Dale Zorn

Dale W. Zorn (born December 31, 1953) is an American politician. He is currently serving in the Michigan Senate for the 17th district, having previously served 4 years in the Michigan House of Representatives, 20 years on the Monroe County Board of Commissioners (including 4 years as chairman from 1996 to 2000), 6 years as a Raisinville Township trustee, and 4 years as a township constable.[1] He is a member of the Republican Party.

Dale W. Zorn
Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 17th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2015
Preceded byRandy Richardville
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 56th district
In office
January 1, 2011 – January 1, 2015
Preceded byKate Ebli
Succeeded byJason Sheppard
Member of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners
In office
1991–2010
Personal details
Born (1953-12-31) December 31, 1953
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Cindy
ResidenceIda, Michigan (Raisinville Township)
WebsiteMichigan State Senator Dale W. Zorn

Zorn's family is the owner of an automotive business, Zorn's Service Inc. Zorn belongs to several community organizations; including Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 113, and Monroe County Vietnam Veterans Chapter 142 (although there is no published history of service in Vietnam).[2]

Political career

Due to term limits, Senator Zorn is ineligible for re-election in 2022.

Controversy

April 25, 2020, Zorn apologized for wearing a protective face mask on the Michigan Senate floor depicting a design similar to the battle flag of the Confederate States of America, a deeply divisive image offensive to many Americans as a symbol of racism and slavery.[3][4][5][6][7][8] It occurred during votes limiting emergency powers of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.[4][7] The previous week, protests at the Michigan Capitol had featured Confederate flags and swastikas.[7][9][10]

Zorn had denied that it depicted a Confederate flag to local television station WLNS,[3] saying he believed the mask was meant to depict the state flag of either Tennessee or Kentucky although the mask had no resemblance to either flag.[6][7][8][11] Zorn also stated “... [E]ven if it was a Confederate flag, you know, we should be talking about teaching our national history in schools and that’s part of our national history and it’s something we can’t just throw away because it is part of our history."[3][4][5][6][11] Zorn further explained, "And if we want to make sure that the atrocities that happened during that time doesn’t happen again, we should be teaching it. Our kids should know what that flag stands for.”[3][4][5][8] Asked by a WLNS reporter what the flag stands for, Zorn replied, "The Confederacy."[4][5][6][11]

Michigan was a Union state. Zorn's constituency in Lenawee and Monroe counties was historically active in the Underground Railroad.[8] State Senator Jeff Irwin said the Confederate flag should never be worn, "especially by an elected official. It dishonors our fellow Michiganders. It dishonors the battle flags in our rotunda. It dishonors our state."[4] The Confederate battle flag can signal support for white supremacy.[8] Garlin Gilchrist, Michigan’s first black lieutenant governor and the first black person to preside over the Michigan state senate, called Zorn’s choice of mask “appalling and disgusting”.[7]

References
  1. 2011-2012 Michigan Manual: State Representative Dale W. Zorn
  2. "State Rep. Dale Zorn". Archived from the original on 2013-11-07. Retrieved 2013-11-19.
  3. Lake, Kiyerra (April 24, 2020). "'It was not a Confederate flag,' State Senator explains questionable mask". WLNS-TV. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  4. Jackson, Angie (April 25, 2020). "Michigan senator apologizes for wearing face mask that looks like Confederate flag". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  5. Axelrod, Tal (April 25, 2020). "Michigan state senator apologizes for wearing face mask that resembles Confederate flag". The Hill. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  6. Lutz, Tom (April 25, 2020). "Michigan senator apologizes for wearing Confederate flag face mask". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  7. Kornfield, Meryl; Knowles, Hannah (April 25, 2020). "Michigan lawmaker denies wearing Confederate flag mask, calls it history, then apologizes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  8. Garcia, Sandra E. (April 26, 2020). "Michigan Senator Apologizes for Mask That Looked Like Confederate Flag". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  9. "Protesters chant 'lock her up' after Michigan governor's stay-at-home order". The Guardian. April 15, 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  10. Smith, Allan (April 16, 2020). "'Lock her up!': Anti-Whitmer coronavirus lockdown protestors swarm Michigan Capitol". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  11. Slagter, Martin (April 25, 2020). "Michigan state senator denies mask he wore depicted Confederate flag". MLive.com. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
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