The White House has sparked outrage by banning children from submitting religious-themed Easter eggs at an annual event for military families.
National Guard families participating in the traditional Easter Egg Roll event will not see their entries count if they contain “questionable content,” including “religious symbols, overtly religious themes or partisan political statements.”
Children will also be prohibited from designing their eggs with anything that “promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual, or promotes discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.’
President Biden also angered some critics when he declared Easter Sunday, March 31, the official “Transgender Day of Visibility,” even though Easter and Transgender Day of Visibility won’t coincide again for at least another decade.
This move led to a backlash, with many feeling that the religious basis of the Easter holiday meant that religious symbols should be welcome at the event.
The White House has sparked outrage by banning children from submitting Easter egg designs for this year’s Easter egg roll with “questionable content,” including political statements and religious imagery.
Children participate in the 2023 White House Easter Egg Roll event, held on the South Lawn for nearly 50 years
An egg designed by children of members of the military decorating the East Colonnade of the White House prior to the White House Easter Egg Roll, Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Easter Egg Roll Contest has been a staple of White House festivities since 1877, and the National Guard family event has become part of the tradition ever since. This year’s event was themed around “Celebrating Our Military Families.”
A flyer for the event stated that “select designs” submitted by the children will be displayed at the White House, and that the Easter Egg Roll will follow an “Eggucation” theme as First Lady Jill Biden celebrates more than 30 years was a teacher.
An estimated 40,000 people will take part in the event, which takes place the day after Easter Sunday.
But Biden’s decision to ban religious imagery from the Easter event drew criticism from many, including conservative policy researchers Jeremy Carl tweets that it shows that 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 noted, “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 during his campaign, while conservative influencers “the Hodge twins” added: “I think Easter is off this year.”
President Biden Biden also sparked backlash by declaring Easter Sunday a national “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
Former President Donald Trump delivers remarks from the Truman Balcony prior to the 139th White House Easter Egg Roll event in 2017
The White House doubled down on criticism over its handling of Easter celebrations, as President Biden declared that Easter Sunday would also be “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
“Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our nation,” the president said in a speech press releaseincluding a scathing attack on Republicans.
“But extremists are proposing hundreds of hateful bills that target and terrify transgender children and their families – silencing teachers; ban books; and even threatening parents, doctors and nurses with jail time for helping parents care for their children.
“These bills are an attack on our most fundamental 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’s no surprise that the bullying and discrimination transgender Americans face is exacerbating our nation’s mental health crisis, causing 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 claim too many lives. Let me be clear: all of these attacks are un-American and they 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 government and I stand with you.”
The move quickly sparked backlash, as critics said they “have no words for this.”
“What a total shame,” another added, while a third person said that “Christians will remember this in November.”
