WA lawmaker says US flag is not 'relatable' but Pride flag is

Just weeks before Memorial Day and amid the United States’ 250th anniversary year, a city council member in Lynnwood, Washington, launched into a tirade against the American flag, declaring that the Pride flag is far more relatable to her and suggesting the 27 US flags at Wilcox Park should be replaced.

According to the Lynnwood Times, Councilwoman Isabel Mata made the remarks during the May 4 City Council meeting while discussing the city’s flag display policies. “To me, a pride flag is way more relatable than an American flag. I would not raise an American flag at my house because I just, I wouldn't. I wasn't even born here. But I would raise a pride flag,” Mata said.

Mata, who describes herself as “a queer, neurodivergent writer, advocate, and mindfulness meditation teacher,” painted Lynnwood as “the most diverse city in all of Snohomish County” and questioned whether the park’s year-round American flags still reflect current community values. “And as the most diverse city in all of Snohomish County, I don't think that I'm the only one who, who would maybe choose to have 27 other flags in Flag Park,” she continued. “Does this park represent the values that were here in the 1960s when they established this park? Do we hold those same values now, and are they representative of the Lynnwood as we see it today?”

Mata argued that some of the flags represent “parts of American history that, frankly, are not great,” and suggested exploring alternatives that better represent the city’s “beautiful cultures and diverse backgrounds.”

“The last thing I want to say is yes, it's a political statement, but our city logo is literally all are welcome in rainbow colors,” she added. “We've already made a decision as a city where we stand politically.”

The official City of Lynnwood logo is a stylized blue “L” with concentric squares and is not rendered in rainbow colors. The city has used separate “All Are Welcome” messaging in past initiatives, but Mata’s claim about the municipal logo does not match the adopted branding.

Her comments come weeks before Memorial Day, which will see millions of Americans honor service members who died under the Stars and Stripes. This year also marks the nation’s semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Mata, who was not US-born, serves as an elected official who took an oath to support and defend the US and Washington State constitutions. Critics argue her public rejection of the American flag raises questions about her ability to represent constituents who view Old Glory as a symbol of freedom, sacrifice, and national unity.

Earlier in her term, Mata pushed a resolution aimed at directing Lynnwood police to limit cooperation with federal agents, including ICE. The move drew objections from the police chief over legal risks before being amended.