Thank you for your message to MUMC (of which I am President).
The request made to MUMC was to fly the Transgender Flag at half mast.
The MUMC Board denied the request because it is unsafe to fly the Rainbow Flag in a lowered position. I am aware that the Flag has been flown in a lowered position 5 times in the past. That never should have happened. When I took over MUMC's President in April, I arranged for a complete mechanical training at the Flag pole, by the person who has maintained it since its inception. The Flag pole was built to fly an oversized Flag at full height. An even-slightly lowered position creates a situation where, if one of the riggings breaks, the Flag would be in the MUNI and power lines across Market Street and/or could endanger vehicle traffic and passing pedestrians.
MUMC has not received a revised request to fly the Transgender Flag at full mast. I respect and honor the Transgender community, their struggles both internally and externally. I believe that their Day of Remembrance should be honored. I do not have unilateral authority to make any decision about the Rainbow Flag. The MUMC Board as a whole makes these decisions, and they do not take them lightly. When MUMC took stewardship of the Flag, it was given the mission of flying the Rainbow Flag at full mast all of the time, with the exception of the week before Folsom Fair, when the Leather Flag would fly. A couple of years ago, when the Bear community was looking at their last Bear Weekend, a decision was made to fly the Bear Flag.
I can't give you an answer today as to how the MUMC Board is going to deal with this issue, but we are working on a solution, and it is being done with heart and mindfulness.
I appreciating your reaching out to MUMC and to me with your concerns. Please understand that I will not be able to engage further on this issue until the MUMC Board has worked through how they will deal with it.
Terry Asten Bennett
MUMC President
General Manager, Cliff's Variety
