Trash leaves trash: filth in a public restroom

Generally a trip outside helps me improve my state of mind. Yesterday, that did not happen. Please forgive me as I go way off-topic today. What I saw is sickening and try as I might, I can’t forget how it made me feel. If you are offended by profanity, just skip this entry because I’m not going to edit it out.

For a number of reasons, my mood has been in the tank lately. Steve and I were looking forward to a pleasant ramble in the woods to clear the air and put things on an even keel again. We settled on Indian Lake State Forest where we have previously hiked. I made some puff pastry filled with tuna salad, Steve threw some cold drinks in a cooler, and we filled our travel mugs with coffee. Thus loaded, we headed up to the trail.

It’s an hour drive, and I had two BIG cups of coffee, so before we parked at the State Forest trailhead, we detoured into the Indian Lake equestrian area because we saw a vault toilet at the parking lot. And here’s what I saw inside:

On the first image, “FAGGOTS BURN IN HELL” has been partially covered by a sticker which someone then peeled off. Nice. On the second image, it’s hard to read the words that have been partially scrubbed away, but they read, “PISS ON BIDEN THE PUPPET AND HIS BLACK BITCH” with “FUCK” and “IMPEACH” also listed as appropriate actions to take.

Now, I know I was in a bathroom, and often vault toilets are filthy and smell bad. But honestly, in this toilet, the graffiti was the only filth.

My heart is breaking.

When the NAACP recently issued a travel advisory for Florida, they advised people of color to “please exercise extreme care in all parts of the state.” Of course, trashy graffiti is not what they’re warning against, But we all know that the conditions that made the NAACP warning necessary are the conditions that make this graffiti acceptable in some circles.

THIS kind of bullshit is why a friend’s son is afraid to come home for the summer after studying abroad. THIS bigotry and hatred are why another friend is considering emigrating with her family. THIS ignorance and evil are why another friend has made jokes about waving goodbye when she is ultimately picked up and hauled away in a boxcar.

I’m not sure how to respond to this graffiti in any meaningful way. But tomorrow I will go scrub the toilet walls and remove what I can of this fuckery. I’m taking “after” photos to go with the “before” photos I’m sharing here, and I’ll send copies to the Florida Forestry office. It’s a start, anyway.

Forestry is, of course, not responsible for the graffiti being there. I want them to know, though, that some of us find it unacceptable. Some of us will get our hands dirty to resist the filth in our state.

STAY WOKE.