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Did Lori Lightfoot REALLY ask for 'insurrection'? How Chicago mayor's 'call to arms' sparked outrage

Lightfoot, 59, suggested that the conservative-leaning panel of justices may aim at major LGBTQ+ rights next

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot faced quite the pushback after putting out a "call to arms" to ensure the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are not targeted should Roe v. Wade be overturned by the Supreme Court.

Lightfoot, 59, made the comments following reports that the SCOTUS is planning to nullify the landmark 1973 verdict that legalized abortions across the courtry and instead let individual states legislate as they saw fit. The Chicago mayor suggested that if the leaked majority draft materialized, the conservative-leaning panel of justices could overturn major LGBTQ+ rights decisions next. 

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According to Newsweek, Democrats fear the Supreme Court could potentially overturn consequential rulings such as Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized the right to same-sex marriage in 2015, and Lawrence v. Texas, which legalized sodomy in 2003. "To my friends in the LGBTQ+ community—the Supreme Court is coming for us next. This moment has to be a call to arms," Lightfoot tweeted. "We will not surrender our rights without a fight—a fight to victory!" she added.

The controversial mayor made similar claims while announcing a $500,000 investment in the Chicago Department of Public Health to support abortion access for women this Monday, on May 9. "This includes women's rights, trans rights, immigrant rights and of course the right to same sex and interracial marriage. We simply cannot stand idly by and let that happen," she said, as quoted by Fox 32.

Lightfoot was excoriated on social media for her "call to arms" against the Supreme Court. "Call to arms? Are you declaring an insurrection? Civil war? What is wrong with you?" Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted. "Your city has the highest murder rate in the US with the strictest gun control laws. Now you are making things up and calling for war? Not a good idea. Democrats, the party of violence."

"Shame on Lori Lightfoot! Issuing a 'call to arms' to millions is nothing short of a terroristic threat," Senate hopeful Kathey Barnett fumed. "For a woman with so much blood on her hands due to the gun violence she allows in Chicago, she’s going to cause even more death. Issuing terroristic threats is a crime!"

"Can you imagine if Donald Trump had said what Lori Lightfoot just tweeted?" attorney Danny Tarkanian wondered. "The same people who want to sentence grandmas to death for waving the American flag in the Capitol on 1/6 have no problem with Lori Lightfoot literally calling for violence over a problem that doesn’t exist," news host Sara Gonzalez offered, adding, "They don’t actually care about any of it."

"Isn't there already enough shootings and murders in your city, mayor?" media analyst Mark Dice chimed in. "Alright @Twitter time to remove Lori Lightfoot. Those are the rules," musician Brad Skistimas of Five Times August wrote. 

Lightfoot was asked later to explain her "call to arms" during an interview on MSNBC. "I think everybody who saw that draft opinion has gone through a range of different emotions," Lightfoot told the network. "But we can't just be angry. We've got to be intentional, we've got to be dedicated. And that's why I'm calling upon fellow elected officials across the country, and particularly my fellow mayors to join me in making a pledge that we made today, which is a justice for all pledge. And fundamentally, it reaffirms Chicago as a welcoming city, a city that doesn't discriminate, and a city that's going to stand with women," she added.