Posted on 06/06/2002 8:40:43 AM PDT by H8DEMS
For the first time, the rainbow flag that represents the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity will be allowed to fly over Syracuse City Hall.
It will be raised June 14 - Flag Day. The ceremony will mark the first time a Syracuse mayor issues a proclamation recognizing the contributions of local people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
"This administration is representative of our entire community," said Maria Damiano, spokeswoman for Mayor Matt Driscoll. "It's the same for any group who would like this type of ceremony."
The June 14 flag raising, held the day before Syracuse's annual Pride Parade, is a victory for local gay activists who said similar requests went nowhere during the administration of Mayor Roy Bernardi.
"We asked them for years, but we either got a polite no or they just ignored us," said Bonnie Strunk of the Stonewall Committee, a local gay organization. "This is the first time they agreed to actually let us do it."
The flag did wave unofficially above City Hall for about an hour a few years ago, when frustrated activists hoisted it themselves about 6 a.m. one Saturday, Strunk said.
Jim Parenti, Bernardi's spokesman when he was at City Hall, said he thought most of the group's requests went to the Syracuse Common Council, and couldn't recall turning them down. He noted that councilors agreed to paint a lavender stripe on Salina Street for the length of the Pride Parade route and let the group borrow a podium when the parade organizers needed one.
He said former city Operations Director Joe Nicoletti met with them. Nicoletti could not be reached for comment late Monday afternoon.
Strunk said Nicoletti told them the flag raisings were limited to flags representing actual countries like Taiwan, Greece or Ireland.
Many people active in Syracuse's gay community were also active in Driscoll's campaign, Strunk said. They weren't disappointed by his willingness to raise the flag, which is being donated to the city by CNY Diversity, another gay organization.
The city's increasing willingness to recognize and accept different sexual orientations and gender identities was echoed in Syracuse Common Council chambers Monday, when the council voted unanimously to recognize June 15 as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Day in Syracuse.
It was the second consecutive year that no councilors voted against it.
Before that, the symbolic resolution created an annual stir among council members. Republicans, often led by former councilor Rick Guy, consistently voted against it on grounds of morality or a stricter interpretation of the council's responsibilities. Democrats voted for it.
This year's Pride Parade begins at 4 p.m. June 15 and will end with a festival at the Everson Museum of Art.
The council Monday also:
Applied for a $100,000 state grant to build a welcome arch for Armory Square.
The arch, planned for Walton Street, would be built in conjunction with city repairs to the Walton Street Bridge over Onondaga Creek. The city hopes to win a grant for the project from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Agreed to buy the Graystone Building at South Warren and Adams streets for a maximum amount of $3 million. The council had already approved the purchase in March, but details of the transaction had not yet been worked out. The Syracuse City School District hopes to open a vocational and technical school in the building next year.
This is getting out of hand.
What if a group of Christians were to walk around with a "Christian" flag? I know that AWANA has a flag. Maybe they ought to fly that one as well.
But burning the fag flag is a punishable hate crime?
Let's all buy some fag flags and burn them. Screw 'em.
In all seriousness, you're right, He wasn't
And it DOESN'T have to be done by a YOUNGER Freeper, either!!!!!!
"Where's Buddy, Flipper?"
"Where's Buddy, Flipper?"
"eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh"
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