West Virginia GOP Chair Praises Anti-LGBTQ Op-Ed Calling For Intolerance

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West Virginia GOP chair Melody Potter endorsed an op-ed via Facebook that argued against tolerance of LGBTQ people on Sunday.

The Parkersburg News and Sentinel op-ed, penned by state Sen. Mike Azinger (R) in response to a local Pride event, opened with the following assertion: “Tolerance, in the face of the violation of the commandments of God, is no virtue at all.”

“The LGBQT [sic] movement is not about happiness and tolerance, but about indoctrination and a forced acceptance of a perverted and non-biblical view of sexuality,” Azinger wrote. “The solution to the madness of the LGBQT [sic] movement is not political correctness and tolerance; the answer is the Cross of Jesus Christ where we all can find forgiveness and salvation.”

“This op ed written by Senator Mike Michael Azinger is right on and is biblically based,” Potter stated in her post with a link to the article.

She then thanked the lawmaker for “having the boldness to stand for what is right. More people should do the same!”

The comments, posted on Potter’s private Facebook page, stand in contrast with her public denunciation of another West Virginia legislator’s anti-LGBTQ comments in February.

“We may disagree on policy, politics, and the direction of our state, but we can disagree civilly and respectfully because intolerant and hateful views hold us back, divide us, and hurt our state,” Potter said in a statement at the time.

Posted by West Virginia Republican Party on Monday, February 11, 2019

The West Virginia GOP nor Potter responded to TPM’s request for comment.

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