Days later Remarks by Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Mark Robinson come to light in which he described homosexuality and “transgender” as “filth”, a group of North Carolina religious leaders gathered outside his official residence in Raleigh on Monday afternoon to demand an apology and dialogue.

Joined by a group of about 35 solidarity protesters chanting “we are not dirt” and holding signs denouncing the remark and the message of hatred it conveyed, the Reverend Nancy Petty of the Pullen Memorial Baptist Church de Raleigh said that all human beings are created in the image of God, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Petty then made three specific requests:

1. that Robinson apologize clearly and publicly for his words and the damage they have inflicted on LGBTQ people around the world,
2. that he sit down and engage in dialogue with the protest group,
3. failing which 1 and 2, he resigns or is dismissed from his functions.

Petty was followed to the podium by Reverend Vance Haywood, Jr., senior pastor of St. John’s Metropolitan Church in Raleigh, who noted that Robinson’s hateful remarks had put people’s lives in danger, at the both by violence and the risk of suicide. Haywood’s comments seemed particularly relevant on a day when UNC-Chapel Hill canceled classes to tackle the threat of suicide among college students and which was marked across the country as National coming out day.

Other speakers at the event included:

• Kori Hennessey of the Raleigh LGBT Center,
• Reverend T. Anthony Spearman of the NAACP of North Carolina,
• Bishop Samuel Rodman of the Diocese of North Carolina, and
• Rev. Jennifer Copeland, executive director of the North Carolina Council of Churches.

All decried Robinson’s statements and echoed the demands expressed by Reverend Petty.

The Reverend Spearman, who took a break from his longtime vigil outside the Governor’s Mansion to seek justice for Dontae Sharpe, appeared to fight some emotion by stating that North Carolinians “must not be silent”, in the face of Robinson’s comments.

Bishop Rodman described Robinson’s comments as “unacceptable in all respects”.

Reverend Copeland developed the observation that the diversity of mankind reflects God’s purpose for the world and called on Robinson to apologize and “make it right.”

At the end of the event, Reverend Petty announced two more events. On Wednesday, the group will return to the same location at 5:00 p.m. to renew their demands and highlight the pain and suffering comments like Robinson’s are causing to young people and on Friday a protest will take place at 4:00 p.m. in front of the State Capitol Building.