Midwest City Policy Clashes With LGBQT+
City vs LGBQT+. This past June, the small mid-western city of Hamtramck, Michigan passed a city ordinance prohibiting the flying of LGBTQ+ flags along with certain others on city-owned flag poles located on city sidewalks. But it seems one appointed city official took it upon himself to raise the pride flag on one city flag pole that was quickly taken down by city workers which started a controversy.
By raising the LGBTQ+ flag, that action violated a resolution approved unanimously on June 13 by the City Council that prohibits on government property any flags displaying sexual orientation, as well as other religious, ethnic, racial and political flags. The city of Hamtramck Michigan was once was a predominately Polish enclave that was settled during the turn of the last century. Polish immigrants flocked to the city looking for work in the early automobile plants, such as Dodge. Then during the 1970’s and 80’s, the younger generation of polish citizens began moving to the suburbs. Slowly the city changed it’s ethnic composition from Polish to Muslim. Today, Hamtramck is is almost entirely Muslim community. The city passed resolution has nothing to due with race or religion, but rather an attempt at equality for all citizens. Mayor Ghalib made this statement, “Our residents are all equally important to us, and we will continue to serve them equally without discrimination, favoritism or preferential treatment to any group. The city government will stay NEUTRAL and IMPARTIAL toward its residents.” Ghalib, an immigrant from Yemen who is Muslim, also has said in a recent Facebook post that he has received “hundreds of emails full of hate, aggression and threats, attacking and degrading me, my religion, my culture and the country that I grew up in.”
But it seems this explanation was not acceptable to the LGBQT+ community. The official reason given by the city as to why they chose to regulate which flags were allowed to be flown on city property was that they wanted to be impartial by only allowing the display of the U.S., state, city, and POW/MIA flags. This stirred the ire of the LGBTQ+ community who felt they were being discrimated against. But it all fairness to city council, by not allowing flags other than governmental types of flags, it was hoped that the city wouldn’t have to make separate decisions on every other type of group wanting their flag to be flown on city property. It could be argued that if the LGBQT+ flag was allowed, how does the city say no to satinist, neo-nazi, or other fringe groups.
An argument can be made, that Muslims here in America, are not viewed in the most favorable light by many Americans and because they are the majority in this small city, they wanted to remain neutral and open to avoid just the type of situation they are finding themselves in now. The larger question is how to address the matter of equality and how far must it be taken to satisfy public opinion and still stay within national laws?
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