WILTON MANORS, FLA. (WSVN) - Harsh criticism of a proposed law filed Monday in Tallahassee coming from local leaders and the LGBTQ community.
“This administration keeps boasting about how free and welcoming the state of Florida is. Yet, they keep focusing on things like this,” said Pride Center of Florida’s Robert Boo.
The LGBTQ community is speaking out against a proposed legislation in the Florida legislature targeting flag displays at government buildings and schools. It would prohibit flying flags related to political topics, including sexuality, gender orientation and race.
“I currently do not support HB901,” said Compass LGBTQ Community Center CEO Julia Seaver.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. David Borreo who represents Sweetwater, would limit where certain flags can be flown at government buildings and schools including pride or progressive flags.
“As a gay Jew, I find I’m in double jeopardy…to me it’s fascist,” said one person who opposed the bill.
“A rainbow flag of just inclusion is to me just a beautiful thing but at the same time there are those that support that positive messaging and in fact want to bring us back to darker time in my opinion,” said Maxwell Chapman at Lake Worth Beach
According to the bill, “a government entity may not display a flag that represents a political viewpoint, including sexual orientation or gender.
A city like Wilton Manors currently flies a pride flag high at a park along Wilton Drive.
“To have the state come in and say ‘no’, focus on things that improve the lives of residents who live here,” said Boo.
Flag waving, raises an issue of heated discussion for many across the state, including Palm Beach County parent Frank Deliu.
Last year Deliu sued the county’s school district over pride flags displayed in his child’s 7th grade classroom. He supports HB901.
“The bill actually is very specific that it says that flags may not be erected relating to politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation, gender or political ideology viewpoint and that’s simply all that i ever wanted,” said Deliu.
This isn’t the first time flags have been a topic of controversy in South Florida. Last December, there was a long debate among Miami-Dade County school board members about which flags belonged inside the classroom.
“To make sure that any flag in which we are going to be incorporating inside of our classrooms abides with the law, both federal and state laws,” said board member Roberto Alonso at the time.
The current bill, HB901, argues that the government must remain neutral.
“There’s no compelling state interest. It will certainly not pass constitutional muster” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis
Trantalis said the bill is state overreach
The proposed legislation does not limit the right of a private individual to exercise freedom of speech. According to the proposal, a government body that displays the U.S flag, in addition to others, must do it in such a way, that the U.S flag is the most prominent or superior to the rest.
“I prefer to live in a city that supports diversity, equity and inclusion across all populations,” said Seaver.
The bill will be up for consideration during the upcoming legislative session, which starts January 9.
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