The recently passed $1.2 trillion funding bill contained a little-noticed amendment that effectively bans the flying of the “pride” flag from U.S. embassies around the world.
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The law says that no U.S. funding can be used to “fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State” other than the U.S. flag, other government-related flags like the prisoner of war or MIA flag, or flags in support of hostages and illegally imprisoned Americans.
This is interpreted as being “anti-LGBTQI+” because the “pride” flag had flown over some embassies in the past. Actually, I protest that embassies cannot fly the “Smokey the Bear” flag or the “Magic Kingdom” flag they fly at Disney. Those flags have as much business flying over a foreign U.S. enclave as the “pride” flag.
If you’re going to fly a “pride” flag to celebrate the LGBT movement for equality, why not a flag to celebrate the movement for women’s equality, black equality, Hispanic equality, Puerto Rican statehood, or any other of a dozen “movements” that would represent a goodly number of Americans who yearn for equal rights?
In today’s lexicon, the “pride” flag should not be flown because it’s “exclusionary.”
The White House said Saturday it would seek to find a way to repeal the ban on flying the rainbow flag, which celebrates the movement for LGBTQ equality.
“Biden believes it was inappropriate to abuse the process that was essential to keep the government open by including this policy targeting LGBTQI+ Americans,” a White House statement said, adding that the president “is committed to fighting for LGBTQI+ equality at home and abroad.”
That’s nonsense. Of course presidents and Congress include all sorts of riders and amendments that “abuse” the funding process. The fact that the current funding process is an abuse of the Constitution and the American people apparently doesn’t matter as much as showing a powerful lobby you’re on their side.
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In fact, the ban on flying the “pride” flag only applies to the embassy flagpole. It can be flown elsewhere on embassy grounds.
But while such flags may not be flown “over” U.S. embassies, it does not speak to displaying them elsewhere on embassy grounds or inside offices, the Biden camp has argued.
“It will have no impact on the ability of members of the LGBTQI+ community to serve openly in our embassies or to celebrate Pride,” the White House said, referencing the month, usually in June, when LGBTQ parades and other events are held.
The left doesn’t do line drawing. The line is only drawn when and where the left says it is, nowhere else.
The flag itself is not banned at U.S. embassies even though the White House and the LGBT community are making out like it is. Some people just aren’t happy unless they feel persecuted.
I know exactly how they feel. I’m going to fly my Smokey the Bear flag today in protest of the government ban on flying the LGBTQI+XYZ flag at embassies.