The Rainbow Report – Pride, Freedom, and the Right to Choose 🌈

“Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education & free discussion are the antidotes of both.” – Thomas Jefferson

Addressing the letter recently submitted to Target by seven Republican attorneys general who expressed their concerns about the company’s Pride campaign, it becomes necessary to clarify certain misleading concepts.

The attorneys general’s actions clearly contradict the principles they claim to advocate for – small government, personal responsibility, and individual freedom. A fundamental element of a free society is the right for businesses to manage their practices autonomously. Therefore, it’s paradoxical that the same voices advocating for such freedoms turn around to advocate for the regulation of autonomous corporations under the opaque label of ‘anti-woke.’

So, what does it truly mean to be ‘woke’? To our governor’s team, it implies a recognition of systemic issues embedded in our society that demand attention. A historical reality that they would rather ignore and rewrite into our collective memories through book bannings and educational reform. Yet, remarkably, those individuals who decry systemic injustice also harness the formidable power of the state to enforce a singular, restricted perspective steeped in bias and ignorance. Even though this perspective does not resonate with the majority of our nation, it continues to be represented as a protective measure for our children and parental rights.

This prompts us to question: whose rights are they defending? Whose children are they seeking to protect? Moreover, why do we permit a minority to determine what is morally acceptable within our society based on one particular understanding of their theology? The words of this group of Republican attorneys general to the Target Corporation blur the very concept of being an American in a free society. Their conflation of Pride and sex, and the false equivalence drawn between a rainbow and sexual acts, is deeply concerning. Their obsessive preoccupation with what happens within the privacy of our homes or with sexuality itself is equally troubling.

At Safe Schools, we stand in opposition to such actions as they fundamentally contradict the spirit of our nation. We fervently advocate for personal freedom and responsibility, assuring every citizen the right to choose where they shop. If a Pride flag is offensive to you, avoid purchasing Pride-themed merchandise. The nationalistic themes expressed in the letter to Target, suggesting that Pride be subsumed under a banner of nationalism, deeply disturb us. It seems as if this fringe element of our society is attempting to take Pride away from the queer community and rebrand it as a tool for prejudice and hate. We won’t let them, for we affirm that Pride is more than a tool for protest; it is a daily choice to resist widespread discrimination and prejudice.

Pride binds our vibrant Queer community together, spurring us into action not only through words but also through the act of living our lives openly and authentically. So let us continue to be bold, live free, stay woke, and love all. Now is the time to amplify our voices and stand firm in our convictions. Let’s continue to support businesses like Target and Disney that celebrate diversity and inclusivity, and let us not be dissuaded by the narrow viewpoints of a vocal minority. Let’s take Pride in who we are, in all our wonderful diversity and uniqueness, and let’s keep fighting for the acceptance and understanding that every human being deserves.

By: Harold Marrero
Chief Operating Officer

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