Underhill defends calling Parkland shooting victims 'little monsters' and 'miscreants'

As millions of people throughout the country were participating in March For Our Lives protests over U.S. gun laws last weekend — with hundreds attending the march in Pensacola — Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill took to Facebook to voice his opposition to the marches.

"Good morning to all you marchers," Underhill wrote. "You are wrong. My gun is not your problem, and my rights are not your business. Your fears and your hate are a very real danger to our Constitution. You are literally spending your Saturday demanding the government take away your rights. Pathetic."

In another Facebook comment replying to NewsRadio 1620 host Andrew McKay asking if Underhill's opposition to the message of the marchers means they shouldn't be allowed to march, Underhill replied that was a false choice, but said Americans have the responsibility to speak up in defense of constitutional rights.

"Keep in mind Andrew, it was the socialist experiment of this radically leftist south Florida town that created the monster that did this AND the little monsters who are parading around pointing the finger at people like me," Underhill wrote. "These miscreants are not reacting to the event: They are prostituting the deaths of their classmates to drive an agenda that was formed in them long before the first shot was fired."

In another Facebook post, Underhill shared a photo of Parkland shooting survivor Emma Gonzalez showing the Cuban flag on her jacket — her father is a Cuban immigrant and the flag was adopted by Cuba in 1902, long before Fidel Castro's communist takeover of the island nation — with his caption "Isn't she a cute little insurgent!"

Underhill told the News Journal on Wednesday morning that he stands by his comments, and although he's gotten some negative responses, the feedback from his district has been overwhelming positive.

"I know that people would maybe prefer that you're supposed to use softer words and things like that," Underhill said. "If you're coming after the constitutional rights of Americans, it's probably not going to be soft words."

More: Commissioner Doug Underhill cleared of ethics complaint filed by former commissioner

Underhill has always used social media to communicate bluntly with his constituents, interacting in threads of the Escambia Citizens Watch Facebook group, comments on News Journal stories or on his own personal Facebook page.

"What you may call blunt and some of the downtown pundits may call blunt, folks out here on the west side (of Escambia County), we just call it the truth," Underhill said.

Underhill said he posted about the issue because what he was seeing in press coverage of the March For Our Lives protests didn't reflect what he said were the views of the majority of Escambia County residents.

"If you're going to wade into those waters, you have to understand that this is an adult conversation, and I represent the west side," Underhill said. "The west side is a very patriotic community. We are a very constitutional community, and many of my constituents raised their right hand and took the same oath that I did — to protect and defend the Constitution. The Second Amendment is a critical part of the Constitution, so if they want to come into town and start talking about taking away rights, they have to understand that people on the west side will speak up."

More: March for Our Lives brings huge crowd to downtown Pensacola

He said the protesters were using the tragedy of the Parkland shooting to push for an anti-gun and anti-Constitution agenda.

"There's the tragedy of the loss of life, and there's another tragedy that follows after that, is we're engaging in the same circular dialogue that happened after the last mass shooting and nothing is going to change because you will not change the Second Amendment," he said. "What we really need to start talking about is why have we let our society devalue life and devalue respect for our neighbors in such a way that it's OK for a 17-year-old boy with no life experiences to stand up and say literally 'F the NRA.'"

Underhill said he's not a member of the National Rifle Association, but 5 million Americans are and many are in his district.

District 2, which Underhill represents, includes the southwest part of Escambia County from Perdido Key to West Pensacola.

Underhill is facing a challenge for the Republican nomination from Alan McMillan and a potential general election challenge from Democrat Scott Trotter.

"I don't think about the next election," Underhill said. "I just think about the issue that's in front of me. Having said that, I'm polling very highly."

Underhill said his campaign's most recent poll shows that 11.6 percent of people in District 2 have a negative view of him.

Another Republican who is also known for his blunt social media post had a different take on this past weekend's protest.

"I think that protest is the sign of a health democracy," said U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, to the News Journal during a visit to Sims Middle School in Pace on Tuesday. "I think that young people caring about civic outcomes is a good thing. I don't necessarily agree with every viewpoint that was shared, but as a young guy in public life, it's encouraging to me that young people care about the consequences of public policy."

When asked if he thought it was appropriate for a public official to call protesters pathetic or miscreants, Gaetz said no.

"I don't hold those views," Gaetz said. "I think that young people should be encouraged to engage even if we disagree with the conclusions that they draw. I'm not an advocate for gun control. I'm a Second Amendment advocate, but I think it's good thing when young people want to be involved."

When it comes to defending a constitutional right, Underhill said you can't expect an elevated dialogue.

"They have chosen to make it this kind of a fight," Underhill said. "It doesn't have to be, and in fact we need to grow and evolve beyond this and really start talking about why we have devalued human life in our society to the point that we can have this kind of thing take place."

Jim Little can be reached at jwlittle@pnj.com and 850-208-9827.