Texas mayor resigns after telling residents 'only the strong will survive, the weak will [perish]'

A Texas mayor who told residents that they would have to fend for themselves amid one of the deadliest winter storms to hit the state has resigned after widespread condemnation over his remarks.

“Only the strong will survive and the weak will [perish],” wrote Colorado City Mayor Tim Boyd.

Responding to pleas for help from helpless residents, Boyd issued his insensitive remarks in a wordy Facebook post, asserting that he intended to “hurt some feelings” over their requests.

“Let me hurt some feelings while I have a minute!!,” Boyd, an elected official, began.

He wrote: “No one owes you [or] your family anything; nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim it’s your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING!”

“I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout!” continued the aggrieved mayor. “If you don’t have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. If you have no water you deal without and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family. If you are sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are sitting there waiting for someone to come rescue you because [you’re] lazy [it] is [a] direct result of your raising!”

“Only the strong will survive and the weak will [perish],” he said. “Folks God has given us the tools sto support ourselves in times like this. This is sadly a protect of a socialist government where they feed people to believe that the FEW will work and others will become dependent for handouts.”

“Am I sorry that you have been dealing without electricity and water; yes! But I’ll be damned if I’m going to provide for anyone that is capable of doing it themselves! We have lost sight of those in need and those that take advantage of the system and [mashed] them in to one group!! Bottom line quit crying and looking for a handout! Get off your ass and take care of your own family!”

Although Boyd eventually deleted the post, it wasn’t before it received widespread circulation on social media and prompted intense backlash. The mayor later announced that he was resigning from his position.

"I would never want to hurt the elderly or anyone that is in true need of help to be left to fend for themselves," Boyd wrote in his resignation post. "I was only making the statement that those folks that are too lazy to get up and fend for themselves but are capable should not be dealt a handout. I apologize for the wording and some of the phrases that were used!"

He explained that he was speaking as a private citizen and not as the mayor of Colorado City, or Mitchell County, where the city is located.