A New Hampshire Town Is Ready to Ban Public Art Over LGBTQ Mural

A town in New Hampshire is about to find out just how far local leaders will go to censor LGBTQ inclusion and unity.

As reported by CBC, Littleton, N.H., is considering a ban on all public art because of pushback on a recent rainbow-themed mural at the center of a culture war.

Using funds from a United Way diversity program, a group of local organizations, including a Pride group, commissioned a series of murals for a brick wall outside a Chinese restaurant, CBC reports. Unveiled this summer, the murals included The paintings, unveiled this summer, featured a rainbow-hued colour wheel, trees and flowers, including titles such as "We Belong."

But after an area newspaper ran a story about the diversity mural, outrage soon ensued.

"That's when the uproar started," said Kerri Harrington, an acupuncturist and volunteer who helped organize the mural project.

When a town councillor complained about the during a public meeting this summer, town manager, Jim Gleason, contacted the municipality's lawyers about the possibility of restricting certain art in public places. But because they cannot legally discriminate against particular forms of art, it would mean a blanket ban on all art, including art exhibits and even the local theater.

One of the councillors particularly upset about the mural is Carrie Gendreau, a conservative Christian and Republican who also sits in the state legislature. She has publicly declared that her policies are guided by biblical scripture, and recently told the Boston Globe: "Homosexuality is an abomination."

Naturally, she is a favorite of former vice president Mike Pence.

Gendreau further explained to the Boston Globe that she follows the work of Jonathan Cahn, who says the Stonewall Riots opened up the gates of hell, and Donald Trump is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Interesting.

In the end, town manager Gleason said the municipal council will have to make the final decision.

"Then their decision is, 'All right, does it bother you enough that you want to ban, then, all art?'" he said. "Or is it like, 'OK, it bothers me, but I don't want to get into a constitutional legal fight and spend taxpayers' dollars and go through on this?'

"That's the decision the [town council] will have to make," said Gleason.