"Absolutely Not. It's Disrespectful": American Legion Commander Protests Gay Pride Flag in Veterans Park

Todd Starnes-Opinion : Jun 6, 2018
Toddstarnes.com

"It's disrespectful to myself as a veteran and it's disrespectful to all veterans I've talked to." -John Mixon

(Ogunquit, ME)—[Reprinted with permission from ToddStarnes.com] A rainbow flag that was raised over a veteran's park in Ogunquit, Maine in honor of Gay Pride Month is causing outrage among some local veterans. (Image via ToddStarnes.com)

"Absolutely not," local American Legion commander John Mixon told television station WGME. "We don't want any flag flying here other than the three that are here now."

Those flags include the American flag, the state of Maine's flag and a flag representing POW-MIA's.

"It's disrespectful to myself as a veteran and it's disrespectful to all veterans I've talked to," he told the television station.

Town Manager Patricia Finnigan defended the decision to include the rainbow flag in the military park.

"The rainbow flag represents that we have a significant number of people who come to Ogunquit partly because of our welcoming nature to gay people, and we want to recognize their contributions to this town," she told television station WMUR.

Mixon said it's not an anti-LGBT issue. He just doesn't believe the rainbow flag belongs in the veterans park.

"These three flags that are flying here now represent all veterans—gay, straight, black, white—whatever kind of veteran they are represented here in veterans park," he told the television station.