Anger erupts over a Nazi flag at a Doremus house

A display of a Nazi flag at a Doremus St. house was a cause of outrage Friday afternoon. The person living at the house said he had been unaware of the flag, and said someone put it up. Photo from Karen Majewski’s Facebook page

By Charles Sercombe
There was outrage Friday over the display of a flag in Hamtramck.
But this time, it wasn’t about a pride flag.
Instead, a house in the 3300 block of Doremus St. was the center of heated discussion because a Nazi flag was being flown on the front porch.
A photo of the house was posted on a few Hamtramck-based Facebook pages, which drew quick attention.
Former Mayor Karen Majewski was leading the charge against the flag saying “I hate Nazis. Especially Michigan Nazis.”
A number of people on her Facebook page suggested that someone should rip it down, or organize a protest at the house, and sparked a debate on the limits of free speech.
“It is one of the only downsides to free speech. Someone has the right to fly it but it should be repulsive to all of us,” said a Facebook poster by the name of MarkMary Sitko
An unidentified poster took it one step further and said no one should display a flag.
“I don’t agree with any flags hanging on any home. Keep your damn private hate or business to yourself!! We don’t need to see what you hate or love!”
It is legal to display the Nazi flag in the U.S. By afternoon, the flag had disappeared.
The Review went to the house in question and a man who identified himself as Joe said he had been unaware that the flag was on his house, and said that someone must have put it up.
“I took that down,” he said.
The man also noted that his ring security camera is not hooked up to the internet, and that he can’t review the recording to identify who hung up the flag.
Local media was also called to report on the matter.
This isn’t the first flap about the display of a flag. A controversy erupted when the pride flag – a symbol of gay and LGBTQ rights — was flown on a city flagpole in Zussman Park. And this past year, a pride flag was displayed on a city flagpole on Jos. Campau, which prompted a call from some to have the flag removed.
But one reader posting on the Facebook page called “Hamtramck Square” took issue with The Review including the pride flag issue.
“It is wild to me that The Review is treating ‘Pride flag’ and ‘neo-Nazi flag’ as somehow equivalent, in the sense that both have been the subject of controversy,” said Karl Marty.
Marty continued:
“And in the case of the Nazi flag, too many folks are too ready to excuse or both sides unambiguous hate speech. And I hate that we have to keep explaining in very small words that there can be no compromise with a genocidal ideology, that it must be shamed and driven out of the community. Meanwhile, Pride flags are a problem because bigots hate having to see evidence of queer persistence and joy.”

Updated Jan. 22, 2023
Posted Jan. 21, 2023

 

11 Responses to Anger erupts over a Nazi flag at a Doremus house

  1. Chad and Karen White

    January 21, 2023 at 7:57 pm

    FREE SPEECH BABY. We feel that way having black LIES matters propaganda thrust in our faces. We should have picked our own cotton.
    Karen B White

  2. John black

    January 22, 2023 at 5:14 am

    Chad and karen white. You should pick the words you type too ignorant scum

  3. Chris White

    January 22, 2023 at 7:56 am

    My wife Karen is very sick and I apologize to the community for her vile and reprehensible comments.

  4. Joe Rodgers

    January 22, 2023 at 3:50 pm

    BLM is as Dangerous and Hateful as any Neo Nazi group!

  5. Mark M Koroi

    January 22, 2023 at 7:45 pm

    There has been no identification of the homeowner and he denies that he placed the offending flag on his premises.

    Hopefully, there will be no further sightings of such a flag within city limits of Hamtramck.

  6. Paul K DeMelto

    January 23, 2023 at 9:37 am

    This town is clearly another worthless, Midwestern shithole filled with retrograde mouth-breathers. Read the comments above.*

  7. David Meisner

    January 23, 2023 at 10:30 am

    People can do what they want but I don’t like it at all

  8. Bob White

    January 24, 2023 at 10:56 am

    This is a disgrace, how would you like it if hamtramck raised an isis flag .

  9. Kirk L Brykowski

    January 24, 2023 at 10:54 pm

    We are a FREE COUNTRY! We are a free country! If you don’t like what is posted, disregard it. If I don’t like this or that, and you do, so what? What is free speech? Really?
    Let’s all just get along. I love y’all!

  10. Tony Soprano

    January 25, 2023 at 5:17 am

    Free speech is not always free, there is a cost one way or another. Sad to say the former mayor started this issue with the approval of flying the Pride flag years ago.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if NeoNazis are planning a rally in Hamtramck now to protest the protests against the flag.

  11. Linda

    January 25, 2023 at 7:44 am

    Owner of the house that had a ring door bell
    ‘didn’t know’ the flag was there. Yeeeeah Riiiight GMAB! Conscious Stupidity on full display!

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