• Joel Webbon claimed shooting into a crowd of liberals would hit “exclusively child predators”
• The pastor’s remarks came while falsely claiming all three Kyle Rittenhouse shooting victims were sex offenders
• Only Joseph Rosenbaum had a prior conviction for sexual conduct with a minor in Arizona

GEORGETOWN, Texas (TDR) — Joel Webbon, a Christian nationalist pastor at Covenant Bible Church north of Austin, has drawn widespread condemnation after suggesting that firing into a crowd of liberals would hit “exclusively child predators.”

The inflammatory comments, captured by Right Wing Watch, were made during a recent broadcast in which Webbon discussed the 2020 Kenosha shootings. His rhetoric represents an escalating pattern of violent language from far-right figures who increasingly paint political opponents as subhuman threats requiring elimination.

The False Premise

Webbon’s statement hinged on a demonstrably false claim about the three men shot by Kyle Rittenhouse during protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The pastor insisted all three were child predators, a narrative that has circulated in right-wing circles since 2020.

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The facts tell a different story. Of the three men involved in the shooting, only Joseph Rosenbaum had a criminal record related to sexual conduct with a minor, stemming from a 2002 Arizona conviction. Anthony Huber, who died after striking Rittenhouse with a skateboard, had prior domestic violence convictions involving his siblings but no sex offense record. Gaige Grosskreutz, who survived being shot in the arm, had a misdemeanor conviction for intoxicated use of a firearm but no felony convictions despite online rumors.

A Pattern of Extremism

This isn’t Webbon’s first foray into inflammatory rhetoric. The Austin-area pastor has built a reputation for Christian nationalist views that blur religious doctrine with far-right political ideology. His Right Response Ministries website serves as a platform for content mixing biblical interpretation with hardline conservative politics.

In June 2024, Webbon advocated for the death penalty as a deterrent to homosexuality, calling gay people “degenerates.” He’s also claimed that civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is in hell while racist Confederate leaders are in heaven.

Most recently, Webbon made national headlines for urging white parents to teach their children to avoid Black people, claiming Black crowds are “30 times more dangerous” than white crowds. His racist rhetoric prompted widespread backlash and highlighted the intersection of white supremacy and Christian nationalism in certain evangelical circles.

The “Groomer” Narrative

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Webbon’s comments echo a broader strategy employed by conservative activists and politicians who label LGBTQ+ people and their allies as “groomers”—individuals seeking to gain children’s trust for sexual abuse. This framing transforms political disagreements into moral crusades against alleged predators, creating a permission structure for violence.

The rhetoric is particularly dangerous because it positions violence as child protection rather than political extremism. When opponents are cast not as people with different views but as threats to children, attacks against them can be rationalized as defensive action.

Notably, Webbon and other right-wing figures rarely discuss the extensive documented cases of child sexual abuse within churches or partner with organizations genuinely dedicated to ending child trafficking and abuse. The “groomer” accusation appears less concerned with protecting children than with demonizing political opponents.

The Stakes

Webbon’s suggestion that shooting into liberal crowds would hit “exclusively child predators” isn’t hypothetical musing—it’s rhetoric that increases the likelihood someone will act on it. When religious authority figures give moral permission for violence against designated groups, history shows the deadly consequences that can follow.

At what point does inflammatory rhetoric cross from protected speech into incitement that endangers lives?

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