Petition by anonymous online group aimed at blocking Pride Flag raising in Taber countered by second petition

Citing various Christian biblical passages, the statement reads “We are not against the LGBT people, but we do feel it is necessary to speak up against their sin. We all sin and grieve our Creator daily. We all need the saving work of Jesus Christ. Please let’s not celebrate sin whatever it may be.”

It also claims that the rainbow and its colours which are used in the Pride flag are actually a symbol of “covenant faithfulness,” and that “Christians are deeply grieved and hurt that a Biblical symbol is used to represent non-Biblical actions.”

A statement on the Taber Equality Alliance Facebook page indicates that the petition has been reported as hate speech, and that a request has been made to remove it.

The statement also reads “with regard to the Petition going around asking MLA Grant Hunter not to allow us to fly the Pride flag outside the provincial building, we are deeply saddened and hurt by this. As Pride planning is moving into its final stages, we do not wish for this controversy.”

There is however, a second petition also circulating called “Support the Pride flag raising at the provincial building in Taber, Alberta.” That petition, started by M. James Wilson near Edmonton on Wednesday, so far has about 200 signatures.

TEA spokesperson and co-chair Kathleen McKenzie says the group was hoping to simply disregard the initial petition.

“Change.org I have learned since, can not petition the government for anything. So, it is a pretty useless, if you will, petition. It’s one of the rules of the site…when we first seen (sic) it, it was very hurtful. We’re trying to do a peaceful celebration, and we were hoping this year it would be without incident.”

If McKenzie could say something to those who organized the first petition, it would be to ask them why they thought it was necessary.

“Maybe what they hope to accomplish or gain by starting that petition, and how it affected them, raising the rainbow flag?”

The Town of Taber has not been a stranger to Pride controversies. In 2017, the Pride Flag was not permitted to fly in front of the municipal offices, but on a community flagpole in Confederation Park behind municipal offices. The first flag was stolen, a second flag was burned and a third was then raised.

In 2018, the flag was not permitted to fly on the community flagpole in Confederation park, after a decision was made to fly only the Canadian, Albertan or Town of Taber flags on town-owned poles. However, former NDP Infrastructure Minister Sandra Jensen invited the group to fly the rainbow flag at the provincial building.

LethbridgeNewsNOW has reached out to the provincial government and MLA Grant Hunter to ask whether the flag will once again be allowed to fly in front of the provincial building, but has not received a response.

McKenzie says the group has asked for permission to raise the rainbow flag from the provincial infrastructure ministry and is expecting to learn the decision by the end of this week.

If the answer is no, she says they will be very disappointed.

“We were allowed last year, it went off without incident… you know, we had it for the whole month of June and they (the government) actually supplied security for us so that there would be no incidents in the evening hours.”

Taber Pride celebrations take place June 1 and 2.

“If you’re wondering what we’re about,” says McKenzie, “come and see us.”

by Lara Fominoff

Petition by anonymous online group aimed at blocking Pride Flag raising in Taber countered by second petition

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