Grumpy neighbour complained about rainbow flag, so the entire street started flying them
The rainbow flag is flying from dozens of houses in a Michigan neighbourhood, after a grumpy neighbour complained about the symbol.
Susan Pearlman, a resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan, had been proudly flying the rainbow version of the US flag from her house since the Orlando massacre.
But one day after the Presidential election Ms Pearlman, whose daughter is a lesbian, received an anonymous complaint through her letterbox.
The letter, published by Mashable, began: “I was enjoying a walk through the neighbourhood today and noticed the flag in your front yard. I wanted to express to you that the flag deeply troubled me.”
It continued: “I was troubled by the rainbow version of the American flag because it overlooks so many things the original American flag represents.”
Ms Pearlman said: “Needless to say I was shocked. I live in a very blue city in an even bluer neighborhood (unfortunately in a newly red state). A college town with a diverse population and my neighborhood reflects the diversity. Shaking and crying I shared the letter immediately with a few neighbors. I also sent out a response to our neighborhood email list.”
Her neighbours reacted swiftly to the incident – with dozens of people also buying rainbow flags and flying them in solidarity.
Ms Pearlman continued: “How did my wonderful, loving neighbors respond? They built a wall of flags.
“As of today there are 20 flags flying and more are to come. Love will always trump hate.”
She added that though the author of the complaint is anonymous, she believed they had felt “emboldened” by the election.
Related: Mike Pence won’t be happy his new neighbours have put up LGBT flags
