It shouldn’t be a surprise that our Republican-led legislature have been using this year’s session to embarrass our state and find new ways to enact harmful and dangerous legislation, usually under the guise of Christian and family values. Leaning on no expert advice, prevalent evidence, scientific findings or really anything based in reality at all, our fearless legislators seem to have it all figured out themselves and have been flagrantly unleashing legislative efforts that would do everything from repealing a ban on conversion therapy to criminalizing librarians for refusing to remove books containing LGBTQ themes. If you have been watching, you’ll notice more energy is being spent on banning drag shows — which is apparently a major issue in places like Bowman and Edgeley — than has been spent on education, tax policies or human services programs.
After the North Dakota Republican Party formally wrote anti-LGBTQ rhetoric into their official party platform a couple of years ago, I’ve come to know what to expect from our state leadership, but it doesn’t make it any less humiliating to watch. If you live in North Dakota and want to help improve the lives of others, especially those who are already being marginalized and attacked for being who they are, you are labeled as a “socialist.” And if you believe in civil rights and human dignity for all North Dakotans, not just white, straight, Christians, you are considered “woke.” Whose values are we trying to live up to, exactly?
Kurt Kopperud is a resident of Fargo.
This letter does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Forum's editorial board nor Forum ownership.
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