Posted on 12/23/2004 12:27:36 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
Flag stirs flap at Howell High
Controversy centered over meaning of Diversity Club message
Thursday, December 23, 2004
BY STEPHENIE KOEHN
News Staff Reporter
What is the meaning of a rainbow?
For many who see one during or after a rainstorm, it's a harbinger of good luck or at least a warm and fuzzy feeling. In the form of a flag hanging at Howell High School, however, it has created a controversy between those who see it as an expression of diversity and those who see it as supporting homosexuality.
Confusion over the meaning of the flag, said Howell High School Principal Margaret Hamill, is at the root of the controversy.
The flag, made and hung by the school's 20-member Diversity Club, has some students at the school fuming because it is so closely associated with the gay pride movement.
"Some kids in the school don't accept homosexuality and the flag is an affront to their religious beliefs," said senior Laura Steinberger, the school's student liaison to the Board of Education. Steinberger brought the controversy to the board's attention at a recent meeting.
"It's not a gay pride flag, like most people think, said junior Krista Tarrant, 16, a member of the club.
"It represents diversity as a whole," said junior R.J. Cuthbertson, also 16 and a member of the club. "We put it up to show that everyone is safe here and this is an accepting community."
"It was a decision of the group to hang the flag," said Cathryn Capy, the club's faculty adviser.
The club was formed several years ago to encourage diversity in all its forms, but had no returning members for the 2004-2005 school year, so Cuthbertson said "we basically restarted the club last fall."
"Some students and some members of the community have been a little bit confused by the flag and what it means," Hamill said. As a result of the confusion, she said, club members plan to attach an applique to the flag to clarify the its intention as a statement by the club in support of diversity.
Hamill said she has received several phone calls from parents expressing concern about the flag. She said they seemed less concerned after she explained what it means in the eyes of the students in the club.
Despite efforts to defuse the situation, Steinberger said the controversy still rages at the school. "Everyone has an opinion," she said. "From what I'm hearing, it's running 5-1 against the flag. I've heard rumors about people wanting to bring in paint balls and fire them at the flag, but they're too aware of the security cameras to chance being caught."
"We have to be very careful when we have a symbol that we don't identify just one meaning for it," Hamill said. In the case of the rainbow flag, she said, there is ample historical background. "(The Rev.) Jesse Jackson adopted it for the Rainbow Coalition (that he hoped to forge). I think that squares with our vision for the school. We want our students to be tolerant of others, no matter how they dress, look, learn or worship."
The rainbow as a symbol isn't owned by the diversiholics, in spite of what we may read or be told.
BS pure and simple. I have never seen a person with a rainbow flag that was not gay. Also as A Christian it angers me very much that these people are using Gods symbol to never destroy the world by flood again as their flag.
Good points. It is funny how the democrats reveal their dark underbelly when they can't avoid it.
I work in Howell across from the high school. I haven't seen the flag yet but it shocks me that it's still standing.
I'll give odds that it won't be for long. :)
Can the Civil War history club fly a Confederate flag ??
LOL
We all know that burning the American Flag is protected as "free speech" (gag).
But I'll bet that if someone burned this flag they would be charged with a hate crime.
Go figure.
Re: Your tagline - Unfortunately, some parts of the state have more horses' posteriors than horses. (Maryland is the same way.)
Not if you owned it and burned it on private property.
In the French Quarter in New Orleans, it is openly promoted and flown by stores eager to show how much they want the business of that community.
Diversity--perversity---whats the difference?
LOL. Same here. I figure it would have been paintballed or egged at minimum.
Wasn't me either if it happens. That flag can make for a nice pre-game speech for an opponent if I go back into coaching.
The Indians (I forget which tribe) have the 'Thunderbird' symbol, a backwards swastika like what you have in your second graphic. I've always though it might be fun to display the Thunderbird symbol at a liberal rally, then point out what racists they are for denegrating a Native American symbol.
Diversity Club? At Howell HS? Go back to Ann Arbor or wherever you may have come from.
| What We Can Do To Help Defeat the "Gay" Agenda |
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| Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.1) |
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| Myth and Reality about Homosexuality--Sexual Orientation Section, Guide to Family Issues" |
Wonder how Margaret would react to a cross being erected next to the flag.
lj will be gone from FR for a short while. I'm the volunteer until little jeremiah gets back online.
If you want on/off the list let me know.
No -it represents diversity based on a hole.
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