State Lawmakers Scrutinize Divisive ‘Safe Space’ Window Sign Program in Florida Town

City of Mount Dora
City of Mount Dora
Wendell Husebø

State lawmakers put a town in Central Florida on notice after it began pushing a divisive program to encourage local business owners to post anti-hate crime signs — in a town with zero hate crimes.

Mount Dora City Council on August 15 unanimously approved the controversial program, dubbed the “Safe Place Initiative.” The program seeks to push every business or organization within the city limits to post a “symbol of safety” as a signal to patrons the business is safe “for the victims of LGBTQ+ crime.”

No hate crimes were committed in the last ten years, the Mount Dora Police Department’s records clerk told Breitbart News.

When Breitbart News asked the city if it instituted the program due to hate crime data or due to a specific example of wrongdoing, Misty Sommer, the city’s public information officer, was not able to cite any data to justify the program.

“It was more to just put out not to have fear here in Mount Dora,” she told Breitbart News.

The divisive program drew the attention of four Republican state lawmakers on Monday. Rep. Keith Truenow, Rep. Stan McClain, Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, and Sen. Dennis Baxley requested the city provide its rationale for instituting the controversial program:

Could you please tell us what specifically has transpired in the City of Mount Dora to lead to such action being needed by your council? Do we have specific reports and/or incidents happening on a regular basis? We are confident that the answer is no! In fact, we had to go back over 12 years to find reports in your area regarding any such bigotry, prejudice, or outright hate crimes being reported.

We believe that you are putting Mount Dora in the crosshairs of detrimental, and absolutely unnecessary, economic harm. In light of what we have seen around this country in regards to the pushback and unprecedented financial harm to long standing American made companies such as Anheuser-Busch and Target Corporation, this local “Safe Place” program is negligent, irresponsible and divisive at best.

You are picking winners and losers in your city with this program  alienating otherwise friendly businesses and residents from one another on the basis of their participation in this virtue signaling program aimed to tear the community apart on the basis of participation, or lack thereof, in this virtue signaling program. Furthermore, in regards to the outcome on public safety, we believe you are in fact creating a less safe environment in Mount Dora, contrary to intentions you proclaim.

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“This absolutely goes against all the constitutional, biblical, law and order principles that this country was founded on and still continues to make this country great today,” the lawmakers concluded.

The City of Mount Dora previously told Breitbart News the divisive program was pending approval from the state’s Safe Place program.

Mount Dora Interim Police Chief, Michael Gibson, told WKMG CBS the Seattle Police Department created and trademarked the divisive initiative. In turn, Gibson said trademark requires Seattle to approve Mount Dora for the program.

“There may be some hate and bias crimes going on out there that are just simply not reported,” Gibson said, admitting hate crimes aren’t common in Mount Dora.

Rachel Priester, the owner of a local downtown staple boutique, told Breitbart News the program is intentionally causing a problem where none existed. Mount Dora merchants would help anyone threatened by potential violence, she said.

“As a business owner in Mt. Dora, I’m shocked the city entity would single out one group of people to highlight a ‘safe place,’ she added. “If someone came into our store fearing for their personal safety, we would help them. Their sexual preference would be irrelevant.”

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.

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