This has been briefly noted on Crooks and Liars, but I don't think it would hurt to bring it up here. In Meade, Kansas, a hotel is being boycotted due to the presence of...a RAINBOW FLAG! (cue chorus of gasps). Below is the scoop, and a call to action.
J.R. Knight, the owner of the Lakeway Hotel in Meade, Kansas, is being
attacked on all sides for hanging a rainbow flag outside of his establishment.
The flag was a gift from his son, a 12 year old who visited the Oz Museum and purchased the rainbow-colored flag without knowing its GLBT connotations. Knight was also in the dark about the flag's possible meaning, and hung it proudly outside of his bed and breakfast.
Immediately, local wingnuts began frothing at the mouth.
Local resident, Keith Klassen says the flag is a slap in the face to the conservative community of Meade. "To me it's just like running up a Nazi flag in a Jewish neighborhood. I can't walk into that establishment with that flag flying because to me that's saying that I support what the flag stands for and I don't," says Klassen.
A local preacher visited Knight and claimed the flag was similar to hanging a pair of women's panties on a flag pole. Knight jokingly suggested that he might do that, which made the preacher see red; he said he would have Knight arrested. The radio station in town says it will drop Knight's ads if he refuses to remove the flag.
Since the flag has gone up, Knight's business has drastically gone down. To his credit, Knight refuses to take the flag down.
Knight says it's not meant to be a gay pride symbol but he doesn't mind if that's how it's taken.
"Any gay or lesbian people that do stop by will be treated with the best service I can give you," says Knight
But despite the local ridicule and loss of business, Knight is determined to stand his ground. "When this rainbow flag shreds, I will buy another one, and another one, and another one - just like my American flag, I'll buy another one."
Here's the call to action: if you live in the area, please visit the Lakeway Hotel and support J.R. and his wife Robin, who are not giving in to the wingnuts. In addition to being a bed and breakfast, the hotel offers a Grill Restaurant and a Sports Lounge. I've encouraged several friends of mine who will be passing through Kansas to stop by, I hope everyone here will do the same. If you're not able to make it, please email the hotel and express your support.