Christian conservative Franklin Graham
has offered his support to North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson
as he faces calls to resign over anti-LGBT comments he made during
the summer.
Robinson, the state's highest-ranking
Republican, made the comments during a June appearance at Asbury
Baptist Church in Seagrove. Excerpts from his speech surfaced last
week.
“There's no reason anybody, anywhere
in America should be telling children about transgenderism,
homosexuality, any of that filth,” Robinson
told the crowd. “Yes, I called it filth.”
The White House and the Human Rights
Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, have
called on Robinson to step down.
“These words are repugnant and
offensive,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates, a
North Carolina native. “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.”
Robinson has defended his remarks,
saying he would not back down.
“We will not be intimidated. We will
not back down. We will not change our language,” Robinson 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.”
“I am tired of folks on the right
being demonized for our speech while folks on the left burn, beat,
rob, loot – take over entire cities and get a pass,” he added.
Graham, the son of the late
televangelist Billy Graham and a vocal supporter of former President
Donald Trump, thanked Robinson for “having the guts to stand up and
tell the truth.”
(Related: Franklin
Graham prepared to have his head “chopped off” for opposing gay
rights.)
“The Lt. Governor said the threats
and outcry are part of a strategy of intimidation to try to get
people to not speak out about their own beliefs on these topics, and
he is right,” Graham wrote on social media. “Thank you Mark
Robinson for having the guts to stand up and tell the truth. God
bless you!”
Robinson has previously called for the
removal of any politician who promotes the COVID-19 vaccines.