Piers Morgan attacks guest for ‘rampant homophobia’
A Good Morning Britain guest has told viewers that the Black Lives Matter movement was started by “black lesbians and homosexuals” who were as bad as the Ku Klux Klan.
Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid cut off Jesse Lee Peterson’s microphone after he also claimed that the KKK, a white supremacist hate group, was “just like” BLM, a pro-equality organisation.
Peterson, a right-wing radio host who regularly appears on Fox News, claimed in April that gay couples were not “mentally capable” of being parents.
And he was back with more anti-gay rhetoric on Wednesday morning, during a GMB segment about Kanye West’s comments on slavery.
The world-famous musician told TMZ on Tuesday: “When you hear about slavery for 400 years – for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”
Defending these remarks, Peterson told Morgan and Reid: “The point he was making was that for blacks to stay in slavery for 400 years meant that they must have been physically and mentally enslaved.”
He added that black people had it better under the discriminatory Jim Crow laws, which segregated black people in the US.
Peterson said black people were “still enslaved” because “they think they are suffering due to this phony idea of racism.
“We all know that there is no such thing as racism. Racism has never existed, it’s a lie that’s been made up by the liberals who are the children of the lie,” he said.
Another GMB guest, actress and presenter Trisha Goddard, responded: “What is people putting on white hoods and burning crosses on front lawns, a firework display?
“Let’s get real here, there is racism,” she continued. “There is racism not just between blacks and whites, but all through to blacks against other blacks.
“Racism exists. To say that it’s something someone made up is absolutely ridiculous. What do you think the KKK stands for then?”
Peterson told her: “The KKK was an evil organisation just like Black Lives Matter,” which he called a “liberal, radical, agitative organisation founded by a bunch of black lesbians and homosexuals.”
The KKK is, of course, a white supremacist organisation which has targeted minorities including LGBT people, and has dozens of branches defined as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Centre.
After these offensive comments, Peterson’s microphone was cut off, as Morgan – who has himself made critical comments against non-binary people – told him: “You are now descending into completely unpleasant and frankly vile rhetoric.
“I don’t know why you think it is appropriate to say this on national television, but what you just said is completely unacceptable.”
“We would get a response from him but we cut his microphone because he was spewing such unpleasant stuff,” he continued.
“We don’t mind having a proper debate about this but when it descends into rampant homophobia you don’t get to say any more on this programme. You get your mic removed.”
Morgan added: “Mr. Peterson, think about what you’re thinking and saying here because I think a lot of black people in America think you and Kanye West, by spewing this stuff, are causing them a massive disservice.”
After his appearance on the ITV show, Peterson tweeted: “Racism doesn’t exist. There is only love or hate, good or evil.
“‘Racism’ is a word made up to make blacks victims and control whites. So-called ‘racism’ is really judgment & hate that most people need to overcome. #IfSlaveryWasAChoice #Kanye #maga”
It’s important to note that Morgan was fully aware of how inflammatory Peterson’s views were.
Nearly five years ago, Morgan had Peterson on his CNN show, where Peterson said that shooting victim Trayvon Martin smoked pot and “was a thug,” rather than an “innocent little kid.”
The presenter used that opportunity to tell off Peterson on that occasion too, ending the segment by saying: “I find that quite offensive, what I’ve just been listening to.”