Idaho State Capitol Won't Participate in Gay Pride Day

Bring your own crayons. Or your own lights and flags. The Idaho State Capitol is no longer honoring requests for lighting. A writer at Idaho Press explains it’s because the state would like to avoid being mired in controversial topics.

It might have gone unnoticed but the flag raising fell on June 14^th

Lighting up the portico for events such as “Pride Day” doesn’t please everyone.

The building is very much a public space and a variety of rallies will still take place on the steps, the plaza and park. The state just won’t change out the lights for special interest causes.

I know how this can get out of hand. Many years ago I was hosting a talk show in Syracuse, New York. City Hall was often celebrating various causes, events and ethnic days. One of my first reporting assignments there was a Greek flag raising on Greek Independence Day.

A new Mayoral Administration arrived one year and honored a request to raise the rainbow Pride Flag. It might have gone unnoticed but the flag raising fell on June 14^th.

An angry caller reached my show. “It’s called Flag Day,” he bellowed. Then he spelled it out for me. “F-L-A-G”. His on-air comment was almost as controversial as the city’s oversight. Someone in Idaho made a decision to ratchet down the emotions.