Utah Rep. Trevor Lee is just trying to protect innocent children from the horror of rainbow flags, while preserving their right to display Nazi flags in school.
Lee's masterpiece of logical contortionism, bill HB0077, would heroically defend government buildings and schools from the menace of pride flags while carving out a special safe space for displaying Nazi and Confederate flags for "educational purposes."
In other words ,symbols of genocide and slavery: Jawohl! Pesky rainbow stripes representing love and acceptance: Nein!
"My bill specifies which flags can be displayed in classrooms," Lee posted to Twitter. "It would ban Pride flags from schools. Parents could sue the school district if it's violated." Freedoms!
When presenting his bill to the House Education Committee Thursday, Lee performed some truly Olympic-level mental gymnastics, as reported by The Salt Lake Tribune. "Our schools should be a place for children to learn," to explain why symbols of mass murder are fine but pride flags are simply beyond the pale. "There are instances where in classrooms, you have curriculum that is needed to use flags such as World War II, Civil War. You may have a Nazi flag. You may have a Confederate flag, and so you are allowed to display those flags… as part of the curriculum, and that is okay."
But when the Salt Tribune called Lee for comment, it said "Lee disputed that he ever said a Nazi flag could be displayed, and argued that would not be allowed under his bill."
"There is a difference between displaying flags in curriculum when you're teaching on them," he told the Tribune. "You don't censor history here. That's not what we're doing."
Unless it's LGBTQ+ history, in which case, censor away!
High school senior Millie Dworkin, clearly not appreciating Lee's brilliant logic, had the audacity to suggest during testimony that banning pride flags might actually harm LGBTQ+ students: "If you pass this, you will have queer blood on your hands."
But hey, at least the kids will have historically accurate Third Reich decor to comfort them!
The bill cleared committee with flying colors (just not rainbow ones), proving once again that in Utah politics, there's no problem so small it can't be solved by creating a much bigger one.
Previously:
• Serial adulterer Newt Gingrich says Biden 'is attacking people of traditional values' by flying gay pride flag
• Lifeguard, who is Christian, sues Los Angeles because Pride Flags
• Happy anniversary to the Rainbow Pride Flag!
• Store owner shot dead by man reportedly angry at Pride flag in window
• Montana rejects new public library logo over concerns it resembles a Pride flag
