West Virginia Lawmaker Calls LGBTs "Socialists" And Compares Them To The KKK

Eric Porterfield (image via Porterfield campaign)

Things got heated in the West Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday when first-term Delegate Eric Porterfield advocated for an amendment to House Bill 2699 that would have prohibited local municipalities from adding nondiscrimination ordinances that protect sexual orientation and gender identity.

Porterfield defended the amendment saying, "As legislators, I don't think it's our job to legislate behavior," according to MetroNews.

"This is discrimination against the first amendment and religious liberty, and the LGBT is the most socialist group and they don’t protect gays," he added.

He also said the word 'faggot' as he referenced the speaking tour of infamous homocon Milo Yiannopoulous, "Dangerous Faggots Tour."

To be clear, the word was chosen by Yiannopoulos, not Porterfield, for the title of the tour. But his colleagues objected to the use of the word much like folks would object to the use of the n-word.

On Friday, Porterfield continued his attacks on the LGBTQ community, telling the Charleston Gazette-Mail: “The LGBTQ is a modern day version of the Ku Klux Klan, without wearing hoods with their antics of hate.”

The Gazette-Mail went on to add that Porterfield called the LGBTQ community a "terrorist group," and that he is being “persecuted” by the gay community in retaliation for his hateful comments.

Porterfield alleges he has received threats on Facebook and voicemails.

He took to his Facebook to write:

“Last night and today, members of the LGBTQ have exercised hate crimes and threatened my safety. We have reported this to the Capitol Police in Charleston and I would like all of my friends to pray for the safety of me and my family. These vicious monsters are proving that they are the most bigoted and discriminatory people in America. Though they try to intimidate and bully and try to strike fear to me and my family, we ask the Lord to help us stand tall against their persecution and their leftist minions within the legislature.”

Porterfield, a Baptist preacher, heads up an organization called Blind Faith Ministries. The name is a reference to Porterfield being vision-impaired.

West Virginia Democrats have called for the freshman Delegate's resignation over his inflammatory comments and language.

Democrats say the newly elected Del. Eric Porterfield, a Republican from fro Mercer County, should resign for the anti-LGBT comments he made this week. pic.twitter.com/5dG7a8wfl5

— Jake Jarvis (@JakeJarvisWV) February 8, 2019