ABOVE: Elijah Daniel. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Gay YouTuber Elijah Daniel decided to protest the Trump Administration’s ban on U.S. embassies flying Pride flags by buying a whole town.
Daniel, 25, purchased Hell, Michigan from its owner John Colone. He is only the temporary owner of the town, which is a five-acre commercial property with an estimated population of 70 people. It’s unclear how much Daniel paid to be the temporary owner of the town but Colone did have the town listed on the market for $900,00 back in 2016.
His first order of business was to change the name from Hell, Michigan to Gay Hell, Michigan. Daniel says that the only flags that are allowed to fly are Pride flags.
Daniel told NBC News that he isn’t serious about the ban on non-Pride flags but hopes this story will help his followers pay more attention to politics.
“I have a young audience who is 16 to 24 who would not be involved in politics if it wasn’t in a funny or meme way,” Daniel told NBC News. “I’m just trying to have fun and get my audience politically active.”
Daniel also became mayor for the day of Hell, Michigan, a title anyone can hold for the price of $100. During his reign as mayor he “banned” heterosexual people from the town.
ahead of pride month Trump’s administration put a ban on embassy’s flying pride flags.
so as of today, I am now the owner of Hell, Michigan. I bought the whole town.
And my first act as owner, I have renamed my town to Gay Hell, MI.
The only flags allowed to fly are pride. pic.twitter.com/AKOcZm2Jvm
— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) June 17, 2019
donald trump annoyed me so much that i bought a whole fucking town
— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) June 17, 2019