North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, who is a front-runner Republican candidate for governor, has come under fire for his harsh remarks about the survivors of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Robinson, whom former President Donald Trump called "one of the hottest politicians in our country," referred to students as "spoiled, angry, know it all CHILDREN" and "silly little immature 'media prosti-tots'" less than two weeks after the shooting.
In an unearthed Facebook rant, Robinson also mocked Parkland students and activists, including David Hogg and X González, who became advocates for gun control after the massacre. Robinson claimed that if conservative principles had been put into place two days before the shooting, the "spoiled little bastards" would have "kicked and screamed like babies in a crib."
Robinson went on to claim that a "liberal syndrome of rectal cranial inversion mixed with a healthy dose of just plain evil and stupid" permeated the school, whose students he said were "making irritating noise."
You can see his post below.
Mark Keith Robinson/Facebook
The unearthed social media posts, reported by CNN's "KFile," have sparked outrage and condemnation from many people who see Robinson's remarks as insensitive and disrespectful.
Some have called for him to apologize for his offensive language and to step down from his position as Lieutenant Governor.
\u201c@HuffPost Robinson is the definition of what is wrong with politics today. Republican ideals of guns and god are just ways to cover the fact that you are in it for the money, not the people. The NRA and the Gun lobbies are really generous when you preach their ideals.\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1683301930
\u201c@HuffPost Someone is running for President. \n\nHe has to out-wack the wackadoodles.\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1683301930
\u201cNC Lt Gov Trashed 'Spoiled' School Shooting Survivors - There is a special place in hell for this guy. I don\u2019t care what economic background one comes from. If a person is in the middle of a school shooting IT IS trauma inducing no matter who you are. https://t.co/LQxH3svb8m\u201d— Stacie Arguello (@Stacie Arguello) 1683304917
\u201cMake his hate go viral. Not fit to be around human beings, let alone to lead https://t.co/fRzF1aow5f\u201d— Kathleen Adams\ud83d\udc99 (@Kathleen Adams\ud83d\udc99) 1683297146
\u201cOMG, don't put your money in North Carolina.\nhttps://t.co/TcSo5cL5ka\u201d— Miya0813 (@Miya0813) 1683304255
\u201cIs there anyone worse than GOP politicians who attack children. Children who 2 weeks before saw their classmates/teachers/adults shot dead before their eyes. It's a whole group of GOP politicians who attack children who survived. Despicable https://t.co/YzFyHjgmKu\u201d— Journey Inhell (@Journey Inhell) 1683307605
\u201cReally? This is the likely GOP gubernatorial candidate. https://t.co/xixO5rmd8A\u201d— Craven PD20 Democrat (@Craven PD20 Democrat) 1683301577
\u201cThese mf #Republicans sink lower & lower every day. There is NO bottom for them! \nWhat if it were HIS kids traumatized by friends being shot to death? It would be a whole different story! \n\nNorth Carolina Lt Gov Trashed 'Spoiled' School Shooting Survivors\n\nhttps://t.co/BCkH4GZo9A\u201d— \u2661 \ud835\udcdc\ud835\udcf8\ud835\udcf6\ud835\udce3\ud835\udcf82 \u2661 (@\u2661 \ud835\udcdc\ud835\udcf8\ud835\udcf6\ud835\udce3\ud835\udcf82 \u2661) 1683300778
This is not the first time Robinson has been criticized for inflammatory comments.
He has previously made antisemitic and transphobic remarks on social media. In 2019, he referred to teachers' participation in a massive protest in North Carolina as a "sad indication of why public schools are FAILING so miserably."
Robinson's comments have sparked a renewed debate about the role of guns in American society and the need for sensible gun control measures. Many advocates for gun control have called for stricter laws and regulations to prevent more mass shootings like the one in Parkland.