North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson didn’t like being portrayed in a political cartoon wearing Ku Klux Klan robes and he wasn’t shy about stating his displeasure.
Robinson, who is North Carolina’s first black lieutenant governor, held a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 3 to express his concerns about a cartoon on the WRAL website that depicted the Republican members of the North Carolina Board of Education as a Klansman.
Robinson said, “That cartoon doesn’t really bother me. What bothers me is the hypocrisy behind it. That bothers me. That you would portray a black man just because he is in the GOP as a Klansman.”
He called the cartoon “vile” and noted that not only was he portrayed as a Klansman, but that Olivia Oxendine, a native American woman, was also portrayed as a member of the Klan simply because they are Republicans.
He said, “It wasn’t anybody in the GOP that promoted Ku Klux Klan and the ideas there of.”
Robinson said, “Depicting the first black lieutenant governor as a Ku Klux Klansman is something we cannot stand for folks. It’s something I’m not going to stand for.”
Robinson said that it was particularly egregious coming on the second day of Black History Month.
He said that the cartoon, “proves you to be a hypocrite and a liar and we won’t stand silent for it.”
In answer to several question Robinson once again said that systemic racism didn’t exist and explained that didn’t mean that racism didn’t exist as he has been quoted as saying. Robinson went into some historical detail about why systemic racism didn’t exist in the US government which appeared to halt that line of questioning.
The cartoon was in response to the new social studies standards that the State Board of Education is considering. Robinson and other Republicans on the board object to the emphasis on systemic racism in the proposed standards favored by the Democrats.
Robinson has said that the very fact that he was elected lieutenant governor and the country twice elected a black man president is evidence that systemic racism doesn’t exist.
It’s ok to be as mean and racist as you want as long as the minority is a conservative. Their lives obviously don’t matter as part of the lie that is BLM.
Absolutely! Robinson is working for all of us and the libs just can’t leave him alone to let that happen. Apparently if you ain’t liberal you ain’t black enough to satisfy the racist antics of the modern left. They want to cry “race” at every turn, when nearly everyone else has moved past the issue. It’s a crutch of convenience where politics are concerned. Mark Robinson doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. Get a grip people!
I’m not sure Mark Robinson would know if he had a racist bone in his body. He certainly would deny it.
That’s a lot coming from someone that purports to believe in free speech. Political cartoons are the exemplification of free speech that might be offensive and it stands up to contest every, single, time.
They are commenting on the board of education’s policy. There is no Black person, American Indian person, or White person depicted in the cartoon. Have you even seen it?
Actually, all three ethnicities you described are in it. The character says GOP members state school board, so it is saying they’re all members of the clan. If there was a cartoon showing Biden in a clan outfit for all the racist things he said, you’d be outraged. It wouldn’t be right out smart to make such a cartoon, even if it is legal.
But when your buddies make such a cartoon, it’s cool. It’d be nice if, in the sake of the president’s call for unity, you could admit the cartoon is over the top. The Republican members admit racism still exists, and was institutional in our past, but that’s not enough so you villify them.
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. It continues to make this nation more divided, which started in the 1992 election and has gotten worse with every election since then. It’s a pity you can’t admit that.
The media will begin to sidestep that plain speaking black man. No more interviews for him if he is going to speak so upright and honestly! The KKK was a bunch of goofy, finger pointing, racist, narrow thinking white Democrats. I have a nagging feeling that is exactly what the cartoonist is. Calling a good ol’ Southern successful black man with a great life story (so far, he ain’t done climbing that success ladder) a member of the KKK is funny?. Really? Lt. Gov. Robinson should DEMAND an apology. An insult to any black person who thinks for themselves and not in the little box white liberals insist they reside politically. I doubt any black person at all found that “cartoon” amusing. On second thought perhaps the cartoonist should apologize to all black people for that gross insult.
Can ANYONE say they are surprised that a strong conservative who has attained a powerful, high visibility position and happens to be black is being attacked in such a way?
Expect this to be just the opening shots at Lt.Gov. Robinson. The “tolerant, liberal left” cannot afford to let him not only maintain this position, but will do EVERYTHING in their power to reduce his influence through both personal and political attacks regardless of how vile, disgusting, or hypocritical they may be.
The person who did the cartoon is an 8th grade social studies teacher in Johnston County public schools.
Look him up.
This history of racism in the Democrat Party goes back to Andrew Jackson, a vile slave-owner. It continued past the Civil War, past Reconstruction, past Woodrow Wilson, Jim Crow, past WWII and into the 1950s & 1960s. All represented by the “Solid South” in the U.S Congress. It is the Republican party who championed, and champions, black rights and women’s rights – the prime reason for the Civil War.
To portray Republicans (in general) as racist it completely absurd. The LEFT is using this dialogue to divide (and conquer) ignorant and apathetic Americans who want a free lunch.
I would ask Mr. Robinson, and our legislature, to change the Democrat election boards across the state to half of each major party. If we want to get anything positive done, we all need to hear others out, and move to the center. There is not a person alive that is always right, or always wrong.
All this hostility from the LEFT will destroy the country.
Don’t act like there’s no hostility from the right. The right literally tried to violently change the election outcome. No hostility? C’mon man.
Point taken. But I didn’t say that. I said “all this hostility from the LEFT”, I did not say there wasn’t hostility from the RIGHT.
No, the right didn’t try to change the election outcome, by violence or otherwise. Why would they, when Trump won? What they tried was to upright an election that had been overturned in the dead of night.
Thank you, LtGov Robinson: we were appalled to see you were portrayed as a Klansman. This infuriated us. We supported you and will continue to do so!! WRAL owes you an apology!!
I don’t suppose that the Board of Education’s social studies standards would mention that the KKK was originally founded by and mostly made up of Democrats, including US Senator Robert Byrd who was an “Exalted Cyclops” (or chapter president in normal lexicon). Byrd was the only member of the Senate to vote against the confirmations of both Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Thomas, the only two African-Americans nominated to the United States Supreme Court.
You can go on line and search for “WRAL tv cartoon” to see this, and other cartoons published by WRAL. Watch televised response from Mr. Robinson. Read WRAL response to criticism.
This yellow journalism from our state’s capitol. The press here, in Raleigh, Washington, and most everywhere else has let us all down. Republicans and Democrats alike. There is no trust, other than the tendency to go along with what you think. How can you learn the truth? Even if you are told the truth, how do you know it is? How do you verify it?
This is really bad.
Political cartoons are not meant to be truths. They are meant to be commentary on society.
Maybe you should read the newspaper not just the cartoons.
No comprendo, senor. You assume that I read newspapers, and that I read cartoons, all the time.
Demonizing someone that you disagree with is a tactic used primarily by the LEFT.
Dumb & Desperate in NC
I’m a black conservative and well aware of the racial hypocrisy of the left. The frustrating thing is they get away with it all the time. They positively hate when black folks get off the plantation.
I am glad that he stepped up and did not let this idiot cartoon just go by. It is time that cruel behavior by the liberal press under the guise of the 1st amendment be addressed. You want to call names because it makes you feel big and important. Fine, but it does come with consequences. In the not too distance past, one would grab that person and take them out back to settle it. Just saying.
Calling to end the 1st amendment through violence? Are you on team left or team right?
#nohostility
I’m so happy he was elected as our Lt. Governor. I’m hoping he will be the next Governor of our state.
This man has made comments that no one understands. He did not win an election on any issues or principles. He’s just there. He has some backwards views that blacks nor whites understand. He has sold his soul to the devil just to be in office
I don’t like him
Have you ever met Mark Robinson? You are so far from the truth, so I would suggest you hear him speak and not just read what others reports about him. Mark is an all American Christian, who did not grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He is not a career politician who can be swayed or bought by anyone. Mark is his own person and true to himself, not fake. What is there not to understand ? What you see is what you get, therefore, a very honest and trustworthy soul. Of ALL people I guarantee you he did not sell his soul to be in politics! He would have rather lost the election than become what so many politicians become! You are off in left field Gail.
Mark Robinson ran an honest campaign. He stands for unborn children, second amendment and not indoctrinating our school age children. The next time you comment you should know what you are talking about. Have a nice day.
Are you talking about the same Mark Robinson that:
Said American Citizens were “Invaders” because they were Muslim?
Was an Obama birther?
Called Michelle Obama a man?
Filed for bankruptcy 3 times?
Said the movie Black Panther was “created by an agnostic Jew and put to film by satanic Marxist” that was “only created to pull the shekels out of your Schvartze pockets” (that means take money from black people)?
You are right, he is pro- unborn (which means not yet alive) life while also being pro-gun. In my research, he doesn’t seem to have finished any educational program he started (although I assume he did complete high school), his only claim to fame is being loud about wanting a gun show in Greensboro after the (very real) Stoneman Douglas shooting (he wasn’t so pro-life about those actual lost lives), has a history of not being able to manage his own finances, among many other serious issues. He is a mediocre candidate that got elected by aligning himself as far right as possible.
There is nothing honest or trustworthy about a guy that doesn’t acknowledge that some people have it way worse than others because of the color of their skin and actively conflates a religious belief with being an invader in our nation. Try again Shelly
Art F, you said “You are right, he is pro-unborn (which means not yet alive)”.
I guess you think a child is an inaminate object not living and breathing in the mother’s womb? You need to go back to biology class in high school at the least, or better yet, go to church and learn the real meaning of life.
Quick bio lesson, Joey: it is impossible for a fetus to breathe until after birth.
The date at which “life” starts is a divisive topic. As is clear, I think life begins when you are born and have some ability to survive on your own. We celebrate a child’s birthday on the day they are born, not the day they were conceived.
Regarding church as the source for “the meaning of life” please take your virtue signaling somewhere else. You don’t know my beliefs or practices with regard to spirituality.
GYJoe apparently is unaware that unborn babies inhale their mother’s waters en utero. This is what helps their lungs develop.
Jimmy Lungs – If a fetus were to inhale “their mother’s waters” they would die. Period. Inhalation means to breathe in – a fetus does not actively pull in “their mother’s waters” but are rather surrounded by amniotic fluid and the lungs are filled (not actively by the fetus, but rather that’s just the environment it is in) with the amniotic fluid.
Amniotic fluid is not water. In fact, at the stage in which you might actually consider the fetus viable, it is mostly its on piss in the amniotic fluid.
Oxygen and CO2 flow through the blood in the placenta mostly to the heart then through the rest of the body. So literally, without the mother, that fetus doesn’t have the resources to survive. It is not inhaling and exhaling. It is not making conscious choice. It is a developing fetus, and if it survives that process it will born a child.
Sorry, I see your point. Mr. Robinson is an average citizen who could articulate what a lot of people understood.
He is not a politician, who will say what you want to hear. He won his election by clearly stating his issues & principles. Have you seen his speech before the City Council?
Using a religion as proof, while it sounds good, is not proof. The Bible, for example, is based on faith, not proven fact. The Book is filled with self-evident truths than can help you live a better and happier life. I believe that. Siddartha can help your life, too.
I understand that you don’t like him. I didn’t care for President Trump either, but I refused to vote for what we have in Washington now. Just see what happens in the near future, put your feelings aside, and look at what you get from the new Federal Government.
“Could articulate what a lot of people understood”? Such as the idea that Michele Obama was a man and that Barack Obama was not a citizen? He articulates those ideas really well for you? Or is it just the one single thing that most people are law-abiding citizens?
Yes, I have listened to his speech. He was loud and impassioned. He used name calling. He described a hypothetical anecdote of a world of martial law as though it were an imminent reality. He didn’t consider the reality that places with more lenient gun laws also tend have more deaths by suicide. He didn’t consider that places with more strict gun laws also tend to have less violent crime. But he sure was loud and impassioned and claimed to be the majority yet only focus on gun laws. He might be in the majority of a group of gun-owners, but him being a law-abiding citizen (what he was actually referring to as being in the majority) does not mean that he speaks for the majority of law-abiding citizens. The majority of law-abiding citizens are not gun owners, do not see the problem with registering a weapon (you have to register your car, for example), and do not feel the 2nd amendment extends ad infinitum to demand anyone and everyone should have open access to weapons meant for killing. But he sure was loud and impassioned.
You are a good man Mark and WRAL needs to remember that you are the man that won !!! They are just jealous they lost and as usual they are poor losers. You will always have my support !!
These Very small minds are portraits of the left and as stated it is only said against a minority who happens to be a GOP.These Sick minds are very typical of the Democrats and they are afraid to let anyone know who they are.These folks are low class and dirty. Thanks for speaking out Mr Lt.Gov,I am glad you are from Guilford Counyand represent our Coo so well,regards of what these Sicko minds regurgitate .
You clearly do not look at political cartoons often.
Actually, all three ethnicities you described are in it. The character says GOP members state school board, so it is saying they’re all members of the clan. If there was a cartoon showing Biden in a clan outfit for all the racist things he said, you’d be outraged. It wouldn’t be right out smart to make such a cartoon, even if it is legal.
But when your buddies make such a cartoon, it’s cool. It’d be nice if, in the sake of the president’s call for unity, you could admit the cartoon is over the top. The Republican members admit racism still exists, and was institutional in our past, but that’s not enough so you villify them.
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. It continues to make this nation more divided, which started in the 1992 election and has gotten worse with every election since then. It’s a pity you can’t admit that.
Critical Race Theory is in and of itself an exercise of Racism. and has no place in the education system. Regrettably, it is not new and has been being gradually infused within the curriculum from K-12 to every level of higher indoctrination through College all across the Nation and is part of the Global one world concept. I hope Lt. Gov. Robinson will continue to fight against the push by the left wing extremists to make this drive to an Autocracy an acceptable standard policy.
You should start a Eugenics Club then. You are so elite.
Hmmm? Margaret Sanger who was the person that help create Planned Parenthood, was a beliver in eugenics. So, does that mean she, and current supporters of planned parenthood, are elite?
Still waiting on our esteemed Governor Cooper to comment on this issue, but I won’t hold my breath…
Just because you disagree with someone, you don’t have to get angry at them. Civil discourse is the only way towards the best result.
I just read through all the comments…. We certainly have a split society right now…. I don’t know what the solution is….. But we are going to have to try and understand each other….. I fear we are heading to something like the civil war…. The southern states thought that they were defending the Constitution…. And that the north was all wrong because the South had controlled the government since the Constitution was written….. The US constitution approved of slavery…. And the South pretty much had controlled the government as a result of counting black people slave or free as a 3/5 of a person…. This gave the South control of the Congress and most of the presidents who had been elected…… Up until Abraham Lincoln….Who was not even put on the ballot in some states of the South….. We are now heading to a sharp division between different segments of our population….