Thank you Juneau Empire for prominently covering the choice of our governor to fly the little-known but evocative “pro-life” flag in front of the mansion on the anniversary of the reversal of Roe v Wade on Jan. 20.
The Alaska Department of Law does allow for some exemptions for the governor to express personal opinions at their home. There were useful links in this article to another Empire article published on June 6, 2023, about the flying of the Pride flag in front of the Federal Building to commemorate June being Pride month. This decision by NOAA, which occupies space in the downtown federal building, was intended to signal inclusivity, acceptance and a welcoming spirit for community cohesiveness.
However, there are distinct and crucial differences in the social movements symbolized by the Pride flag and the pro-life flag. Namely, the Pride movement aims to use love and acceptance to let people know that they are beautiful even if they are not white, male, heterosexual and Christian (after all, most people are not white, male, heterosexual Christians, and many who are support total bodily autonomy for every person).
The dubiously named pro-life movement uses fear, intimidation and guilt to, for a pertinent example, tell a pregnant young woman that she is wrong and evil and a murderer if she is not ready to parent an unwanted child. “Love” and “rights” for the fetus rings hollow when these policymakers are also working hard to strip away funding for public education, childcare and access to healthcare.
Emily Kane
Juneau