In a recent report published by NC Policy Watch focusing on the close relationship shared by conservative Evangelical churches, North Carolina’s Republican party and an organization known as the American Renewal Project, we’ve learned, among other important details, that North Carolina’s lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson is mouthing off again and apparently hoping his comments will help him capture the governor’s office.
In late September Robinson made appearances at churches in Statesville and Raleigh.
As one would expect, he pulled out his usual stash of attacks against LGBTQ people and anything that isn’t on par with his personal opinions.
Robinson’s standard behavior has confirmed throughout his time in office that he continues to lose sight of his job requirements: he must govern for all people all the time, not just those he sees as compatible with his radical right wing agenda.
Never one to disappoint with a diatribe of attacks against multiple aspects of American culture, he took aim at Health and Human Services assistant secretary Admiral Rachel Levine, Christians accepting of secularism at large and the LGBTQ community.
“We have the leader of our health and human services who is a man that dresses up like a woman,” he said during one of his church speeches.
Robinson clearly has issues with getting his facts in order. Cisgender man Xavier Becerra is actually the US Secretary of Health and Human services and Levine serves as the assistant secretary.
“He is literally the living reality embodiment of Klinger from ‘M*A*S*H,’” Robinson said, once again referring to Levine and misgendering her. “What was once comedy on television is a reality in the highest ranks of our government.”
But Robinson didn’t stop there. He questioned why Levine was in the position. His explanation: “because God has been removed from the equation. His argument has been removed from the equation. His wisdom has been removed from the equation. Why? Because his people have withdrawn themselves from the equation.
Earlier in his term as lieutenant governor, Robinson acknowledged the separation of church and state and that he was an elected official serving a secular government. He indicated he had no issues with separating his religious beliefs from government responsibilities.
That no longer seems to be the case, as he attempted to shame Christians who respect the American tradition of separation of church and state and urged them to take action to force religious beliefs into the governing arena.
“No longer is a Christian willing to stand up in the college classroom and declare that God is not dead! No longer is a Christian willing to stand up at the swim meet and point down to the pool and say, ‘that is a man get him out of that pool. ‘No longer is a Christian willing to grab that whip and walk into the public library and tell them ‘In this library you will not use my tax dollars to promote sin to these children, and if I have to come in here and tear these books out myself and run that drag queen out of here myself, I will.’”
Although Robinson has yet to confirm he plans to run for governor in the 2024 election cycle, he has hinted at it, without reserve.
And while he has attempted to refer to his church speeches as nothing more than guest appearances in a house of worship, it has become increasingly evident he is using the religious pulpit as a means of gubernatorial campaigning.