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Article: Gay pride's rainbow flag no cause for alarm; A symbol isn't always a statement - sometimes a rainbow is just a rainbow.(VARIETY)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- January 23, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Sometimes a rainbow is an atmospheric phenomenon. Sometimes it's a movie metaphor. Sometimes it's a symbol of gay pride. Sometimes it's a corporate logo. Most of the time, a rainbow is just a rainbow.
But when they put rainbows on the bumpers of police cars and snowplows and other official vehicles in Traverse City, Mich., they became a holy cause. The rainbows, overlaid with human figures, were meant to endorse the notion of respecting diversity after a series of hate crimes. A symbolic response, sure, but better than nothing.
So it caught people flat-footed when hundreds of letters and e-mails arrived in city offices complaining that the rainbow ...