Opposing Request for Pride Parade, Surfside Mayor Says Town-Sponsored Events Must Cater to All

SURFSIDE< FL (VINnews/Sandy Eller) - A request for Surfside to host a gay pride parade in conjunction with LGBT Pride Month was opposed by Mayor Shlomo Danzinger, who cited the importance of inclusivity at all town events. The idea of a town-hosted “Pride Parade” was raised by resident Brian Bey during the public comment period of a March 14th Surfside Commission hearing. Bey had asked for a parade that would include dignitaries, politicians and a police car bearing the LGBT rainbow flag, one day after unsuccessfully posing the same request at a Surfside Tourist Board meeting. Bey’s partner, Joel Timey, made a similar appeal in February, asking that the town sponsor a commemorative event to mark the its decision last year to fly the rainbow flag during LGBT Pride Month. “True equality means not singling out one group over another, but ensuring that everyone feels equally valued and appreciated,” Danzinger told VIN News. “In Surfside, we do not classify people based on their ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. Instead, our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed and included, regardless of who they are. We achieve this by offering inclusive programming that caters to all.” Surfside has sponsored celebrations of music genres through its Third Thursdays program but does not run holiday events. Instead, the town as hosted a fall Spooktacular in lieu of a Halloween celebration and Winter Wonderland instead of Chanukah or Christmas galas, with a non-denominational egg hunt held to commemorate spring, not Easter. Similarly, requests to fly the Israel Defense Forces flag to honor its members’ efforts in the aftermath of the Champlain Towers collapse, the NRA flag, the Betsy Ross flag, the Cuban resistance flag, the National Rifle Association flag, the Ukrainian flag and the Gay Senatic Church of Mars flag have all been denied in order to make everyone feel at home in Surfside, said the mayor. While the town commission did approve a request last summer to fly the rainbow flag during Pride Month, Danzinger was one of two commission members who opposed the move, reasoning that absent a comprehensive town policy on flags, choosing one organizational flag over others could expose Surfside to legal action or require it to display flags representing organizations with prejudice towards individuals or groups. Reiterating his beliefs to Bey at the commission hearing, Danzinger explained that taxpayer money should not be spent on a non-inclusive event. “Surfside is a charming town that is a melting pot of diverse cultures that add to its richness and uniqueness,” noted Danzinger. “The beauty of this diversity lies in its inclusivity, which fosters acceptance and respect for every individual, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. At the heart of it all, we are all human beings, neighbors and friends and it is our duty to treat each other with kindness and without prejudice.”