Huntington Beach city council and flag policy

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Just as on Feb. 7, those supporting the new ordinance were Mayor Tony Strickland, Vice Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark and Councilmembers Pat Burns and Casey McKeon. Opposed were Councilmembers Rhonda Bolton, Dan Kalmick and Natalie Moser.

The public comments ranged from the sincere to the angry to the theatrical.

One supporter of the ban lifted a rainbow flag, tore it in half and stomped on it.

An opponent led compatriots in the packed council chamber in a chant of “We stand in support of the pride flag.”

Thirty-four speakers opposed the proposal and 24 were in support.

The city clerk said that e-mails on the matter ran 390 against the ban and 323 in favor, as well as some comments that were difficult to discern.

When it came time for the council to take a vote, Kalmick called the proposed ordinance “cowardly” and “a bad example of public policy rife with mistakes” and told the council “There’s an economic cost to this.”

To the argument that the proposed action excluded the LGBTQ (lesbianm gay, bisexual, trans queer) community, McKeon said that the U.S. national flag “is by definition, inclusive of everyone.”

In reference to a decision by the Blue Shield Foundation to cancel meetings in Huntington Beach because of the proposed