Recently, Gov. Spencer Cox called both the Legislature’s ban on Pride flags and Salt Lake City’s alternative flags “dumb,” using the word seven times in less than a minute. He claimed that he felt bad for those left out, such as Japanese Americans and Polynesian Americans.
Governor, the issue isn’t that complicated. You signed a bill depriving the parents of trans kids of the right to make medical decisions for their own children. Did you do the same for Japanese American parents?
You also signed laws depriving trans people of the right to use restrooms and live in dorms that match their gender identity. Did you do the same for Polynesian Americans?
As if that weren’t enough, your party has attempted to erase the contributions of LGBTQ and African Americans from libraries, government websites, monuments and battleships.
When you single out specific groups to bully, those groups fight back; and they’re joined by others who believe in the Constitution and in Christlike compassion. That’s what happened in Salt Lake. If you and your party had decided to bully Japanese and Polynesians, I have no doubt the city would have adopted flags of welcome for those groups as well.
Governor, if you think it’s “dumb” to adopt symbolism welcoming those who are bullied, there’s a simple solution: stop the bullying and start welcoming everyone. But that would have cost you your party’s nomination, wouldn’t it?
It’s so much easier to call others “dumb” than it is to own the consequences of our own choices.
Blair Bateman, Midvale
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