Sen. Roger Marshall insults a fellow Kansan in his bewildering attack on pride flag
U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall hustles to put on a mask at the end of his Facebook live debate against Democratic Kansas Sen. Barbara Bollier on Sept. 19. (Screenshot/Kansas Reflector)
You might be forgiven for thinking U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s outrage about a pride flag at the White House was your usual bit of performative right-wing nuttery. Perhaps Marshall himself sees it that way.
But in tweeting misinformation about that rainbow flag, Marshall proves his ignorance of his own state’s history — and insults a fellow Kansan besides.
You see, a man named Gilbert Baker created that flag back in 1978, at the request of legendary San Francisco activist and politician Harvey Milk.
An important fact about Baker?
He was born in Chanute, Kansas, and graduated from Parsons High School.
That’s right, the gay pride flag has a Kansan for a father. If Marshall wanted to pay proper tribute to the state that elected him, he would proudly fly the pride flag himself and trumpet Baker’s name near and far. Instead, we watch a senator desperately angling for an open vice president spot in Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. (Don’t worry, that’s another column down the line.)
Marshall discharged the following sour dribble on Sunday, above the picture of a pride flag at the White House: “This is a disgrace. Not only is it in breach of US Flag Code, but it’s a glaring example of this White House’s incompetence and insistence on putting their social agenda ahead of patriotism.”
Folks quickly pointed out that Marshall didn’t know what he was talking about.
A community note on Twitter added that, “While it cannot be seen in this photo, the American flag is being flown on top of the White House in the center of the building, and therefore, the flag code is not being violated.” What’s more, according to the American Legion, the code is just a collection of guidelines and doesn’t prescribe any penalties.
If you want to know more about Baker and his extraordinary life, please read former Kansas Reflector opinion editor C.J. Janovy’s piece about his life and Kansas connections. It appeared three years ago on KCUR and offers piquant details about the man.
While Baker eagerly left Kansas at age 19, he had been planning to return right before his death in 2017. No one had asked him to return before.
“A Rainbow Flag was a conscious choice, natural and necessary. The rainbow came from earliest recorded history as a symbol of hope. In the Book of Genesis, it appeared as proof of a covenant between God and all living creatures. It was also found in Chinese, Egyptian and Native American history.” – Gilbert Baker
At his website, he explained a bit more about the flag’s creation.
“A Rainbow Flag was a conscious choice, natural and necessary,” Baker wrote. “The rainbow came from earliest recorded history as a symbol of hope. In the Book of Genesis, it appeared as proof of a covenant between God and all living creatures. It was also found in Chinese, Egyptian and Native American history. A Rainbow Flag would be our modern alternative to the pink triangle. Now the rioters who claimed their freedom at the Stonewall Bar in 1969 would have their own symbol of liberation.”
The flag has gone through several revisions over the decades. The Human Rights Campaign breaks down the variants, although Baker’s original vision shines through them all.
Each color he selected had its own meaning. Pink stood for sex, red was life, orange was healing, yellow was sunlight, green was nature, turquoise was magic and art, indigo was serenity and violet was spirit.
As I wrote earlier this week about the LGBTQ community’s struggles in Kansas, none of this is new. Gay people have been here forever. They have served with the highest distinction in the military, in politics and business. Baker, for example, served in the Army.
They are Americans, and they are Kansans.
For a certain brand of culture war conservatives, though, LGBTQ folks live somewhere else. They’re synonymous with cities like San Francisco (also home of Nancy Pelosi) or New York (also home of Chuck Schumer). Both Marshall and his colleague from Kansas in the U.S. Senate, Jerry Moran, voted against the Respect for Marriage Act last year.
That meant voting against the 92,000 gay people living in Kansas right now. People like your friendly local opinion editor.
We’re in every city and town, work every kind of job, and span all ages and demographics. If Marshall wanted to grow and develop his home state, perhaps he would urge legislators here to make it more welcoming to the next generation, rather than passing discriminatory laws. We don’t want talented young people to flee. We want them to stay and help us all thrive.
Marshall should look to Baker as an example, rather than insult his work.
Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kansas Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sherman Smith for questions: info@kansasreflector.com. Follow Kansas Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
