Emotions ran high in City Hall this week as the Huntington Beach City Council approved an ordinance that discontinues the flying of the pride flag on city-owned property.
Proposed by Councilmember Pat Burns, the ordinance only allows the American, California, Orange County, Huntington Beach and various military flags to be flown on city facilities. Although it does not specifically mention the pride flag in its language, the ordinance reverses a previous council decision to fly the rainbow flag at City Hall for six weeks in the spring.
The ordinance passed in a split 4-3 vote on Tuesday, Feb. 7, with the new conservative majority — made up of Mayor Tony Strickland as well as Councilmembers Gracey Van Der Mark, Casey McKeon and Burns — backing it.
Councilmembers Natalie Moser, Rhonda Bolton and Dan Kalmick, who authored the 2021 agenda item to fly the pride flag, voiced disagreement.
“The new majority of folks created a wedge issue and then cowardly brought this forward as trying to simplify government,” Kalmick said. “It is very disappointing, a step back and a black eye to the city.”
“A flag functions as a message, and so does its removal,” Moser said.
The rainbow-striped banner, which made its debut in 1978, is a symbol of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities. The council would have to vote to allow the pride flag to fly on city facilities again.
Burns said the ordinance is not about removing the pride flag but instead, in his view, promoting unity.
“I have a nephew and a niece that are both gay, and I love them dearly. The flags that we have that represent our governments is what is important to unify us,” he said. “It has nothing to do with segregating. It’s recognizing that we are one.”
“By definition, inclusion represents everyone, equally,” McKeon said, arguing that flags other than those representative of the country, state, city or military, such as the pride flag, do “not represent every…
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