Two weeks after Mike Pence was schooled on racial and ethnic diversity by the cast of Broadwayβs βHamilton,β others who disagree with the vice president-electβs views are expressing themselves in profound ways.
Residents in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Washington, D.C. where Pence is currently renting a $6,000-a-month home, are displaying rainbow flags on their porches and lawns, ABC 7 News reports. Their aim, neighbors say, is to send a βrespectful messageβ to Pence, who vehemently opposes same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ-related causes.
βThis is one way that I can show my disagreement,β Ilse Heintzen, who lives on Penceβs block, told the news station. βI have no idea what [the vice president- elect] will think about it, but I hope he will change his mind.β
On Tuesday, ABC 7 reporter Suzanne Kennedy posted snapshots of the flags in question on Twitter.
Her colleague, Tim Barber, followed suit. His photo showed the home of a resident who hung their flag just above a campaign sign for Democratic president nominee Hillary Clinton.
No word yet on whether or not Pence has seen the flags, but if the vice president-electβs history has taught us anything, opposition to the incoming administrationβs stance on LGBTQ rights will be critical. The Indiana governor has supported LGBTQ discrimination under the banner of religious freedom, and laid the groundwork for a massive HIV outbreak in his state by slashing public health funding and opposing needle exchange efforts, believing that they promoted drug use.
Hereβs to hoping the colorful gesture has an impact.
CLARIFICATION: The original version of this article stated that Pence was living in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Itβs actually the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Washington, D.C.