When this blog last visited Hamtramck, Michigan, it was to rerun a tongue-in-cheek 1922 column by John T. Wallace and H.T. Plass in the Detroit Free Press, imagining that popular cartoon character Andy Gump (no relation to Forrest) had been elected mayor of the newly incorporated enclave.
Surely Wallace and Plass would have found it equally fantastical that the citizens of Hamtramck would elect a Muslim mayor and an entirely Muslim city council, but that is exactly what they did in 2021.
Reversing policy of their previous administration, the Hamtramck council voted last Tuesday to ban displaying the LGBTQ+ rainbow flag on city property.
Muslim residents packing city hall erupted in cheers after the council’s unanimous vote, and on Hamtramck’s social media pages, the taunting has been relentless: “Fagless City”, read one post, emphasized with emojis of a bicep flexing.
In a tense monologue before the vote, Councilmember Mohammed Hassan shouted his justification at LGBTQ+ supporters: “I’m working for the people, what the majority of the people like.”
Mayor Amer Ghalib is promising to hold firm to the city's ban on flags representing religious, racial, ethnic, or sexual-oriented groups, and accuses LGBTQ+ people and allies of subjecting Hamtramck to "extortion" for choosing to "stay neutral when it comes to flying flags of different groups." Under the new ordinance, only the U.S. flag, state of Michigan flag, city of Hamtramck flag, and P.O.W. flag are allowed.
Mayor Ghalib claims that the ordinance doesn't lessen the rights of LGBTQ+ Hamtramckians, they just don't deserve special consideration. You know, like those "special rights" we were told when we wanted equal rights to get married or serve in the military. Or the "All lives matter" slogan that means "Sure, Black Lives Matter, but don't bother me about your problems."
Now, I don't know what other flag requests might have been vexing Hamtramck City Hall, but it seems telling that the council chose to pass this ordinance right smack-dab in the middle of LGBTQ+ Pride Month ― and less than a week before Juneteenth.
Has anyone checked whether the Hamtramck Police Department keeps a Thin Blue Line flag in the front office?
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