St. Paul council member urged to resign for anti-gay posts
Some Minnesota Democrats are calling for a St. Paul City Council member to resign over anti-gay posts he made on Facebook in the past.
The LGBTQ and youth caucuses of the Minnesota DFL Party plan to present a resolution at the party's convention Sunday in St. Paul asking for Kassim Busuri to resign. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Busuri was appointed to represent Ward 6 in January.
Busuri said he has never discriminated against anyone and that he represents all his constituents regardless of sexual orientation, but he won't apologize for his past statements.
"My religious beliefs are very clear about homosexuality, but it's my duty to protect others," said Busuri, who is Muslim. "Those who are attacking me, I see it as Islamophobic, attacking me for my religious beliefs."
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Fellow council member Chris Tolbert said Busuri should have apologized.
"His actions speak louder than his words and his refusal to stand up for the LGBT community speaks volumes despite any explanations he offers," said Tolbert.
The posts came to light Wednesday after Busuri was the only council member not to support a resolution recognizing June as Pride Month.
In one 2014 post, Busuri said he was "going back to Uganda" after the African country approved a law criminalizing homosexuality.
In a joint statement calling on Busuri to resign, Stonewall DFL and MYDFL say "homophobia has no place in the DFL Party nor in public office." The statement also says that "regardless of tradition or background, anything short of loving and celebrating LGBTQ people is to sustain a culture of shame, silence, and ignorance."
MPR News reporter Nina Moini contributed to this story.