Mark Robinson Poses A Serious Threat To The Social and Environmental Justice Movement

Throughout this month, we remembered leaders who have made Black History–and not just in N.C., but across the nation. We highlighted the PCB protestors who began the Environmental Justice movement in Warren County, civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr., and EPA Administrator Michael Regan. All of these North Carolinians have made a difference in so many people’s lives. They have truly defined the environmental justice movement.

But the struggle for environmental justice in North Carolina continues, and one of the biggest threats to it is Mark Robinson. Though the primaries are next Tuesday, early polling shows that he will likely be the Republican candidate for governor. Here are just a few of his extreme and horrific stances.

Mocked Civil Rights Movement

In 2018, he mocked the historic Greensboro lunch counter protests, calling them a “ridiculous premise.” He said these historic efforts sought to pull “the rug out from underneath capitalism and free choice and the free market.”

It gets worse. Mark Robinson criticized the civil rights movement, saying, “so many freedoms were lost during the civil rights movement.” Though he has tried to glaze over these comments, he still criticizes the movement.

Robinson’s Views On The Environment

Mark Robinson also holds extreme views on the environment. When it comes to climate change, he adamantly denies it as “junk science.” And in another speech, he said,  “I’m sick of these lies about global warming. Stop talking to me about climate change. I know the climate changes, it happens four times a year, it’s called seasons!” 

Robinson has made it clear he will side with polluters, rather than standing up to protect clean water and clean air. He has said he wants to relax regulations and threatened to “keep the climate change, the climate change cabal out of this state and if they are in a state, keeping them in chains.” 

Additionally, in his book, he has said that if elected governor, he would seek to remove science and history from elementary schools. How can we prepare the next generation to live with the consequences of climate change if we don’t prepare them with proficiency in science?

Other extreme views he holds includes:

• Total abortion ban, even in cases of rape and incest.
• Mocked survivors of the Parkland school shooting on Facebook, calling them “spoiled, angry know it all CHILDREN.”
• Trans people should “find a corner outside somewhere to go to the bathroom.” He equates trans people using their preferred restrooms as “tearing down society.”

Our Work

We are working with the Coalition Against Robinson Extremism (CARE) to let North Carolinians know of Robinson’s terrible views, policies, and politics. Since early 2023, we have held multiple press conferences, published several articles, and amplified social media campaigns to educate the public. How can you participate? Follow us on social media for coverage of future events and information. And as always, consider becoming a recurring donor to further our work against anti-environmental politicians like Mark Robinson. 

Through this work, we hope to honor our heroes of Black History in North Carolina.