this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2024
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A bill advanced by Florida Republicans on Wednesday would ban teachers and other government employees from displaying a rainbow flag -- even wearing one as a lapel pin for a day -- but they could hang the full-size flag of any “recognized nation” as long as they want, according to the bill’s sponsor.

Flag displays that depict a “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint” would be banned from any state or local government building, including public schools and universities, under the bill authored by GOP Rep. David Borrero.

Opponents say the bill is inspired by hate. Borrero said it protects children and it would ban even lapel pins representing the flags of the LGBTQ+ and Black Lives Matter movements.

“Public classrooms should not be the place where our kids go to be radicalized and evangelized into accepting these partisan, radical ideologies,” Borrero said. “It’s wholly inappropriate to be putting those types of flags in front of public school students and in government buildings.”

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[–] skweetis@kbin.social 54 points 8 months ago (1 children)

We have to keep repeating this: These people are terrified of reality and think that it is everyone's job to protect them from the real world. I don't know if it's helpful to use the term "snowflake", but it is apt. Queer people exist in the world. There is no doubt. Trans people exist in the world. The Civil Rights movement occurred and was a big part of US history, as was slavery. If someone's religion says that ham is a sin, we don't ban it from school cafeterias. That, as we say, is a you problem. We have got to start hammering home that these people are afraid of reality and want big government to protect them from it. And we also have to start saying "Tough shit. Grow up. Learn to deal with the rest of the world or hide in your basement. I give zero fucks."

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 21 points 8 months ago (1 children)

They're not scared of LGBT+ people. They're just looking for a scapegoat because fascism requires one.

[–] skweetis@kbin.social 19 points 8 months ago

I didn't say they were scared of gay people. I said they were scared of reality, which includes gay people, America's history of racism, global warming, and scientists who know more than they do. These things threaten their identity, which can feel like actual physical danger. Certainly, the powerful and sleazy opportunists have used demonization of out-groups to manipulate the masses since the beginning of time, but I don't think these maniacs screaming about pronouns at schoolboard meetings are pretending at gay panic as a clever ruse while they calmly and knowingly execute a fascism. My husband recently peeked at the facebook of one of his MAGA cousins and she is a maniac. There is nothing strategic about her behavior. She is wrapped up in an ecstasy of hate, driven by fear. It's an old joke, but she is literally terrified that trans Muslims are going to sneak across the border to forcibly inject her with 5G. Literally.

And to be clear: I don't care what is going on in their heads. It is unknowable. What I care about is how they are understood and defined by the ambient culture, and my recommendation is to relentlessly portray them as scared diaper babies desperate for their government daddy to come and save them from the big scary world.

[–] politicalincorruption@lemmy.world 35 points 8 months ago (1 children)

As soon as Republicans stop wearing AK 47 pins in the halls of Congress.

[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 5 points 8 months ago

He now, they are just showing their support for either East Timor, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso or Mozambique.

All of which have them on their national coat of arms.

[–] terminhell@lemmy.world 27 points 8 months ago

Gotta take all the flags out then. It was about the 5th or 6th grade when I stopped standing for the pledge and national anthem. The fact it's implied as mandatory is so gross.

[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 25 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Flag displays that depict a “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint

IANAL but wouldn't the stars and stripes also fall under that definition?

I keep hearing how it is the symbol of democracy, which I am fairly sure is a political ideology.

[–] Reality_Suit@lemmy.one 22 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Aren't flags in general political? Not just what they depict, but literally flags.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (3 children)

I dunno. I once made this nifty flag for a pirate costume... I don't think that was particularly political? I mean, I was like...12.

[–] MSgtRedFox@infosec.pub 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Now it's for stealing media and games, Sony and other movie theaters will destroy you..

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

so if they fly a pirate flag in a movie...

does that make it okay to pirate the movie?

[–] PugJesus@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago

Y'arrr, ye be part o' the Republic o' Pirates now!

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 2 points 8 months ago

Pirates were pretty democratic, that’s political.

[–] Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip 3 points 8 months ago

theyre political unless a flag is something super generic (e.g ones that might be used for a sport or something) to be used as an indicator off sorts.

[–] BlueEther@no.lastname.nz 11 points 8 months ago
  • The Christian Fish
  • That tree flag
  • Those purity type flags
[–] Poggervania@kbin.social 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Notice the wording: “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint”

So if rainbow flags were somehow part of, say, religious iconography… would it be okay in that context?

[–] Aldehyde@kbin.social 10 points 8 months ago

Sounds like a job for the satanic temple

[–] ThePJN@sopuli.xyz 8 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

“…they could hang the full size flag of any recognized nation as long as they want.”

Hmm. So hanging a bunch of flags from random countries altogether like this would be okay:

Bunch of emojis of country flags arranged into a halfassed pride flag.

(There aren’t great colour options in the flag palette and you’d probably have to overlap them too but whatever. You get the idea.)

[–] Pratai@lemmy.ca 7 points 8 months ago

The cowardservative party, yet again, proving to the world that there’s nothing they’re not afraid of.

[–] _sideffect@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago

What happens when it rains but is slightly sunny outside?

[–] ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

deleted by creator

[–] Fixbeat@lemmy.ml 6 points 8 months ago

Every accusation is a confession.

[–] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I’m so glad Double Rainbow Guy didn’t live to see this

[–] Bonesince1997@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)
[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Wait! Really? Rainbow dude is dead?

Edit: Holy fuck! The Internet does say the dude died!

[–] Snapz@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Florida GOP lawmakers seek to ban THEMSELVES from schools, saying they're bad for students

[–] paysrenttobirds@sh.itjust.works 3 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I think Mauritius' flag 🇲🇺 is the closest. I could learn to see it as a pride flag.

[–] SlicingBot@lemmy.ml 8 points 8 months ago

If they allow city flags, the flag for Cuzco is a rainbow flag I believe.

[–] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 5 points 8 months ago

Next up: Republicans calling for the US to invade Mauritius because it promotes a gay agenda

[–] Nastybutler@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Someone is about to get a lesson about the 1st Amendment as soon as this gets to a courtroom.

[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 2 points 8 months ago

This would fail any proper challenge for the racial element.

The shitty thing about US law is that there is minimal protection against sexual discrimination, at least outside of employment matters.

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

well they should ban the story of Noah and the Great Flood too.... that has a rainbow in it!!!!1!1!11

[–] MSgtRedFox@infosec.pub 1 points 8 months ago

Ha, They did already.

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 1 points 8 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


Flag displays that depict a “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint” would be banned from any state or local government building, including public schools and universities, under the bill authored by GOP Rep. David Borrero.

Borrero said it protects children and it would ban even lapel pins representing the flags of the LGBTQ+ and Black Lives Matter movements.

“It’s wholly inappropriate to be putting those types of flags in front of public school students and in government buildings.”

This bill advanced with a party-line 9-5 vote by the House Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee faces an uncertain path, even with Republican supermajorities in the Legislature.

Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner, who is Black and lesbian, spoke with frustration that anti-LGBTQ+ bills keep coming up in the Florida Legislature, ignoring more pressing needs such as access to affordable housing and property insurance.

Robert Boo, CEO of the town’s Pride Center, said DeSantis and the bill’s backers hope to “erase the LGBTQ community” and throw “red meat” to their political supporters while ignoring complicated issues plaguing the state.


The original article contains 741 words, the summary contains 182 words. Saved 75%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] Xariphon@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago

School is bad for you. School in Florida doubly so.