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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-24-25 Public Comment - R. Blank - Re_ A proposal to adopt the LBGTQ Pride Flag as an Official City FlagFrom:RogerBlankEsq To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]Re: A proposal to adopt the LBGTQ Pride Flag as an Official City Flag Date:Tuesday, June 24, 2025 12:00:55 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison and Commissioners; Regarding a proposal to adopt the LBGTQ Pride Flag as an official city flag to circumvent the recently passed HB 819 Law that defined which flags can be displayed on governmentproperty. I oppose any proposal to adopt the Pride Flag as an official city flag to circumvent HB 819, as was recently done in Missoula. First, I believe it should go without saying that weshould all treat our neighbors no matter their background with the same respect we would want ourselves to be treated. My objection does not come from any place of animus towardsthe LBGTQ community; I have both close family members and friends who identify in the community. However, my objection is a philosophical one, relating to the role thatgovernment should play in the citizen’s life and what is the purpose of a flag adopted by the city to represent its citizens. A city flag should represent shared identity and civic unity; itshould represent the entire community. It can be based for example on our shared history or geography; it should be a neutral nonpartisan statement of unity and collective values. Itshould not be a political, specific religious or specific sexual orientation statement; such flags are not inclusive but are divisive as they endorse a specific government favored viewpoint. Inregard to divisive issues such as this, government’s role should be one of viewpoint neutrality, neither displaying preference or prejudice. I ask you all to consider this, how would you all feel if a different city commission wereelected and chose to endorse a different government view point and adopted a specific religious flag, a religion that you were not a member of? Would you believe that should begovernment’s appropriate role? Further, I believe we as people are complex beings and more than just our sexual orientation. Although the LBGTQ community is often believed to bepolitically liberal and the Pride Flag is view as representing a liberal philosophy, I personally know members of the LBGTQ community who are politically conservative and don’t embracethe Pride Flag because they feel it has come to represent a liberal political philosophy that they don’t subscribe to. Not adopting the Pride Flag doesn’t mean we all shouldn’t treat those in the LGBTQcommunity with the respect we ourselves would want to be treated; it’s a recognition that our personal or political identities are distinct from our civic identity. The city flag should beunifying symbol of what unites us, not one displaying differences between us. Thank you all for your time and attention to this issue. Respectfully submitted,Roger Roger S. Blank Blank Law, P.C.*2201 Baxter Lane, Suite 10295 Bozeman, Montana 59718-9998Cell: 406-613-9225 RogerBlankEsq@mac.com *Admitted before the courts of New York, the Southern and Eastern Federal Districts of NewYork and The Supreme Court of the United States. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The information contained in this e-mail message (including any attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §2510-§2521 and is legally privileged and confidential. It may contain what constitutes attorney work product. This message is intended solely for the named recipient(s) and may beaccessed, read, printed, retained, copied or disseminated solely by such recipient(s) and its/ their designates. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the senderimmediately, destroy any printouts and delete all electronic files of this e-mail. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or dissemination of this message is strictly prohibited. E-mailsent through the Internet is not secure and timely delivery of Internet mail is not guaranteed therefore I do not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message, nor shall I beliable for any delay in its receipt. I therefore do not recommend that you send any action- oriented or time-sensitive information to me via electronic mail, or any confidential orsensitive information including but not limited to: social security numbers, account numbers, or personal identification numbers. U.S. Treasury Circular 230 Notice: Any U.S. federal taxadvice included in this communication was not written or intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. federal tax penalties.