In a first for the largest city in Volusia County, the Deltona City Commission June 3 approved a proclamation recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.
Citing his objection based on spiritual beliefs, Mayor Santiago Avila Jr. said he had declined to sign the proclamation. Commissioner Troy Shimkus read the proclamation and chided the mayor.
“This does not represent the values of our community, which prides itself on welcoming and supporting all residents,” Shimkus said.
Applause and cheers rang out from a contingent of Pride supporters, several of whom sported their rainbow colors to mark the first such occasion in Deltona’s history.
“Symbolic acts like proclamations can give help to those who need it,” one speaker said.
Heather McLean, representing DeLand Pride, told the commission that the Pride proclamations are important “because not everyone supports us.”
In her support for the Pride Month proclamation, Rosemary Latham took the opportunity to speak as a Democrat running against House District 29 Rep. Webster Barnaby, R-Deltona.
“It is my belief that the job of an elected official is to lead with an open heart and with an open mind. It is to recognize the people of our community who they are, not who we want them to be,” Latham said. “Recognition is important. In a healthy society, people need to be recognized.”
Avila’s stance brought blistering criticism from several in the audience during the public-speaking period.
“I don’t believe in the lifestyle, but I believe in respect,” Avila said in defense of his position, just before gaveling the meeting to an end. “Government shouldn’t be involved in this.”
I live in Deltona and I’m on the mayor’s side. No one needs a whole month to celebrate what they do behind closed doors and take it outdoors. Enough already.
I totally agree with you and the mayor. And, yes, good to have names and voting records for the next election.
right on
it’s super weird that when you think of gay pride your first thought is what they do behind closed doors. instead of seeing gay people as humans you’re just constantly fantasizing about gay sex?
Troy Shimkus. Rosemary Latham. I’m committing these names to memory for the next election cycle.
If we are to give a whole month to anyone it should be our Fallen Hero’s not the mentally ill who don’t know what their sex is.
The month of May is Military Appreciation month. If you really cared about our vets you’d know that. There have many gay vets who have died for your freedom.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 yes they should know when Military Appreciation Month is. If they aren’t gay or an ally, no one is forcing them to celebrate. Gays aren’t mentally ill. Let them live their lives.
lets vote them out there are more of us than them
there are objectively more democrats in america than republicans. the majority of americans have wanted republicans to be president only twice in the past 40 years
fuck the military. I agree with trump when he called them suckers and losers