Ron Upshaw: Pride crosswalks are beneficial, but should be funded privately

Seattleites are pondering their crosswalks.

As the city prepares for Pride Week, Mayor Ed Murray led a celebration on Monday night over 11 Capitol Hill crosswalks painted in rainbow colors. The cost: $66,000.

Though he likes the sentiment, KIRO Radio’s Ron Upshaw said he doesn’t like who was stuck with the price tag. All expenditures above what normal crosswalks cost should have been paid for privately.

“This is something the gay community should have crowdsourced,” Ron argued.

And the crosswalks might be a little too specific. KIRO Radio’s Don O’Neill spoke with heterosexual people who said they feel left out. They don’t feel pride because of the crosswalks, he said.

That’s being too sensitive, Ron responded. It’s about a “disenfranchised” group getting a voice as it works hard to gain momentum in everyday life.

“If you’re not part of the minority … it’s supposed to make you ask what is that?” Ron clarified. “Because most people outside the group spend very little time thinking about it.”

So what if another group of people wants custom crosswalks elsewhere?

Ron believes it could be beneficial to have crosswalks with things such as Martin Luther King Jr. quotes across them.