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At the Columbus council meeting during citizen comment, all seven who stepped up to the podium spoke out in support. Alder-person Molly Finkler suggested declaring June as Pride Month, but removing flying the flag this June and revisiting the idea next April, which the council approved.
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Alderman Adam Steiner is against the resolution and says the government needs to take a neutral stance when it comes to these issues. “If you wanna support, support by all means,” says Steiner. “But we can’t pick and choose who we want in our community. We can’t pick and choose who has value and who doesn’t.” Steiner says that the government must be representative of everybody and that the diversity in the city is embodied by the council as well as the community. In opposition, Alderman Ian Gray says it is the council’s job to make these decisions. He added that America has never remained neutral. “We have been quite the opposite of neutral,” Gray says. “That is just a nonstarter for me.” Mayor Joe Hammer is also against the resolution and says the (quote) “entire” city is not on board with flying the pride flag. “I support anybody their right to live their lives as they choose to live,” says Hammer. “Again, the [American] flag on my right represents all citizens of the United States. The flag on my left, the state flag, does represent all citizens of the United States.”
The mayor says that the American and state flags are what the city of Columbus will abide by. After some further discussion an amended motion was passed declaring June as Pride month, but a postponement on the decision of the flag being flown until next April.
