Franklin Graham rips San Francisco mayor
Evangelist praises N.C. guv for protecting citizens from 'perverts and sexual predators'
Published: 4 hours ago
North Carolina’s legislature hadn’t even fully finished its work on a new statewide nondiscrimination standard before the pushback started from those who advocate a transgender agenda of open restrooms.
In fact, even the NBA groused about the plan and all of a sudden said there could be problems with having the basketball league’s all-star game in the city because of its “discrimination.”
But that’s all bunk, according to no less than the governor of North Carolina and renowned faith leader Franklin Graham.
On his Facebook page on Saturday, Graham noted one of those apparently trying to bully North Carolina into doing what they want.
“San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee says he is banning all city employees from job-related travel to North Carolina in protest of the action N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory and the general assembly just took to preserve basic privacy and protect its citizens from perverts and sexual predators,” Graham wrote.
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“Can you believe it? I think Mayor Lee needs to focus on the problems of San Francisco – which are many – and leave N.C. to our governor to manage. He and others who are threatening N.C. with all kinds of boycotts really need to get their facts straight rather than believing the misinformation promoted by the Progressive Left,” wrote Graham, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which is headquartered in Charlotte.
“The measure just passed doesn’t allow discrimination at all,” he pointed out. “These issues are facing many states, and we need to stand up for what is right. I’m so thankful N.C. has a governor and a majority of legislators at the capitol who have some backbone and aren’t being pushed around by the dangerous whims of LGBT activists.
“I hope every pastor in every church across this country will pray for Gov. McCrory and these issues in their services [on Easter] – and that they will stand against the onslaught on morality and God’s truth in our nation.”
His link was to the governor’s website, where McCrory was, well, a little bit blunt.
“Myths vs Facts: What New York Times, Huffington Post and other media outlets aren’t saying about common-sense privacy law,” he headlined a page.
There, he blasts away at the assumptions of those in the “progressive left,” as Graham describes them.
“Does this bill take away existing protections for individuals in North Carolina?” is one question.
“No, in fact, for the first time in state history, this law establishes a statewide anti-discrimination policy in North Carolina which is tougher than the federal government’s. This also means that the law in North Carolina is not different when you go city to city.”
Transgender advocates had argued that they felt unsafe using the restroom of their biological identity, which basically is what the new state law provides.
McCrory’s site addressed that in a number of ways, explaining, despite what’s been claimed in leftist reports, “If a privately owned sporting facility wants to allow attendees of sporting events to use the restroom of their choice, or install unisex bathrooms, they can. The law neither requires nor prohibits them from doing so.
“This law simply says people must use the bathroom of the sex listed on their birth certificate. Anyone who has undergone a sex change can change their sex on their birth certificate.”
He said North Carolina law already prohibited bullying and harassing behavior based on sexual identity.”
The law was adopted, he explained, because the Charlotte city council “voted to impose a regulation requiring businesses to allow a man into a women’s restroom, shower, or locker room if they choose. This ordinance would have eliminated the basic expectations of privacy people have when using the restroom by allowing people to use the restroom of their choice.”
He explained the regulation was opposed by parents, businesses and others concerned about privacy, as well as safety concerns “that this new local rule could be used by people who would take advantage of this to do harm to others.”
WND had reported late on Wednesday when McCrory signed into law a bill that had been adopted by lawmakers earlier that day in a one-day special session.
Specifically of concern was the fact it would let, even specifically protect under law, biological men who enter and use women’s facilities.
WRAL reported among those testifying in favor was Chloe Jefferson, a junior at Greenville Christian Academy.
She said she was frightened by the prospect of a boy in the girl’s bathroom or locker room.
“It’s hard enough for young girls to deal with body image without having boys around when they change clothes,” she said.
“I am not the only girl scared,” she added.
The station also reported Heather Garofalo’s plea for the law.
“Business owners like myself, we would be forced to check our deepest-held beliefs at the door or suffer fines of $500, jail time, lawsuits,” she said. “I am asking for right to provide for my family.”
The new law sets a statewide standard for anti-discrimination ordinances and requirements and was moved through the state House and Senate, including committees, in about nine hours on Wednesday.
In a statement released at the time, McCrory said the “basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of settings, a restroom or locker room, for each gender was violated by government overreach and intrusion by the mayor and city council of Charlotte.”
Democrats in the GOP-controlled state legislature walked out of the debate on the bill before the Senate passed it 32-0. The House previously adopted it by a 84-24 vote.
“This radical breach of trust and security under the false argument of equal access not only impacts the citizens of Charlotte but people who come to Charlotte to work, visit or play,” the governor said at the time. “This new government regulation defies common sense and basic community norms by allowing, for example, a man to use a woman’s bathroom, shower or locker room.”
McCrory said that while “local municipalities have important priorities working to oversee police, fire, water and sewer, zoning, roads, and transit,” the mayor and city council of Charlotte “took action far out of its core responsibilities.”
A number of other jurisdictions across the U.S. have passed transgender-rights measures, including Houston, where voters overturned an ordinance initiated by the city’s lesbian mayor.
“Outlasting the Gay Revolution” spells out eight principles to help Americans with conservative moral values counter attacks on our freedoms of religion, speech and conscience by homosexual activists
While LGBT activists have had their way in dozens of other cities around the nation, observers viewed the state action as a setback to the transgender campaign.
In advance of Wednesday’s session, Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Kellie Fiedorek commended the lawmakers for “listening to the voices of thousands of North Carolinians and taking the common-sense action of ensuring that no women or young girls are forced to undress, shower, or engage in other private activities in the presence of men.”
In a joint statement, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, president of the Senate, and House Speaker Tim Moore had said: “The Senate and House have received the necessary number of signatures from members of the general assembly to call themselves back into session. In accordance with the State Constitution, we will so call for a special session. We aim to repeal this ordinance before it goes into effect to provide for the privacy and protection of the women and children of our state.”
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http://www.wnd.com/2016/03/franklin-graham-rips-san-francisco-mayor/#b8PuE46qUifGPArb.99
