Knudsen: Conservatives React to White House Disrespecting Easter: ‘Gross and Evil’

President Joe Biden gestures after speaking at the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South La
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty
Hannah Knudsen

On Good Friday, Joe Biden proclaimed that March 31, 2024 — which is Easter Sunday this year — to be the “Transgender Day of Visibility.” On top of that, Biden continued the unfortunate tradition of no religious-themed art allowed in the Easter egg art contest.

A flyer detailing the 2024 contest touts the Easter traditions of the White House, identifying the holiday — which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, rising from the dead after paying the ultimate sacrifice to reconcile humanity back to God — as “one of the oldest time-honored traditions at the White House”:

On behalf of First Lady Jill Biden, The Adjutants General of the National Guard are asking youth from National Guard families across the United States and all U.S. territories to submit artwork inspired by the theme “Celebrating our Military Families.”

“Selected designs representing the unique experience and stories of National Guard children will be brought to life on real hen eggs by talented egg artists from across the country and displayed at the White House this Easter and Passover season,” the flyer reads before listing off restrictions for the contest.

It states in part that the submission must not include “any questionable content” before specifically listing “religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.”

In other words, children are barred from designing an Easter egg that has anything to do with the actual point of Easter — Jesus’ resurrection.

This artist’s rendition shows Jesus’ empty tomb after he rose from the dead. (RomoloTavani/ iStock /Getty Images Plus)

The full flyer can be found here.

First lady Jill Biden’s spokesperson noted that the rules regarding artwork for the White House Easter Egg Roll have been in effect for 45 years.

The continuation of this unfortunate tradition comes on top of the relatively new Transgender Day of Visibility, falling on Easter Sunday this year. Made up in 2009 to be on March 31 annually, it has been publicly lauded by Joe Biden each year of his presidency.

In the proclamation, Biden defines transgender Americans as part of the “fabric of our Nation,” deeming those who defend children from transgender ideology “extremists.”

Biden’s official proclamation continued:

Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our Nation.  Whether serving their communities or in the military, raising families or running businesses, they help America thrive.  They deserve, and are entitled to, the same rights and freedoms as every other American, including the most fundamental freedom to be their true selves.  But extremists are proposing hundreds of hateful laws that target and terrify transgender kids and their families — silencing teachers; banning books; and even threatening parents, doctors, and nurses with prison for helping parents get care for their children.  These bills attack our most basic American values:  the freedom to be yourself, the freedom to make your own health care decisions, and even the right to raise your own child.  It is no surprise that the bullying and discrimination that transgender Americans face is worsening our Nation’s mental health crisis, leading half of transgender youth to consider suicide in the past year.

…

At the same time, an epidemic of violence against transgender women and girls, especially women and girls of color, continues to take too many lives.  Let me be clear:  All of these attacks are un-American and must end.  No one should have to be brave just to be themselves.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.  I call upon all Americans to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation and to work toward eliminating violence and discrimination based on gender identity.

These moves coupled together prompted a range of responses.

“Biden is banning religious symbols from Easter celebrations at the White House, while flying the trans flag and declaring Easter Sunday to be ‘Trans Visibility Day,'” Donald Trump Jr. said.

“This is the left’s new religion. They want people worshiping the trans flag instead of God. They must be stopped,” he added:

“The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.

“Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day”—is outrageous and abhorrent. This is why the American people are taking note,” he said. Others weighed in:

The erasure of the true meaning of Easter by the Democrat administration warrants a reminder from the Gospel of Matthew:

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The Christian celebration of Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God, sent to Earth to redeem mankind and reconcile humanity back to God by offering the perfect sacrifice — something humanity was unable to do on its own. And the faithful cling to these words of Jesus in John 16: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

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