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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