Latest news with #JenniferSavage
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Montana city adopts Pride flag as its official banner... and the Republican governor is furious
A city council in Montana voted to establish the Pride flag as the city's only official pennant - which the Republican governor slammed as a 'divisive, far-left' move. Missoula city Councilmember Jennifer Savage introduced the resolution, which designates the colorful Pride flag as an official municipal flag within city limits. During council discussions, dozens of locals offered their support - and the motion passed 9-2 on June 2. This measure came into place as a direct response to a bill signed on May 13 by Republican Governor Greg Gianforte - which prohibited the display of 'flags or banners regarding a political party, race, sexual orientation, gender, or political ideology' on government buildings. House Bill 819 stipulates that only 'official historical flags' of the US such as the Gadsden flag and municipal flags can be displayed on government property. This includes Montana court houses, city departments and public schools. Seemingly as an act of rebellion against the law enforced by the Republican governor, the city council voted to make the rainbow-colored flag their official banner. Gianforte expressed his ire following the council's brazen decision. He wrote: 'Missoula City Council should be ashamed for imposing a pride flag on schools and dividing their community. 'Last night, nine members of the Missoula City Council made clear their top priority is flying a divisive pride flag over government buildings and schools. 'Missoulians deserve better, and fortunately, two council members voted against imposing this divisive, far-left agenda on their community.' The council was sure to make the distinction that the Pride flag is now 'a' city flag not 'the' city flag. Although the city has no other official flags. Democratic Representative Melody Cunningham opposed Gianforte's initial bill: 'This bill was heard before our Judiciary Committee in the House session. 'We argued vociferously that the Pride flag was certainly a historical flag and that it was very important.' Councilmembers in Missoula echo her concern. Another councilmember, Mike Nugent, addressed the room stating: 'I think that the message that we keep hearing over and over is that people are passionate about it because they just want to make sure that there's safe space for everybody and that when they do something like fly a flag or something like that, it kind of lets people know that it's a safe space for people to come.' The council was sure to make the distinction that the Pride flag (stock image) is now 'a' city flag not 'the' city flag. Although the city has no other official flags 'It's important to be able to come forward and stand up for this community. It's always urgent to me as the mother of a gay daughter. So that's why I'm bringing this forward now,' said Councilmember Savage. During the meeting, citizens addressed the council in support of the motion. 'I didn't get to grow up in a place where things like queer people were talked about, or pride flags were allowed. I almost was not here at this point in my life, so I want you to consider how many lives you can save through simple actions,' one person stated. Others expressed their support via social media, 'Good Job, Missoula! Proud of my hometown!,' wrote one Facebook user. Despite many community members speaking out in support of the movement, council members, citizens and even the Governor himself expressed opposition. 'Individuals can express what matters to them without it becoming an official government stance. True inclusivity as a government entity means staying neutral, and we need to uphold public trust by not taking sides,' Councilwoman Sandra Vasecka told Daily Mail. She also expressed concern over the speed at which the motion was passed stating that 'rather than having about a week to let the public know and gather information, we had one weekend. I am unsure why such a controversial item was rushed through.' 'I absolutely stand by my decision to vote no.' Councilmember Mike Campbell also voted against the motion - but opposes HB 819 as well calling it 'a very poorly crafted piece of legislation. It should have never have happened.' However, he told the council that he doesn't believe in making the kind of exclusions that Savage's motion creates, according to Longview News-Journal. The response on among locals on social media was overwhelmingly negative. Many Missoulians agree with Gov. Gianforte, several shamed city council calling the city an 'embarrassment.' While the motion does not require any government entities to fly the flag, it allows those to choose to to display it proudly without violating HB 819. Regardless, many taxpayers agree they would rather councilmembers give their attention to other Missoula matters.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Missoula adopts Pride flag as official city flag
Missoula City Councilor Jennifer Savage sponsored a local ordinance to name the Pride flag as an official city flag, allowing it to fly on public property despite a new law. Savage stands here at a Missoula business flying the Pride flag near City Hall. (Keila Szpaller/The Daily Montanan) Adoption this week of a new official city flag in Missoula means the rest of the state can display Pride flags in public buildings — despite a new law meant to restrict such displays. On a 9-2 vote Monday night, Missoula City Council passed a resolution to adopt the Pride flag — as well 'as flags representing portions' of the Pride flag — as an official flag of the Garden City. The action by the city follows Gov. Greg Gianforte's signing of House Bill 819, which regulates which flags can be flown or displayed on government property. The law prohibits nongovernmental and 'politically charged' flags. But a stipulation in the law says any public building can display the flag of 'any county, municipality, special district, or other political subdivision within the state.' Since Missoula adopted the flag as its city flag, it opens up the possibility for other communities to also display the Pride flag. Rep. Braxton Mitchell, a Columbia Falls Republican who sponsored the bill, vowed in an email he would seek to change the law. He also said he believes it's likely the law will not be challenged in court. 'We will amend the law next session to make sure no city can make a political symbol their official flag,' Mitchell wrote. 'If they want to fly that flag, they can do it at home, not on the taxpayer's pole.' Council member Jennifer Savage, who sponsored the ordinance, said in an interview that Pride flags were starting to come down in schools as a result of HB 819. Missoula County Public Schools had previously said it would follow state law. For Savage, the mother of a queer daughter, the flag being displayed meant something else, too. 'When I see a Pride flag, I think that my kid is safe in that place,' Savage said. 'I think it symbolizes inclusion. I think when a public school teacher flies it in their classroom, it says to students, this is a safe place for you. And it also signals to other students that hate won't be tolerated there.' The law includes carveouts, such as for the Gadsden flag, law enforcement flags, school flags, and the flag of any nation recognized by the United States. Similar laws in Utah and Idaho prompted Salt Lake City and Boise to adopt Pride flags as city flags in response to state legislation. Savage said her inbox was flooded with Missoulians concerned over the law. Fellow council member Daniel Carlino said he hadn't seen Missoulians turn out to a city council meeting all year quite like they did on Monday night. The council took public comment for around an hour prior to voting to approve the change. 'I think it was important that Missoula did what we can to fight back when the state and federal government are trying to attack the LGBTQ+ community,' Carlino said on Tuesday. Missoula did not have a city flag prior to Monday night, Carlino said. There was some confusion about whether more than one city flag was allowed, though Savage said other flags could be brought before council for consideration. In a comment posted on Facebook, Gov. Greg Gianforte said Missoula City Council 'should be ashamed.' 'Last night, nine members of the Missoula City Council made clear their top priority is flying a divisive pride flag over government buildings and schools — all while ignoring the city's housing affordability crisis, raising taxes by 17% because of over spending, and refusing to take firm action to end encampments in the city,' Gianforte wrote. 'Missoulians deserve better, and fortunately, two council members voted against imposing this divisive, far-left agenda on their community.' Mitchell stated during his bill's Senate hearing that he'd seen Black Lives Matters and Pride flags in his classrooms growing up, and said he did not feel those issues should be pushed in schools. 'Leave it to Missoula to turn their city flag into a Pride flag. Nothing says 'unity' like politicizing public property,' Mitchell said in a statement. 'The ultra far left Missoula City Council and their mayor are completely out of touch with reality and the values of the vast majority of Montanans. Taxpayer owned property should represent everyone, not just the loudest political movements of the moment. The Pride flag, like any other political symbol, has no place replacing a city's identity.' He added situations like this are exactly why he pushed the law. 'We resoundingly passed HB 819 to stop governments from hijacking public property to push ideology,' Mitchell said. 'If this resolution passes, it only proves how necessary HB 819 is, and I'm sure it won't be good for Missoula's local economy either.' Missoula City council members Sandra Vasecka and Bob Campbell voted against the measure. Councilor Campbell said he had a request for the people who said the flag makes them feel safe. 'Stop and think for a minute whether or not that's true for everyone in the community, whether or not that the flag is the cure, the be all, the end, to feel safe,' Campbell said to council on Monday night. 'And I propose that's not always the case.'
