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Melbourne Suburb in Pride Flag Fight


Gay Pride Flagx180 (Photos.com) | Advocate.com

The decision by the Port Phillip Council to replace the Australian flag with the gay pride flag in anticipation of this weekend’s pride celebration in St. Kilda is drawing controversy in the Melbourne suburb.

According to the Herald Sun, the council, which kept flying the local and national Aboriginal flags, has been accused of “pandering to minority groups” and degrading the national flag.

The Sun reported that RSL state president Maj. Gen. David McLachlan said, “Whether people are heterosexual or homosexual or alternate they are Australians and the primacy of the flag in protocol is the Australian flag and that should be flown before all other flags.”

Port Phillip mayor Rachel Powning defended the decision as being within protocol, and she questioned why the issue was raised only when the LGBT community was being honored. The Australian flag is also replaced temporarily on occasions like United Nations Day, she said.

The pride celebration takes place on Sunday.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Jeff
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 7:58:17 PM
    Hometown: DC

    Comment:

    @Joseph, the protocol for flying the US flag might be detailed, but it isn't strict. It says how the flag should be flown, not how it must be flown.

  • Name: Keith Fields
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 6:35:45 PM
    Hometown: Melbourne

    Comment:

    @ Michael They are still displaying the Australian flag inside the building, Like I said in my earlier comment this is a total beat up to sell news papers. Social consertives want dumb people to believe that all Australian flags in the whole of Melbourne have been replaced by the pride flag.

  • Name: stevemd2
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 4:51:10 PM
    Hometown: baltimore

    Comment:

    On july 4 I fly the American flag with a smaller gay flag underneath it. Much to the consternation of my conservative neighbors. I think this is better because it connects the gay flag to the national flag. I'm in USA btw

  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 3:00:04 PM
    Hometown: Montgomery, AL

    Comment:

    @Michael: The reason that no city in America would "replace" the American flag is because there is a VERY strict protocol (in fact, it's part of US Federal Law) regarding how the flag is flown and under what circumstances other flags can be flown. (There is only ONE exception made for the US flag, and that's in connection with the United Nations which is technically not treated as US territory.) There is NO requirement that the US flag be flown from any private property but absolutely strict guidelines dictate how it's flown from GOVERNMENT buildings, whether federal, state or municipal. Apparently, there is no such dictate in Australia governing the flying of the National flag and no one is greatly bothered by this issue aside from some people who seem to have a problem with gays.

  • Name: married American exPat
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 11:40:05 AM
    Hometown: Oslo, Norway

    Comment:

    In Oslo during Pride week the Norwegian flag is replaced on nearly all the government buildings with the rainbow flag. City Hall is visible from quite a distance as ships come into the harbor and the whole city seems to celebrate. We've had legalized gay marriage since 2009, and domestic partnerships before that since 1993. What in blazes is wrong with all these people who try to demonize us? How have they been harmed by our marriages? I can honestly say that no one has been harmed by ANY of our domestic arrangements from the beginning of time (unless one counts the marriages of convenience so many of us had to endure in times past - and there the harm was to US, not them). I do not count the emotional harm of divorce, since heterosexual people go through that regularly. I only count the damage to those persons forced to live a lie to survive. Tell the TRUTH about us!

  • Name: Michael
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 10:42:02 AM
    Hometown: Miami

    Comment:

    They sort of had me with their argument about the nation's flag until I read the last paragraph that it is changed out at times in honor of others. I can't imagine any city in America that would take down the American flag and hoist a pride flag. Frankly, I'd rather have them fly side by side. I think having both of them there sends a stronger message.

  • Name: Keith Fields
    Date posted: 2/4/2011 10:31:42 AM
    Hometown: Melbourne

    Comment:

    The Herald Sun "news paper" is a right wing tabloid which makes issues out of nothing to create controversy to sell news papers. I live in Melbourne and as far as Im concerned nobody really cares about the gay pride flag being flown for a week. Also the Herald Sun is owned by the same people who own Fox news (rupert murdoch) so the news paper is not exactly gay friendly.



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