For now, Jos. Campau flagpoles will only fly the American flag

Recently, the city removed the international flags that had been flying on the Jos. Campau flagpoles and replaced them with American flags. This is the latest twist in an ongoing debate about what flags are appropriate to display.

By Charles Sercombe
Not only has the city removed a pride flag — along with two other flags — from the Jos. Campau flagpoles, now all of the international flags have been replaced.
Instead of seeing all the flags that represent the many countries from where residents come from, there is only one kind now: the American flag.
This is the latest chapter in an ongoing debate on what flags are appropriate to display on the city’s 18 Jos. Campau flagpoles and on public property.
A huge flap arose when a pride flag was raised on one pole last year, and the mayor and city council recently took action to prevent that from happening.
They were prompted by some in the community who were offended by the pride flag – an issue that has polarized a number of communities.
Hamtramck’s population majority is now made up of socially conservative Muslims, who view the flag as promoting values they consider sinful.
The pride flag represents the LGTBQ community, and those in favor of it say it represents acceptance and recognition of a segment of the community.
The issue resulted in the council passing a resolution banning all flags being displayed on public property except: the American, state, city, and prisoner of war flags, along with flags that represent countries where the city’s immigrants come from.
The council took this action, they said, in order to remain “neutral” and not have to be forced to display flags such as ones for the confederacy or the Nazis.
That action resulted in an immediate backlash from critics, and also attracted state, national and international media attention that is still ongoing.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel even weighed in, saying the city’s ban on pride flags made the city a “national embarrassment.”
Nessel, who is openly gay, implored the city to rescind its resolution.
Others say that, by claiming to be neutral, it only leads to discrimination.
At a recent pro-pride rally held in Hamtramck, the Rev. Roland Stringfellow (who also said that he, too, is gay), said:
“That’s not ‘neutral,’ that’s taking sides, and it gives people a license to be hateful towards other folks.”
The issue took another turn a couple of weeks ago, when the chairman of the city’s Human Relations Commission, Russ Gordon, raised a pride flag on a Jos. Campau flagpole in defiance of the city council’s resolution banning such flags.
That flag was subsequently removed within two-and-a-half-hours, and Gordon was later fired from the commission by the city council. Also at that flag raising was Human Relations Commission member Catrina Stackpoole, who was also removed from the commission.
Removed along with the pride flag were the Cherokee Nation flag and the Pan-African flag.
As for why the international flags were taken down this week, City Manager Max Garbarino said that they belong to Gordon, and that the mayor and council “just want the American (flag) for now. … (It) seemed like an easy temporary solution.”
Garbarino said the city purchased the American flags.
Posted July 21, 2023