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Social media was outraged at Rick Perry, the U.S. Energy Secretary's controversial comment where he said sexual assault can be prevented with the use of fossil fuels.
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Perry made the outrageous comment during an energy policy event in Washington hosted by Axios and NBC News.
"But also from the standpoint of sexual assault, when the lights are on, when you have light that shines, the righteousness, if you will, on those types of acts," Perry said , "So from the standpoint of how you really affect people's lives, fossil fuels is going to play a role in that. I happen to think it's going to play a positive role."Rick Perry, a climate change denier, also blamed environmentalists for propagating the narrative that fossil fuels are harmful and contribute to climate change.
When probed about climate change, Perry, a former Texas governor, told the moderators of "Meet the Press," that he does not think that humans are the main drivers of climate change. "I still think the science is out."
Sierra Club, a U.S.-based environmental advocacy group, has called for Perry's resignation following the comments.
"It was already clear that Rick Perry is unfit to lead the Department of Energy, but to suggest that fossil fuel development will decrease sexual assault is not only blatantly untrue, it is an inexcusable attempt to minimize a serious and pervasive issue,” Sierra Club Executive Director, Michael Brune, said in a statement.
“He does not deserve to hold office another day with these twisted ideas, and he should resign from his position immediately before he causes any more damage."
This isn't the first time Perry has come under fire for making ludicrous comments in public.
Here are several times, the two-time presidential candidate made outrageous comments that became national headlines.
1. In 2005, When Perry was Texas governor, the state had the highest CO2 emissions, nearly equal to the emissions of Canada. A known climate change denier, he recently said, that " "science is not settled," and capping CO2 emissions would "do a disservice to the country."
2. In 2011, he even forgot the name of the department he now heads, during a press conference while running for the presidential position, Perry said,
"I will tell you: It's three agencies of government, when I get there, that are gone: Commerce, Education and the -- what's the third one there? Let's see. ... OK. So Commerce, Education and the -- ... The third agency of government I would -- I would do away with the Education, the ... Commerce and -- let's see -- I can't."
"The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops," was Perry's comment about the department he is now in charge of.
3. In 2012, he even vowed to scrape the department he now spearheads.
4. In 2010, Perry advocated against halting oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, also called as the "largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry," when the BP oil spilled 4.9 million barrels into the ocean causing the death of 11 people, saying the incident could be an "act of God."
"From time to time there are going to be things that occur that are acts of God that cannot be prevented," he said.
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