North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is confused about a lot of things—like what it means for a government to engage in “overreach” and “bullying,” for instance. In his world, it’s totally within the realm of limited government for state lawmakers to enact a statute that obliterates all local nondiscrimination ordinances along with an individual’s right to sue employers, but the federal government is clearly “bullying” the state by suggesting that law impinges on personal freedoms.
One thing ol’ Pat isn’t confused about, though, is how to fundraise off of bigotry. “Fight back against the federal government’s overreach and bullying tactics,” implores the fundraising site for his campaign’s reelection committee.
It’s no coincidence that McCrory is so fluent in leveraging anti-LGBT stances for political gain. Jennifer Bendery reports on McCrory’s long history of ensuring discrimination against gay and transgender North Carolinians.
McCrory has rejected LGBT anti-discrimination measures every chance he’s had in his 25 years in public office. He voted down a Charlotte ordinance in 1991 as a city council member, opposed another one in 2004 as the city’s mayor, and now, as governor, he just made it illegal for localities to pass these kinds of protections.
“We have laws in our Constitution which forbid discrimination based on race, gender and religion,” McCrory said after opposing the 1991 measure. “Beyond that, no other group should be given special status, and this community is often wanting special status.”
Ahh … the “special status” of wanting to live free from discrimination. Not in Pat McCrory’s North Carolina.