Mark Robinson's "Kill Them" Remarks Spark Controversy

Mark Robinson's "Kill Them" Remarks Spark Controversy

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https://gorightnews.com/mark-robinsons-kill-them-remarks-spark-controversy/

North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, recently stirred significant controversy with his comments during a speech at The Lake Church in Bladen County. Robinson declared, “Some folks need killing,” a statement that has drawn widespread attention and criticism.

Robinson’s remarks came after discussing the United States’ military response to World War II aggressions by Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. He emphasized the need to confront and eliminate evil without hesitation. His exact words were:

> “We now find ourselves struggling with people who have evil intent. You know, there was a time in which we used to meet evil on the battlefield. Guess what we did to it: we killed it! We didn’t quibble about it. We didn’t argue about it. We didn’t fight about it. We killed it!”

Robinson continued with historical references:

> “When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, what’d we do? We flew to Japan and we killed the Japanese army and navy. We didn’t even quibble about it. I didn’t start this fight. You did. You wanted to be left alone, you should have left me alone. We didn’t argue and capitulate and talk about well, maybe we shouldn’t fight the Nazis that hard. No, they’re bad. Kill them!”

Robinson's statement, “Some folks need killing,” immediately followed these comments, causing concern and backlash, especially given the ambiguity about whom he was referring to as "wicked people."

In his speech, Robinson also addressed broader societal issues, mentioning socialism, communism, and actions he sees as infringing on personal freedoms:

> “They’re watching us. They’re listening to us. They’re tracking us. They get mad at you. They cancel you. They dox you. They kick you off social media. They come in and close down your business.”

Michael Lonergan, a spokesperson for Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign, clarified in an email to NC Newsline that Robinson’s reference to “killing” was specifically about the Nazis and the Imperial Japanese in WWII. However, he did not elaborate on whom Robinson meant by people with “evil intent.”

Critics, including the campaign of Robinson’s Democratic opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, condemned the comments as promoting violence. Morgan Hopkins, a spokesperson for Stein's campaign, stated:

> “Mark Robinson’s repeated and repulsively violent rhetoric fits into his pattern of spewing division and hate rather than serving North Carolina families. We cannot have a Governor who calls for extrajudicial killings. Mark Robinson is divisive and dangerous.”

Robinson’s comments highlight the intense debates around the boundaries of free speech and the implications of political rhetoric. As public discourse continues to heat up, the need for clarity and responsibility in public statements remains paramount.