Florida business posts hateful slur in sign denouncing Pride Month

A hateful sign in front of an auto repair shop near Tallahassee was called out by a Democratic political operative and has earned nearly a million views on Twitter.

“Veterans get a day, f*gs and child molesters get a month, why,” the sign reads. May is National Military Appreciation Month in the U.S., and November is National Veterans and Military Families Month.

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The words appeared on a roadside sign in front of Rick’s Auto Repair shop in a rural part of Leon County near Tallahassee, the Florida state capital.

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The repair shop’s owner, Rick Hughes, is known for displaying sometimes controversial messages. A banner in support of former President Donald Trump can be seen in the distance hanging on the repair shop building.

This kind of bigotry should have no place in our Tallahassee community. It is an embarrassment and the people at Rick’s Repair Shop should be ashamed of their foolish, hurtful, and wrong words. pic.twitter.com/vTPg1Md2A8

— Jackson Peel (@JaxPeel) May 29, 2023

“This kind of bigotry should have no place in our Tallahassee community,” posted Jackson Peel, communications director for Florida House of Representatives Democrats, along with a photo he snapped of the offending sign.

“It is an embarrassment and the people at Rick’s Repair Shop should be ashamed of their foolish, hurtful, and wrong words.”

The comms guy says a friend alerted him to sign’s foul language on Sunday. As of Tuesday, Peel’s tweet had over 880,000 views, and several thousand comments debating the sign’s message.

Hughes’ hateful words come two weeks after an electronic traffic sign near Orlando was hacked to read “Kill All Gays.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to doxx someone for the purposes of violent retaliation for their political views,” read one of thousands of comments to Peel’s post.

“Absolutely not,” Peel replied. “I haven’t even called for a boycott or negative reviews. Their sign is public facing, and they have no expectation of privacy regarding it. I have not disclosed the names or other info of anyone involved. Not doxxing, but thanks for trying.”

“Looks like freedom of speech,” read another comment.

“Yes,” Peel replied, “but not freedom from consequence or commentary.”

Multiple replies applauded Hughes’ message, describing it as “based.”

“Incredibly based, Rick can have my business anytime!” ZenComplex wrote.

Peel kept up with the misinformation as best he could.  

“Equating the LGBTQ community with child molesters is 1. Incorrect 2. Historically used to justify persecuting them,” Peel wrote multiple times in myriad ways.

“Pedophilia and homosexuality are not the same thing. It’s not a hard concept to grasp, unless you’re a Sheeple who’s been duped by manipulative forces like RW media.”

“This is hideous,” wrote Jared R. “I pass that place a bunch. I would’ve never gone there to begin with. Now I hope they lose any garbage business they had.”

But for every Twitter used alerted to the danger of Hughes’ sentiments, there seemed to be another throwing the auto mechanic their support.

Wrote Grandpa Midnight: “Thanks for showing us there are still legends out there unafraid to exercise their 1A rights that highlight the homo Jewish subversion that is rotting our nation from the inside out.”

“Cry more,” one poster advised Peel.

“I’m too busy coping and seething,” he replied.