Haley Carter, a celebrated Houston Dash player and former Marine, steps down as Grand Marshal for the 4th of July Parade in Friendswood, an affluent suburb southeast of Houston that once had a prominent population of Quakers. Carter had to face vicious threats after right-wing radio host Jesse Kelly of KPRC urged followers to bombard a hotline for Friendswood Parks on Wednesday; Kelly accused Carter of being a Communist, given that she spoke out in support of gun safety and transgender rights. Jesse Kelly, by the way, is an Ohio native that once ran a failed campaign in an Arizona congressional district then held by Gabrielle Giffords (D); the aforementioned right-wing talk station happens to be the flagship for his syndicated show.
It’s true that Jesse Kelly is a former Marine. But a military background doesn’t necessarily mean that you view gun safety and LGBTQ rights as “Communist” values.
In fact, Carter is a sailor and a Marine who spent multiple tours of duty in Iraq. She’s the founder of Haley’s Heroes, a program honoring women veterans. It is true that she is pro-gun reform, serving as the chair of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Commission Against Gun Violence. This hardly makes her an outlier. Veterans are increasingly more open to gun control, often finding the lack of regulation and safety training in civilian life to be in contradiction to the skills taught in the military.
Still, in an era when an arch-Second Amendment defender like Senator John Cornyn gets booed off the stage by Republicans for trying to pass extremely mild gun reform, nuance and subtlety go out the window. Kelly paints Carter as gun confiscator and child molestation promoter. In particular, her support of trans rights has gotten her labeled a “groomer” by Kelly and his fans, a term that equates trans gender identity with promoting pedophilia and has become a popular buzzword to justify transphobia.
With that being said, the city of Friendswood has not made a comment either in support of Haley Carter or in opposition to the violent threats made towards her, although Houston mayor Sylvester Turner did have complimentary words for Carter.
“Simply put, Haley is the best of us,” Turner said in the statement. “It is no wonder that her hometown of Friendswood chose to honor her in their Fourth of July parade. Haley embodies everything the uniquely American holiday represents. Freedom. Independence. Love of country. In other words, the perfect Fourth of July grand marshal.
“Unfortunately, some have threatened violence against Haley and her family because of her strength, her belief in equality, and her leadership in trying to reduce gun violence here in Houston,” Turner added. “But they have failed. Haley will continue to move forward and make positive changes as she has always done.”
And although Friendswood is notorious for being a conservative suburb, there are multiple Facebook comments in support of Haley Carter.
"Embarrassing behavior by grown adults," one commenter said. "I’m sad this is Friendswood resident behavior. She had my families support!"
"This is disgusting!" another wrote. "We need to put the friends back in Friendswood. Or rename our town Hatewood."
"I'm embarrassed to be a long time Friendswood resident today," a resident posted. "This is truly disgusting behavior to threaten and berate a hometown veteran?!! Shameful!!"
There is no replacement for Grand Marshal at the Friendswood Fourth of July parade.