CHARLOTTE, NC — The conservative group NC Values Coalition has released an attack ad against Democratic Charlotte mayoral candidate Vi Lyles.
The minute long spot ties Lyles to Mayor Jennifer Roberts, and criticizes both of them for their support of the LGBTQ community.
“Who is Vi Lyles?” the narrator asks at the start of the video, which features a picture of the candidate marching in the Charlotte Pride parade, set to the standard scary music used in these types of commercials.
“Vi Lyles is Jennifer Roberts,” it continues, showing a picture of Roberts marching in the Charlotte Pride parade.
“They share the same progressive values, the same extreme liberal ideas,” it states, cutting to an image of both Lyles and Roberts superimposed over a sign in support of Planned Parenthood, followed a video of Kathy Griffin holding up what is meant to look like President Donald Trump’s severed head.
The stunt got Griffin into a lot of trouble, including being investigated by the Secret Service, and, it should be said, has nothing to do with either Lyles or Roberts.
It then cuts to images of frightened women and children, including a girl being followed into a bathroom stall by a man.
“Like Jennifer Roberts, Vi Lyles supports a dangerous political agenda that violates the privacy of women and children,” the narrator says.
Lyles voted in favor of expanding the city’s non-discrimination ordinance, including providing protections for transgender individuals who wish to use the bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
That ordinance was nullified by House Bill 2, which has since been replaced by House Bill 142. It places a moratorium on new ordinances like the one passed by Charlotte until 2020.
On Wednesday, Gov. Roy Cooper signed a consensus decree stating that transgender people are free to use the bathrooms matching their identity. It still has to gain approval by a judge.
The idea that allowing transgender people to use the bathrooms matching their gender identity will lead to sexual assaults on women and children is a common talking point among critics.
In fact, research into the topic shows there isn’t evidence that this is the case, but that transgender people are at risk of harassment and violence when forced into facilities matching their gender as assigned at birth.
“Vi Lyles endorsed a radical, national LGBT agenda, allowing men in women’s locker rooms and bathrooms,” it continues.
“And now, the same donors and groups that supported Jennifer Roberts are behind Vi Lyles,” the narrator says, with an image of antifa demonstrators knocking over a trash can, alongside a picture of Roberts and the Human Rights Campaign’s logo.
Once again, it is attempting to make a connection that is highly manipulative, fear based, and simply not accurate.
The ad also blames Charlotte for losing the NBA All-Star Game and the NCAA college basketball tournament, when the state government’s decision to limit LGBTQ rights with HB2 was what both organizations cited as the cause for their boycott.
Watch the video below.
The NC Values Coalition also launched a website called vilyles.info that looks to primarily be an attempt to build its mailing list.Â
The group also announced its endorsements for Charlotte mayor and Charlotte City Council in a press conference today.
In addition to endorsing Republican Kenny Smith for mayor, it is supporting John Powell and Parker Cains for Charlotte City Council at-large, Pete Givens for District 2, Daniel Herrera for District 3, Tariq Scott Bokhari for District 6 and Ed Driggs for District 7.
Early voting started today, and runs through Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 7.
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NC Values Coalition is an extremely bigoted group, and their anti-LGBTQ attack ad against Vi Lyles is totally discriminating and atrocious!