Joan McCool: Expanding power beyond bathrooms

Regarding the March 24 news article “LGBT protections end as McCrory signs bill”: North Carolina Republicans have abandoned their party’s principles. They have embraced “big” (state) government interference in local matters.

If Charlotte’s residents disapproved of the nondiscrimination ordinance passed by their officials, they could vote in officials who would overturn it. But the Republican legislators (and 11 Democrats in the House) were not willing to let democracy work. They substituted their judgment for the judgment of Charlotte’s residents. They used the “bathroom” provision of this ordinance to expand their power, banning all state communities from protecting the rights of some of our most vulnerable residents.

I call on voters to replace the politicians who have trampled on the rights of North Carolinians.

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Joan McCool: Expanding power beyond bathrooms."