NC lt. governor accused of 'open discrimination' after calling LGBTQ people 'filth' and demanding Christians take control
Calls are growing for North Carolina Republican Lt. Governor Mark Robinson to resign after video of remarks he made in June, calling LGBTQ people "filth," went viral this week, as NBC News and others are reporting.
Robinson, who is also a conspiracy theorist, climate change denialist, anti-abortion activist, and NRA board member, is not only refusing to resign, he's now claiming he is the one being attacked because of his political beliefs.
"We will not be intimidated. We will not back down. We will not change our language," Robinson, for reasons unknown calling himself "we," said. "The language I used, I am not ashamed of it. I will use it in the future because, again, it is time for parents in this state to take a strong stand for their children."
In his June speech, delivered at a church, Robinson declared, "I'm saying this now, and I've been saying it, and I don't care who likes it."
"There's no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism or homosexuality," Robinson declared. "Any of that filth!"
"And yes, I called it 'filth,' he continued in that speech. "And if you don't like it that I called it 'filth,' come see me and I'll explain it to you. It's time for us to stop letting these children be abused in schools, and it's not going to happen til the people of God stand up and demand different, same ones that established those schools to begin with."
He also claimed children who are taught about "transgenderism" and "homosexuality" are being "abused."
Robinson's choice of word appears very deliberate: for decades the religious right has promulgated the lie that LGBTQ people are child abusers.
"It is flat-out child abuse," Robinson said.
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson says Christians must take control of public schools because children are being abused by being taught "filth": "There's no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth."pic.twitter.com/aXjCPFKTs0— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1633541115
Democratic state Senator Jeff Jackson is one of many demanding Robinson's resignation.
North Carolina's Lt. Governor, Mark Robinson, just angrily referred to the LGBTQ community as "filth."\n\nThen he says, "Yes, I called it filth."\n\nThere's no debate here. This is open discrimination. It is completely unacceptable.\n\nMark Robinson should resign.pic.twitter.com/rUhzXZm8Jd— Sen. Jeff Jackson (@Sen. Jeff Jackson) 1633638984
"Calling many of your own constituents 'filth' means you have no intention of representing them," Jackson added on social media.
Last month Robinson spoke to other radical religious-right activists, declaring America is a "Christian nation," and said school shootings will stop when children learn about Jesus.
Here's how some are responding to Robinson's attacks on the LGBTQ community.
My daughter is NOT filth. My LGBTQ+ friends are not filth. Who is filth is Mark Robinson. Yes I said it and I\u2019d love for him to come talk to me about it. This is kind of bigotry we must fight against.https://twitter.com/jeffjacksonnc/status/1446212836703842306\u00a0\u2026— Missy (@Missy) 1633645495
\u201cI said what I said, and I believe what I said.\u201d\n\nMark Robinson doubles down on his hateful and discriminatory remarks. \nHe\u2019s not sorry. \nBut NC should be for electing him.https://twitter.com/nccaptonight/status/1446527919409569809\u00a0\u2026— Rep. Julie von Haefen (@Rep. Julie von Haefen) 1633716967
The man next in line for the Governorship of North Carolina is a hateful and homophobic bigot. Mark Robinson has never fulfilled his duty of serving ALL North Carolinians. \n\nLt. Governor Robinson must resign.https://twitter.com/jeffjacksonnc/status/1446212836703842306\u00a0\u2026— Dalton (@Dalton) 1633709381
ICYMI, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson made horrible homophobic remarks. I stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ community & call for Robinson to resign.— Rett Newton - we must take Climate Action now (@Rett Newton - we must take Climate Action now) 1633712710
NC Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is a disgrace and needs to resign.https://twitter.com/JeffJacksonNC/status/1446212836703842306\u00a0\u2026— Mike Kabakoff (@Mike Kabakoff) 1633654690
Mark Robinson called my daughter "filth" he needs to resign. He doesn't get to denigrate an entire protected class of people in the name of his unloving God. #LGBT https://twitter.com/myfox8/status/1446425934417076226\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/W8AQO28yV3— Beth (@Beth) 1633696913
