Is the Rainbow Flag Inclusive or Isolationist?

It began in southern West Virginia sometime between 5 to 7 years ago.  The rainbow flags began waving outside local businesses, as avowed store owners took the bait and jumped head first into identity politics.  No longer content to just offer good service to any customer, it became a desire to signal virtue, to let others know of their superior moral ground:  we welcome, love and embrace the LGBTQ+ community.

On the surface, this appears to be a virtuous and loving act.  Who wants to shop, eat & drink at a business that doesn't love all people-- right ?  When some local residents in my community began to question this new colorful banner, asking things like, "Were some people being treated poorly in town?"  or "Do some store owners not accept gays?"  The answer, at least, the one provided to me personally was, ' You're missing the point.  It's more like a special welcome to a group of people who have been marginalized and discriminated against.'

Hmm.  So, that led me to repeat the question:  "When has any person -gay or otherwise- been discriminated against or treated poorly when visiting one of our businesses?  If that has happened, I believed then -and believe now- that it should be addressed at the municipal level.  No one, no matter their skin color, religious belief or political identity should be discriminated against.  Haven't we already been through this in the '60's?

But aside from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there's the fact of our town, our people, of Fayetteville, West Virginia.  Let me tell you a little about them, as I've had the pleasure of growing up here and have now lived in this community for more than 30 years.  The population of Fayetteville is descended from hard working coal  miners, loggers and railroad laborers...from teachers, bankers, stonemasons and many county employees since Fayetteville is the county seat of Fayette County.

The people of Fayetteville are generous, hard working, God-fearing for the most part and enjoy waving the American flag at parades through town.  They are the type to throw up a hand when passing on the road or stop to help with a flat tire. They are family-centered, enjoying picnics at the park, supporting their children's sporting events or acting in the community theater together.  They love America and remember their war heroes. 

A sense of community has pervaded this part of southern West Virginia for decades, if not a few centuries now.  It has permeated this town, that is, until the most recent decade when the rainbow flags arrived.  The new flag supporters will tell you it's about "inclusiveness", "loving all people"  and "embracing a marginalized community".

I disagree.

If their aim was to "embrace a marginalized community", a phrase I've heard more in the past two months than in the previous two years (must have something to do with a local business hosting a drag show for minors), I would ask, "If you want to embrace a marginalized community why not fly the Christian flag?"  Christians are the number one persecuted people in the world.  According to Open Doors USA, there are some 245 million Christians living in areas of high persecution;  an extremely marginalized community of people.

Oh.  Those are people living elsewhere they may say. Ok, so let's go with "inclusiveness".  Prior to the rainbow flags, who was excluded from town?  Who was excluded or maltreated by our store owners?  I've never received an answer to that one.  If I knew of any such instance, I would be the first to investigate the people or party who received such treatment and strive to bring light to anyone harassing or humiliating someone based on their skin color, politics or religion. 

That leaves us with "love all people" or "radical acceptance" as I heard one local say recently when defending drag shows for children and a proud supporter of the rainbow flag.  Never mind that drag shows aim to tease their audiences sexually and that drag queens receive cash tips...from children.  Never mind that this same "radical acceptance" is showered upon rock climbing groups seeking to make Fayetteville their mecca while promoting their own brand of "love" and foul-mouthed extravagance:

Loving all people is one thing, promoting and embracing wickedness is something altogether different. 

What the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag really stands for, if they're honest, is the religion of secular humanism, the tenets of which are clearly spelled out on some versions: 

* Black Lives Matter -- don't mention that all lives matter, especially white lives or the ones in the womb. This comment will be met with a dismissive glance or invite a rude label placed upon the speaker such as "bigot" or their favorite in 2022, "fascist".  You won't get a logical conversation about it though. 

* Women's Rights are Human Rights --unless that human is in the womb, then it doesn't apply.  It does apply to those minor girls who want their breasts removed because they believe the lie that they were "born in the wrong body". 

* No Human is Illegal -- Because if we all identify by sexuality, there's no sense in having a secure border around America.

* Love is Love -- By whose definition?  Since NAMBLA is at the origin of the gay movement in America, does this mean lust without boundaries?

Those are just a few precepts that make up their doctrine;  if you find yourself outside of those beliefs, don't expect "radical acceptance".  That's only for people who adhere to their creed. 

But is their religion on shaky ground? In June of this year, a new movement emerged within the LGBTQ+ organization, led by Jaimee Michell, called Gays Against Groomers.  In just 4 months, they have amassed over 300,000 followers and claim that their organization has been hijacked by radicals wishing to push a woke agenda on the American populace.

You can read more about them on their website: gaysagainstgroomers.com  where they outline explicitly what they stand for-- chiefly, the protection of children: 


"Our community that once preached love and acceptance of others has been hijacked by radical activists who are now pushing extreme concepts onto society, specifically targeting children in recent years.

The overwhelming majority of gay people are against what the community has transformed into, and we do not accept the political movement pushing their agenda in our name.  

Gays Against Groomers directly opposes the sexualization and indoctrination of children.  This includes drag queen story hours, drag shows involving children, the transitioning and medicalization of minors, and gender theory being taught in the classroom."  -Gays Against Groomers, from their website

As drag shows for minors have started popping up in West Virginia and the rainbow flag has gone through it's own transition to include the light pink and blue stripes to represent transgender children, it begs the question to those flying it, "Do you support the unethical and untested practices of puberty blockers on minors?  Do you support the chemical castration and mutilation of children that Vanderbilt University just came under fire for?"

I asked those questions recently to a store owner flying the flag and was told, in essence, that they did not have to defend their beliefs to me.  Really?  If I'm raising a Mountaineer flag or a Union Jack...or a diver down or swastika for that matter...at my shop, you better believe I'm prepared to engage my customers in why it's on display.  Isn't clear communication just part of doing good business?

Honestly, I would much rather see a simple flag that says "Open" than one promoting the segregation and isolation of identity politics.  Private businesses can fly any type of flag they want, but if they wish to use their places of commerce to promote an ideology, wouldn't you think a definition and defense of that symbol goes hand in hand with "loving all people", educating others and being "inclusive"?