One Iowa lobbyist Keenan Crow criticized Republican lawmakers on Wednesday for attempting to ban things that they do not like.
The comments came during a subcommittee hearing that would dismantle the DEI bureaucracy that runs rampant on regent university campuses in Iowa.
“What are we doing here,” Crow asked. “I mean, honestly, it feels at this point like anything that makes folks even mildly uncomfortable, the solution is to just ban it. Just ban it. You know, if you don’t like it, ban it. That’s not leadership, that’s cowardice. If we’re upset about an idea, the solution to things we don’t like is to speak against those things, not to ban them.
“In a free society, we have to value the liberty of everyone and not the discomfort of a few. We can’t just say that those things are forbidden. That’s what we do in the land of the free and the home of the brave. And that’s what I’m asking you to do today. Reject this legislation. Stop the constant banning of literally everything that folks are bothered by, and be brave with me.”
It was interesting to hear Crow say what he said about attempts to ban things.
“That’s not leadership, that’s cowardice,” he said. “If we’re upset about an idea, the solution to things we don’t like is to speak against those things, not to ban them.”
Unless, of course, we’re talking about providing counseling to children confused about their gender identity or sexual orientation. In that case, Crow and One Iowa are all about bans. Bans are suddenly perfectly fine, in that case. Suddenly, it is no longer the home of the free and land of the brave. It’s the land of the ban.
One Iowa Action’s website makes it clear that the group “aims” to “ban” conversion therapy for minors. The only counseling they want provided by licensed healthcare professionals is counseling that affirms a child’s gender identity or sexual orientation confusion.
Any other counseling should be banned.
One Iowa said it is “proud” to fight with Sam Brinton to ban conversion therapy.
