'Bring Your Full, Authentic Self'
Stafford adopts proclamation that recognizes and supports people of diverse sexual orientations by a simple majority.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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A proclamation “of recognition and support for individuals of diverse sexual orientation” was one of the topics that dominated public discussion during Tuesday evening’s Stafford Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
Chairman Deuntay Diggs put the proclamation forward and offered his thoughts on “the elephant in the room” during Board member comments.
“Coming into this chairmanship role,” he began, “I get to look at all the proclamations and recognitions we do throughout the county, and I looked at it and I said, ‘Why not Pride Month?’”
The issue is personal for Diggs, who in his comments described himself as a “walking conflict…. I’m a Christian, I’m a Black man, I’m a veteran, I serve in law enforcement, and I’m gay.”
But the move to issue the proclamation was ground in something deeper, Diggs said. A desire for “simple respect” for people who have been historically marginalized.
Several individuals who spoke during public session pitted recognition for veterans against recognition for members of the LGBTQ community. Nearly as many spoke in support of the proclamation, including one veteran who said “I don’t see how supporting [LGBTQ] observance detracts from another…. I am appalled when people use military service as a counterbalance to recognition of others. There are 37 days of the year dedicated to military holidays and observances. … Believe me, we military members are not lacking in recognition.”
There was also conflicting opinions from speakers about the nature of homosexuality, with some describing it as a “lifestyle choice,” suggesting that individuals make a conscious choice to adopt an LGBTQ identity, while another suggested that science had shown that LGBTQ people have a genetic predisposition toward that life.
While there is no “gay gene,” students over the past several years have suggested that “genetics — along with environment — play a part in shaping sexuality,” according to a story in the Washington Post. (For more on these studies, visit the National Library of Medicine.)
The Board approved the proclamation, but by a simple majority. Four members voted yes (Allen, Diggs, Gary, and Yeung), one voted no (English), one abstained (Bohmke), and one was absent (Vanuch, who was present for most of the meeting).
Prior to the vote, English said he would not support it, stating “I don’t think this is something we should be dealing with.” Then he added that this was “nothing against” Diggs personally.
Diggs described English as a close “friend,” that they’re going to vote differently, but that English is “a man who loves people … and that’s one thing I love about him.”
Also prior to the vote, Monica Gary weighed in, saying “It’s a wonderful thing to tell people we love you, we value you, you’re welcome here. That’s a really good thing.”
Backlash against localities and businesses recognizing Pride Month has been growing over the past couple of years. In 2023, Target faced a public backlash for products that celebrated Pride Month.
The push to eliminate DEI is also tied to the movement to downplay Pride Month. USA Today recently reported that 2 in 5 companies are decreasing recognition of Pride Month “as executives bow to pressure from the Trump administration, according to Gravity Research, which advises companies on social, political and reputational risks.”
And on Monday, the U.S. Department of Education declared June “Title IX Month,” which some “News outlets reporting on this update have drawn parallels between this new Title IX Month replacing the long-standing recognition of June as Pride Month.”
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Funny thing about Mr. Diggs.
When he says "I’m a Christian, I’m a Black man, I’m a veteran, I serve in law enforcement, and I’m gay.", I see no conflict. 3 are honorable, and the other 2 are just descriptions of human beings as God made them, so what's the problem?.
What I can't understand is how anyone who makes such honorable choices can choose to continue to associate with a party that is so studiously dishonorable, dishonest, etc., that mocks just about every admirable quality of any and all of those professions or choices - not occasionally, but as a continual and worsening repudiation and destruction of them.
That he chooses to belong to such a party at the same time that he is a member of two groups who in the past, and more so now as they gain control - have been historically harmed by the very people he is empowering and emboldening, only makes its sadder.
Because, as he wisely notes, for right or wrong; because he makes that choice at the same time he is doing or being those otherwise honorable things - he does become a symbol. Though unfortunately, in the end, it may be a symbol of things he did not wish.
Yes, I know he works for a Republican Sheriff, and would not be able to be on the BOS if he were not one.
As a Stafford resident, it bothers me not that he is gay, or black, or a veteran, etc. beyond the above mentioned conflicts for any and all Republicans at any level; but that he is so closely involved in deciding his own and his fellow employees' paychecks.
There's a reason for separation of powers, even at the local level. Too much influence.
Like the tale of Caesar's wife, there should not even be an appearance of impropriety. That is impossible in an arrangement such as this.
But the citizens knew what they were doing when they elected him, so - so be it.
But choosing to be a Christian as you are actively supporting the death of children - both by military aid to those who are killing/starving them, the withdrawal of aid and medicines that was saving them in foreign countries, making it harder for them to obtain medical care here so that you can give more money to those who already have the most - hard for me to reconcile that.
Christians should be practicing the Beatitudes of the New Testament, not an eye for an eye of the Old. Though I'm sure Christ didn't know near as much about it as a Joel Osteen or Jerry Falwell...or Pope Donald for that matter. Haha, JK...right?
To proclaim your support for LE at the same time you blindly obey a convicted felon who got convicted despite your blind support, untold wealth at his disposal, much which was donated through your party, a fervent mob and partisan media owned by some of the most powerful people in the world - and pretending like you have no doubt of his innocence despite those convictions - at the same time you belong to a judicial system that finds more of its citizens guilty beyond a reasonable doubt with much, much less evidence or defense resources - don't make a lot of sense in a man of integrity.
To see you also supporting, through your FOP membership and party membership, those who not only got pardoned by you for beating down your fellow officers, as they were in the process of overthrowing the Constitution; seems to be the ultimate betrayal. That your Great Leader also managed to evade even worse charges because of your support, and then is now giving our money to those who committed violent felonies in your name against your fellow officers just rubs salt in the wound.
As you quietly watch and by your silence support, the systemic dismantling of so many of the safeguards which have been placed to prevent executive overreach or living in a police state.
Faceless squads arresting people without charges. Led by those who don't even know the basic tenets such as habeus corpus of the very Constitution that they and you are sworn to uphold. Inspector Generals fired, judges treated contemptuously, orders ignored. And yet, you hold yourself out as honorable.
How?
And so you're a veteran, huh.? Great. Can't help but wonder, based on what I've seen based upon the above activities from "Christians" and "LE" folks who seem to go against every tenet of their trust and faith in the name of Great Leader and the Republican Party; how those who are in the active forces are going to react if this time - as Republicans look to pass a big beautiful bill that allows GL to ignore the courts, as any leader on any level who shows any loyalty towards the Constitution or the law, rather than their cult leader is systemically dismissed.
As totalitarian parades are given, principled generals removed as members of the ("deep state"(defined as anyone with principles other than blind loyalty to Great Leader and the party, in that order), and moneys distributed at the same time other citizens suffer - one cannot help but note how much your Project 2025 resembles the actions of Julius and Augustus when they destroyed a Republic. Not like you're inventing the wheel here., It's been done before. Many times.
I can't help but wonder, if and when your party loses another election and decides to once again overthrow the government and this time, there are no checks left to you doing so - whether it will be someone like you or Mr Davis's son who will be coming to pick up anyone who resists?
Cause I feel it likely should that time come, I might hear a knock at the door (or not, since no-knock warrants are now so much more common)
Pardon me if I don't feel the need to celebrate such service as I once did.
Still, as I said, none of the things Mr Diggs mentions are dishonorable.
Hardly.
But how he, or any Republican today reconciles them with the true "elephant in the room" - the cult party that he belongs to which currently has the community as terrorized into silence as the Night Riders of old is beyond me.
How can he have any pride in that?
You figure that out, let me know.....