Florida media laments as state bridges won't shine rainbow-colored lights for Pride Month 2024

For the past three years, the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay dedicated one week in June to LGBTQ+ activism, displaying rainbow-colored as well as blue and pink "transgender" lights in homage to Pride Month. This year, however, no state bridge, not even the Skyway, will have Pride-themed lights, making several Florida media outlets very upset.

Recent headlines from the Sunshine State reveal just how devoted some media outlets are to the LGBTQ+ agenda. "Lights on Skyway Bridge won’t show rainbow colors for Pride Month. Why?" the Tampa Bay Times asked pointedly. "No rainbow lights: Sunshine Skyway Bridge goes dark for Pride 2024," bemoaned WFLA. FOX13 likewise mourned the loss of the "vibrant lights" of Pride this year.

'Pride is the prime example of what patriotism is, the release of government tyranny.'

Only the bridges will still have "vibrant lights." Florida officials have dedicated summer 2024 to America, calling it "Freedom Summer," and have decided to have red, white, and blue lights shining on all state bridges to celebrate it.

"As Floridians prepare for Freedom Summer, Florida's bridges will follow suit, illuminating in red, white, and blue from Memorial Day through Labor Day!" Florida Secretary of Transportation Jared Perdue posted to X last week.

For the change in policy regarding the Skyway's lights, the Tampa Bay Times and other outlets blamed one individual: Manatee County Commission Chairman Mike Rahn. According to an email from Manatee County Administrator Charlie Bishop dated February 13, Rahn disapproved "lighting of the Skyway for Pride Month or National Gun Violence Awareness Day."

As Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties must approve all Skyway light requests, Rahn's vote against the Pride lights has been considered the deciding factor, though he denies that it was. In a statement to the Times this week, Rahn said, "I do not have the authority to override the governor of the state of Florida. However, in my opinion, the lighting of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a FDOT matter and should not be left with to the individual counties."

Byron Green-Calisch, president of St. Pete Pride, said he was "disheartened" by the loss of Pride lights this year. "Pride is the prime example of what patriotism is, the release of government tyranny," Green-Calisch said.

"To have a place to live free, where every man and woman is created equal and imbued with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. When I say I’m patriotic, that’s what I mean."

Because Freedom Summer lasts all summer long, state bridges in Florida will not have light shows to mark other days or weeks previously dedicated to Juneteenth, mental health awareness, autism awareness, sickle cell awareness, or ovarian cancer awareness.

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