The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Group complains about flag
Removal of pride flag from city hall adds gripes; mayor says he agreed to fly flag for one day
On June 24, Lorain City Hall waved the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer — or LGBTQ — flag for the first time.
Community member Joshua Garcia, who met with Mayor Jack Bradley to coordinate the hanging of the flag, said he thought the flag would hang for the rest of pride month. However, Bradley said he agreed to raise the flag for only one day.
The LGBTQ flag in city hall was taken down before Wednesday was up, according to Garcia.
“There was no discussion of one day,” Garcia said. “Nothing was ever said about a day, and I guess that’s where maybe the possible mixup was. But at the same time, every other city that’s raised the flag for pride month keeps it up for the whole month.”
“I had done something that had never been done before, and now I’m getting criticized for it. I guess that’s what you get for trying to do a good thing.” — Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley
“People have come outside from the area to see it or weren’t downtown when it was raised and wanted to see it, but it was already removed.”
Soon after the flag was removed, the Lorain County LGBTQ+ & Allies Community Task Force received messages from community members addressing the removal of the flag. In response, the task force posted a message directed to Bradley on Facebook.
“Essentially, what we requested was we would like for the city to apologize to the community for the miscommunication and all of the feelings and frustration of emotions of where we are right now,” said Kei Graves, board president of the task force.
After the Facebook message was sent, the task force emailed Bradley and began discussing the next steps in addressing and handling the situation.
“The first I ever heard from that group was today (June 26),” Bradley said. “It had nothing to do with any kind of pressure or complaints.
“I received a call last Sunday from Josh Garcia asking if I’d be willing to fly the flag in front of Lorain City Hall, and I agreed to do that,” the mayor continued. “It was one day that I’d do it so he could have a little rally in front of city hall ,and that was it.”
According to Bradley, some of the misunderstanding may have been able to be ironed out if the planning process began sooner.
“He should have called me before the month of June started,” he said. “I had done something that had never been done before, and now I’m getting criticized for it. I guess that’s what you get for trying to do a good thing.”
Bradley has encouraged the task force to set up a meeting with him in his office to clear up any misunderstandings and what they might be able to do next year.
“I would have appreciated it if the group would have contacted me before the flag went up instead of after,” he said. “I had no agreement or understanding with them. I know what I agreed to. People really don’t help themselves by criticizing the person that was trying to help them.”
The task force agreed to meet with Bradley and intends to seek a positive outcome of the interaction.
“I think it’s great that he wants to meet with the task force,” Graces said. “We certainly want to meet with him and sit down at a table and have this conversation. I’m hopeful that we can have this conversation and have a positive outcome from the conversation.”
In anticipation of the meeting, Graves said the task force hopes to receive an official apology from the city.
“I would like to do the things that the task force has requested on behalf of the community, because I do think that can only serve to repair that damage that has been done,” Graves added. “I do think there has been some pretty significant damage.”
“In light of everything that’s going on, a global scale and locally with the movements and pandemic, it feels like just one more thing to people that are just fighting for equality.”
Graves said he heard Bradley could be reached quickly by social media. In an effort to reach him, Graves addressed him on social media and sent him a personal email. However, Bradley said he would have preferred direct contact.
“I’m not going to respond to anyone about anything on social media,” he said. “I think social media is the wrong way to approach things. People should sit down together and approach things.
“I thought it (the rally and flag raising) went very well,” he added. “I thought it was a positive thing for the LGBTQ community, and I’m sorry it’s getting a life of its own from people who never had any communication from me.”
In Facebook comments on the original post addressing the City of Lorain, community members asked about the police flag hanging in front of city hall. According to Bradley, he had nothing to do with the raising of that flag. However, he supports it’s hanging in honor of fallen police force members.
“That flag, I believe, is part of the police station’s memorial,” Bradley said. “That flag is in honor of police officers who have given their lives and hard work to our communities.”
In the future, Bradley hopes to raise flags to represent different nationalities and celebrate the diversity of the city and the country.
“I’m hoping they go up next week in honor of the Fourth of July and independence and for all the nationalities that make up the country,” he said.
As for Garcia, he hopes the LGBTQ flag will be waved in front of city hall again.
“I don’t know what the big deal is about putting it back up or why it isn’t up,” he said. “Next time we want to get it in writing.”
“Essentially, what we requested was we would like for the city to apologize to the community for the miscommunication and all of the feelings and frustration of emotions of where we are right now,.” — Kei Graves, board president of the Lorain County LGBTQ+ & Allies Community Task Force