Multiple Baker City residents are calling for Mayor Matt Diaz to resign after he shared an item on his personal Facebook page last weekend that showed a collage of four Pride flags, a symbol of support for gay, lesbian and transgender people and other minorities, arranged to form a swastika shape.

June is Pride Month, and a variety of events to celebrate diversity are scheduled, including a walk in Baker City on Friday, June 24, starting at 6 p.m. at Central Park and continuing to Geiser-Pollman Park.

Diaz, in a statement posted to his Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, denied any racial animus in the post, which was shared as a story and was on his page for about 24 hours.

“I am in no way a racist as some have claimed as a result of this post,” Diaz wrote. “I do not support racism in any form as we are all created in the image of God and the color of our skin or the nation of our birth is not enough to condemn us. To judge someone on the superficial things that cannot be changed, instead of the fruit of their character, is a foolish endeavor and should have no place in a civilized society.”

Several residents who wrote letters to the city and to the Baker City Herald called for Diaz to resign.

“At best the choice to post that displays a lack of social awareness and common courtesy,” Cynthia Roberts wrote in a letter to the Herald. “I’m sure the post was threatening to some people and disgusting to most people. It can not be lightly dismissed as a joke.The post suggests that our mayor feels pride in Nazi ideology. Matt Diaz should not be mayor of Baker City nor should he be allowed to remain on the city council. He is an embarrassment and lacks the wisdom to be a leader of any kind.”

Barbara Meyer of Baker City wrote that she is “deeply saddened and offended about his attack on the LGBTQ and Jewish members of our community. This was very divisive and unbecoming of a Council member ‘Mayor.’ If there is a different meaning than what I’m understanding I would love to hear his explanation.”

Mary Miller of Baker City, in a letter to the Herald that she also sent to Diaz, called the post “a slap in the face of all Americans that fought and died in WWII to liberate persecuted people from the tyranny of Nazi Germany. Any Jewish citizens living in our city I’m sure are hurt and horrified. You not only need to issue an immediate apology to all citizens of Baker City; you should also resign. I do not wish to see you in ANY leadership role in Baker City, as you have just shown that you are unfit for leadership.”

Baker City officials posted a statement Tuesday on the city’s Facebook page addressing Diaz’s post and complaints about it.

City Manager Jonathan Cannon said the city received phone calls about Diaz’s post. Cannon said he reviewed and approved the statement on the city’s page.

“In light of the phone calls and confusion about what city staff can or cannot do regarding a personal social media account, I felt it important to clarify that city staff cannot regulate a personal Facebook account of elected officials,” Cannon wrote in an email to the Herald on Wednesday morning. “I also thought it important that the community understands that Baker City is in compliance and will continue to be in compliance with all state and federal discrimination laws.”

The statement on the city’s Facebook page reads:

“Dear Baker City Community,

“We would like to address the recent social media post made by Matt Diaz (city mayor) on his personal page. While we understand the concerns raised by many community members regarding this social media post. It is essential to clarify that as a city municipality, we cannot control the personal social media activities of our elected officials.

“We strongly condemn any form of discriminatory behavior. Baker City is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to following all state and federal discrimination laws.

“Baker City strives to ensure that every member of our community feels safe, valued, and supported, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other characteristic.”

Diaz was elected as mayor by his fellow city councilors on April 11, the same meeting at which councilors voted 4-2 to remove Beverly Calder as mayor after Councilor Dean Guyer criticized Calder for writing a letter to the editor of the Herald that called into question City Manager Jonathan Cannon’s management of the city’s budget. The council elected her as mayor Jan. 3. Per Baker City’s charter, the elected councilors, not voters, choose the mayor.

Diaz wrote in an email to the Baker City Herald on Tuesday, June 20 that the collage he shared “was posted in a story, which is not the same (as) being posted on a Facebook page. Stories only stay published for 24 hours as far as I know. As for my critics, they are welcome to ask my thoughts on anything I have posted or said without using a middle man.”

The collage of four pride flags has been an internet meme for at least a year.

Laurence Fox, a British political activist, posted the meme in June 2022. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust condemned the collage.

In his response, Diaz wrote: “The post in question was meant to illustrate how the DEI or “woke” ideology is being propagandized and militantly forced on American society and culture using the same psychological tactics used by the Nazi party in the 1930s-1940s. It was meant to demonstrate how this movement, under the guise of inclusion and affirmation, is attacking the very foundation of America’s Judeo-Christian values, a movement that some of our citizens have been thoroughly indoctrinated into. It was meant to show the likeness between the two factions.”

The Herald asked the six other city councilors to comment on the criticism of Diaz’s post.

As of press time Wednesday, Councilor Dean Guyer had responded, saying he had no comment.

“I am in no way a racist as some have claimed as a result of this post. I do not support racism in any form as we are all created in the image of God and the color of our skin or the nation of our birth is not enough to condemn us. To judge someone on the superficial things that cannot be changed, instead of the fruit of their character, is a foolish endeavor and should have no place in a civilized society. That being said, the fruit of one’s character is a direct reflection of their value system.

“As in everything, my opinion is irrelevant. As a disciple of Christ, I know exactly how flawed my human thinking is. I am not God. To that end, allow me to apologize for any misunderstanding from that post, in the context of racism. I am not a Nazi sympathizer or supporter, nor will I ever endorse the actions of those that are. I also hold no hate for those who choose a different lifestyle, religion, or sexual preference than my own. One of my favorite things about our Constitution is that it guarantees every citizen the right to choose to live however they wish, as long as those choices don’t infringe on the rights of others.

“The post in question was meant to illustrate how the DEI or “woke” ideology is being propagandized and militantly forced on American society and culture using the same psychological tactics used by the Nazi party in the 1930s – 1940s. It was meant to demonstrate how this movement, under the guise of inclusion and affirmation, is attacking the very foundation of America’s Judeo-Christian values, a movement that some of our citizens have been thoroughly indoctrinated into. It was meant to show the likeness between the two factions. This is not a political issue as some have stated, but an issue of American values and morality. As a man of faith and a veteran surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses and fellow veterans, I hold dear the oath I took when I enlisted to defend the Constitution and be a part of preserving our Republic. That preservation starts right here in Baker City using tools like Facebook to speak out against ideas that ultimately harm the families and nation that was built and protected by men and women willing to stand for what they believe in.”