In a transfer seen as a veiled try and ban Pleasure flags, Huntington Seashore voters authorized an modification to the town’s constitution this week that barred the town from displaying something aside from a choose few official authorities flags on metropolis property.
In keeping with the Orange County Registrar, 58% of the voters within the beachside metropolis supported the modification and 42% opposed it. Turnout was low — solely 23% of the town’s registered voters headed to the polls.
The constitution modification bars the town from flying something on metropolis property however the metropolis flag, the Orange County flag, the state of California flag and the American flag in addition to some army flags and the Olympic flag.
Whereas the modification says nothing concerning the Pleasure flag, some noticed it as a repudiation of the Metropolis Council unanimous vote in 2021 to fly the Pleasure flag for the month of June yearly. A lot has modified within the metropolis since then, together with the arrival of 4 conservative council members, whom voters swept into energy with a distinct agenda in 2022.
Dan Kalmick, a councilmember who opposed the change to the town’s structure, mentioned the poll measure was put ahead by the right-leaning Metropolis Council majority, which authorized an identical ordinance final 12 months to dictate which flags the town might fly on its properties. In contrast to that ordinance, which might be overturned by a future Metropolis Council, the restriction adopted Tuesday might be modified solely by one other vote of the individuals.
“They flat-out mentioned this isn’t about banning the Pleasure flag,” he advised The Instances. “They’re filled with s—. After all it’s concerning the Pleasure flag.”
Kalmick mentioned he has sat via quite a few council conferences concerning the flag difficulty, and that most individuals who confirmed up in assist of the measure had been there to talk particularly concerning the Pleasure flag.
The brand new constitution modification would require unanimous council approval to fly a flag that isn’t on the checklist of authorized flags.
The councilmembers behind the modifications say the town shouldn’t be taking political stances with the flags it flies.
“To me, it’s demeaning to the LGBQ [sic] group to fly that flag,” Pat Burns, a conservative councilmember, mentioned in an interview Thursday. “Everyone has bought one thing they will establish with, and I don’t consider it’s our authorities’s place to start out enjoying these identification politics video games.”
Peg Corley, government director of the LGBTQ Heart Orange County, responded, “The LGBTQ group is just not a political assertion nor a particular curiosity. We’re individuals who want to dwell our lives with out struggling hate or discrimination for who we’re.
“The latest Orange County hate crimes report paperwork a 125% enhance in hate crimes and hate incidents towards LGBTQ individuals. Cities can assist reverse this harmful development with a public present of assist resembling flying the Pleasure flag throughout Pleasure month. The current ban by the Huntington Seashore Metropolis Council speaks volumes.”
