North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory has been making light of human rights issues that some residents of his state have been facing. At a North Carolina rally for Donald Trump, McCrory was the opening speaker before Indiana Governor Mike Pence and Trump went on. The raucous crowd was ready to hear what the Republican presidential candidate had to say, but before Trump took the stage, McCrory warmed up the crowd with what he perceived to be jokes:
“All right, let’s be safe now. We’ve got a big crowd, so if you need to leave suddenly, we’ve got exits this way, exits this way and exits this way. And if any of you need restrooms …”
McCrory was referring to HB2, which bans transgender North Carolina residents from using restrooms according to their gender identity. It has been a controversial issue for some time in the state, with many people protesting it. The law has been a human rights issue for many in the state, and seeing McCrory make a joke about it comes across as a bit disheartening for some. Jesse Lipson, a Raleigh-based executive, told Politico how this law is hurting the state.
Evidence of this is the state losing the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, which was set to be held in Charlotte. McCrory said this decision was an insult to the city. But the NBA was quick to shoot back, saying it is an all-inclusive organization:
“It is also important to stress that the city of Charlotte and the Hornets organization have sought to provide an inclusive environment and that the Hornets will continue to ensure that all patrons — including members of the LGBT community — feel welcome while attending games and events in their arena.”
McCrory doesn’t seem to be taking the All-Star Game rebuff very well.
(Via Raw Story, Newton Next & Politico)