OLATHE — A GOP leader in a largely white Kansas City suburb says the party “didn’t mean anything” by promoting a picnic with the slogan “Olathe Lives Matter!” and a rainbow font.
The Kansas City Star reports that Olathe Republican Party chairman David Lightner says each year the party attempts to include a humorous line in its invitations and that he’s sorry “if it was taken the wrong way.” He says, “Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter.” Olathe is more than 80 percent white.
Lightner also added that the use of rainbow font wasn’t intended to be a reference to the LGBT rights movement. The Faith and Freedom Picnic is scheduled for Saturday. Among the speakers is Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who is running for governor.
