‘How dare you!’ Mayor unloads on LGBTQ activist who complained about POW/MIA veteran flags

An outraged Washington state mayor shut down an LGBTQ activist who dared to lecture him about the Pride flag being flown at City Hall.

Mayor Robert Clark verbally torched a woman named Jen during the Newcastle City Council meeting after her ill-conceived attempt to compare the Pride flag to a Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag.

During public comment, the activist called attention to Clark’s move last year to prevent the Pride flag from being flown in June, saying she hoped the mayor would support the rainbow-colored flag “in proclamation this year” because of his “new-found appreciation” for flags.

She contended that flying the POW/MIA flag for “100 days a year is a political stunt.”

(Video Credit: Newcastle City Council)

“My research shows that there have been 82,000 Americans who are registered as POWs or MIAs, which is atrocious and horrible, and it should never happen to any American, but there [are] 20 million minimum LGBTQ members,” Jen stated.

“I think that your approach to trying to trick people out of having to fly the pride flag in June by making sure that the POW/MIA flag was flown is really disgusting. Again, it is not impartial in any way, and I think that you should be ashamed. I definitely am,” she concluded.

The mayor was incensed.

“It’s not common that I respond to public comment, but I will not sit here and have somebody tell me that veterans are a political stunt. How dare you,” he told the woman as some of the attendees could be heard clapping.

“This country was founded because veterans lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands of people died for this country so that you could fly your Pride flag,” Clark said.

“Man, I am pissed. Sorry, this is out of line and perhaps my councilmembers will censure me for this,” Clark continued, warning, “Do not ever disparage veterans in my presence.”

“Those 82,000 people who never came home will never have a chance to have a family or grow up while you can fly your pride flag,” he said. “They sacrificed their lives all over the world for America and for freedom around the world.”

“I tolerate your comments which are always on the attack, and your libelous comments on Facebook,” the mayor continued. “I tolerate because you probably can’t help yourself, but don’t ever disparage veterans in front of me.”

The Newcastle City Council voted last year not to fly the Pride flag but later backtracked following a public outcry. At the time, Clark had argued the American flag represented everyone.

“Do you want a Hamas flag flying over the City of Newcastle? Or a MAGA flag? How about a Trump flag or an Antifa flag? We’re not going there folks,” he said. “Everybody is equally represented by the American flag.”

His scathing rebuke of the activist this week earned him plenty of support on social media.

Wow…That’s Mayor Robert Clark from Newcastle WA, a proud Navy veteran who served 10 years in the US Navy.

Mayor Clark is also an electrical engineer and in his spare time is active in the VFW and American Legion, and serves as part of the honor guard at Tahoma National…

— An Army of Juan (@MrJuanCampbell) March 19, 2025

Finally, someone said what needed to be said.

— Clown World ™ (@ClownWorld_) March 19, 2025

Finally some common sense from a politician, the Pride flag is not equivalent to a Prisoner of War-Missing in Action flag.

The mayor is right to call out this absurd comparison, it’s about time someone stood up for what’s truly important.

Free speech is alive and well in…

— Stop Socialist Tyranny (@endlibtyranny) March 20, 2025

Thank you Mayor. As a veteran I appreciate you!

— Southerngal (@deplorableRuby) March 19, 2025

Based mayor! Finally, someone with a spine standing up to the woke mob.

— Pregnant Redhead (@PregnantRedhead) March 19, 2025

She certainly wasn’t expecting THAT!

— Antonetta Papacino (@APapacino) March 19, 2025

I wanna shake that man’s hand

— Don (@DonCatan47) March 20, 2025

Senior Staff Writer
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

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