Every day, media reports add to the already ample evidence that bigotry is the basis and glue of MAGA–racism, predominantly, but also very substantial amounts of misogyny and homophobia. If the constant, hysterical attacks on DEI and “woke-ism” weren’t sufficient to display the resentments and animus that fuel Trump’s base, a recent incident in Ron DeSantis’ Florida (or–as a cousin who lives there spells it–“FloriDUH”) provides additional confirmation of both the extent and the sheer pettiness of these Rightwing hatreds.
During his tenure in the governor’s office, DeSantis has waged war against such “woke” targets as higher education and Disney World, but now, as The Bulwark recently reported, he’s extended that war to sidewalk chalk. I kid you not.
A MAN WALKING ACROSS an intersection in Florida was arrested over the weekend.
His alleged crime? Felonious use of pink sidewalk chalk.
The man’s name is Sebastian Suarez. On Friday evening, he crossed a street in Orlando with chalk dust on his shoes, leaving pastel-covered footprints on the asphalt. Members of the Florida Highway Patrol, who had taken up a post on the corner, promptly arrested him.
The backstory to this ludicrous arrest is the 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub by a gunman who killed 49 people and wounded another 53–at the time, the deadliest mass shooting in America’s sorry, gun-soaked history. The street in question is in front of the Pulse, which was a gay club. That street was subsequently turned into a memorial to the victims.
As part of the tribute, local officials and LGBTQ community leaders decided to fill in the empty spaces of a crosswalk outside the site with colorful paint, so that it would evoke a Pride flag.
They got state approval, laid down the paint one year later and turned the crosswalk into a rainbow—which is how it looked until late August, when state workers removed the colored paint. That set off a series of protests by LGBTQ activists and attempts to recolor the crosswalk, which is what police and state attorneys say Suarez was attempting to do with his chalk.
They charged him with defacing a traffic device, which can be a felony, and kept him in jail overnight.
A judge released Suarez the next day, holding that there had been no probable cause for the arrest. But DeSantis isn’t modifying his expanded view of what activities constitute a threat to “law and order.”
On Sunday, police arrested three more alleged street-coloring bandits. They too have been released from jail without charges, but this time the judge found probable cause, evidently because police—perhaps having been schooled by a state attorney in what the law in question actually prohibits—are now claiming that the chalk is causing more than $1,000 in damages.
DeSantis is following the Trump administration’s efforts to obliterate any and all messages of inclusion and acceptance. A Federal Highway Administration spokesperson responded to a question about the crackdown on such communications by saying that “Roads are for safety not political messages or artwork.” As the Bulwark article drily notes, the safety defense would be a lot more believable if there were some evidence that painted crosswalks were actually endangering drivers or pedestrians. There doesn’t appear to be any such evidence.
On the contrary—and as articles in the Washington Post and Guardian have noted —a key 2022 study using crash data and observational studies from around the country found asphalt art actually improves safety, by making crosswalks more visible to drivers. As it happens, six of the seventeen intersections in the study were in Florida, which has the nation’s fourth-highest pedestrian fatality rate.
The Pulse crosswalk was not part of the study, but last week the Orlando Sentinel published its own analysis of traffic data and reached the same conclusion—i.e., that colorful street decorations make the city safer for pedestrians….
The safety excuse would also be more credible if Duffy, in his initial tweet announcing the policy, hadn’t explicitly singled out LGBT memorials. “Taxpayers expect their dollars to fund safe streets, not rainbow crosswalks,” Duffy wrote. “Political banners have no place on public roads.”
I wonder if the culture warriors determined to stamp out evidence that gay people exist realize how stupid this is–assigning police to monitor chalk use at intersections rather than spending their time catching criminals or even speeders. The men of MAGA must be incredibly threatened by us uppity women, Brown and Black people who have the nerve to act like they’re entitled to equal civic status, and of course, the mere existence of LGBTQ+ folks.
But really–criminalizing chalk? Pretty pathetic.
If colorfully painting on city streets is a danger to pedestrian and vehicle traffic that is traveling relatively slow, what about the billboards on the sides of interstates, and the signs naming roads in memory of fallen cops, military etc. These take drivers attention off driving at much higher speeds.
This behavior continues to work, until it doesn’t. There are so many shenanigans going on, you can’t focus on any one thing. Wait until ice continues it’s onslaught at factories built and owned by foreign countries. That’s where the rubber is going to hit the road. When these countries start closing factories for hassling their workers, oh boy! Most of these factories are in southern states. Those jobs that Americans covet will be gone. Groceries are continuing to climb, eggs? Lol, they are still through the roof in many store chains. Produce will continue to rise because so much of it is left to rot in the field. These are jobs immigrants have done mostly. Working in the farm industry, working in fast food restaurants, working in supermarkets, standalone restaurants, healthcare, landscaping, butcher shops and slaughterhouses. This country is really become a house of simpletons. All the promises of cheap groceries and cheap gas without a brown person to be seen, is a pipe dream. And yet, they cling to that pipe dream, chasing it like a genie in a bottle, making all their wishes come true. The windmills maga is attacking, are one of the few productive segments of society. It’s great to want to be on top, then ask the question, on top of what? A rotting corpse of a society poised for complete collapse. This is not sustainable, ask the Romans! Ask the British! In a few years, ask the USA and it’s bankrupt economy! And let’s not forget it’s bankrupt morality! Or, how about a bankrupt Department of War? 🤔
Like many kids, mine (and all the neighbouring children) played with chalk on the road. Our little loop was often covered in all sorts of pictures, and race courses, and hopscotch patterns, etc. The reason I mention this is that the pictures are temporary. They disappear with the next rain. So, how could some chalk footprints cause $1000 in damage? The worst I can see is someone has to use a hose or broom or something to get rid of it. Or they could just ignore it and wait for the next rain. Surely that can’t cost that much. So, it seems the police are just lying.
The MAGA definition of anti-DEI is “White Only, Predominantly Male”; no mention of race, creed, color or sexual orientation needed as DEI is a cover-all Bingo game for racists, bigots, antisemites and homophobes. When I lived on the Gulf of Mexico on the south-central Florida coast in Pasco County from 1994-2001 with Jeb Bush as Governor; the county provided FREE aid to Hearing and Visually Impaired residents, no other qualifications needed. Medical information, free phones and smoke detectors and other items to aid our disabilities. The neo-Republican party now denies aid and rights faster than elderly, disabled, retiree Floridians can keep up with it. Hard to imagine that as much as I loved living in Florida I am now grateful that my health worsened to the point that I was forced to move back to Indianapolis to be near family for much needed assistance…which is disappearing now faster than I can keep up with it along with my health care.
Maybe those retirees could use assistance to “self-deport” themselves back to their home states to escape DeSantis?
All great observations and suggestions above. As a former Orlando resident, I can attest that it doesn’t just rain inland; it pours! One afternoon gusher would easily wipe away chalk. Why are the police so bigoted?
Because most of them are bigots (MAGA).
As someone posted the other day, Trump is giving them approval to share their bigotry with their neighbors and the world, and so they do so. He’s greenlighted racism and prejudice for MAGA so they can vent all their frustrations.
We have a mural in downtown that was painted on a building at the entrance of a gay bar. This was done several years ago, and it’s rather huge and right in the middle of DT, facing a law office and bank. Its primary color is pink, and I am surprised that all the MAGAs in our community haven’t targeted this mural yet. Our Mayor is a MAGAT, and most of the City Council are too, so we shall see if it lasts.
p.s. The Democrat insiders (donors) are preparing Project 2029. I ran across it this morning and did a little research. It excluded all progressives and consists mainly of Third Way centrists from Wall Street. They still haven’t picked up on the populist revolution. They’ve lost twice to the worst-rated Trump, and yet they still don’t get it. I’m eager to follow their suggested policies, but given the names involved, I’m not hopeful.
John, your comments about closing factories made me think a little bit about the history of Jim Crow southern states. After the Civil War, the south lagged behind the north in economic development because major employers couldn’t be sure that if they hired Blacks that the business wouldn’t be disrupted. we have first hand historical evidence that this kind of disruption will cause economic harm. It wasn’t until the civil rights act and the voting rights act were passed, did the south begin their economic progress.
Crosswalks in color … Who knew this would expose idiot-level bigotry from Florida Republicans … and Republicans most anywhere? So many idiot-level incidents … Clearly, the Republican brand has lurched back to the 19th century and will not be emerging anytime soon.
Oh, did I actually see a quote from V.P. Vance, aka V.P. Asshole from this weekend that he “… doesn’t give a shit about committing war crimes.” If I’m mistaken, shame on me. Then, I have read some history. This administration is trying ever so hard to emulate Nazi Germany in every way possible.
When will the 75% of the good people in this country do what it takes to expel these monsters?
Read Diane Roberts’ piece on DeSantis’s anti-rainbow antics https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/09/08/note-to-the-governor-you-cant-outlaw-rainbows/ It’s in the Florida counterpart to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Indeed, Roberts regularly punctures the gasbag governor of her state and does so hilariously in the way Molly Ivins did in Texas.
Dan,
Absolutely! Unfortunately with all of the book burning revisionists out there, they try to keep things under wraps till there’s no way to change it!
JoAnn.
My heart hurts for you! I know exactly what you’re dealing with. There is no help anymore, especially when family caregivers are becoming too old themselves do what they need to for their loved ones. Maybe they’ll start training prisoners to do this kind of work, lol! It seems that’s what they’re trying to move closer towards. Concentration camps and free prison labor!
Vernon,
Right on as usual!
When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified.”—Luke 21:9.
“The original-language word translated “disturbances” can refer to disorders, uprisings, opposition to established authority, insurrections, political turmoil, and riots.”
Sounds pretty accurate to me!
How, in God’s name, does chalk cause $1,000 in damage to a road surface where one heavy rain will remove it? DeSantis goes way beyond reality when he says they are defacing property…especially after they asked for and received state approval!
There is a better way but not as colorful. A product painted on the pavement shows up only when it is wet. I saw it used during 2020 Black Lives Matter protest times. I have no clue what it is but maybe someone here could research that?
Humans, like all of life, are 100% diverse. Out of 8B, no two are alike. That’s what bothers MAGA: they want homogeneity; everyone who counts must be white, male, Christian, heterosexual, American, and middle-class.
Like most anti-realistic mythology, some simple observations would reveal this to be entirely incorrect. Following this Trumpian Commandment would promote some terrible people and exclude some excellent ones. There’s no better proof of that than Trump’s cabinet of clowns.
Wake up, America! Return to the beliefs that led the free world!
Greetings from Florididia, or Floriduh!! I like the cousin’s version.
Freaking crazy is what DeSelfserving is! We are all seeing a replay of “Dumb and Dumber.” I will, again, remind you that this clown, when a lawyer in the army, is the one who found a way to approve of waterboarding. So, he has been a not very nice guy going way back.
More FloriDUH brilliance…this guy is just a freaking genius:
In a radical, unscientific, and potentially deadly departure, Florida moves to end school vaccine requirements
By Matt Field
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced last week that his state would work to end all vaccine mandates. “Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo told a crowd in Tampa. Ending requirements means diseases that are now rare in the United States could gain a toehold once again. Read more.
From the “Florida Phoenix”:
Note to the governor: You can’t outlaw rainbows
By Diane Roberts
Let’s dispense with the notion that the DeSantis administration’s war on decorated crosswalks and streets has anything to do with traffic safety. It’s about control — the governor wants things how he wants them and you’d best not get in his way. As columnist Diane Roberts writes, “DeSantis means to bully the people of this state from Perdido Bay to the Dry Tortugas: Expressions of dissent, assertions, of common humanity, civic pride, beauty, and joy will not be tolerated.” But this sort of censoriousness won’t win in the end. “You can’t pray the gay away, nor can you paint over it. You can’t quash children’s creativity. You can’t surgically remove people of color from our history. You can’t outlaw rainbows.”
The constant distraction and gaslighting keep attention away from the true goal, to hide the contents of the Epstein files. He and many others like him are terrified. His bombast and hysterical threats show just how weak he is.
The astonishing excuse being used, by the Speaker no less, that dump was an FBI informant is laughable if it weren’t such a clear sign of how completely corrupted these whited sepulchers are.
Maybe when this time has passed and the world moves on to the ever increasing number of autocratic governments controlling resources and finance, there will be another worldwide conflict as those who have nothing left to lose finally revolt. It won’t be in my lifetime, I am sure, but it saddens me to know that my children and theirs may be the collateral damage that results.
JD,
I heard Thomas Massie this morning share some epic truth that “intelligence agencies and the billionaires associated with Epstein are obstructing the release of the Epstein Files.”
In other words, the clients of Epstein, the Wall Street Banksters, and international global cabals, along with the intel agencies – CIA, Mossad, and probably MI6.
MAGA wants to see the list of Epstein’s clients in the sex scandal. Who raped the teen girls?!?
The victims need justice and closure.
However, Epstein was much, much more than a perverted sex trafficker. He ran financial scams (with the approval of JPMorgan Chase) and chased down hidden money for Aristocrats, and was an arms dealer.
But the most crucial part was that he was a sexual blackmailer for the CIA, Mossad, and MI6. Someone has all the boxes of blackmail tapes taken by Epstein at his mansions, private plane, and Island.
Also, what is the world going to think of the UK, US, and Israel when they find out they partnered with Epstein/Maxwell and used teenage girls as bait to collect blackmail intel on the global elite? To me, this is the reason for the obstruction thus far, and Trump basically delivered it to the doorsteps of the CIA after they had buried it for over a decade.
Also, Speaker (LIAR) Johnson is already walking back his statement…
Dearest Lord—this human species thing is a failure–as a species we are truly too stupid to continue to live on the planet we are destroying.
There’s a video of Katie Johnson on YouTube talking about her being 13 years old when she met Donald Trump and she was forced into performing a sexual act on him. So the video is out there. Don’t know how it isn’t headlining the news.
I’m confused over anti gay phobia and their acceptance of “Donald Trump’s Big Gay Government” as reported on August 26th by NYTimes.com. I wonder what MAGA and the Christian Nationalists think? Maybe their position is: “ Our gays are better than yours”! The article is a good read.