Following a torrent of media attention from LGBT newspapers and websites around the world and local media such as the Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly, public radio station KPCC finally got into the debate about whether the rainbow flag should fly permanently above West Hollywood’s City Hall.
On Air Talk, Larry Mantle hosted a discussion with West Hollywood City Councilmember John Duran, who opposes placing the rainbow flag permanently on City Hall, and Tom DeMille, who several times has run unsuccessfully for a City Council seat, who argued for the permanent display. The discussion can be heard online. AirTalk producer Fiona Ng yesterday invited City Council candidate Larry Block, the most vocal proponent of keeping the rainbow flag up, to appear on the program to discuss the issue with Duran. But without explanation Ng withdrew the invitation at the last minute today and replaced Block with DeMille, a less prominent advocate in the flag debate.
KPCC also conducted an online poll of its listeners. As of 9:45 p.m., the poll had garnered 65 votes, with 32 (49.2 percent) saying the rainbow flag should not be permanently flown above West Hollywood City Hall, 23 (35.4 percent) saying that it should be, and ten (15.4 percent) saying they didn’t care one way or the other.
Just a word here.. none of this is being driven by personal animosity. Prang ordered the flag up and Duran missed that meeting. He came back and kept speaking against it. I didnt invent the flag, put it up, or order it down. The councils back and forth policy and the delegation to the city manager is the problem. If you look at the subtext you would know that every time Duran speaks of the flags he points out how he put them up. Nobody is allowed to be put up a flag without his approval. And the other subtext… Read more »
@Snarkygal: AMEN.
That might be the first time we agree on anything.
I’m no Duran fan, either. I hope he loses the County race so badly that he just disappears back into his law practice and never holds office again. But I DO think that most of the controversy here is being driven by community members’ personal animosity for this one Elected.
i hereby would like to mobolize a group of people who will work to get duran elected to the LA county supervisor’s seat so we can get him OUT OF WEHO—-anyone care to join the effort?
Adding rainbow colors to the WeHo city flag/logo is a no-brainer. (Don’t Sheriffs already have it on their patrol cars?).
Well, Chloe Ross, I am a straight, Jewish woman who finds the flag INappropriate on City Hall. You do not speak for anybody but yourself. I do not consider myself one of Mr. Duran’s constituents either. I do not plan to vote for him for the county seat he is running for nor for his re-election for our City Council. However, I would have no problem if they added some color to the City’s flag to represent the LGBT community. What Larry Block suggests, “solutions include keeping a rainbow flag up year round and rotating the transgender or pow flag… Read more »
Thank you Shawn for posting you tube link above.. I loved it.. Duran’s reputation as a mean spirited guy preceeded this act.
Forget the pod guy, why didn’t they get the plastic bag guy to do it?
The fact that KPCC even devote one second of airtime to this non-issue proves that they need better producers over there.
And Duran is a nobody in the County race. If he thinks THIS is gonna raise his profile, he really has gone off the deep end.
The Rainbow flag should NOT be up on city hall !!! NOT…On one hand they want to be a more straight inclusive city and on the other hand Block wants to keep it gay so he can sell more cheap crap to the gay population, It is Not the gay village it once was…those days are long gone…..the issue need not be revisited !!! it was voted on already…..live with it ! And rotating it to different segments of the LGBT community……now that is an even dumber idea…..yes Duran needs to go…..but so far I haven’t seen a candidate I’ld… Read more »
I like the flag. I have no idea why KPCC switched speakers but it seems odd to me. On the other hand; the Jewish Journal – in mentioning the seat up for grabs – left by Zev – didn’t even mention Mr. Duran – period. Their two picks thus far seem to be Kuehl and Shriver. I have no idea if Mr Duran cares about the Jewish Journal – but he is clearly off their radar (and we DO vote). I am a straight Jewish WeHo resident. The flag issue and agenda of this candidate make me wonder for whom… Read more »
Todd has it right. They booked me on monday.. and at that point could not get in touch with Duran. So,.. I laughed to the producer.. ‘my mom doesn’t support the flag either.. so I can play both sides and it would be fun.’ They said they were going to continue to try to reach Duran. There I was 10:30 sitting at home waiting to call in… my phone rings.. its Tom DeMIlle.. didn’t pick up getting ready to go on air…. then 10:45, call in, see my phone.. .text from Tom .. going on KPCC with Duran.. so I… Read more »
We can talk all we want, but we MUST elect two new people next year. We have to mobilize like never before.