COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – A new proclamation designating the period from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day as “Traditional Family Values Month” in Coeur d’Alene has sparked conversations about its implications.
Coeur d’Alene Mayor Woody McEvers signed the proclamation after it was proposed by a local woman named Stephanie.
City Councilman Dan Gookin explained the origin of the proclamation, stating, “About a year ago, there was a woman who spoke at our city council meeting and asked us if we could do a proclamation for traditional family values month.”
He added that the woman drafted a resolution, which then went through the city’s system.
Concerns have been raised about the proclamation’s intent, particularly regarding its impact on non-traditional families.
Brittney Oliver, a resident of Coeur d’Alene, questioned the motive, asking, “What’s the intention behind it? Or is it a political ploy just to target certain people?”
Gookin addressed these concerns, saying that the proclamation respects all families.
“Just because we’re honoring one group of people doesn’t mean that we’re saying the other group of people don’t matter,” he said.
He compared it to the city’s celebration of Pride Month, emphasizing that recognizing one group does not disparage others.
Oliver expressed her concerns about the potential exclusion of families who have experienced divorce or are part of the LGBTQ community.
She stated, “Let’s not kick people when they’re down, you know, maybe they’ve been divorced and now putting together a blended family is absolutely harder.”
Despite her concerns, Oliver agreed that a stable household is ideal.
“In that ideal scenario where we have a mom and a dad and they’ve had all the tools to choose healthy partnership, she said, adding that more support should be given to achieving traditional family households.”
Oliver emphasized the importance of focusing on creating healthy families, saying, “Healthy children are growing healthy adults, healthy adults have healthier relationships and healthier relationships produce healthier children and families.”
Gookin noted that the original draft of the proclamation contained language promoting identity politics, which was edited to support equal rights.
He stated, “The government can’t be judgmental. We have to treat everyone fairly.”
The proclamation does not create any new laws or funding but marks a month-long recognition of traditional family roles. The conversation about what families need continues in Coeur d’Alene.
