Virginia delegate asks Federal Reserve to remove Pride Flag

Details: Category: LGBT Issues; Published on Saturday, 04 June 2011 16:21; Written by Lara Landis; Hits: 655

A Gay Pride flag flies underneath the American flag at the Federal Reserve in Richmond Virginia. The flag went up in honor of President Obama's declaration that June is LGBT pride month. Robert G. Marshall, a Republican delegate to the sate Assembly has called upon the organization to remove the flag. Marshall claims the display of the gay pride flag shows a lack of judgment on the part of the Federal Reserve. Marshall added that the lack of judgment by the Federal Reserve is shown in more than just social issues.

The organization put the flag up to show support of tolerance and diversity in the workplace. The show of support sparked what the Richmond Dispatch called a "divisive gay rights debate". A letter, also penned by Marshall, claims that the flag undermines the American Economy. Asexual News does not have any details on how flying a gay pride flag at the Federal Reserve undermines the American economy, nor does Asexual News have access to a copy of the letter.

Marshall wrote that homosexual behavior is considered a class 6 felony in Virginia. The state attorney general responded that no one had prosecuted such a statute in decades and that the ruling in the federal case of Lawrence versus Texas superseded state sodomy statutes.

The Federal Reserve has no plans to remove the flag from the front of the bank or to end its show of support for diversity. The flag will remain up for the entire month in honor of LGBT Pride Month

Both sides of the issue point out that the Federal Reserve is an independent corporation that can set up its own rules. Groups siding with Marshall include the Family Foundation. The Family Foundation calls the public display of the flag disappointing and expressed its dismay that the federal reserve chose to participate in the LGBT pride month celebration.