Furor over LGBTQ+ Pride flag, rainbow crosswalks roils Whitman
WHITMAN — Whitman officials narrowly agreed to raise the LGBTQ+ Pride flag on public property, but the culture-war flashpoint over painting crosswalks in rainbow colors remains to be settled.
Selectmen voted 3-2 to raise the flag in a June 20 meeting that featured emotional language from both sides. Each June, Pride honors people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning and/or queer community.
A former longtime selectman, Brian Bezanson, said the board would come to regret putting Pride symbols on public buildings and streets.
"Our charge is to tax, spend efficiently, make this government effective for all the citizens," Bezanson said during a public comment period at the meeting. "It has nothing to do with anything about anything else. And for you to overstep your bounds like this you're making a huge mistake and you're opening up Pandora's box."
What opponents of flying Pride flag say
Bezanson sketched a future in which Whitman would be forced to fly other flags.
"Expect the Christian flag to come your way, and the Star of David and the Satanic Temple, because that's what's going to happen," he said.
Selectman Laura Howe asked if the displays could be put elsewhere than right across from Holy Ghost Church. "People are very upset with the location," Howe said.
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What supporters of flying Pride flag say
Rosemary Connolly, a member of the town's Finance Committee, offered a different perspective.
"I'm also Roman Catholic and go to that church two days a week," she said during public comment. "I would say this rainbow says we love our children, we love our citizens."
Among the selectmen who voted yes was Shawn Kain.
"For me, this is another piece of civil rights we're celebrating," he said.
Joining Howe in an eventual "no" vote was Selectmen Vice Chair Dan Salvucci.
Speaking of the painting sidewalks with rainbow colors, he said, "You put paint down, it's paint forever. It's not Pride Month, it's Pride Forever."
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In the end, the Pride flag did go up at Town Hall the day after the meeting and was taken down after July 4th, according to resident Chris DiOrio, a primary backer of the effort and member of Whitman PRIDE. The crosswalks at the library, however, were not painted.
DiOrio said the group may soon ask at a School Committee meeting that crosswalks at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School be painted in rainbow colors, at least on the Whitman side. The issue of Pride symbols could also return to the Board of Selectmen should the town explore adopting a policy as opposed to the one-off proclamation.
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How they voted
On the question of whether the fly the Pride flag on town buildings and painting certain crosswalks in rainbow colors, here's how the Board of Selectmen voted:
Yes: Justin Evans, Carl Kowalski and Shawn Kain No: Laura Howe, Daniel Salvucci
Source: June 20, 2023 Whitman Board of Selectmen meeting
Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on Twitter at @HelmsNews.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Are Rainbow Pride crosswalks coming to Whitman-Hanson high school?
