HB2 backer calls opponents 'social terrorists'
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- After the intense backlash against North Carolina's new law limiting the bathroom options for transgender people, one of the main backers of HB2 is calling opponents "social terrorists" who seek "total domination."
HB2 was designed to block a Charlotte non-discrimination ordinance, part of which allowed transgender people to use bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender they identify with. The law also excludes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from anti-discrimination protections, and blocks municipalities from adopting their own anti-discrimination and living wage rules.
Since the law was quickly passed in a special session of the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat McCrory, political leaders in some other states have banned travel to north Carolina by government employees, businesses like PayPal and Deutsche Bank have cancelled plans to expand in the state, and musical acts like Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen have cancelled concerts.
Tourism and business groups estimate the decision to pass the law has cost North Carolina millions of dollars.
But the Christian Action League of North Carolina - one of the main groups that lobbied for the law - says it is not discriminatory. In an opinion piece published on its website, director Rev. Mark Creech claims HB2 "established a state-wide anti-discrimination policy every bit as strong as the federal government's. It did nothing to take away existing protections in state law. And it provided that private businesses can still offer reasonable accommodations for transgender people."
The Reverend blasts the Human Rights Campaign - one of the most vocal critics of the law - for what he calls a "smear campaign."
"This national special-interest group, which is funded by anonymous donors, is attempting to bully companies, entertainers and anyone else who disagrees with its agenda," Creech writes.
"...don't expect these social terrorists like the HRC to let-up on the pressure. There is no meaningful dialogue with them, only total domination," he continues.
Supporters of the Human Rights Campaign were quick to fire back. State Representative Darren Jackson posting on Twitter that the Bible says love thy neighbor, but for Creech that means "but only if he is male, Christian, straight, young, etc. Otherwise work to make sure they are treated as second class citizens and anything but equal."
