LGBT activists find devious way to hoist their colors despite flag bans in Salt Lake City, Boise



Months after the Trump administration announced that "only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad," Republican lawmakers in Idaho and Utah passed restrictions on which flags could be flown at state government buildings and at schools.

While the laws prohibit virtually all nonofficial flags, irrespective of political persuasion and significance, leftists raged over their potential inability to continue hoisting sex- and race-themed flags over American soil, flaunting the success of their cultural imperialism.

Democratic mayors in Boise and Salt Lake City have apparently found a way to continue flying non-straight activists' colors without having to continue directly violating the law: adopt the LGBT flags as official city emblems or incorporate their elements into official flags.

'Clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.'

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall proposed adopting three new city flags "in addition to the traditional Sego Lily Flag, on Tuesday to most accurately reflect the values of the City and its residents."

Salt Lake City Mayor's Office

According to Mendenhall's office, the first flag would represent the city's transvestite population "and a commitment to seeing and celebrating their lives"; the second would represent the city's non-straight residents "and broader acceptance of this community"; and the third would represent the "history of Juneteenth and the City’s Black and African American residents."

"Our City flags are powerful symbols representing Salt Lake City's values," said Mendenhall. "I want all Salt Lakers to look up at these flags and be reminded that we value diversity, equity and inclusion — leaving no doubt that we are united as a city and people, moving forward together."

Salt Lake City council unanimously approved the designs on Tuesday evening, reported the Associated Press.

Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz (R) characterized the devious workaround as a "clear waste of time and taxpayer resources."

'You're a bunch of fricking commies breaking the law.'

"This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all," said Schultz. "Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics."

Blaze News previously reported that the Boise City Council put making the Progress Pride flag an official city flag to a vote Tuesday evening, one week after Boise Mayor Lauren McLean suggested to state Attorney General Raul Labrador that the flag ban was "legally defective and unenforceable as written."

The council ultimately voted 5 to 1.

According to Boise State Public Radio, one opponent of the measure yelled, "You're a bunch of fricking commies breaking the law," adding, "You think gay people are the only people who are entitled to anything?"

The lone vote against the resolution came from Council Member Luci Willits, who emphasized that her role as an elected official was to follow the law and suggested that the "legislature will come in, and it will slap a huge fine on the city of Boise, and Boise will have to pay it."

"That will limit what we can spend on things that we have control over, like police and fire and libraries and parks and all the things that make Boise what it is today," added Willits.

"Removing the flag now after years of flying it proudly would not be a neutral act," said Council Member Meredith Stead. "It would signal a retreat from values we've long upheld and send a disheartening message to those who have found affirmation and belonging through its presence at city hall."

Mendenhall and McLean apparently spoke Tuesday morning to discuss their respective plots to undermine their states' legislatures and fly the activist colors.

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Boise, Idaho, Makes Pride Flag An ‘Official’ Flag, Circumventing State Law

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Boise leftists consider extreme measure so city can legally fly LGBTQ+ flag



Leftist leaders in Boise are considering an extreme measure to circumvent a new Idaho law and keep a sex- and race-themed flag flying at city hall.

On Tuesday evening, the Boise City Council will consider a measure that would make the Progress Pride flag — emblazoned with colors paying homage to non-heterosexual identities and non-white racial groups — as well as the Donate Life flag official city flags.

The measure comes in response to H.B. 96, a new state law that severely restricts the flags local governments can fly. Should the city declare the Pride and organ-donation flags to be "official" city flags, flying them would no longer run afoul of H.B. 96.

McLean basically admitted ... she can continue to fly the flag without serious consequence since 'the legislature knowingly failed to include any civil or criminal penalties' in H.B. 96.

Thus far, Mayor Lauren McLean has had no compunction about flying the flags despite the new Idaho law and a warning from Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador (R). On Easter Sunday, she and an assistant even went so far as to tear down an Appeal to Heaven flag and toss it aside like trash in their efforts to restore the Pride flag on the flagpole outside city hall, as Blaze News previously reported.

In fact, McLean basically admitted in a letter to Labrador that she can continue to fly the flag without serious consequence since "the legislature knowingly failed to include any civil or criminal penalties" in H.B. 96. She also made herself out to be the victim of a supposedly dangerous pressure campaign simply because Labrador encouraged people to voice their opposition to McLean's legally dubious stunts regarding the LGBTQ+ flag.

"As leaders, our actions — and our words — matter. They have weight for our constituents. Praising outrage and encouraging people to come directly to me is taken by some ... as encouragement — even approval — of actions that put city employees, City Council members, and even me and my family at risk," she scolded in true schoolmarm fashion.

However, if the city council vote goes her way, McLean won't have to worry about pulling anymore such stunts. At least one council member seems inclined to make the gay flag an official representative of the city of Boise.

"The flags the city flies are an expression of our values and responsibilities, which include a commitment to equality, inclusion, and civic pride," said a statement from Council President Colin Nash. "This is our lawful expression of our dedication to ensuring all members of our community feel seen, respected, and welcome."

McLean's office also indicated that local attorneys have volunteered to represent Boise pro bono in the event "any legal action is taken" about the Pride and Donate Life flags.

The meeting to vote on the measure will begin on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

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Woke Boise mayor tosses Appeal to Heaven flag aside like trash, raises LGBTQ flag in defiance of state law



The radical mayor of Boise, Lauren McLean, took time on Easter Sunday to crumple up an Appeal to Heaven flag like trash so she could hoist an LGBTQ flag unobstructed at city hall in direct defiance of a new Idaho law.

Earlier this month, Republican Gov. Brad Little signed into law H.B. 96, which strictly regulates the flags that counties, municipalities, and other governmental entities in Idaho may fly on public property. The law mainly permits only those flags representing the U.S., the military, the state of Idaho, schools, and Indian tribes.

Despite this new law, Boise has continued to fly the "Progressive Pride" flag, depicting the rainbow associated with non-heterosexual identities, the colors affiliated with so-called transgenderism, and black and brown stripes that pay fealty to non-white skin colors.

"We will continue flying it because we are a safe and welcoming city that values all comers," McLean said in a statement.

'Now this is a mayor. We gotta re-elect her. She stands for all the people.'

Early Sunday morning, some area activists attempted to beat McLean at her own game. They brought a ladder, positioned it on the city flagpole, then proceeded to make some changes to the flags blazing there, video showed.

For one thing, the two men placed black trash bags over the Pride flag and a flag promoting organ donation.

They also clipped to the pole an Appeal to Heaven flag made famous during the American Revolution. Because of its official association with the state of Massachusetts, the Appeal to Heaven flag does not violate H.B. 96, the Idaho statesman said.

Later that morning, undeterred by the attempts to bring Boise into compliance with the new state law, Mayor McLean and an assistant went to the flagpole and restored the flags to the way they were.

Far from passively rearranging the flags, McLean took a knife of sorts and cut part of the Appeal to Heaven flag before her assistant finished the job, tearing away the flag and the black bags covering the Pride and organ-donation flags. McLean then balled the flag up into one of the black trash bags and tossed it on the ground like garbage.

Their actions were so politically charged that the Idaho statesman criticized McLean's lack of "respect" for a flag "which has a lot of historical significance for Americans." Yet McLean was so nonchalant about it all that at one point, she paused and wished some passersby a "happy Easter."

Pam Hemphill — a rabid leftist who claims to have previously supported President Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda but who now takes every opportunity to excoriate MAGA and trumpet Democratic talking points — filmed McLean and her assistant and could barely contain her enthusiasm for their woke flag stunt.

"I am so happy. ... This is wonderful," Hemphill gushed.

"Now this is a mayor. We gotta re-elect her. She stands for all the people," Hemphill continued, even as McLean and the assistant basically ignored her.

Hemphill also characterized her detractors as "idiots" and "haters." "All you know is propaganda and hate," she said.

Mayor McLean has managed to flout H.B. 96 so brazenly because the law is basically toothless. Even Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford, whose office has been bombarded with complaints about the flag mess in Boise, has admitted there's little he can do.

"The law, as it stands, doesn’t provide any enforcement mechanism," Clifford said in a statement posted to social media.

Clifford further noted that criminal laws generally "apply to individuals, not institutions," but H.B. 96 applies mainly to local governments and government bodies.

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, a Republican, also acknowledged that "the law does not allow for criminal prosecution in this situation."

"I cannot prosecute conduct that is not a crime, and I will not distort or stretch Idaho law to invent one. What I can do — and am actively doing — is reviewing every available civil legal option under Idaho law in response to this situation," he added.

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Leftist mayor ignores deep-red state law, flies racial LGBTQ flag



A leftist mayor has opted to defy a new law in her deep-red state by flying a flag that represents the woke racial and sexual agenda.

Less than two weeks ago, Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little signed into law H.B. 96, which strictly regulates the flags that counties, municipalities, and other governmental entities may fly on public property. Introduced by state Rep. Heather Scott (R-Blanchard), the bill basically restricts public flags to those representing the U.S. and its military, the state of Idaho, local cities, schools, and Indian tribes.

Scott indicated the purpose behind the law was to keep flag-flying from becoming too "political."

"I believe this bill is necessary for government to be neutral and unified and that government buildings should represent all Idahoans and not be used for political movements or social movements," she said, according to KIVI-TV.

The law took effect immediately. However, Lauren McLean, the radical mayor of Boise, does not seem to care.

According to reports from over the weekend, Boise City Hall still flies a flag known as the "Progressive Pride" flag, depicting the rainbow associated with non-heterosexual identities, the colors affiliated with so-called transgenderism, and black and brown stripes that pay fealty to non-white skin colors.

The Idaho Dispatch reported that the flag was momentarily removed, but the mayor's administration raised it again.

McLean indicated in a statement that the sex- and race-based flag represents the inclusiveness of the Boise community. "We will continue flying it because we are a safe and welcoming city that values all comers," she said.

'I never looked at her as a law breaker, but I guess she is.'

McLean also claimed in her statement that flying the Pride flag has been a Boise tradition that dates back almost a decade. "For nearly ten years the city has been flying the Pride flag," she said.

However, keen observers at BoiseDev noticed that the flag that flies over the city currently appears in better condition than the one that flew as recently as February. The colors on the current flag "now appear more vibrant, and a small hole in the flag is no longer present," the outlet reported.

The city did not respond to questions from BoiseDev about whether a new flag had been used.

BoiseDev also noted that McLean and other city leaders quickly abided by another state law, S.B. 1141, that prohibits sleeping in outdoor public places or inside cars, even while they continue to ignore H.B. 96.

The difference may be that S.B. 1141 imposes penalties for noncompliance. Cities that fail to enforce S.B. 1141 can be hit with a $10,000 fine imposed by the state attorney general. Even McLean admitted that she would work with the police department to enforce S.B. 1141 "because we must."

H.B. 96 has no such enforcement mechanism. Still, Scott is shocked by McLean's defiance.

"I just assumed [McLean] would follow the law," Scott told BoiseDev. "It’s interesting that she’s not going to follow the law. I never looked at her as a law breaker, but I guess she is."

In a conversation with KIVI, state Rep. Monica Church, a Democrat who represents a district that includes Boise City Hall, seemed to relish the fact that there is no way to enforce H.B. 96 at the moment. She also views H.B. 96 as "an opportunity for political grandstanding," the outlet added.

Gov. Little and Attorney General Raul Labrador did not respond to a request for comment from the Idaho Dispatch.

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Boise Pride postpones drag show featuring child performers, but says the kids 'deserve their chance to be in the spotlight, and we want to give that to them at a later date'



The Boise Pride Festival announced that a drag show featuring child performers has been postponed over "increased safety concerns."

"While the vast majority of our sponsors and supporters have voiced their support for the Boise Pride Festival and the Drag Kids program, we have made the very difficult decision to postpone this performance due to increased safety concerns," Boise Pride said in a statement posted to social media on Thursday evening. "The kids who were going to perform have the enthusiastic support of their community and support and consent of their parents. We support the kids 1000% and their choice to be themselves, stand in their truth, and express themselves. They are brave, beautiful, and deserve their chance to be in the spotlight, and we want to give that to them at a later date."

\u201cStatement from Boise Pride:\u201d
— Boise Pride (@Boise Pride) 1662677296

The festival schedule reflects that the "Drag Kids" event which had been slated to occur on Sunday has been postponed — an event description had said that "Drag Kids range from ages 11 - 18 and are ready to bring it all to the Boise Pride Festival stage!"

Multiple entities have backed out of their involvement with the Boise Pride Festival because of the drag show.

Zions Bank said in a statement posted on Wednesday, "when we committed to our sponsorship of this year's Boise Pride event, we were unaware of the event's activities involving children/minors. Since learning of these specific activities, we have made the decision to withdraw our participation in this year's Boise Pride event and have communicated this to the event organizers."

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare also bowed out of its support for the festival — in a Thursday letter to Boise Pride Festival executive director Donald Williamson, the director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Dave Jeppesen, explained, "DHW's sponsorship of Boise Pride 2022 has led to some confusion about whether DHW endorses specific event activities involving minors during this event. To avoid any confusion regarding DHW's support of such activities, DHW is withdrawing both of its Orange Level sponsorships and Project Filter will no longer be supporting a booth at the event this weekend."

According to kivitv.com, Idaho Power spokesperson Brad Bowlin noted that the company had backed out of its involvement with Boise Pride. "Due to programming changes that occurred after our sponsorship and concerns for the safety of employees and volunteers, we have withdrawn our participation in the Boise Pride event. We will continue to support our diverse communities," Bowlin said, according to the outlet.

In a Thursday night Facebook post, Idaho Central Credit Union noted, "We are disappointed in the events and conversations centered around this year's event. We appreciate the programming change made by Boise Pride, but have made the decision to withdraw our involvement from the event. We have communicated this to the organizers."

In a Friday Facebook post, CapEd Credit Union declared, "when we committed to our sponsorship of this year's Boise Pride Festival, we were unaware of the events and activities involving children/minors. After careful consideration, we have made the decision to withdraw our sponsorship of this year's Boise Pride Festival and have communicated this to the event organizers."

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