Molly Yoder: McCrory’s bigotry remains

Regarding the March 14 news article “Pat McCrory: ‘People are reluctant to hire me’ ”: Pat McCrory said that people are reluctant to hire him because they perceive him as a bigot which “is the last thing I am.”

The definition of a bigot (Merriam-Webster) is “a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to honor her own opinions and prejudices; especially: one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.”

His statement that, “You ask a the doctor if it’s a boy or a girl; you don’t ask the baby,” is a great example of his bigotry. This statement perfectly examples his obstinacy.

No baby is declaring itself transgender. The realization that one is transgender comes after great soul searching and much pain.

His intolerance shows in his unwillingness to learn and grow and his dismissal of those who disagree with him as “the politically correct thought police,” rather than simply people with divergent views and part of our larger whole.

I am sorry he was scared when chased down that alley with people chanting at him. No one likes to be scared. He was not physically harmed. Transgender people are scared every day and they suffer verbal harassment, physical beatings and, some, death.

McCrory now shares a small flavor of their fear; perhaps, one day he will let go of his bigotry and share understanding.

This story was originally published March 26, 2017 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Molly Yoder: McCrory’s bigotry remains."