Recently, the couple at the center of this story told it, and I was there. I’m retelling it here, albeit without some specific, identifying details, because it isn’t my story. But I have two reasons for wanting to share it. 1. I think it’s awesome. 2. It shows once again that, in the words of my former KOOL-FM colleague Brian Bourke, “criminals are stupid”.
A lovely couple put a Pride flag on their house during Pride month. Several businesses located nearby in their small town did the same. They awoke one day to find their flag was gone. Stolen. Torn down by someone with an axe to grind? It was disappointing to the homeowners to find the pole bent and the flag gone.
They posted about the theft on Facebook, in case anyone saw something or knew something. Later that day, the post was deluged with messages of hate. They all came from the same place: a private Facebook group based in the US. Dozens and dozens of angry, accusatory, and vile threats from strangers kept coming.
Then the couple had an idea. The only way a US-based group would find out about their flag and their support of Pride, was if someone tipped them off. So one of them joined the group to do some detective work from the inside. They scrolled through the page’s posts and there it was – a shout-out to attack this couple for supporting Pride. They searched the man’s profile and found he lived nearby. Bingo.
They called police and reported the theft and the results of their investigation. Officers from the Hate Crimes Unit paid a visit to the local man. He thought he was anonymous. He thought he and his ignorant, closed-minded friends could bully and harass this couple without consequences. But, he found out otherwise. He admitted that he was, indeed, the flag thief and the person who launched a thousand hate messages.
Bet he thinks twice before ever trying something that stupid again.
Meantime, the couple was awash in local messages of support and love. They left, and then blocked, the hate group. Love always wins. It wasn’t long before their new Pride flag was up, and it stayed up, right through the rest of Pride month.
If you don’t like a Pride flag, avert your eyes. You don’t have to love it or even like it. You only have to let it be.
Incredible story and I’m so glad it had a happy ending. I hope the criminal learned his lesson.
I hope so, too, Rachael.
I’m always puzzled why people take Pride so personally. Why is it a challenge to you, to allow someone else to live their life as they see fit? Why would anyone be afraid that another’s lifestyle or choice would somehow diminish theirs? Society has become very militant about some very dangerous issues which absolutely impact the peace and safety of each of us, just trying to navigate such challenging times. What a great story.
I never thought about Pride on a personal level much,until I was confronted in the lobby of a business where I was employed, by an older woman, who proclaimed she wouldn’t “ darken the door “of our establishment as long as we displayed the Pride flag from our verandah . I immediately thought of our staff members who felt validated and “seen” by the presence of the flag.I looked at her and offered her to darken the door somewhere else, and to keep her comments and darkness to herself.I then waited for the backlash I figured would be coming from my superior, who unbeknownst to me,was standing out of sight, but not earshot in the hall. He looked at me and shook his head, gave me a thumbs up, and that was the end of it. We have to speak up and out at times,which those who know me best will attest to me never struggling with that😊
Exactly. So someone wants to celebrate their own identity. That is totally up to them.
As someone smarter than me has said, we have lost the art of minding our own damn business.
And one other thing . . . I thought it was a conservative value to let businesses do their own thing, like celebrating alongside their customers!
Just like Allan said here, this is what we have to do. We need to say something and not just let it go. They feel the need to flap their gums about their prejudices – we need to flap right back. Well done, Sarah.
Saddly that type of hatred is not going away any time soon especially in the US for it is being disguised as religious beliefs and beliefs to be imposed upon others. Society all to often looks to governments to solve societal issues but only society can truly resolve them but you have to be prepared to take a stand.
I agree, Allan. The laws sound great in the macro, but don’t do much in the micro.
This story is all about human nature. The good and the bad parts.
I am choosing to be an optimist by believing the good will prevail in the end!
Me, too, Dan. They might be loud, but they’re in the minority – the baddies.
Lovely story, really don’t understand all the hate.
Well hopefully this clown will have his day in court, which, hopefully gets a lot of publicity. Its usually these type of cowards who do this anonymously. Now his name, hopefully, gets pasted all over the tabloids and internet.
Glad to see the local community backed them up.
Why is it so hard for people to live and let live? So much energy wasted on something that has no impact on their lives.
I wish I knew.
Oh, I love this story. Thank you for sharing it, Lisa. E