Freshman Delegate Eric Porterfield (R-Mercer), a GOP lawmaker in West Virginia, is being called on to resign after protesting an LGBTQ non-discrimination amendment by declaring gays “bigoted” and citing the persecution of Milo Yiannopoulos' (while reciting aloud the name of his “Dangerous Faggots Tour”) as proof that “LGBT is the most socialist group in this country. They do not protect gays.“
Said Porterfield: “As legislators, I don't think it's our job to legislate behavior…This is discrimination against the first amendment and religious liberty, and the LGBT is the most socialist group and they don't protect gays.”
He went on to cite the persecution of alt-right white supremacist homocon troll Yiannopoulos: “This is the name of his tour, this is not what I named his tour, but he was on what he referred to as the ‘Dangerous F…….. Tour' and the LGBT stormed that building and did $200,000 worth of damage because he didn't line up with their ideology. We cannot allow discriminatory bigots to determine how our citizens are going to live.”
Porter's rant came after a delegate tried to add an amendment to House Bill 2699 that would have prohibited cities from adding nondiscrimination ordinances that protect sexual orientation and gender identity.
Porterfield followed up his remarks the following day with claims that he was being persecuted and compared gay people to the KKK, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports: “The LGBTQ is a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan, without wearing hoods with their antics of hate.”
The paper adds: ‘He also called the gay community a “terrorist group” and said he is being “persecuted” by the gay community in retaliation for his remarks, including receiving threats on Facebook and voicemails.'
Porterfield also wrote about his persecution, saying on social media: “Last night and today, members of the LGBTQ have exercised hate crimes and threatened my safety. We have reported this to the Capitol Police in Charleston and I would like all of my friends to pray for the safety of me and my family. These vicious monsters are proving that they are the most bigoted and discriminatory people in America. Though they try to intimidate and bully and try to strike fear to me and my family, we ask the Lord to help us stand tall against their persecution and their leftist minions within the legislature.”
He added: “I believe my enemies just re-elected me in 2020. My campaign was very clear, that I would stand for the 1st amendment, religious liberty, pro-life, pro family, the second amendment, right to work and promote business growth. My statements in the Committee meeting prove that I meant what I said. I would like to thank the enemies of freedom, the first amendment and religious liberty for the free advertisement. With their help I won't have to campaign as hard next time. Lol 🙂”
Democrats have called on Porterfield to resign:
