“We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.” President Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address
PORTSMOUTH, OH – USA Today reported LGBTQ advocates are becoming increasingly alarmed as municipalities and school districts across the country take measures prohibiting displays of the rainbow Pride flag on public property and in classrooms.
Such restrictions have been approved in Cold Spring, New York, as well as in school districts from Davis County, Utah, to Wales, Wisconsin.
California
Huntington Beach City Council members voted 4-3 in February to end the flying of the Pride flag – along with a host of others – when they introduced a new flag ordinance mandating which flags can be hoisted on city properties, reported the Voice of OC last month.
Pro-flag LGBTQ individuals at the meeting disagreed – as usual when it comes to their beloved symbol – not comprehending it points to exclusiveness and promotes inequality among other minorities.
“I believe we are all equal and we don’t need titles or anything, and that our flags we have that represent our government are what’s important to unify us and get over this divisive titling,” Councilman Pat Burns said.
Don Kennedy, a city planning commissioner spoke in favor of the flag policy change, calling the U.S. flag “the most inclusive flag in the world” and Huntington Beach a welcoming place that represents freedom, diversity and equality.
“The council’s choice to limit what flags fly on government property is not an attack on any of these ideals,” he said.
“Conversely, it’s an act of inclusion, because it says to the residents that the government is not in the business of picking cause flags because there are many and if we pick one and not another than that act itself becomes exclusionary,” Kennedy added.
Frank Rodriguez, who identified himself as an executive member of Gays Against Groomers, said the Pride flag doesn’t represent him, as noted in the article.
The ordinance needs to come back for a second approval vote by the city council and will become law 30 days after that in Huntington Beach, CA.
Molly Sprayregen, journalist for LGBTQ NATION, weighed in on the Huntington Beach decision and lamented, “They’re sending us a clear message of hate and shamelessly putting young, queer lives at stake.”
Bam. There’s the drama. It sounds like Sprayregen is implying LGBTQ individuals will die because a rainbow flag is not waving in the wind. Ah-huh.
Florida
Filed by Republican state representative David Borrero, HB 1011 would allow government buildings to raise the American flag, the Florida flag, and flags bearing official logos of the Firefighter Memorial or Prisoners of War and Missing-in-Action – that’s it.
As reported by Local 10 News, Wilton Manors Commissioner Chris Caputo is speaking out against the new bill making its way through the Florida legislature that would ban the LGBTQ Pride flag.
Ahem. The bill bans all flags except patriotic flags. The LBGTQ community is not being targeted.
“This isn’t a one-off incident,” Caputo said. “This is part of a growing number of attacks on every front against the LGBTQ community.”
Bam. There’s the fearmongering and playing both the victim card and the entitlement card.
Moreover, painting mammoth rainbow flags on public streets (like the one in Fort Lauderdale) needs to go by the wayside as well – for the same reason. And no taxpayer money need be spent on special LGBTQ public projects.
Another example would be the rainbow cop car in Miami with a special LBGTQ community liaison. That smacks of inequality to other groups.
Orlando Gonzales, executive director of local LGBTQ nonprofit SAVE (Safeguarding American Values for Everyone) being interviewed by Miami New Times opined, “What are they afraid of? What is the fear I think the fear is very clear and that is less and less America is being made of white individuals, and those individuals feel that their power is being threatened.” (bold emphasis mine)
So, is Gonzales is spewing the White supremacy scare tactic because he’s not getting his way? Oh! The big bad White wolf is going to eat the LBGTQ flag.
Nobody is banning LGBTQ rights. And they can fly their rainbow flags on private property, paint it on their vehicles, wear it on shirts, and wave it during Pride events.
Albeit, the LBGTQ community can accept the change in flag policies for the unity of American citizens or they can sound the alarm and promote division. We are all citizens living in the U.S. Republic in the greatest land of liberty on the globe. Let’s celebrate our commonalties.
God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood
I’d thank my lucky stars,
To be livin’ here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
And they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American,
Where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
Who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
Next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.
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