Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly demonstrated his true colors when he canceled a Boots on the Ground Line Dance competition at the Flagler County Fairgrounds, one day before the event. The song, "Boots on the Ground," has taken Black America by storm, as has the line dance associated with it. Consider the dance a more complicated version of the Electric Slide. Its popularity transcends age groups. I was recently invited to a gathering where a couple of dozen people came to a home to watch a video and learn the dance. The average age of the guests was at least their late 60s.
Boots on the Ground dance competitions have popped up all over the country, but won’t be allowed in Flagler County, Florida, where I reside. Organizer Troy Reddin said after securing both the permit and the keys to the fairgrounds, Staly looked into his background and used his past as a rapper to profile him as a violent person and convince the county to cancel the event. In a Facebook post, the Sheriff revoked the permit, citing an “improper permit application,” without indicating what was improper about it.
“The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is informing the public that a previously permitted event planned at the Flagler County Fairgrounds on Saturday July 26th has been revoked and is now considered an unsanctioned event and in violation of local laws,”
Reddin initially applied for a permit approximately two months before the event.
“They said I needed insurance for today’s event, and I got the insurance," said Reddin. "They said I needed to hire three deputies for security; I did that. I got a liquor permit, and they approved it, and the Sheriff’s office had to provide three additional deputies in reference to the liquor permit.”
After meeting all the requirements, county officials handed him the keys to the fairgrounds on Thursday, July 24. Reddin said all his vendors — including funnel cake sellers, seafood and barbecue vendors, and more — were prepared to be there at 9 a.m. July 26.
The Sheriff’s office placed signs on County Road 13 at U.S. 1 and on County Road 205 at State Road 100 to inform attendees and vendors of the event’s cancellation. When the promoter looked for alternative locations in Bunnell or Palm Coast within Flagler County, the Sheriff’s office stated that any alternative location within Flagler County, including Palm Coast and Bunnell, is not authorized or permitted, and persons attending are subject to arrest. The Sheriff threatened to arrest anyone showing up to a line dance competition.
The Bunell Police Department chimed in, saying it would deploy more boots-on-the-ground patrols to ensure that organizers of the event are not violating the law. They might as well have said slave patrols.
Bunnell police also said the organizer/promoter of the event will be held responsible for expenses incurred for increased law enforcement presence required to police the event, if it is held.
“A zero-tolerance approach will be taken toward any individual or group that seeks to disrupt the peace, threaten public safety, or diminish the quality of life for residents and businesses in the City of Bunnell.”
Rick Staly expressed concerns that having the event could “trigger a significant hostile event and make it more difficult and dangerous for my deputies to keep public order.” Staly urged the public to be vigilant and report any malicious gatherings and dancing.
Preventing Black people from gathering is nothing new for Florida, or the rest of the country, for that matter. Florida formally adopted slave codes from 1821 to 1861 to manage enslaved people, including the prevention of public gatherings outside of church (led by white pastors). Slave codes weren’t technically in force during the Civil War, but you’d best believe they were still real. When the war ended in 1865, Florida quickly adopted Black Codes to govern Black behavior. Jesus felt that when two or three gathered in His name, it was a good thing. Florida felt that when three or more Black people were gathered, it had to be stopped.
When Reconstruction allowed Black people to gather, vote, and socialize, it was up to the Klan to restore order. Now, the Flagler County Sheriff and Bunnell Police Chief have picked up the mantle. Had I known in time that one could be arrested for going to a line dance, I’d have gone.
On its Facebook page, the Sheriff’s office offered a benign explanation about potential damage to the rain-soaked grounds at the fairgrounds, as if that is within the Sheriff’s purview.
“After consulting with the Assistant County Attorney, the County revoked the permit on Friday for safety concerns, potential damage to the fairgrounds because of the rain-soaked grounds, and the failure of the organizer to follow the permitted use in the permit and application and began the process to refund the fees.”
Others have justified the cancellation on the heat index (never mentioned by the Sheriff) and concern for the patrons. This is a community where Confederate flags are common, along with white pickup trucks displaying shotguns. The clear message is that gatherings of Black people are unwanted and considered dangerous.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of William Spivey's work on Medium. And if you dig his words, buy the man a coffee.