by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
On May 13th of this year Republican Governor Greg Gianforte of Montana signed a bill into state law which delineates the types of flags that may be displayed at state buildings, including public schools, and while the bill sounded general in nature, it seemed obvious to some people in Montana that it was primarily aimed at preventing schools and state government agencies from displaying Gay Pride flags. According to provisions of the new law, the only flags that can be displayed at state government buildings are the US flag, an official flag of the state, other municipality or special district, tribal nations, foreign nations, as well as certain historical, military, law enforcement, and school or mascot flags.
It would apparently be legal in Montana to display the flag of North Korea at the Department of Motor Vehicles or at a public school, but not a Gay Pride flag.
While Montana may "pride" itself on being a cowboy state, it also has a growing class of individuals who are more open-minded and tolerant of societal shifts than their pioneer grandparents had been, and they are willing, and sometimes eager, to speak up in support of those who are being discriminated against and marginalized. Missoula, Montana, is one of those places where enlightened Montanans seem to be congregating.
(The four largest employers in the city are the University of Montana, Missoula Public Schools, the major local hospital, and the city's rail system - all enterprises staffed, in large measure, by well-educated individuals.)
Last week the city of Missoula, Montana, took issue with the new state law that limited which flags could be flown at state buildings, and on Monday night the city council passed an ordinance which made the LGBTQ Pride flag an "official" flag of the city of Missoula.
Take that, Governor Gianforte. You, sir, have been schooled!
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