CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WNCN) – A North Carolina senator is calling for Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) to resign after he made comments referring to homosexuality as filth.
Also, Friday afternoon the White House released a statement calling Robinson’s comments “repugnant and offensive.”
Sen. Jeff Jackson (D-Mecklenburg) called for the resignation after Right Wing Watch tweeted out a clip of Robinson on Wednesday.
Robinson was speaking at Asbury Baptist Church in Seagrove in June when he made the comments.
“There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth. And yes I called it filth. And if you don’t like that I called it filth, come see me and I’ll explain it to you,” Robinson said in the video.
He said the topics of “transgenderism and homosexuality” have no place in public schools.
“I watched it five times before I was convinced that he was saying what I thought he was saying,” Jackson said.
“I just don’t think he’s had enough conversations with members of this community that they are every bit deserving of respect as everyone else in this state.”
The White House statement Friday came from deputy press secretary Andrew Bates, who is from Winston-Salem.
“These words are repugnant and offensive. The role of a leader is to bring people together and stand up for the dignity and rights of everyone; not to spread hate and undermine their own office,” Bates said in the statement.
Robinson said children are being indoctrinated at public schools and he railed against not having God in schools.
“We have reached a point in public schools now, where first off, we’re telling our children ‘don’t be so sure you’re a little girl or a little boy,'” Robinson said.
Jackson said North Carolina does not need open discrimination from a high-ranking public official.
“It is our duty to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in the face of this kind of hatred,” Jackson said. “These comments are abhorrent. To hear this from a member of such a high office signals to countless folks that they’re unwelcome in our state.”
Robinson’s office provided CBS 17 with a statement that read:
“Jeff Jackson is attacking the Lieutenant Governor to try and boost his losing campaign for Senate. The truth that Jackson is twisting, is that the Lieutenant Governor was referring to teaching about these issues in the classrooms of North Carolina public schools, not to the LGBTQ community. These issues do not belong in a classroom, they should be discussed at home.”
CBS 17 contacted Gov. Roy Cooper’s office about Robinson’s remarks.
In response, Jordan Monaghan, press secretary for Cooper’s office, released the following statement:
“North Carolina is a welcoming state where we value public education and the diversity of our people. It’s abhorrent to hear anyone, and especially an elected official, use hateful rhetoric that hurts people and our state’s reputation.”
