BOONTON - There are probably better ways to make a point without displaying a swastika, or anything having to do with the Nazis.

The forum for this unfortunate display were two recent meetings of the town council in this Morris County town.

The issue was revamping a town flag ordinance to allow flying of the Pride Flag during Pride Month, which is June, at the town's Grace Lord Park.

Gay rights are certainly more mainstream these days than they were even a decade ago. Yet, the flying of the Pride Flag remains controversial in some quarters.

The town's ordinance in question limited flag displays on municipal property to the American Flag and such other government-related banners as military branch flags and those of the state and county. So, it needed to be amended to fly the rainbow Pride Flag in June.

The amended ordinance was introduced on May 4 and approved Monday night in party-line 5-4 votes with Democrats in favor.

But then, it was quickly vetoed by James Lynch, the Republican mayor. More about that later.

At both meetings, Republican Michael Eoga, who spent more than 20 years on the governing body, spoke against amending the law.

Both times, he displayed a swastika and at the recent meeting, he tried to give copies to each council member, some of whom declined to accept. Councilman Benjamin Weisman took a copy and threw it to the ground.

Eoga said Monday that knows his previous appearance caused a stir, but that his point was not to intimidate anyone.

His point was the "slippery slope" argument. By approving flag displays other than those representing the U.S government, Eoga suggested the town could leave itself open to litigation if it refused to allow other groups to fly their flag on public property. So, the use of a swastika was a way to dramatically make that point.

Drama aside, a less inflammatory symbol probably would have worked just as well.

There was robust public debate on the issue.

Proponents argued that the Pride Flag, like Pride Month, shows belated respect for a group of people, who have been marginalized and persecuted over the years.

"Inclusion is not un-American," one person said.

Opponents of changing the ordinance said it was a case of rewarding one group, or one special interest, and what's more, the American flag is all one needs.

The latter point was what Mayor Lynch said when he said he would veto the ordinance.

He also noted that this issue came about because Democrats recently took majority control of the council. Well, yes, that is what happens in politics.

That 5-4 control, however, was not good enough, because Dems lacked the needed two-thirds majority to override the mayor's veto.

So, after two meetings, extensive public comment and the display of a swastika, things remain the same. No Pride Flag for Pride Month

Boonton Rainbow Pride, a local gay rights group, reacted thusly on its social media page:

"Mayor Lynch chose to make the entire town follow only his own personal agenda."