Town wingnuts demand rainbow flag be taken down from private business

[kevinbgoode]

In the little town of Maude, Kansas, this family-owned bed and breakfast/restaurant looks like a popular operation - until the 12-year-old son of the owner went to the Wizard of Oz museum and purchased a rainbow flag for his father as a souvenier...dammit..I'm not spelling tonight...Anyway, the son told his dad it reminded him of the song in the movie "Over the rainbow" and like any proud father, he put the flag on the pole under the American flag. Well, all was good...until the town wiggiest wingnuts decided to start trashing it as a symbol of gay pride - demanding that it HAD TO GO. . .and from the little pseudo-christo-fascist radio station to the little wiggy newspaper to one of the local ministers calling to demand it be removed, the town is in an uproar trying to ruin the family's business over the flag.
One local told a television station that the rainbow flag was just like having the Nazis raise a flag in a Jewish community. . .an example of utter looniness if I've ever seen one. .. but further evidence of the grassroots fascist revolutionary propaganda issued by the American Right and Taliban.

See for yourself. . .there's a nice videoclip here at one of the local stations:

http://www.kwch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=KWCH%2FM...

Maybe some DU-ers might like to write a nice letter...or flood the wingnut local newspaper with letters asking if the town's water supply is filled with Jesus Juice Kool-Aid...

[Richard Steele]

1. This is not a "GLBT-only" story.

You really need to repost this in General Discussion.

[Richard Steele]

2. Just noticed that you already did that. Nevermind! nm

[izzie]

3. Give an A to the kid. he knows he is living in Oz

--

[Duncan Grant]

4. The link from GD is still working -- here it is:

http://www.kwch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=KWCH%2FMGArticle%2FWCH_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149189283448&path=!news!local

I couldn't get the link here in GLBT to work but the GD link is still good. It's a great story, a big ol' sloppy dish of American reality.

Got to admire the B&B owner! What a great guy. At the end of the clip he says that gays and lesbians will always receive good service from his business. Furthermore, he plans to fly the rainbow flag indefinitely. :thumbsup:

Maybe a few of us should send him a note of thanks and encouragement?

[phikshun]

5. Great idea! They have a website...

http://www.lakewayhotel.com and it has an email address listed near the bottom of the homepage.

[Duncan Grant]

7. Welcome to DU!

Thanks for the link! :hi:

[dsc]

6. I sent an email thanking them

BTW the prices are way reasonable. If I had need of going there I would definately stay there.

[2QT2BSTR8]

8. Here is a link back to the first article since direct video link

is not working.... POSTED NEWS STORY WITH VIDEO LINK

Does anyone know the name of the B&B so I can stay there next time I head up that direction?

**Someone sent me an IM with the link to one of the original news articles - THIS IS NOT THE NEWS OUTLET THAT STARTED THIS MESS - PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL - this is just another link I found. PANDAGON

Link to the B&B whom I just emailed and thanked them for taking a stand.
Historic Lakeway Hotel

Original source newspaper that started this debacle Meade County News Oooooooo....all high tech now...LOVE the website!

[kevinbgoode]

9. The owners are reporting today that vandals cut down the

line holding the flag from the pole...and took the rainbow flag. It's been reported to the police, but there is apparently more going on with this situation.

Please consider sending these people an email of support....

[kevinbgoode]

10. PLEASE READ THE LAST COMMENT AT THIS LINK

This is the last entry at towleroad.com about the situation in Meade. Just go to the bottom of the comments section and take a look:

http://www.towleroad.com/towleroad/2006/07/rainbow_flag_br.html

It is absolutely amazing that these people had to send their CHILD away because of the way other people were treating them in their town.