The boorish Mark Walker, a Republican freshman congressman who represents portions of Greensboro, North Carolina, called Bruce Springsteen “a bully†for canceling his concert in protest of the transphobic House Bill 2, aka the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, which forces transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex reflected on their birth certificate. Walker told the Hollywood Reporter, “It’s disappointing he’s not following through on his commitments,†going on, “We’ve got other artists coming soon — Def Leppard, Justin Bieber.â€
“I’ve never been a Bieber fan,†Walker said, delivering a bizarre back-handed compliment, “but I might have to go. Maybe artists who weren’t ‘born to run’ deserve a little bit more support …†(Does Justin Bieber not have enough support?) “Bruce is known to be on the radical left, and he’s got every right to be so, but I consider this a bully tactic. It’s like when a kid gets upset and says he’s going to take his ball and go home.†Walker, who has strongly opposed same-sex marriage and abortion rights, swears the bill “doesn’t target the LGBTQ community; it targets imposters†and “predators.†Springsteen, that dastardly radical leftist, wrote a post on his website explaining his decision to cancel Sunday’s concert: “Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.†It’s hard to be a saint in the city of Greensboro.