Tiny picturesque town Littleton, NH, tears itself apart over 'subversive messaging' in LGBT murals painted on the side of a main street apartments: 'I don't want them here'

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A tiny picturesque town has been tearing itself apart over alleged 'subversive messaging' in a series of LGBT murals on a prominent building.

The artworks in Littleton, New Hampshire, were installed last year and show colorful trees, stars and flowers, one of which appears to be a dandelion.

A local nonprofit that had them installed said they had been meant to 'beautify blighted properties' and promote a more welcoming environment. 

But state senator and town selectman Carrie Gendreau raised her concerns about their content, due to one of them having a rainbow in it.

Addressing a local meeting on the murals last year, she told board members: 'We need to very careful', and urged residents to 'research what the mural really means. I don't want that to be in our town.'

After word spread throughout the town, which has a population of roughly 6,000 people, locals had mixed views on the comments. 

Gendreau said she had no regrets about speaking up about the mural: 'I would rather speak out and risk persecution than say nothing and see people end up in hell'

A local nonprofit that had them installed said they had been meant to 'beautify blighted properties' and promote a more welcoming environment 

The murals in Littleton were installed last year and depict scenes of colorful trees among stars and flowers, one of which appears to be a dandelion

State senator and town selectman Carrie Gendreau raised her concerns about the content of the mural, due to one of them having a rainbow in it

Kerri Harrington, an acupuncturist who had respected Gendreau's views, told the New York Times: 'I knew our politics were different, I knew she was religious, but there are a lot of religious people here. This was the first time I realized she had that agenda.'

Harrington had helped start North Country Pride which planned and paid for the mural. 

The nonprofit was founded in 2020 to build a more visible support for the LGBT community in the region.

After she approached Gendreau to talk about the mural, she said the state senator urged her to read 'The Return of the Gods,' by Jonathan Cahn. 

Cahn, a doomsday evangelist and best-selling author, warns of the decline of America into evil and says gay rights are an example of decay. 

Harrington said she read the book and could understand why Gendreau was upset, but it left her worried about what might happen next. 

Residents in Littleton had until then lived their lives in harmony despite their political differences, but this caused a divide in the community. 

Kerri Harrington (second from right) had helped start North Country Pride which planned and paid for the mural

A New Hampshire town seemingly ripped itself apart over a LGBT mural that left residents questioning their values after a state senator voiced concerns over their content 

Gendreau, who is an evangelical Christian, told the outlet  she got calls from across the globe including Australia, as people denounced her views. 

'I told them, 'I hope God opens your vision.' I told them, 'I love you, and I don't want to fight back,'' Gendreau told the outlet. 

Gendreau said she knew when she first criticized the mural that most people would not understand.  She said the iris was a dangerous symbol because Iris was the Greek goddess of rainbow and that children needed protected from demonic forces. 

'We only understand God's word when we have the spirit of God in us,' she said. 'They don't get it, and I understand that.' 

Gendreau had occasionally used her faith in her politics, telling former town manager Jim Gleason when he was hard that 'God wants you in Littleton.'

After three years in the role, Gleason resigned earlier this year after Gendreau's comments about the mural. Citing a 'toxic work environment', he said the comments made were painful after his gay son Patrick died aged 35 from pancreatitis. 

Soon after the comments were made by Gendreau, residents started flooding the local newspaper with angry readers letters. 

A local savings bank also asked Gendreau to resign from their board of directors over the 'hurt' she had caused. 

Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank said in a statement: 'At Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank, everyone is welcome and everyone belongs.

'We want you to know that we truly understand. The comments are not representative of what the bank stands for.' 

Jim Gleason, seen here, resigned from his role on citing hurtful anti-LGBTQ comments

Locals waited with bated breath in hopes that she might apologize for her comments or step down. Much to their amazement, she went on to double down in an interview last October with The Boston Globe.

In it, she branded homosexuality as being an 'abomination', adding  she saw 'twisted preferences creeping into our community.'

She also hit out at a local musical being held at the Littleton Opera House by a theater group involving a gay couple.  The theater troupe had made the building its home for a decade, and had considered renovating it with grant money.

After the controversy, they decided to build a new theater instead for fear of being censored.  

While most of the town seemed to be against her views, one woman walked into the town hall and echoed Gendreau's sentiment. 

She asked what was to be done about the theater production and asked to have it stopped. 

Gleason told the times that he reminded the woman that the play was protected by the First Amendment. 

When the woman replied: 'What about my free speech?', he replied: 'The way you protest is, don't buy a ticket'.

According to Gleason, the woman called him 'weak' and then brought up his dead son Patrick. 

Supporters such as the woman started to rise to the defense of Gendreau calling out those who attempted to silence her. 

Nick DeMayo, chairman of the Northern Grafton County Republican Committee, said: 'Sen. Gendreau speaks for those stakeholders who are afraid to speak out, to stop this 'liberal-progressive-socialist-communist-bully-ism.'

While Roger Emerson, then the chair of the towns select board heard from stakeholders who shared her views.

Emerson said they feared being attacked but had been privately cheering her on from the sidelines. 

He said: 'It used to be, when someone said something you didn't like, you would sit down and talk about it. Not run to the newspapers and social media.'

State senator and town selectman Carrie Gendreau said she believes homosexuality is an abomination

Peggy Fujwara, who knew Gendreau as a fellow Christian, told a board meeting that '[Gendreau] has been dragged through fire for her beliefs, and I think that is wrong.' 

Following the incident involving the woman making remarks to Gleason, Gendreau said she urged the woman to apologize to him. 

While people stood up at meetings and berated her, she told The Times she noted each of their names and then prayed for them that God would show them the truth.  She said: 'If people could see into my heart, they would see absolute compassion.'

History teacher Richard Alberini said he was left rattled after learning of her views, saying: 'I taught Carrie the Constitution in eighth grade. 

'I taught her the separation of church and state, and the reason for it in the history of the country.'

While Duane Coute, who has also known her for years, said he was bewildered after she described her views. 

Coute rallied more than 1,000 business people, residents and visitors to sign a letter asking the board to 'step back from this hurtful path.'

It said: 'This is not who we are. Littleton is a vibrant, broad and inclusive community.'

After Gleason made his final stand against her remarks before resigning,  Gendreau said to a meeting: 'If a man can be a woman because he feels like one.

'Where does this end? Can a grown man attend kindergarten because he identifies as a 6-year-old?'

The Times reported that people left the meeting shouting 'shame on your Carrie' as they did so. 

Gendreau has decided against re-election, concluding that God didn't want her to remain on the board. 

Her seat was then won by Harrington, with townspeople voting to expand the board to add diversity.  

Gendreau said she had no regrets: 'I would rather speak out and risk persecution than say nothing and see people end up in hell.'