June is acknowledged and celebrated as LGBTQ Pride Month by many Americans. The first Pride began in 1969 when LGBTQ citizens stood up against oppressive and discriminatory police at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. Pride has only grown since then and is now used to celebrate LGBTQ individuals and culture as well as recognize the historical and present discrimination and oppression of these people. The past few years we have had our own Pride Fest in downtown Jamestown because of the fantastic leadership of the Pride Committee and its partners. A regular part of the celebration has been the flying of the Pride Flag in Tracy Plaza at City Hall but sadly this year that did not happen. Luckily the Robert H Jackson Center stepped up and hosted a flag raising ceremony but the denial from the mayor’s office deserves a response.

Mayor Kim Ecklund denied the request to fly the Pride Flag at City Hall claiming that it is “an effort to focus on equality and neutrality.” The same response was given to requests from the Juneteenth Committee and for the Iroquois flag for Native American history month. The issue with this stance is that by playing neutral the mayor is actually taking sides. See, our mayor ran on the slogan of “people over politics” but what is more representative of people than their culture? The oppression and discrimination of marginalized communities such as LGBTQ, Black, and Indigenous people are clear to see, well documented, and still happening. Celebrations and stances such as flag raisings are acknowledgements of that and by doing nothing like the mayor has, she is actually saying quite a bit. Are we really going to play both sides on issues of LGBTQ discrimination, Black enslavement, and the genocide of Native American people? See the mayor is ignoring these requests for visibility from the people for the political expediency that comes from not stirring up the rage and backlash from those opposed to these groups. I’m sure this will save her office some not so nice phone calls and emails, but that’s part of the job.

Neutrality on issues of oppression keeps the status quo. The Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel stated that “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” We need leaders who stand strongly with marginalized communities and don’t try to white wash and wave off the history and current realities of discrimination. Some might say that the mayor has done this with Facebook posts on the municipal page about Pride and Juneteenth, but all one has to do is check the comments and they will see derogatory statements about these communities being made, including one targeted specifically at our former mayor, with no response or defense from the current office. These comments and actions like it are given the green flag by this so called “neutrality”. Now I don’t think that the mayor is overtly homophobic or racist, but she can absolutely do more to stand up for the people who have to endure homophobia and/or racism on the daily. For many people the most important aspect of Pride Month is visibility, and I would say that rings true for all marginalized communities. So, in conclusion Mayor Ecklund, happy Pride, happy Juneteenth, remember that you are on Native Land, and be more visible in support for our marginalized communities. A stance of neutrality is one of weak legs.

Justin Hubbard is a Jamestown resident and a social studies teacher.