“I do not want any kind of rainbow display especially in this month.” Imagine hating the idea of diversity so much that any kind of rainbow offends you. These people won’t stop until the entire world is gray.
Man, these people are gonna be unhinged once they find out a rainbow is our visible light spectrum and that we technically see it everywhere. The kicker is that “God” put it there.
Oh boy are they unhinged.
“Give it back”. Apparently god isn’t powerful enough to take it back himself. Weirdest game of keep away ever.
The likely conclusion is that God is perfectly fine with how it is but they aren’t ready to admit that the plan of the eldritch entity they believe in may go beyond their idiocy
When your political project is ‘make everyone as miserable as I am’, whining about every goddamn thing is actually a kind of praxis.
You should see the comments on instagram reels whenever a teacher posts something and there’s a rainbow in the background, like just a rainbow on the wall in a kindergarten class or something, so many people absolutely fucking lose their minds and spew the most vile shit at these teachers, it’s bizarre.
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That’s how social media works. All it takes is one person to find it and post it to their network.
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Because when normal people with critical thinking skills see a rainbow in the back of a classroom, we don’t even register it. It’s not political to us at all. It’s just a wall decoration. So why would we hone in on it? Most of us probably don’t even “see” it.
Any sign of a rainbow at all is triggering to those who lack critical thinking skills. They latch onto it and start screaming about the LGBTQ+ agenda. And they spread it to their base to fill the hate tank and get them all riled up.
Meanwhile the rest of us are like “There was a rainbow on the wall…?”
Usually when I see a rainbow it’s just “oh cool! A rainbow! :D” and then I go on with my day, if it’s a lgbtqia+ flag or something I may say that I like their (item the flag is on) but that’s it. It boggles my mind to think someone sees something as innocent as a rainbow and thinks that it’s something malicious and not just the person who put it up thinking it’s cool
It’s not because the commenters are politically conservative or have commonly held views; it’s because they’re part of organized hate groups.
What sort of a nuanced discussion are you envisioning here, and are you envisioning that in response to bigoted comments or in an attempt to drown those comments out?
It’s because outrage is a strong motivator. That’s why posts that stoke outrage are so popular on social media.
Yes, and algorithms reward posts with engagement. A hate-filled comment sparks an argument and the post gets more traction.
Plus, people aren’t as likely to comment something benign, like, “lovely ABCs!”
Because it is the right that’s conditioned to see things as black and white, and that values members falling in line with what they do or do not support.
Combine that with the dunning-kruger effect, and they are extremely confident that their very simplified view of the world is right, and they shout it from the rooftops.
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Just observations from my experience with people around me, from living in a 3/4 red area in a purple state, and from having to listened to a couple years of talk radio before podcasts were a thing.
The whole conservative media sphere states what is obviously good and obviously evil, and they repeat it over and over until the simple “truths” they spread get conditioned into people as an agreed-upon set of basic rules about the world. That’s how they’ve become so far detached from reality.
It’s very much like a religion, because if you vote for a democrat you’re basically a bad person or at best mentally ill.
Of course, other political parties and other organizations have their die-hard fanatical supporters. It’s just that in my limited, anecdotal experience, it is expected of everyday folks in the Republican base.
💀
I don’t bother blocking them on social media. I block them in real life. The moment I find out that you’re registered Republican, is the same moment that I will cut you off from all the community support I provide, and will refuse to even speak to you again.
A couple of them have gotten the message
Hate is a powerful motivator 
They don’t have a life + they are on instagram
They won’t stop until all the LGBTQ people (and Jews, people of color, etc) are dead.
Why do I feel like such an event would just make population epigenetics LGBTQ even harder.
These people won’t stop until the entire world is
graywhite.FTFY.
“I do not want any kind of rainbow display especially in this month. We have a conservative town and as a library do not need to make political statements (see Target and Budlight as negative examples). I certainly do not want the library to promote LGBTQ agendas.”
Ah, and removing them is not a political statement?
Remember, it’s only “political” when it’s something they don’t like.
Wrong reply…
Well yeah, there are only two sexualities: straight and political ^/s
And there’s only two genders. Male and political. Two races. White and political.
To the quoted hate-filled fuck: Existing without being persecuted isn’t a goddamn agenda you piece of shit. The only agenda I see here is your fascist one. Try keeping your shit to yourself and learn to let people be instead of trying to stamp them out, ignorant fuckstick.
Tell them it’s to celebrate the receding flood waters and God’s promise to never do it again.
That should shut them up.
No, then they’ll just blame it on
[takes deep breath]
“THE JOOOOOOOOOOOZ!!!1!1!!”
I’m sure they would also happily attempt elimination of neurodivergent people.
Maybe but they also might just do away with all psychiatric treatments, who needs “happy pills” for depression when you can just praise the Lord?
I think they want to replace psychiatry with exorcism.
Back to the sanatoriums but this time with more Jesus
But Jesus is too woke now.
Not supply side Jesus!
Praise the Lord and pasd the Ammunition!
Well that’s the next step.
Indeed. No question about that at all.
Until they realize how neuro divergent they all are, they just hide it all in cult nonsense.
Asa neurodivergent person, I’m insulted at being grouped with all the hateful bigots. Yes, I’m sure some of them are neurodivergent (just by sheer chance), but being a hateful bigot doesn’t mean that they are neurodivergent.
Oh %100 I agree. I’m not implying one means the other. I’m implying they are too ignorant to understand what being neuro divergent is. I’m ND as well, and even “normal people” have trouble understanding it. I doubt a redneck who thinks cartoons will torn his kid gay gets it.
I don’t understand how having a rainbow nearby isn’t protected by 1st amendment rights.
Probably because that’s not how the first amendment works.
IANAL but, if it’s a publicly owned and operated library, and someone acting on behalf of the government fired these people for some sort of protected speech (which isn’t always just talking/writing) then I’m pretty sure that’s a 1a violation.
Though I could use some clarity on any distinction between a persons own speech, and speech that could be seen as that of the library.
Only kind of related, but I just learned from another Lemmy thread that while public nudity is illegal in major cities in Oregon, if you are riding a bicycle while nude, it is considered “speech protected under the first amendment” because it can reasonably be assumed you are protesting against cars.
https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2008/11/judge_throws_out_charges_again.html
IIRC there was also some feminist protest where the ladies went protesting topless onto the street. It was also deemed “protected speech” because of the protest.
Strange how certain types incorrectly construe constitutional right violations with businesses but completely overlook state enforcement as literal infringement by government. Big gubmint isn’t just federal.
Would you like to explain it?
I’m guessing https://xkcd.com/1357/
Freedom of speech is the right to not be punished by the government, not private people.
I could be fired from a job for saying I like the Ninja Turtles and the newest remake wasn’t that bad. But the govt can’t do shit about my awesome movie choices.
Now this is a library, so I think it would come down to who runs it and their policies. For example, I was in the USMC and while I uniform I couldn’t openly support any political stances or party.
Are you aware that Libraries are government institutions?
Yeah, that’s why I mentioned being in the USMC, a government institution.
Yet, rightly so, you cannot be fired for saying that you’re gay as that is considered sexual discrimination. See Bostock v. Clayton County:
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Whataboutism at it’s finest folks
Edit: Also for the record, it’s not “whataboutism” because a religious book was part of the display with the symbol for neuro divergence. Just fyi.
“The display also included the books Emma & Mommy Talk to God, The Color Purple, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Separate is Never Equal, Wonder, and To Kill a Mockingbird.”
No, it’s not. It’s an example for you to understand. Religion, particular Christianity, is everywhere in some parts of the US. Most people probably don’t even notice. To others, a rainbow is the same way. It’s a pretty decoration just like a cross or the signs up in my kid’s school, In God We Trust. No one would say a cross is political, but it is absolutely in support of, and in certain locations, normalizing that religion should exist here. And there are absolutely people who advocate unless you are one particular religion or subset of that religion you are not a “real” American.
It makes sense to equate showing Christian paraphernalia with showing support for LGBTQ, or in this case neuro divergent people, because of how two sides see them. I’m not Christian. I don’t want my children raised Christian or in any particular religion for that matter. But they are being exposed to multiple aspects of religion every day in school. Is that not indoctrination, however subtle? Those who argue against the pride flag being shown in public insist that the publicity of the flag indoctrinates children.
Now which is actually correct? Does a flag celebrating differences make it more likely that children will be non-heteronormative or neuro divergent? Or does it make it more likely that the children will feel accepted and not hide who they are? Does exposing children to multiple parts of religious practices make it more likely that those children will believe that said religion is true and more likely to hide if they don’t believe it because everyone around them seems to?
In your view are pride flags political? If so, why? Who made them about politics?
I don’t think you speak English…
Why?
Because….edgy.
Or because if you argue one thing is indoctrination and shouldn’t be allowed, then the other thing that is indoctrination shouldn’t be allowed either.
Are you saying being LGBTQ+ is a result of indoctrination? Because you certainly have been indoctrinated on hate and lies if that’s the case.
Because pick a different political symbol that you dont agree with and reevaluate the situation
Thing that stand for inclusion is a bit different than a symbol of a regime that was famous for genocide…
Someone didn’t read the article. I’m just gonna go full bore at the get go. Be very careful how you use your frozen peaches son, cuz you’re actually posting in a .de instance with rules against promoting nazism.
Which you aren’t doing yet, of course. And you won’t. Will you.
I am old enough to remember the rainbow colors being a secret way for the community to find each other. We’d put a small rainbow on our cars, or other places and people of our community knew what that meant.
Now that we are more out of the closet, hateful bigots know what the rainbow flag means too. This is an expected downside to our communities progress. But we will never go back in the closet.
I’m a straight biological male and love rainbows. Colours are pretty! Not sure why anyone would get upset about rainbows. You know, the NATURALLY occurring thing?
Such a depressing world.
Bingo. As a Pink Floyd fan I remember seeing bigots complain about the gay “rainbow” with the anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon.
I use to have a tee shirt that said “Which one’s Pink?” And non Pink Floyd fans thinking it was a gay reference instead of a song lyric asking who is Pink Floyd".
Prisms are part of the woke agenda, along with any refraction. #cancelRefraction.
I almost spit out my bugles from that hashtag, lmao. I want #cancelRefraction to become a thing now
You know they get upset at all kinds of Science shit that’s for liberals and nerds. Rainbows are no different.
Another cis straight male here btw. Rainbows are awesome in more ways than one. And how could you be a sensible person and not be an ally to those who would prefer not to be oppressed for stupid reasons?
Not the only reason by any stretch, but Christians love to claim that no one else can use rainbows because of that myth where their god used one to apologize for one of his many mass genocides.
I want a way to signal to people, sorry I’m freaking weird and apologies in advance for my awkwardness.
I’ve always loved the infinity symbol, got it engraved on a ring for my partner over a decade ago.
I also love badges.
Considering finding an enamel rainbow infinity badge online - and if someone mistakes me as queer, I don’t mind, I’m an ally and a bit bi anyway.
Bigots get way too hung up on symbols.
I like to think of symbols as positive things - either covert ways to communicate with like minded people in an unfortunately negative environment, or ways to show pride in something if the symbol is widely recognised.
When that pride is something includes infringement on the rights of others, then we have a problem.
Otherwise, yay, go wild.
Yes, officer, I’ve had a few drinks - why do you ask?
I think a lot of the bigots out there with a religious background have been conditioned to put a LOT into simple symbols.
Different challenges these days for sure. As glad as I am in a place when I do not have to resort to spy codes just to feel like myself I still find the modern ones to be kind of great. Like every stripe of the LGBTQIA has their own hidden messages. Like if I saw a Blahaj Ikea shark wearing a bandana around it’s “waist” chomping on a piece of garlic bread surrounded by toadstools I would be like… Well that’s basically a pride flag.
Imagine being so afraid of The Big Gay that you fire two people for being part of another community that uses boldly colored stripes in their logo, a community that literally has a documented statistical preference for bold primary colors and patterns. Imagine your hate being so enormous that it can’t hit just one group of vulnerable minority children.
EDIT: Imagine posting before your caffeine kicks in and having to fix three different typos.
It’s not hate. It’s fear. Fear of the confusing thoughts in their heads.
EDIT: Imagine posting before your caffeine kicks in and having to fix three different typos.
I don’t have to imagine anything at all to know what this is. Imagine having this experience most days!
Most days I don’t do anything before my caffeine and meds kick in x_x
When you accidentally discriminate against the “wrong” minority
No, no, they disciminate against them as well. 2 birds, 1 stone.
They’re suing.
I hope they win. If the basis for their firing was the presumption that they were gay (hint: being gay is a protected class, you can’t fire someone for being gay), this would be an open-and-shut case of employment discrimination.
But if it’s all a big dumb misunderstanding and they’re not gay (and not part of that particular protected class) but they’re still fired over it, let me remind you that being autistic is a never-ending ordeal of being misunderstood, often mixed with a sense of justice that could be characterized as white-hot.
…or at least, my sense of justice about this might be in the range of over-wrought, or just blazing.
Shit, is firing someone because they’re autistic not also an open-an-shut case of employment discrimination?
If not, I think we need some reform.
Being autistic is a protected class
They just don’t hire you for not being charismatic or some other stupid reason.
They could argue it was over the displaying of “political” symbology, and not for the perceived sexuality of the employees.
They could argue it was over the displaying of “political” symbology, and not for the perceived sexuality of the employees.
They could, but the article quotes text messages from the lawsuit that very strongly indicate it was explicitly about perceived ‘gay pride’ being the kind of “political” they don’t want:
On June 22, Splitter, a temporary summer library employee, complained about the display to Lancaster, saying she found the “gay Pride” symbol offensive and going into “an anti-LGBT diatribe” even though Lancaster explained that the infinity symbol represented neurodiversity and autism.
Splitter then complained about the display to Michelle Miller, vice chair of the library board. Miller reportedly told Lancaster that she could get her fellow board members to have Lancaster take down the display.
“I am totally fine with diversity of skin color display, just not represented with rainbow colors,” Miller texted Wheeler, the director, according to the lawsuit. “I do not want any kind of rainbow display especially in this month. We have a conservative town and as a library do not need to make political statements (see Target and Budlight as negative examples). I certainly do not want the library to promote LGBTQ agendas.”
From context, not only did the plaintiffs explain that the rainbow-infinity is an autism symbol, they also went so far as to take down the display to seek guidance on how to change it- and even after those accommodations they were fired. But at least they put their intent to discriminate in text messages that would be discoverable at trial
It seems like the person afraid of a little knowledge is the one unfit for a library
These fucking morons don’t even know what they’re banning… Really teaching everyone how important education really is, and why they don’t want people educated.
It’s so weird to be outraged about this stuff enough to fire 2 of your neighbors in a small town.
It is deeply weird. These people’s brains have been beaten into a froth of hate.
I really like the way you put that. I’m stealing it.
They did WHAT in a small town!?
“I can breathe in a small town”
/s
LGBTQ people existing is not political, it is a fact. And I am sure even in that conservative town there are LGBTQ people who would want to read books about them or books to help them. Yea, helping other LGBTQ people is the gay agenda.
Agenda of tolerance. “Oh nOoOoOoo sOo sCaRY!!!1!”
LGBTQ people existing is not political Minorities existing is not political Climate change existing is not political Evolution existing is not political
…unless your opinions are so awful that you have to deny reality in order to make them an easier sell to your followers.
On June 22, Splitter, a temporary summer library employee, complained about the display to Lancaster, saying she found the “gay Pride” symbol offensive and going into “an anti-LGBT diatribe” even though Lancaster explained that the infinity symbol represented neurodiversity and autism.
I have to wonder if this person saw the rainbow and applied for a temp position just to complain.
Where are all the people who say “if you don’t like it just get another job” when this happens. Especially if you’re a temp and you could literally walk across the street and get another job.
Even if the symbol was a Pride display, they should be suing.
So this is the Sterling Free Public Library that did this? The library at this website here?
https://sterling.scklslibrary.info/
I wonder what would happen if these ignorant bigots faced a proverbial shit storm of backlash from across the country every time they tried to pull hateful shit like this?
They’d close the library as a fuck you.
“Look at all this hate mail the library is receiving! Proof that no one likes books.”
So much for not wanting to have negative press, now some random guy in Ohio even hates the place
