New push for ban on pride, 12th flags on ferries

A Washington state representative wants to ban gay pride flags and Seahawks "12^" flag from ferries, according to the Yakima Herald.

Rep. Brad Klippert introduced a bill that would put an end to the ferries occasionally flying other flags.

Klippert said he introduced the bill after seeing a gay pride flag raised on a ferry over the summer.

“I have no problem with the Seahawks flag,” Klippert told the Yakima Herald on Wednesday. “People across all policy beliefs support our Seahawks, but that is not true for gay pride flags.”

Klippert said ferries owned by the citizens of Washington should refrain from any partisan actions.

He considers flying the gay pride flag last summer a partisan act,given the Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage,the Herald reported.

A spokesman for Washington State Ferries told the Herald that arrangements had been made to fly the pride flag before the Supreme Court issued its ruling.

Klippert and Rep. Ed Orcutt asked WSDOT to take down the flags, but the director refused.

Klippert said he filed the bill because "a simple, polite phone call was not enough to stop the behavior.”

The state ferry system does not have a written policy for flying flags. ss all policy beliefs support our Seahawks, but that is not true for gay pride flags.”

Klippert rationale is this: ferries owned by the citizens of Washington should refrain from any partisan actions.

He consider flying the gay pride flag last summer a partisan act, give the same-sex vote, The Herald reports.

A spokesman for the Washington State Ferries told The Herald that arrangements had been made to fly the pride flag before the Supreme Court’s ruling was made.

Klippert, along with Rep. Ed Orcutt, asked WSDOT to take the flags down, but the director said no.

A bill was filed because “a simple, polite phone call was not enough to stop the behavior,” Klippert said.

The state ferry system does not have a written policy for flying flags.

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