Is Erasing Rainbow Crosswalks Really the Hill Republicans Want to Die On?
Written by Peter Boykin on August 27, 2025
Is Erasing Rainbow Crosswalks Really the Hill Republicans Want to Die On?
#GoRightNews Shared by Peter Boykin
American Political Commentator / Citizen Journalist / Activist / Constitutionalist for Liberty
Is Erasing Rainbow Crosswalks Really the Hill Republicans Want to Die On?
In Gainesville, a symbol of inclusivity and remembrance is being erased not by choice but by the heavy hand of the state. The rainbow crosswalks downtown, first painted in 2019, were funded by the community, not the taxpayers. They were meant to welcome, to honor, to remind everyone who walked across them that Gainesville was a city that celebrated diversity. Yet now, these crosswalks are being removed under threat. The state made it clear: keep the rainbows, and lose millions in critical transportation funding. That is not governance, it is coercion.
Mayor Harvey Ward explained the impossible choice. Gainesville could keep the crosswalks, or it could keep its bus system and road funding. In his words, “we’d be giving up our bus system. We’d be giving up any other road funds that we use.” The city already lost $2.9 million this summer. Gainesville cannot afford to lose more, and so the rainbow will be erased. That is a tragedy not only for the LGBTQ community but for all citizens who believe local self-government matters.
Supporters of the removal wave around “uniform safety standards” as their justification. But studies have found that rainbow and artistic crosswalks are not less safe, they are often more visible and draw greater attention from drivers. A 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies study on “asphalt art” projects found crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists dropped by 50 percent at intersections where murals or designs were installed. Driver yielding increased by 27 percent. The evidence is clear: colorful crosswalks are not a danger, they are a benefit. To claim otherwise is political theater.
Let’s be honest, this is not about traffic safety. If it were, the state would be repainting every faded white crosswalk in Florida that actually endangers pedestrians. Instead, they are targeting rainbow designs because the symbol makes them uncomfortable. The question becomes: is the Republican Party really willing to die on this hill, to spend political capital fighting against painted rainbows on asphalt, while ignoring the real issues of infrastructure, crime, and education?
As a Constitutionalist for Liberty, I see something deeper here. This is a question of local autonomy versus centralized control. Gainesville went through the proper process, raised the funds, and installed these crosswalks lawfully. For the state to swoop in and override that decision because it dislikes the design undermines the principle of local self-rule that conservatives once claimed to defend. Today, it is rainbow paint. Tomorrow, it could be any local decision that doesn’t align with state politics.
Local leaders and advocates voiced strong objections. Tyler Forest, vice chair of the Alachua County Democratic Party, called the enforcement “state-sponsored homophobia,” describing it as part of a broader pattern of political weaponization. The Pride Community Center of North Central Florida also mourned the loss, noting that visibility is central to their mission. As center director Dex Lewis explained, “visibility opens minds and hearts, so it’s really important to the queer community to maintain visibility.”
The tragedy here is not just the loss of painted stripes on a road. It is that Gainesville was forced into an impossible choice: keep a symbol of pride and remembrance or keep buses running for thousands of residents. Under the threat of losing essential funds, local leaders had no room to act independently.
This conflict is bigger than one crosswalk. It highlights the tension between local autonomy and state authority, echoing the historic battles between state and federal powers in America. Gainesville had the legal authority to approve the project, the community raised the funds, and the crosswalks were installed through proper channels. To see them undone overnight because of political pressure reveals how fragile local expression can be when state power is used to silence it.
The rainbow crosswalks may be painted over, but their meaning remains. They were never just colors on the street. They were memory, identity, and a public declaration that everyone belonged. Their removal does not erase what they stood for, but it does serve as a reminder of how easily symbols of unity can be turned into casualties of politics.
Are Republicans Really Going to Erase Rainbows While the Republic Burns?
#GoRight with Peter Boykin
Once again, we are watching government flex its muscle not to solve real problems, but to score political points on the cheapest target it can find, a rainbow crosswalk. Gainesville wasn’t breaking laws. They weren’t misusing funds. They went through the process, they raised the money, they honored their dead and their living with a simple piece of public art. And what did the state do? They held a gun to the city’s budget and said: erase it or lose your buses, lose your roads, lose your funding. That is not liberty. That is tyranny dressed up in bureaucracy.
Let’s look at the hypocrisy. The same crowd that chants local control and rails against federal overreach is now weaponizing state government to override the will of a community. And their excuse? “Uniform safety.” The data does not back them up. Studies show rainbow and artistic crosswalks increase driver awareness, improve yielding, and cut down on pedestrian accidents. If this was about safety, the state would be repainting faded white lines across Florida, not erasing bright, visible colors. This isn’t about safety. This is about silencing.
And here’s the hill some Republicans want to die on, rainbows. Not fixing broken roads, not securing elections, not reining in inflation, not defending our borders. Rainbows. They would rather make war on symbols of diversity than defend the principles of liberty. The Constitutional Republic is built on the foundation that “We the People” are diverse, that communities can govern themselves, that the state does not micromanage the paint on our streets.
What can you do?
Don’t just shake your head, speak out. Write your legislators. Demand that state agencies be guided by data, not ideology. Stand with your local leaders when they fight for your right to self-govern. Donate to groups keeping visibility alive. And most of all, call out the hypocrisy. Because if they can erase a rainbow today, what else can they erase tomorrow?
This is bigger than paint. This is about liberty. Gainesville was forced to bow because the state threatened its lifeline funding. But the fight is not over. The rainbow crosswalk may fade, but the truth is still there: America is strongest when the people, not the politicians, decide what their streets stand for.
#GoRight with Peter Boykin
Because liberty isn’t a color on a crosswalk. It’s the right of a free people to make their own mark.
Sources
Here are the verified sources behind the article:
Gainesville’s Rainbow Crosswalk Removal
Megan Howard reported for The Independent Florida Alligator that Gainesville’s rainbow crosswalks, painted in 2019 at Bo Diddley Plaza with community funding, are being removed starting August 25, 2025, to comply with state transportation rules or risk losing funding. Mayor Harvey Ward emphasized that no city funds were used, and the removal under threat of withholding critical transit dollars was deeply insulting. ([alligator.org][1])
Safety Benefits of Asphalt Art/Crosswalk Murals
A Bloomberg Philanthropies “Asphalt Art Safety Study” analyzed crash data across 17 U.S. sites. It found that after installing asphalt art such as crosswalk murals, crash rates dropped by:
17.3 % overall
49.6 % for vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists)
36.5 % for injury crashes
([usa.streetsblog.org][2])
Press Coverage and Context
Streetsblog USA highlighted the Bloomberg findings, noting a 50 % reduction in crashes involving vulnerable road users, a 37 % drop in injury crashes, and a 17 % decrease in total crashes. Drivers yielded 27 % more often at painted crosswalks. ([usa.streetsblog.org][2])
[1]: “Gainesville says goodbye to rainbow crosswalks – The Independent Florida Alligator”
[https://www.alligator.org/article/2025/08/gainesville-says-goodbye-to-rainbow-crosswalks]
[2]: “STUDY: Asphalt Art Decreases Vulnerable Road User Crashes By 50 Percent — Streetsblog USA”
Bloomberg Philanthropies. Asphalt Art Safety Study. April 2022.
[https://assets.bbhub.io/dotorg/sites/43/2022/04/Asphalt-Art-Safety-Study.pdf]
Axios. “Painted streetscapes improve road safety, study finds.” April 27, 2022.
[https://www.axios.com/2022/04/27/painted-streetscapes-road-safety]
My Modern Met. “Asphalt Art Reduces Traffic Accidents by Nearly 50% According to Study.” April 2022.
[https://mymodernmet.com/asphalt-art-traffic-accidents]
Florida Erases Rainbow Crosswalks: Is Liberty Next on the Chopping Block?
In this powerful piece, Peter Boykin of GoRightNews.com exposes how Gainesville was forced to erase its rainbow crosswalks under the threat of losing state funding.
What began as a community-funded symbol of remembrance and inclusivity has now become a battleground between local autonomy and state power.
With studies proving rainbow crosswalks increase safety, the real question becomes: why are politicians willing to erase symbols of unity rather than defend liberty? This is not just about paint, it’s about whether “We the People” still control our streets, or if government power will silence us.
#GoRight, #PeterBoykin, #RainbowCrosswalk, #Gainesville, #FloridaPolitics, #LocalControl, #StateOverreach, #WeThePeople, #StandForLiberty, #ConstitutionalRepublic, #StopErasure, #LGBTQVisibility, #FreeSpeech, #PrideCrosswalk, #AmericanLiberty
For more, visit GoRightNews.com
Subscribe at Rumble.com/GoRightNews and Go Right with Peter Boykin Podcast – YouTube
Follow #GoRight with Peter Boykin on
Go Right with Peter Boykin GoRightNews.com | Podcast on Spotify
X | Twitter and every major platform
Help us stay fiercely independent.
Donate at Cash App $GoRightNews
All donation links are at GoRightNews.com and PeterBoykin.com
Stay informed. Stay free. It is time to #GoRight.
At Go Right News, we know most critics won’t even read past the headline. Quick to judge, quicker to dismiss—just like the very bureaucrats we expose. Sure, we expect that from the Left. But too often, even conservatives skip the facts, shouting “fake news” without a second thought.
We’re not here to play into false binaries. Go Right News stands to defend the Constitution—truthfully, unapologetically, and without fear of offending either side. We lean right, but we’re not afraid to call out extremism, hypocrisy, or double standards wherever they hide.
We give you the facts, the contrast, and the Constitutional context—because this is more than politics. It’s a movement.
It’s Time To #GoRight
#GoRight: More Than Politics—A Way of Life
#GoRight: More Than Politics—A Way of Life
#GoRight isn’t just about politics—it’s about doing what’s right in every aspect of life. It’s about making choices that uplift, strengthen, and unite our communities.
It means:
✅ Doing Right—Standing for truth, integrity, and accountability.
✅ Thinking Right—Using logic, common sense, and fairness in decision-making.
✅ Being Right—Living with honor, respect, and responsibility.
✅ Voting Right—Electing leaders who put We the People first.
#GoRight is a direction—a call to action for all who believe in building, not destroying. It’s about working toward a better future, together.
This Article is Brought to you by Go Right News and Edited by Peter Boykin
Visit GoRightNews.com for More Articles and Visit PeterBoykin.com to Learn more about Peter Boykin
At Go Right News, we stand for facts, not fear. We believe in preserving our history, focusing on real policy, and cutting through the noise. The truth doesn’t need to be edited—it just needs to be heard. And if we’re going to win for America, it’s time to stop running to the sidelines and start charging down the field toward unity, prosperity, and liberty for all.
Web:
Kick:
Rumble:
https://rumble.com/c/GoRightNews
https://rumble.com/c/GoRightNewsVideos
https://rumble.com/c/GoRightNewsPodcast
https://rumble.com/c/GaysForTrump
https://rumble.com/c/PeterBoykin
YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@PeterBoykinForAmerica
https://www.youtube.com/@GoRightNews
https://www.youtube.com/@GoRightNewsChannel
https://www.youtube.com/@gorightnewsvideos
https://www.youtube.com/@gorightnc
https://www.youtube.com/@PeterBoykinForLiberty
https://www.youtube.com/@gaysfortrumporganization
https://www.youtube.com/@QiewNews
https://www.youtube.com/@GoForwardNews
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/boykin4congress
https://www.facebook.com/groups/gorightnews
https://www.facebook.com/GoRightNewsOfficial
https://www.facebook.com/PeterRBoykin
https://www.facebook.com/BoykinForNC
https://www.facebook.com/Boykin4NC
https://www.facebook.com/groups/boykinfornc
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PeterBoykinForCongress
https://www.facebook.com/groups/boykin4nc
https://www.instagram.com/peterboykin/
https://www.instagram.com/gorightnews/
https://www.instagram.com/boykin4congress/
https://www.instagram.com/march4trump/
https://www.instagram.com/peterboykinsings/
Twitter:
Telegram:
https://t.me/NorthCarolinaRedWave
https://t.me/BoykinForCongress
https://t.me/NorthCarolinaFirst
https://www.reddit.com/r/GoRightNews/
https://www.reddit.com/r/GoRight/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Peter_Boykin/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PeterBoykin/
https://www.reddit.com/r/MagaFirstNews/
https://www.reddit.com/r/GayConservatives/
https://www.reddit.com/r/GaysForTrump_Org/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskGayConservatives/
Each Month Go Right News Spends Hundreds of Dollars and Hours to Run This Site and Podcast,
with no sponsors or ads this comes out of our pockets, if you like what you see consider donating to the podcast. Thanks!
Like the Content? Please Support!
Stripe: https://gorightnews.com/donations/support-gorightnews/
Cash App: https://cash.app/$GoRightNews
Tags:
#GoRightNews, #GoRight, #PeterBoykin, #ConservativeVoice, #LibertyPodcast, #MakeAmericaRightAgain, #GOPPodcast, #RightWingTalk, #ConservativeTalk, #ConstitutionalTalk, #NewsForTheRight, #RightSideOfHistory, #AmericaFirstPodcast, #ConservativeCommentary, #PatriotPodcast, #FreedomOfSpeech, #RightViews, #TrumpSupportersPodcast, #ConservativeInsider, #RightSideNews
#ncpol #NCpolitics #Boykin4NC #BoykinFor2024 #BoykinForNC
#Android #Apple #Trump #trumptrain #Trump2024 #TRUMP2024ToSaveAmerica #2024Election #election #election2023 #electionchallenge #ElectionIntegrity #ElectionsMatter #ElectionCommission #GoRightNews #GaysForTrump #tuesday #GoRight #ihatemondays #applemusic #applewatch #applepodcasts #ApplePay #appleiphone #bidenisnotmypresident #BIDENSAMERICA #BidenBorderCrisis #Bidenflation #Biden #BidenCrimeFamily #northcarolina #government #Governor #politics #political #politicians #politicalchallenge #politicalmeme
#MakeAmericaHealthyAgain, #RFKJr, #HealthFreedom, #TransparencyInHealthcare, #BigPharmaWatch, #TrumpHealthAgenda, #VaccineSafety, #HealthReform, #EndTheCorruption, #GoldStandardScience, #J6Pardon, #TrumpJustice, #EqualJusticeUnderLaw, #PoliticalPrisoners, #CapitolCases, #LegalDelay, #TrumpInauguration, #PardonPower, #JusticeForJ6, #AwaitingJustice, #FloridaVsFEMA, #PoliticalDiscrimination, #DisasterReliefBias, #HurricaneVictims, #EqualAid, #FEMAControversy, #NoPoliticalAid, #JusticeForAllFloridians, #FEMAInvestigation, #TrumpSupportersRights
Shared by
#GoRightNews https://GoRightNews.com
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
