Over on The Reidout, host Joy Reid didn’t shy away from displaying her criticism for Louisiana’s new law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. As it would turn out, members of the “Christian nationalist” community seem to have ruffled the feathers of the “freedom from religion” bunch.
Reid dedicated a portion of her show hammering the point that Louisiana is an inherently flawed state, both socially and economically. She rolled out a statistical barrage to reinforce her standpoint, a common strategy employed by many liberal pundits. Introducing Rachel Laser, the head of ‘Americans United for the Separation of Church and State’, Reid constructs a narrative against the Louisiana law, citing a lawsuit initiated by Laser’s group and the ACLU.
The irony to all of this, Reid alleged, is that those defending the law are typically the same ones finding “indoctrination” issues with displaying Pride flags in classrooms. So, the Ten Commandments is alright, but a flag representing a considerable section of the community isn’t? Something smells fishy here, doesn’t it?
Before Reid’s open contempt for those opposing the Pride flag was voiced, her guest Laser pitched the same argument. This was, according to her, a blatant display of “Christian nationalism” and an extension of the conservative Christian mindset. “Children. They’re captive audiences in school. They’re impressionable. No children should be made to feel afraid of being ostracized or bullied or like they don’t fit into the in-group.” Props to her, we agree and believe in the importance of guarding the open-mindedness of our impressionable youth.
Unfortunately, it seems like those promoting the Pride flag have no tolerance for anyone not advocating their perspective. So, while they preach inclusivity, their actions tell a different story. NBC News unveiled in 2021 a radical Californian teacher who replaced the American flag with a Pride one and suggested that students should pledge their allegiance to it.
BBC Mornings had an entire segment on the Pride flag’s history. Not surprisingly, TV host Gayle King concluded by lavishing rich praises on it, calling it a “beautiful symbol.” It might represent a spectrum of sexual and gender preferences to King, but to many others – it’s a far cry from representing a spectrum of public opinion.
Onto another Pride Month controversy: the Mayor of Great Falls, Montana declined to recognize Pride Month, choosing not to “condemn nor celebrate” personal relationships. Interestingly enough, this neutral stance by the mayor was met with strong criticism by USA Today, despite Pride Month indeed having a widespread acknowledgement in many municipalities to acknowledge and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and their unique cultures.
In other news, NPR media reporter David Folkenflik celebrated the removal of a Rupert Murdoch-associated journalist from The Washington Post, showing a non-inclusive attitude extends to the mainstream media as well. Do they believe in diversity or just pushing their agenda?
At the end of the day, it’s essential to be consistent. If the goal is true tolerance and inclusivity, it must span across all spectrums of society, not just those that align with your perspective. Touting diversity and shouting down those with differing viewpoints does not foster freedom; it breeds segregation and division. Let’s truly embrace the spirit of acceptance, not just when it serves our purpose.
