Missouri State Senator Bob Onder is facing criticism after he joked that he would torch “woke pornographic books” during a GOP event in which false claims were made that books were burned.
Onder was responding to a comment from a participant at the gathering that some books had been burned. Onder then jokingly said that he would “torch Woke Pornographic books.”
Onder later issued an apology, saying that he took the comments too far and that it was inappropriate to joke about the burning of books.
Onder’s comments were met with immediate criticism from other legislators and members of the public, with some calling it an assault on freedom of expression and a clear endorsement of censorship.
The Missouri Democratic party also issued a statement condemning Onder’s comments, saying that they have “no place in our society.”
The incident highlights the need for more responsible action from elected officials when discussing issues of censorship and freedom of expression.