Claude Lessard, the plaintiff in a 2003 case of false arrest at John U. Lloyd State Park in Dania Beach, is taking home $45,000 from the state of Florida.

Lessard, an openly gay local junior high school teacher, filed suit against the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and park officer David Pius in March 2005, after being arrested at the park for what he said was a case of anti-gay bias. His suit included charges of false arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution stemming from an incident that took place in the park in July 2003.

The state, without admitting fault, decided to pay Lessard the $45,000 for damages rather than continue to fight the case.

Lessard’s attorney views this as not only a victory for gay men who are harassed at public beaches and parks, but also a legal step that gives gays another right in the fight for marriage equality.

Read more at: The South Florida Blade

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That's all well and fine that he received remuneration of $45,000, but the state of Florida just labeled itself as a bigoted state... in so many words.

Actions speak louder than words, and in this case, the actions (or lack thereof) spoke volumes. Is it really that difficult to say, "I'm sorry. We screwed up?"

This just goes to show we've got a long way to go in the fight for civil rights.