The governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, recently condemned the Republican party of the state for their anti-LGBTQ resolution that was passed by hundred of legislatures, according to ABC.
The resolution said that “LGBT practices are dangerous and unhealthy” and that they shorten lifespans and endangers society at large. The resolution didn’t specify what the LGBT practices are, but I have pretty good idea what it was implying and I have to say that straight people engage in the same practices, so this is basically a non-argument.
Burgum criticized the resolution, saying that it is homophobic and divisive. He said “as I’ve long said, all North Dakotans deserve to be treated equally and live free of discrimination.” He also mentioned that there is no room for such rhetoric in North Dakota GOP resolutions. I agree – there should be no homophobic and divisive rhetoric in any resolutions because it will just make things worse and divide and already-divided country.
However, this resolution was not the only one that the NDGOP favored, as they voted for several dozens, some of which reinforced the party’s conservative values on marriage, saying that it should be a union between one man and one woman. They also favored resolutions that reject laws protecting people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. This is hardly surprising to me, or perhaps I’ve just become jaded.
What else was mentioned was that sexual orientation and gender identity bills “grant protection to voyeurs who wish to prey on members of the opposite sex.” Objectively this is not true, so here’s another non-argument.
Corby Kemmer, executive director for North Dakota’s Republican Party, said that the resolutions were designed to stand up for individual and religious liberties, but the language used did not accomplish that goal. I don’t know about you, but the language used was very clear that many North Dakota republicans have a problem with LGBT people. The group of resolutions was approved 621-139 via mail-in ballots.
It’s not certain whether or not if the resolution will be reconsidered but North Dakota has defeated many measures that were aimed to protect LGBT people from discrimination and fighting for equal rights. Representative Josh Boschee, an openly gay Democrat and member of the North Dakota congress tweeted this in response to the resolution:
The @NDGOP thinks NoDakotans like me are only interested in recruiting young people to a lifestyle, protecting bathroom voyeurs & infecting society. Is this how my legislative colleagues feel? Is this how Gov. @DougBurgum feels? If not, then say something & do something about it! https://t.co/AEl9PKdYHn
— Joshua Boschee (@JoshBoschee) July 23, 2020
and the tweeted this after seeing the backlash to the resolution
Thank you to the @NDGOP lawmakers who have started to speak out against this disgusting language within your party’s platform. I hope you’ll do so earlier in the process next time & work harder to reach out to LGBT NoDakotans to hear the issues important to us & our families. https://t.co/swEWO1KBkv
— Joshua Boschee (@JoshBoschee) July 23, 2020
While the resolution does have disgusting language, it is refreshing to know that people within the Republican party are speaking out against it, but the resolution shouldn’t have been approved in the first place.
Source: ABC