(RightWing.org) – The country’s cities, states, and municipalities continue to battle it out over the LGBTQ+ community’s role in civil society. The battles are typically drawn along party lines. Democratic-led governments tend to support equality for members. Inversely, Republicans tend to take a more pragmatic approach, considering the overall impact of behaviors on the public at large. However, a deep blue Democratic city has banned pride flags on municipal property.
On June 13, the Hamtramck, Michigan, city council voted unanimously to ban the display of so-called “pride flags” at municipal properties, joining a growing number of city governments and school districts that have passed similar restrictions on the LGBTQ+ movement’s rainbow pennants.
However, this move stands out from many of the other cities due to Hamtramck’s long-standing history of supporting Democratic politicians. For instance, the Biden/Harris ticket received 6651 votes as opposed to former President Donald Trump and Mike Pence, who only received a thumbs up from 1043 voters during the 2020 presidential election.
Additionally, the Detroit Free Press recently reported that Hamtramck is the only US city represented by an all-Muslim city council and mayor. It also has the largest immigrant population of any Michigan township and enjoyed one of the most significant increases in citizens among older municipalities in the state.
City Council Member Nayeem Choudhury told members of the LGBTQ+ community that they were “welcome” in Hamtramck. However, he questioned why they needed to fly a flag on city property to feel they were being considered. “You are already represented,” he explained, adding, “We already know who you are.”
Likewise, Mayor Amer Ghalib told local news station Fox 2 Detroit that the city council passed the ban to confirm the city’s “neutrality.” He also pointed out that the new restriction applies to all flags related to any “religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual-oriented group.” He explained that the American, Michigan, Hamtramck, and POW-MIA flags were the only “exceptions” to the new measure.
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