over being stood up to that he forgot what store he was in. Lmao.
scotty
as usual, those that protest the most and loudest are ALWAYS the deepest in that closet. i mustache you a question, but we already know the answer. and deep down inside while youre longing to s u c k the biggest c o c k you can find behind the boathouse, we will still be laughing at and/or near you.
seven5tx
This is another POS trying to monetize himself by jumping on the MAGA bandwagon. To be pitied rather than scorned since he obviously has no talent. Kudos to PetSmart except I would have escaleted right off and called the cops or real security so he would have had a perp walk