North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum goes against GOP, condemns anti-LGBTQ resolution
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Republican, went against his party on Thursday in a powerful rebuke against an anti-LGBTQ resolution that was passed by hundreds of Republican legislators.
Burgum denounced the controversial resolution, which states that "LGBT practices are unhealthy and dangerous, sometimes endangering or shortening life and sometimes infecting society at large," in a lengthy speech, calling it homophobic and divisive.
"As I've long said, all North Dakotans deserve to be treated equally and live free of discrimination," Burgum said in statement. "There's no place for the hurtful and divisive rhetoric in the NDGOP resolutions.
The GOP-led legislature voted in favor of several dozen resolutions -- statements of policy for the state's Republican Party -- that claim to reinforce the state's conservative morals and values on marriage, which it defines as a union between one man and one woman, state documents show. The resolutions also reject laws that protect groups based on sexual orientation and gender identity, according to the documents.
Corby Kemmer, executive director for North Dakota's Republican Party, said in a statement Wednesday "We regret any offense this may have caused ...”
https://abcnews.go.com/US/north-dakota-gov-doug-burgum-gop-condemns-anti/story?id=71969568
