Monday, July 23, 2012

Human Rights Campaign
Lowers Flag for Victims of CO Massacre

[UPDATE: HRC's press office just shared this photo of the U.S. and HRC flags at half-staff at their HQ today.]

After I blogged yesterday about the San Francisco city government and at least two cultural institutions lowering flags out of respect to the victims of the massacre at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater while the rainbow flag in the Castro flew at full-staff, I contacted Chad Griffin, the new leader of the Human Rights Campaign.

I asked Chad if HRC would honor President Obama's proclamation ordering all American flags on government property lowered for a few days, to honor the dead and survivors of the Colorado tragedy. This morning, deputy HRC director Fred Sainz sent this reply:

Thanks for your thoughtful email. Our flag has been lowered and will remain as such until the sunset of July 25th, consistent with the presidential proclamation.

Even though I am a staunch critic of HRC, I must give them a tip of the hat for this important symbolic gesture at their headquarters in Washington, DC. We can only hope that the leaders of the Merchants of Upper Castro/Market who control the rainbow flag at Harvey Milk Plaza, which is public property, follow the example set by HRC today.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Don't count on it Mike.

MUMC has already demonstrated where its priorities lie, and the cowardly little Supervisor under whose district the flag resides is too focused on obliterating sunshine statutes and what size fabrics are placed between the assholes of nudists and park benches. (Imagine Scott Wiener's parents' pride in their son's signature achievement for which he had to go to Harvard in order to spearhead.)

The lowering of the flag at this point would be more embarrassing than meaningful. After all, only 12 people were killed, not a sloth of bears coming to town to party for the weekend.