'Back the Blue' Mural in Tampa Is Almost as Ugly as the Message It Sends

Over the weekend, a group of people who likely think “racial profiling” refers to white people using Black emojis on their social media posts painted a “Back the Blue” mural on a street outside the Tampa Police Department headquarters.

At least I think it reads “Back the Blue.” It might also read “Bock the Blup,” which could be some kind of European sex position I never want described to me. Or maybe that’s supposed to be “Black?” “Black the Blue?” Maybe somebody doesn’t want the Crips diversifying their membership? Perhaps it just reads “Back That Azz Up” in commemoration of the time Cash Money took over for the ‘99 and 2000. All we really know is that this illegible ass shit is a whole eyesore.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, a melanin-free woman named Kristen Krutz helped organize this color-clashing piece of white supremacist hideousness with the help of some 40 members of the Back the Blue Florida online community.

“They’re being defunded and things that they need and require to do their job are not going to be provided anymore,” Krutz told the Times proving that, like most white people and Tyler Perry, her understanding of the “Defund the police” movement is simplistic as fuck. “Obviously, that would make anybody feel unappreciated, unwanted, and that’s the opposite of what we wanted them to see with the mural on the street.”

What’s worse is that the mural was painted before they got the permission of the city of Tampa, which means they really just defaced public property, which means this bunch of vandalizing hooligans decided to show their support for law enforcement by…breaking the law. Unfortunately, white people don’t see irony as well as they see non-existent oppression everywhere.

From the Times:

Without a permit, Krutz said they used orange cones and their personal vehicles to block the road while they worked.

“The reason why we decided to proceed without a permit is because Black Lives Matter has murals all over the city that say Black Lives Matter, and they were not permitted,” Krutz said.

Krutz said she filed a records request with the city for permits issued for Black Lives Matter murals and was told none were issued.

City of Tampa spokesperson Ashley Bauman said the Back the Blue mural was in the process of approval. She said the city would have a statement on the mural later Monday.

Listen: I’m not about to waste time explaining that police officers in America don’t need anyone’s protection or advocacy, that they’re already treated like a protected class, and that they’re all just being a bunch of whiny little bitches over the fact that systemic racism in policing is finally getting a worldwide spotlight. I’ve already made those arguments here, here and here. I really just want to talk about how fucking ugly this thing is.

Nigga, this shit looks like it was painted by someone who was born with two right hands but happened to be left-handed. This shit looks like your toddler’s drawings that you keep giving the “bless your heart” look while you struggle to find room on the refrigerator to pin them on with magnets.

For comparison, here’s a look at the Black Lives Matter mural in Tulsa that the city was planning to remove after someone requested a “Back the Blue” mural to counter it with. (The decision to remove the mural has since been delayed.)

I mean, this isn’t exactly van Gogh quality either, but notice the symmetrical lettering, proper spacing and solid, bright color. At least this one can actually be read without a person instantly developing cataracts.

I almost want the mural in Tampa to stay right where it is as a reminder that cop-humping wypipo are as talentless as they are simple-minded.