After the tragic events in Orlando last week, the County Commission in Tampa, Florida, voted to raise the rainbow colors of the LGBT pride flag over the Hillsborough County Center. The gesture, proposed by Commissioner Kevin Beckner, was both to show support for the LGBT community and serve as a memorial to the 49 people killed in a hate crime. Unfortunately, people like Terry Kemple, a conservative activist, want to equate the rainbow flag of the LGBT community with … yup.
"I have to say that it wasn't that long ago that you all voted to take down a plaque that had the Confederate flag on it because it might offend some people," Kemple said. "I can assure you that if you vote to raise the rainbow flag above county center, it will offend some people."
Once again, the United States of America—which you may know as “The Union”—could care less about your “feelings” when it comes to flying the flag of a foreign nation of secessionists, who lost the war to the United States of America well over 100 years ago. We don’t give a fuck. Your flag stands for lynchings and for lashes and for slavery and that’s it. You want it to stand for how nice everyone is and humble and lemonade and porches and bluegrass music? That’s America. That’s American history. That’s not just the South’s history from 1861-1865—which is how long the Confederate flag technically was the flag of a “country,” and the Confederacy’s biggest import/export business was being on the wrong side of history.
Ultimately, the commission voted 5-1 to fly the LGBT pride flag outside the government center for the remainder of June, and to recognize this month each year as LGBT Pride Month and commemorate June 12 as a day of reflection and remembrance. Commissioner Ken Hagan voted against both measures but did not explain why.
The following day, Commissioner Stacy White tried to come up with the old, reverse politically correct angle.
My office recently received an anonymous phone call from a county employee stating that, because of her strong Christian beliefs, it will be nearly unbearable for her pass the “pride” flag each morning as she enters the workplace. She clearly indicated that the display of that flag, for her, has created a hostile work environment.
My question is, given the nature of this employee complaint, has the board’s action taken this past Wednesday created any issues for the county from a Human Resources perspective?
[...]
I’m quite concerned that I have a documented case of an employee feeling that she is working in a hostile work environment because of this divisive, politically-charged symbol being displayed at our workplace.
[My emphasis]
Oh, boy. County Administrator Mike Merrill wrote back a nice letter saying, and I’m paraphrasing, “Are you shitting me?”
I also want to respond to Commissioner White’s statement that it is “ . . . unconscionable that the county administrator didn’t express to the board that this divisive symbol might create an uncomfortable workplace environment for many of his employees”. I am not aware of any employee complaint or concern having been expressed prior to the Board’s action. I believe that I had no reasonable basis to believe that the Board’s action would create a hostile or uncomfortable work environment.
Stacy White—remember that name, because he sounds like everything else conservative to come out of Florida. A big bowl of sugar, honey and iced tea!