This letter is about the issue of flying gay pride flags on the 22 flag poles under the American flags on Saturday on the Oval. I am an immigrant from Hungary who came to this country because of what the U S flag represented to me: freedom from tyranny, opportunity to live my life my way, have equal rights under the law and equal opportunity to succeed or fail.

In many parts of the world, nations are formed by people who live in geographical vicinity, later called homelands. In these nations, people have alliance to the land. In America, we have a nation because people believe in the ideas our flag represents. One of these is that we are all equal. We are not Irish, black, Hispanic or Hungarian, with special rights or privileges – we are all Americans. To single out groups of people over others for special privileges, such as flying their flag exclusively with the national flag encourages tribalism. Tribalism is divisive and destructive to a society and national unity, and it should be rejected by all who want this nation to succeed. Gay and lesbian people are no better or worse than any other group – they are all Americans and should be treated with respect like all of us want to be treated. So, I agree with the decision of the Milford Selectmen not to fly the gay pride flags with the American flags. I also have no objection to flying those flags someplace else to celebrate the gay and lesbian causes.