For the political left, free speech is relative. If a certain brand of public grievance conflicts with their agenda then it's no longer considered "free." All they have to do is label protests they don't like as insurrections and expressions of defiance as hate speech.
Nothing showcases this hypocrisy more than the legal privileges given to LGBT movements and symbols. Woke activists can destroy American monuments, deface or tear down historical statues and burn the American flag without fear of reprisal, but if you dare leave a mark on a pride flag in the middle of the road you will face the full force of the law.
Such is the case in St. Petersburg, Florida where two separate vehicles have burned rubber across a pride mural painted in the middle of a Central Avenue intersection. Democrat officials are outraged by the persistent damage to the giant pride flag and they claim the cost to fix the mural will be over $1000, which local police say is a felony. A "manhunt" is now underway for the perpetrators.
BREAKING: A manhunt is underway after a driver left tire marks on a pride mural in St. Pete, FL.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 27, 2024
He will be charged will a felony count of criminaI mischief if they find him. pic.twitter.com/6e1sYsCXhh
Democrat Mayor Ken Welch posted about the vandalism on Instagram, stating:
"In light of the recent vandalism targeting our Progressive Pride flag mural, I want to emphasize that there is no place for hate in St. Petersburg. We stand united in valuing and appreciating every resident, regardless of their orientation, gender identity, or expression. Our differences make St. Pete the vibrant and diverse community we cherish."
But who said it was okay for these cities to force pride symbols onto residents in the first place? In many cases pride flags and crosswalks have been adopted by city officials without any prior polling or approval among residents, and citizens who pressure the city to remove these flags (as we recently witnessed in a town in Alberta, Canada) are attacked by the media for "embarrassing" to the town's reputation.
It's important to first recognize that the pride movement is not an equality movement, it is a political movement with distinct and antagonistic goals including the re-education of the general citizenry. The public is being conditioned to accept pride politics as a common element of American discourse when they're really a fringe movement with a tiny following. Without the constant support of governments, corporations and NGOs "Pride" would simply cease to exist.
The real question that needs to be asked is this: Should city governments be allowed to push activist indoctrination into the public square? Are public streets and public buildings paid for with public tax dollars fair game for propaganda for just one group? Any group? Or, should they remain neutral?
And, if it's okay to deface traditional American monuments in the name of free speech, why does the defacement of pride murals require felony charges and a "manhunt."
Pride month in general is a fabrication, an astroturf event created from thin air with little meaning to the vast majority of Americans. Yet, for an entire month, people are bombarded with an endless deluge of rainbow flags and pontificating about the virtues of gender ideology from activists whose core identity revolves around who they prefer to sleep with. It's bizarre.
Beyond that, the public has no opportunity to debate the validity of pride propaganda without being accused of bigotry and it would appear that the populace is getting fed up with this. Since leftist politicians will not listen to their concerns, their only recourse is direct action. Maybe it's time to question why pride month is being made into a 30-day long woke national holiday without America's permission? Maybe it's time to cancel pride month altogether.