(Photo from Justice Horn’s Twitter)
An oversized campaign banner for community activist Justice Horn, who is running for the Jackson County Legislature — District 1, was vandalized over the July 4 weekend with a homophobic slur.
Horn, who announced his candidacy for Jackson County’s first district in May last year, tweeted July 2 about the vandalism.
“Today I learned that my campaign banner was defaced with a homophobic slur here in Kansas City,” Horn wrote. “I’ll admit, this one hurt because like so many us of who experience this, this word is used to harm us. Either way, I’m not going to back down and I’m going to hold my head high.”
Today I learned that my campaign banner was defaced with a homophobic slur here in Kansas City.
I’ll admit, this one hurt because like so many us of who experience this, this word is used to harm us. Either way, I’m not going to back down and I’m going to hold my head high. pic.twitter.com/6geqENOFro
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 3, 2022
Horn did not file a police report. In an interview with the Kansas City Star July 4, he said “I don’t know how much more blatantly that this was a hate crime. It was specifically targeted at me because of my sexual orientation.
“What bothers me the most is that it happened in broad daylight,” Horn continued. “They were so emboldened to do this. It was specifically a defacing to attack me not based on my policy or my candidacy but on me personally. It was the same as calling me the N-word.”
Horn was set to hold a press conference July 5 but prior to its scheduled time the banner was ripped down and stolen.
“Welp, I just got the call that my defaced campaign banner was ripped off and stolen ahead of our press conference today at 9 AM.,” he wrote on Twitter. “I had some prepared remarks, but I’m mad as hell and I’m not backing down! This isn’t Kansas City, and we’re going to prove whoever did this wrong!”
Welp, I just got the call that my defaced campaign banner was ripped off and stolen ahead of our press conference today at 9 AM. I had some prepared remarks, but I’m mad as hell and I’m not backing down!
This isn’t Kansas City, and we’re going to prove whoever did this wrong! pic.twitter.com/FaRNuidsiM
— Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) July 5, 2022
The LGBTQ Victory Fund, a Washington D.C.-based group that supports LGBTQ+ candidates, reacted in a statement sent out from its president & CEO Annise Parker.
“Recent anti-LGBTQ attacks from officials serving at the highest levels of government empower bigots across the country to espouse hate openly,” she stated. “The reality is that out LGBTQ candidates of color bear the brunt of much of this animus. We stand firmly with Justice and unequivocally condemn this homophobic attack. Hateful acts like this make it abundantly clear that progress is not linear and should never be taken for granted. This is a reminder for the LGBTQ community and our allies that the fight for equality is far from over and that we must enter this election with urgency and strength. The stakes could not be higher.”
If elected, Horn would become the first openly LGBTQ Jackson County Legislator, as well as the first Black representative of the first district. Horn is also of Pacific Islander and Native Blackfoot heritage.
Horn is a former student body president at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he recently graduated with his Bachelors of Business Administration. He rose to fame after his role in the Black Lives Matter movement in Kansas City as a lead organizer, which concluded with a list of demands recommitting the city to the safety of the public through police reform, signed by Mayor Quinton Lucas. This resulted in body cams for police officers, which has recently been put into practice, as well as elevating the issue of local control to a top state legislative priority.
Throughout the past year, Horn has been the author behind multiple pieces of legislation to pass out of city council, including the creation of the first LGBTQ+ Commission in the state. Subsequently, he authored the Trans Inclusive Healthcare resolution, which directs the city manager to ensure health insurance contracts initiated by the city are inclusive of all gender identities to prevent discrimination.
