City’s pride flag controversy attracts attention beyond city borders

A controversy over the city council’s action to ban the display of pride flags appears to be growing. A rally in protest of the ban will be held on Saturday, June 24, starting at 10 a.m. in Zussman Park.

By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck’s pride flag controversy doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon.
In fact, local, national and international reaction to the city council’s unanimous vote to ban the pride flag (or others) from being “flown on the city’s public properties” keeps increasing.
On the pro-pride flag side of the debate, a rally is scheduled for this Saturday (June 24) in Zussman Park, located in front of city hall.
That demonstration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Those opposed to the display of pride flags have said, on social media, that there will be counter-protestors.
Extra police presence is planned for the event, in case of confrontations.
All of this continued back-and-forth about the pride flag follows a three-hour public comment portion – including one full hour of the city clerk reading emails — at last Tuesday’s city council meeting.
To call it an impassioned discussion is an understatement.
Hamtramck’s simmering culture war between socially conservative residents and progressive/liberal minded residents – and those who align with either side from outside the city – is now fully on boil.
There is no sign that a bridge between this ever-growing divide will ever be built anytime soon.
In fact, both sides have become even more emboldened.
To back up, the issue of whether the city should allow the display of a pride flag on a city-owned flagpole goes back a couple of years, to when one first appeared on a city flagpole in Zussman Park.
A year later, a pride flag appeared on a city flagpole on Jos. Campau, although how that happened has been debated, and resulted in fingers being pointed at one or another person and the word “liar” being tossed around.
This year, in a failed effort to end a dispute over whether to allow a pride flag to be flown, the city council passed a resolution, against the advice of some, to ban a number of flags, including those of “any religious, ethnic,racial, political, or sexual orientation group… to be flown on the city’s public properties.”
That prohibition includes the pride flag, although it was not specifically named.
What the all-male, all-Muslim city council will allow to be flown includes the American, state and city flags, as well as the “prisoner of war” flag. Also included are the flags of nations that represent where many residents once called home.
The reasoning behind this resolution, it says, “is (to) serve and treat its residents equally, with no discrimination, or special treatment to any group of people.”
The resolution goes on to say: “The City does not want to open the door for radical or racist groups to ask for their flags to be flown, and this action is being taken to ensure the city’s neutrality.”
Criticism of the council’s action also focused on Mayor Amer Ghalib, who was not required to vote on the matter, but who has come out supporting the resolution.
The blowback against him resulted in this statement he made on his Facebook page:
“I continue to receive 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. …
“And my response to that kind of behavior will be announcing from this day that I’ll run again either for this position or for another one in the future, unless something personal happens for me not to do so, in order to continue our mission in fighting for equality and justice for all, and against discrimination and preferential treatment.”
As for the attention aimed at Hamtramck over this issue, Ghalib said in a statement:
“You do not know our city more than we do, and you will not know the consequences of opening the door for every group to fly their flag on city properties. 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.”
His critics include resident Gracie Cadieux, who was interviewed by Channel 7 WXYZ and who called out Ghalib, saying: “The mayor’s a liar; the mayor has been on a tirade about the pride flag and only the pride flag.”
In a Detroit Free Press article published shortly after he was elected, Ghalib assured the public he was not anti-LGBTQ, saying:
“People think because of my background and my religious beliefs that I will be anti-LGBT or something, but we are in America.
“The same constitution that allowed me to practice my religion here, to pray the way I want, it gives others the same freedom to practice their beliefs and express their values the way they want.”
Ghalib campaigned for mayor over a year ago, coming out against allowing the pride flag being displayed. He won that election, beating Mayor Karen Majewski, who supported LBGTQ rights and the flag. She had been mayor for 16 years.
As for this Saturday’s demonstration, Ghalib further attracted criticism for saying:
“In the coming days, you will notice strangers demonstrating in your city and disturbing the public peace by provoking you with their actions and behaviors. I ask everyone to commit to calmness, wisdom, and not to friction with them, and I also ask everyone not to incite against one another, and not to vandalize private property whatever it may be, and not to trespass on public property or use it for one party against another.
“The strangers will leave, and you will stay in your city, build and shape it as you wish. …”
What disturbed some people is the mayor appearing to reference those who will be in attendance not as residents, but as “strangers.”
Reaction about the city council’s action also included other elected officials.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan:
“The City of Detroit proudly raises our Pride Flag at the start of every Pride Month and allows it to fly throughout the year to show our unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community and the diversity within. It’s the role of city officials to ensure everyone feels welcome in their community, and everyone is welcome here in Detroit.”
U.S Congressman Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit), whose district includes Hamtramck: “Standing with Hamtramck & MI-13’s LGBTQ+ community as your Congressman. Committed to raising your voices & championing your rights. Together, let’s foster unity and inclusivity.”
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Hamtramck): “I can’t imagine how it feels for our LGBTQ+ neighbors in Hamtramck to watch their own elected reps decide their existence doesn’t matter. This is painful to see in a city that has always fought for equal justice for all. This action divides our communities.”
State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Hamtramck), whose district includes Hamtramck:
“For LGBTQ+ residents in Hamtramck and around Michigan, your state leaders see you and hear you. I would hope that all of us can continue to move Hamtramck forward in a positive direction toward equality and freedom, not move backward toward division and fear.”
The only local elected official who did not issue a public response is State Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck). The Review reached out to him for comment but he has not responded.
Aiyash was recently a co-sponsor of a bill that expanded LGBTQ protection to the state’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
For those in favor of the council’s resolution, A Detroit News editorial congratulated their action, saying “Hamtramck has it right.”
The editorial went on to say:
“It is a principled position that recognizes residents have widely different views on the causes being championed by the various flags, and it’s not just the Pride flag at issue.”
Posted June 23, 2023