A Washington State mayor scolded an LQBTQ+ activist who was outraged that the Prisoner of Battle/Lacking in Motion flag was allowed to fly over metropolis corridor, however the Delight Flag was not.
Newcastle Mayor Robert Clark was berated by activists at a public listening to Tuesday night time as residents of town — positioned about 12 miles from Seattle — had been upset over the council’s resolution final yr to cease the Delight flag from being flown at Metropolis Corridor throughout Delight Month.
Towards the top of the three-hour-long session, an activist stood in entrance of the council and referred to as Clark “disgusting” and claimed he and a few of the elected metropolis officers had been attempting to “trick” individuals out of believing the Delight flag can’t be flown by flying the POW/MIA flag.
“There are 82,000 Americans registered as POWs and MIAs, but there’s 20 million minimum LGBTQ members,” the activist stated.
“I’ve talked before about the hypocrisy, and I think that your approach to trying to trick people out of having to fly the Pride flag in June by making sure the POW-MIA flag was flown is really disgusting.”
She then instructed Clark and the council they need to be “ashamed” of the choice.
As she walked away from the rostrum, her feedback sparked a fireplace inside Clark, who instantly referred to as her out for alluding that his metropolis was utilizing the flag as a “political stunt.”
“It’s not common that I respond to public comment, but I will not sit here and have somebody tell me that veterans are a political stunt. How dare you,” the mayor declared.
“This country was founded because veterans lost their lives, hundreds of thousands of people died for this country so you could fly your Pride flag. Man, I am pissed.”
Clark then instructed the girl to by no means “disparage veterans” in his presence once more.
“Those 82,000 people who never came home will never have a chance to have a family or grow up while you can fly your pride flag, they sacrifice their lives all over the world for America and for Freedom around the world,” he stated.
The outraged mayor instructed the activists that he “tolerated” her feedback in individual and on Fb previously — claiming they’re “always on the attack” and “libelous” — as he delivered a stern message for the group.
“You probably can’t help yourself, but don’t ever disparage veterans in front of me,” Clark reiterated because it appeared she or somebody within the crowd tried responding.
“We’re done,” the mayor firmly acknowledged earlier than shifting on to the subsequent speaker.
The LGBTQ+ activist’s feedback come as Newcastle Metropolis Council voted final yr to not elevate the Delight flag, KOMO reported.
That call was later flipped in a vote of 4-3 in favor of elevating the flag and prompted Clark to query what flag may very well be raised subsequent if the Delight flag was allowed to fly over metropolis corridor.
“If we start raising flags, then we’ve got to raise everybody’s. Do you want a Hamas flag flying over the City of Newcastle? Or a MAGA flag,” Clark instructed KOMO in June.
“How about a Trump flag or an Antifa flag? We’re not going there folks,” Clark acknowledged, “everybody is equally represented by the American flag.”
In 2019, throughout President Trump’s first time period, he signed a bipartisan invoice — sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) — requiring the POW/MIA Flag to be displayed every time the US Flag is displayed.
The regulation successfully ensures that each flags are displayed concurrently and every day at federal places already designated below present regulation, together with the White Home.
The black flag, with a silhouette of a prisoner of battle along with his head down standing earlier than a guard tower and barbed wire, was designed by Newt Heisley in 1971 for the spouse of Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Hoff — whose husband was by no means discovered after he was listed as lacking in motion through the Vietnam Battle.
The POW/MIA flag is a logo of the sacrifices made by those that had been captured as prisoners of battle or stay unaccounted for in overseas conflicts and serves as a reminder of the distinction, bravery, and resilience US servicemembers have whereas defending freedom.
