A Washington state mayor is refusing to let radical activists rewrite history or disrespect America’s heroes. Newcastle Mayor Robert Clark delivered a passionate and fiery response after a far-left LGBTQ+ activist criticized the city’s decision to fly the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) flag over City Hall instead of the Pride flag.
During a public hearing Tuesday night, left-wing activists berated Clark and the city council for upholding a previous decision to stop the Pride flag from flying at City Hall. But one activist took it even further—accusing the mayor and the council of trying to “trick” people into thinking the Pride flag was not allowed by flying the POW/MIA flag instead.
“There are 82,000 Americans registered as POWs and MIAs, but there’s 20 million minimum LGBTQ members,” the activist argued, calling the decision “disgusting” and telling Clark and the council they should be “ashamed.”
But Clark wasn’t about to sit quietly while veterans and missing service members were disrespected.
“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,” the mayor shot back, his voice filled with righteous anger.
“This country was founded because veterans lost their lives, hundreds of thousands of people died for this country so you could fly your Pride flag. Man, I am pissed.”
Clark made it clear he would never allow the honor and sacrifice of America’s service members to be belittled.
“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 told the activist. “They sacrificed their lives all over the world for America and for freedom around the world.”
Clark went on to call out the activist’s history of attacks, saying he had “tolerated” her inflammatory rhetoric in person and on Facebook but had finally had enough.
“You probably can’t help yourself, but don’t ever disparage veterans in front of me,” he warned before cutting off any further interruptions. “We’re done.”
The activist’s outburst comes after the Newcastle City Council initially voted last year against raising the Pride flag—a decision that was later overturned in a narrow 4-3 vote. Clark, however, questioned the logic of opening the floodgates to activist-driven flags over public buildings.
“If we start raising flags, then we’ve got to raise everybody’s. Do you want a Hamas flag flying over the City of Newcastle? Or a MAGA flag?” Clark pointed out in a previous interview. “How about a Trump flag or an Antifa flag? We’re not going there, folks—everybody is equally represented by the American flag.”
Clark’s defense of the POW/MIA flag is backed by law. In 2019, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill—ironically sponsored by leftist Sen. Elizabeth Warren—that ensures the flag is displayed whenever the U.S. flag is flown at federal locations. The flag, designed in 1971, honors American service members who were prisoners of war or remain missing in action—a solemn reminder of their sacrifice.
But to radical activists, honoring fallen heroes apparently isn’t as important as pushing political agendas. Fortunately, Americans like Mayor Clark still have the backbone to stand up and say, “Enough.”
