The Chicago Tribune has this story about a lesbian couple in Barrington, Illinois (a suburb Northwest of Chicago) who recently noticed that the rainbow flag which had been flying on their backyard flagpole had been replaced by an American flag.
Which meant that someone trespassed overnight into their yard and swapped flags.
Though Handal considers herself a proud American, she saw the uninvited flag swap as a hostile gesture aimed at the only openly gay couple in the neighborhood.
“I think the message was quite clear,” she said. “It was sort of the intolerant view vs. the inclusive liberal view. I think if somebody would have just taken the flag and not replaced it with anything, that wouldn’t necessarily have sent quite the same message. It’s more premeditated this way.”
No argument there, but here’s what happened next:
Handal went onto the Nextdoor social network to share her alarm and ask if anyone had seen the thief. Her friends were sympathetic, as were neighbors she had never met. But what came next was a surprise — an act of solidarity that turned a disturbing experience into a vibrant show of unity.
Dozens of neighbors are now displaying rainbow flags outside their own homes, tucking them into their mailboxes, planting them into their front lawns, even incorporating them into their Christmas decorations.
Go read the whole story which, I hope, will leave a smile on your face and knowledge that even in what feels like the darkest time of our national night, there is still light. Happy holidays, everyone.