Oak Lawn United Methodist Church will be allowed to keep the rainbow paint on its front steps after a Dallas commission ruled the artwork does not violate historic landmark rules.
The church painted the rainbow design after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered the city of Dallas to remove a similar rainbow-colored crosswalk in the surrounding neighborhood. Because the church is designated as a historic landmark, any exterior changes required approval from the city’s Landmark Commission.
During a recent meeting, the commission heard testimony from supporters who argued the design was a symbol of inclusion and caused no harm. Daniel Babb, one of those speakers, told commissioners the artwork “harms no one.”…