“This escalation of hate is happening in part because actions like those of Idaho’s lieutenant governor go unchallenged and unanswered,” – Adrienne Evans
BOISE – Idaho’s reputation as a haven for white supremacy and white nationalists moved out of the backwoods and into the Statehouse when newly Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin took office in January. Exactly what that means was blatantly clear this week when she posted the Facebook photo posing with white nationalist and militia members at the statehouse.
United Action for Idaho members are demanding that McGeachin resign as Lt. Gov. and are calling on Gov. Butch Little to publicly denounce the growing blatancy of white nationalist groups in Idaho. It has no place in our government building and certainly no place in our schools.
The resignation demand coincides with her appearance at the Idaho Day celebration at Idaho State Capitol today from noon to I p.m. M T/2 pm. ET. #RESIGNMcGeachin
“The white nationalist movement is not new. They have been given a pass these last two years to advance their agenda in full view, that is something that should be deeply troubling to everyone in America,” said Adrienne Evans, executive director of the progressive organization United Action for Idaho.
United Action for Idaho supported McGeachin’s opponent, Democrat Kristin Collum in the election.
“This escalation of hate is happening in part because actions like those of Idaho’s lieutenant governor go unchallenged and unanswered,” Evans said.
Here are just two recent examples of racist and violent displays in public settings and schools that were treated lightly by the participants and in local media coverage, compared to national coverage:
November 2, 2018:
Middleton, Idaho grade school teachers dressed as Mariachi band, then posed behind Trump’s border wall with the slogan Make America Great Again written across it.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/education/article221015995.html
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/02/us/idaho-teachers-border-costume-trnd/index.html
September 2, 2018
The Idaho GOP had a booth at the Western Idaho Fair featuring candidates and a cutout, which showed Trump holding a startled Clinton in a headlock and appearing to choke her as a photo backdrop for visitors.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2018/sep/02/eye-on-boise-ada-county-gop-chair-defends-cardboar/
For the past year, United Action for Idaho leaders have been talking to people in rural communities about values that unite communities. We didn’t expect that overwhelmingly folks would greet us with thanks for really listening to them; for wanting to work together with them to create real solutions; for restoring their faith that people can rise up together to revision and remake our democracy- one that works for all of us; and unite us on our shared issues and values.