Gay Rights Groups Rally Against Flag Policies

Ralph Higgins writes:
(Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Canada) Gay rights groups rallied in Pictou County, Nova Scotia on May 17, to speak out against the recent decisions by some rural counties to ban rainbow flags on government flagpoles. But rather than fighting the counties, gay groups have adopted a new positive strategy: reach out to the local governments and ask them to confirm their commitment to diversity. Kevin Kindred of the Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project attended the May 17 rally. He says that communities can benefit from a commitment to inclusiveness and to welcoming differences among citizens. "Local governments have always celebrated community groups and events by flying flags, whether in support of cancer research, amateur sports or diversity events like Pride or Black History Month," he says. "Ending that practice just to avoid dealing with the rainbow flag — that hurts communities and shows an incredible failure of leadership."

Four local governments in Nova Scotia, including Pictou, have adopted government-flags-only policies in the past year, after Truro town council rejected a request to fly a rainbow flag in Aug 2007. READ MORE