Removing "pride" flags and crosswalks from municipal property. Agree or disagree?

[Lliam]

In June, a group of Barrhead, Alberta, residents started a petition to remove all LGBT rainbow crosswalks and “Pride” flags from municipal property.

Now, the town says its Neutral Space Bylaw would in effect ban any “decorations” or designs on crosswalks that are not in the standard scheme. It would also only allow official flags to be flown on all municipal-owned buildings.

The bylaw states that there will be “no grandfathering of any existing crosswalks or flags that contravene the new bylaw,” which means the town’s existing Pride and disability crosswalks would have to be removed.

Earlier this year, residents in the Alberta town of Westlock passed a bylaw that bans all non-governmental flags from municipal buildings and mandates that crosswalks only be painted in the standard, white-striped pattern.

Emo, a small town in Ontario, was ordered to appear in front of a Human Rights Tribunal for rejecting a 2020 motion to proclaim June as “Pride” month and fly the LGBT “Pride” flag.

“That summarizes the situations unfolding across North America right now... The point of rainbow crosswalks isn’t ‘celebration’ – it’s colonization, with punishment meted out harshly to those who dare to express their disagreement or discomfort,” Jonathon Van Maren wrote.

Agree

Disagree

[nolabels]

I'm not a fan of rainbows, which belong to the world at large, being used as a symbol of exclusion by a small group of people.

Those who display this "flag" tout it as being a symbol of inclusion.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
It is a symbol of a collection of several, maybe numerous, outlying groups, wishing to be recognized for their separateness from the vast majority of the world.
There is no need for such symbolism.

I'm me.
I have my own beliefs, habits, proclivities.
There are those, who, if they knew me, might say that I am represented by that particular flag.
No, I don't need, nor do I want a flag that was designed from that which belongs to the world, to "represent" me as being different in some way.
I'm a human being.
On G@G, I'm "nolabels".

I'd dearly love to find a way to return the rainbow to the sky, and to the artwork of innocent children who are learning how to represent the wonders of the real world on paper.

I find the abolition of all except official signage on municipal property to be absolutely proper, with crosswalks and other public infrastructure having strictly functional markings.

I completely agree with Jonathon Van Maren's statement regarding colonization.

[Lliam]

Hear, hear!

[Massageman]

The actual rainbow is 7 colors - ROY G BIV. The fake one has only 6.

[nolabels]

@Massageman
Your point being?

[Sevenpointfive]

that's a good point though. it doesn't include the actual spectrum of color. it excludes the white, black and whatever color they indicate.

[nolabels]

@Sevenpointfive
No, it's not a good point.

The fact that, by and large, the group (s) who choose to be represented by that banner refer to it as the "rainbow flag", synonymously along with it being the "pride flag" (proud of what, I ask?) renders the 6-color argument moot.
Everyone knows that is the case.
Let's not pretend it isn't.

There's more than enough pretending going on already.

[MrOracle]

I would fully support such a state law - not that it would have a chance in hell here in California. in my opinion, the government has NO business being involved in gay pride or any of that other stuff, anymore than they have any business "celebrating" the KKK or Scientology. And just like they wouldn't let any other group put their flag/logo/symbols on the street, pride flags have no place there either.

If a private business wants to fly a flag, they can. If people choose to utilize that business, or avoid it, that's their choice. The government shouldn't be involved AT ALL.

[lightbulb27]

Agree, only official flags...

punishing someone for not flying... is BS... amlmost as bad as forcing someone to bake a cake and put a gay couple on it when it violates their ethics. Sick!

If want to put it on their car or property, no problemo. Want to bake gay shaped cakes, wondeful, it's their right!

This though is a huge emotional issue and some will see it as rejection of them (selfishness), rather than what it is... (moreso selflessness).

Compromise... how about we change the American flag flag pole to be multi colored swirl like a lollypop? That be fun and make the left really happy. The stones underneath can be painted like gum candies respresenting the many that are dying to have testicles or like them chopped off.

applogies for my sarcasm... it's a freaking country with a flag formed in blood, open to all, keep the flag as is. a bunch of people died to put it there, so honor and respect that and be glad you are in a country that is free and one can express themselves, including sarcastically, without retribution. ugh... but honoring the lives spent... that flag... is hard for some for various reasons.

Thank God they haven't converted MAGA into Make American Gay Again... I shouldn't give them ideas...

ugh... my sarcasm gotta stop... enjoy my humor with a cup of Thai tea, it's more funny that way.

:-)

[blueonblack22]

I 100% agree.

Have rainbow flags and trans pride flags/decorations really brought more unity or division in North America? Especially when they are in tax payer funded public areas?

My neighbor three doors down hung up a half American half rainbow flag. It looked extremely out of place in my older and quiet neighborhood. Virtually no one in my neighborhood does that. And I live in a deep blue state too.

It was driving me nuts and I was debating on what to do about. I figured she hung it up to intentionally be provocative and was expecting (and hoping) someone would say something.

Then one day it was gone. Not sure who talked to her but I was very relieved. I actually said hello to her for the first time yesterday while she was letting her dogs out.

[DrPepper12]

Same treatment for "back the blue" bullshit?

[blueonblack22]

@DrPepper12 sure. Just as long BLM goes bye bye too.

[DrPepper12]

More than ok with me!!!

[Daniela1982]

Why can gays have their flags on public/city flag poles, but Christians cannot have a Navity scene on public/city property? I mean fair is fair.

[Lucy68]

So removing pride flags from the government buildings correct.

I mean, I'm from Alabama, and they don't do stuff like that. I mean some stores are very cautious when it comes to putting out pride anything. I mean I can see where it would make some uncomfortable, me personally I mean I don't have an issue with pride stuff, but I do see where some are coming from.

[Anonymous]

I'm not against gay marriage etc. But I agree with this. Because a pride flag has no business there anymore than a Nazi flag does. And if you're going to allow one you're going to have to allow the other. So let's do away with all of them that are NOT related to gov't.

[AviatorTom]

Rainbow crosswalks are not only many times more expensive to create and maintain that classic crosswalks, they have also been shown to lead to accidents when the greater amount of paint gets wet, pedestrians slipping and cars unable to stop.

[DrPepper12]

Shockingly I agree. If municipal space is going to be available for this issue then it should be available to EVERYBODY - Yes even Nazis, KKK and other assorted toilet scum. That's the price of free speech.

[SixFootSexy]

Pride is a deadly sin, maybe the most deadly sin.

It should be cast down, not put on a flag to rule over our lives in a draconian manner.

[Sevenpointfive]

should i make a hetero flag? should that be a thing? *copyrighting now, *trademarking also

[Dargil]

On personal property is OK. Free Speech and all.

[jshm2]

The LGB-whatever this week, crowd have had it easy for too long.

[GOLDFISH_smile]

Woah woah woah—what's that "and disability" you snuck in the middle there? Will this new rule make disability accommodations on municipal properties illegal?

[Lliam]

I assume that means such accommodations have to be municipally approved.

[GOLDFISH_smile]

So then... anything could be municipality approved, including pride stuff. That doesn't solve any problem it just makes accommodations more difficult to get for disabled people—and in the meantime would have to REMOVE whatever already there! I don't agree with that.

[exitseven]

People can have sex with whoever make less them happy but I don't want to have it pushed on me.

[Juxtapose]

Yeah the government should absolutely remove this shit because they are not supposed to endorse sexualities or whatnot.

[Pete671]

I agree, the six colour rainbow flag was for neurodiverse people originally, LGBT community nicked it,,,

[Syntosi]

If they want it then go for it. Personally I just find it boring and it destroys culture which will just make the area feel more hollow and lifeless. But yeah, not particularly invested in the cultural development of Alberta or wherever. Kind of feels misguided though and I think they are going to live on to regretting their decision at some point.

[Lliam]

Hollow and lifeless without pride crosswalks or gay pride flags waving over government buildings?

[Syntosi]

Yes. More specifically, the rule that forbids anything other than official flags and standard colors schemes. Those spaces will never again be used for anything interesting. They are now just cold and dead corners of society that simply exists to fulfill a basic function.

Lets say we want to celebrate Halloween in the city. Guess which spaces are no longer an option for decorations? No more fun allowed over there.

[bobby_bush_eater]

Why are nations celebrating sexual deviants?

This society has no priorities. If an individual wants their gay flag idc but if Canadians are so weak they want to put gay shit right next to their flag then so be it.

[DrPepper12]

Sexual deviants? False. Wrong. Incorrect. Ignorant.

[bobby_bush_eater]

@DrPepper12 that's your opinion...

It's not factual to say so either way, it's only your perspective.

[DrPepper12]

Actually it is. Homosexual behavior has been extensively documented among primates and many, many other species. It's natural, not deviant. I've got science on my side, you've got bigotry.

[RedInnocent69]

The booming metropolis and bastion of progressive thought, Barrhead, Alberta 🤣🤣🤣

[saraupstairs]

The government shouldn't be involved.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Agree. Throw that p. o. s flag in the trash.

[noohair]

Works for me!!