Gay pride flag flies in veterans park despite veterans' objections: 'I was absolutely shocked

A gay pride flag is flying in a Maine veterans park for LGBT Pride Month. And one veteran said he and all those who served in the U.S. military he's spoken to are adamantly opposed to the display.

“I was absolutely shocked," veteran John Mixon told WCVB-TV of the flag that's been raised in Ogunquit's Veterans Park. "I couldn’t believe that someone was even considering it."

The flag was raised on Friday:

What's the beef?

Mixon told the station he isn't against the gay pride flag in and of itself; he just doesn’t want it in the park alongside the American flag, POW MIA flag, and Maine’s flag.

Image source: WCVB-TV video screenshot

"These three flags that are flying here now represent all veterans — gay, straight, black, white — whatever kind of veteran they are represented here in Veterans Park," he told WGME-TV.

Image source: WCVB-TV video screenshot

Mixon — who's also a commander with the Wells-Ogunquit American Legion Post 143 — added to WGME that he'd prefer flying the gay pride flag just outside the park.

"There's a good spot right over there on that flag pole that's even more visible than Veterans Park," he told WGME. "But it's disrespectful to myself as a veteran, and it's disrespectful to all veterans I've talked to."

What does the town have to say?

“The rainbow flag represents that we have a significant number of people who come to Ogunquit partly because of our welcoming nature to gay people, and we want to recognize their contributions to this town," Town Manager Pat Finnegan told WCVB about the flag.

Town Manager Pat Finnegan (Image source: WCVB-TV video screenshot)

Mixon, however, remained unmoved.

“If it flew 25 yards over there on the front porch, I'd go to the celebration. Nobody would care," he told WCVB. "But to put it in Veterans Park and disrespect veterans, it's a travesty."