By Will Potter For Dailymail.Com15:14 BST 30 Mar 2024 , updated 18:35 BST 30 Mar 2024
Biden sparked backlash by declaring this Easter Sunday to be a national 'Transgender Day of Visibility'
The White House also banned any Easter Egg Roll event entries with 'questionable content,' including religious symbols and political statements
President Biden has sparked outrage by declaring this Easter Sunday will also officially become Transgender Day of Visibility.
The White House doubled up backlash as it also banned religious imagery in submissions from children of military families taking part in the traditional Easter Egg Roll event, as critics branded the moves an 'attack on Christianity.'
Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy led the charge, as he mused 'I wonder how (Biden) came up with that date' by having Easter Sunday clash with the transgender tribute day.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Biden for 'betraying the central tenet of Easter', and said the 'American people are taking note' of the 'outrageous and abhorrent' tradition-busting moves.
While March 31 has become the official Transgender Day of Visibility, Easter Sunday will not fall on that day again for at least the next decade.
'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,' he said in a press release.
'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.
'Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood. You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back.'
The move quickly angered conservatives, with Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton feeling that Biden's 'open disdain for Christians is not an accident.' Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville also branded Democrats 'a Satanic cult' in response.
Republican Senate candidate Jim Banks called it an 'absolute disgrace', adding: 'What a slap in the face to hundreds of millions of Christians in America and across the globe. Voters won’t forget this in November.'
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said: 'There is no length Biden and the Democrats won’t go to mock your faith, and to thumb his nose at God.
'We know that Christ is King and God will not be mocked, just like we know Joe Biden isn’t really the one calling the shots in the White House.'
It comes as the White House drew controversy before the Easter Egg Roll tradition, which is set to be held on Monday in an event that dates back to 1877.
Part of this year's Easter Egg Roll tradition is centering on 'Celebrating our Military Families', and will include submissions of festively designed eggs painted by children of National Guard troops.
However, the National Guard families taking part in the traditional Easter Egg Roll event won't see their submissions counted if they include any 'questionable content,' including 'religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.'
Children will also be banned from designing their eggs with anything that promotes 'bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.'
The move sparked backlash, with many feeling the religious foundation of the Easter holiday meant religious symbols should be welcome at the event.
Conservative policy researcher Jeremy Carl tweeted that it shows the president and Democrats 'hate America's heritage... and they show it again and again.'
'The war on Christianity continues,' said another critic, as others pointed out: 'We need to remind the White House that Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.'
Others noted that Biden often made a point of his Catholic faith on the campaign trail, while conservative influencers 'the Hodge twins' added: 'I guess Easter is cancelled this year.'
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13255111/easter-2024-white-house-bans-religious-eggs.html
