Thank you for highlighting why we Do Not want to "make America Florida" (I think that was a slogan he used) and speaking of bans, hear is a way we readers & writers can help now. https://pen.org/
While I hope your assessment is correct, there are still more people moving into Florida than out. Unless that stops, I don't see much changing there. (On a side note, I thought Gorman was the best thing in the inauguration, and even as an old, white woman found her poem extremely inspirational, good for her for hitting back!)
Wait till those folks moving here see their next homeowners insurance bill--not to mention what will happen if a hurricane hits a major city later in the year. It’s not just progressives that are getting fed up.
Amanda Gorman was truly inspirational and I agree was the highlight of the inauguration.
The fact that one rabid reich-wing fanatic can deprive an entire school of a book is a very sad lesson on what "freedom" means in the fascist cesspool that Florida has become.
So one parent can file a complaint in Miami Dade county and they remove books...for that one person. What happened to, if you don't like something, then don't read it yourself. When did it become OK for everything to fall in line with one person. Those other parents in that community need to speak up LOUD and clear that they won't tolerate this happening. Sitting back and saying nothing will never win the fight. It is frustrating here in Florida, but I am always looking for ways to speak out about his draconian ways
So it should take just one parent to request that the poem be brought back into the school to bring it back, right? (If only the world worked this way *sigh)
Because all the objections to books, and the bannings, and the removals, have absolutely NOTHING to do with concerns over the content of the books, or the fact that other people’s children are reading them.
It is entirely, and ONLY, about exercising control over other peoples lives.
If if they woke up one morning and found every single book they objected to removed from every single library, by lunchtime they would find something else to be fake deeply offended by.
Exactly. The fascists who want to be thought police need to understand that swords do indeed cut both ways.
File an objection to the Bible. And to any that is favorable toward any Republican, any book by any Republican, any book that features a white or heterosexual person, any book about history or set in the past.
Sure, Republican hypocrisy would by blatant. “You can’t ban my book. You’d have to give a volume of specific reasons to even try. But, sure, I can ban yours and only need to give a one sentence vague reason.” But it may give some of them pause if the realize banning can be used against them, and libraries with literally no books might spur enough apathetic people who think MAGA bans don’t really affect them to recognize that they very much do.
Jay, thank you for writing and sharing that people are pushing back. Here in Indian River County (Vero Beach) the newspaper Letters to the Editor has been filled with thoughtful, intensifying expressions of protest for some time. We’ll be sharing this with our friends and neighbors...right now!
This is so great! Also, I've heard that Democrats actually did much better in Florida in 2020 than they're given credit for. They didn't WIN, so they were roundly criticized for failing, but according to Martha Laning, founder of SPAN, the data told a much more nuanced and encouraging story. The party was doing great work and increased their margins everywhere in 2020. But the then-party leadership were simply blamed for losing and replaced. The NEW party leadership thoroughly fumbled 2022 and we did terribly. Now there is new leadership *again* and real hope that in time we can start to turn that state. These things take time!
Jay your words give me hope, my daughter a single mom of my 8 1/2 year old grandson had a discussion this morning about moving back to NY given the unfriendly climate here in Florida. Floridians must fight back and make the changes this state needs!
I'm ashamed to say I live in the state of Florida and have for approximately 50 years (I'm 56 yo) and DeSantis scares me more than Trump. Every day, it's what now from him and I so pray someone thumps him hard about what freedom truly means. He keeps saying Florida is a state of freedom as he continues to make up laws to take them away. I also pray my mental state can take the next 2 years and so hope DeSantis crawls back under his rock.
No reason to be ashamed you grew up here and stayed, that’s normal. And there are few places that haven’t been affected by neo fascism in the last decade, Florida had the misfortune of being chosen as the primary residence of you-know-who, which has attracted the dregs of American “conservative” society to settle here and become active. We need to awaken the normie citizens to the MAGA threat and get them voting these anti-freedom bullies out.
Just like Trump, DeSantis will be credited with inspiring many to engage in the political process. Once again the pendulum has swung far too right and it WILL right itself back. I, for one, am supporting the FLORIDA Democratic Party with monthly financial support. To fight the good fight they will need resources.
Although law suits are certainly appropriate, particularly when state action target a constitutional right, I am a little dismayed by the reliance on law suits, which are no substitute for the very hard but very important work of educating and then organizing people, then getting them to both vote and take other direct actions to resist.
Definitely can have both---I didn't mean to say otherwise. But, as an old retired lawyer, I generally distrust judges a lot and told my clients that it was sometimes better to settle a case and, at least, have control over the outcome, instead of relying on the opinion of 1 man or woman. And, in my experience, "public opinion" does affect what happens in court and people in motion can definitely affect how laws do/don't change.
I am so happy to see people fighting back against this tyrant I hope it’s enough people need to fight back with everything we have o was sad to see target giving into the hate mongering fascists and discontinuing their line of LGBTQIA products sad when we give into domestic terrorists instead of standing our ground I Wi t be shopping at 🎯 any longer.
Thanks Jay—very important and great info for everyone to see. As a Floridian I’m devastated by what’s happened in my chosen state of almost 30 years! An anecdote: I have a family owned lawn service that takes care of my lawn once a week, and a neighbor uses the same one. My neighbor recently spoke with the owner, and they owner told her they lost ALL THEIR WORKERS since the horrific anti-immigrant law was signed, it’s down to her husband and child now. It’s already happening on construction sites too. Doesn’t anyone remember what happened in Alabama when they did this years ago!? Migrant workers that can legally work here are leaving in droves. And we deserve it!
Florida ranks 45th in medium household income. Most of the states at the bottom of the list are in the South. Fighting culture wars is like the magician, who misdirects people. DeSatin is a cunning adversary.
Here's David See's imitation of Florida Gov Ron DeSantis:
"Diversity is now BANNED in the State of Florida.
Equity is now BANNED in the State of Florida.
Inclusion is now BANNED in the State of Florida.
There will be NO diversity, NO equity, NO inclusion
in the State of Florida."
Sound about right?
Thank you for highlighting why we Do Not want to "make America Florida" (I think that was a slogan he used) and speaking of bans, hear is a way we readers & writers can help now. https://pen.org/
They are partnering with publisher to sue.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/24/us/biden-inauguration-poem-florida-ban-amanda-gorman.html
While I hope your assessment is correct, there are still more people moving into Florida than out. Unless that stops, I don't see much changing there. (On a side note, I thought Gorman was the best thing in the inauguration, and even as an old, white woman found her poem extremely inspirational, good for her for hitting back!)
This “old” white woman was moved to tears by Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem; it was so moving ♥️.
Wait till those folks moving here see their next homeowners insurance bill--not to mention what will happen if a hurricane hits a major city later in the year. It’s not just progressives that are getting fed up.
Amanda Gorman was truly inspirational and I agree was the highlight of the inauguration.
The fact that one rabid reich-wing fanatic can deprive an entire school of a book is a very sad lesson on what "freedom" means in the fascist cesspool that Florida has become.
So one parent can file a complaint in Miami Dade county and they remove books...for that one person. What happened to, if you don't like something, then don't read it yourself. When did it become OK for everything to fall in line with one person. Those other parents in that community need to speak up LOUD and clear that they won't tolerate this happening. Sitting back and saying nothing will never win the fight. It is frustrating here in Florida, but I am always looking for ways to speak out about his draconian ways
So it should take just one parent to request that the poem be brought back into the school to bring it back, right? (If only the world worked this way *sigh)
Because all the objections to books, and the bannings, and the removals, have absolutely NOTHING to do with concerns over the content of the books, or the fact that other people’s children are reading them.
It is entirely, and ONLY, about exercising control over other peoples lives.
If if they woke up one morning and found every single book they objected to removed from every single library, by lunchtime they would find something else to be fake deeply offended by.
If I lived in Florida and my child’s library had a Bible, I report that. You want smut, you can’t do much better than The Song of Solomon.
Exactly. The fascists who want to be thought police need to understand that swords do indeed cut both ways.
File an objection to the Bible. And to any that is favorable toward any Republican, any book by any Republican, any book that features a white or heterosexual person, any book about history or set in the past.
Sure, Republican hypocrisy would by blatant. “You can’t ban my book. You’d have to give a volume of specific reasons to even try. But, sure, I can ban yours and only need to give a one sentence vague reason.” But it may give some of them pause if the realize banning can be used against them, and libraries with literally no books might spur enough apathetic people who think MAGA bans don’t really affect them to recognize that they very much do.
I personally found the Song of Solomon to be one of the more inspiring portions of the text.
Jay, thank you for writing and sharing that people are pushing back. Here in Indian River County (Vero Beach) the newspaper Letters to the Editor has been filled with thoughtful, intensifying expressions of protest for some time. We’ll be sharing this with our friends and neighbors...right now!
I’ve noticed that in my neck of the woods too! (Central floriDUH)
This is so great! Also, I've heard that Democrats actually did much better in Florida in 2020 than they're given credit for. They didn't WIN, so they were roundly criticized for failing, but according to Martha Laning, founder of SPAN, the data told a much more nuanced and encouraging story. The party was doing great work and increased their margins everywhere in 2020. But the then-party leadership were simply blamed for losing and replaced. The NEW party leadership thoroughly fumbled 2022 and we did terribly. Now there is new leadership *again* and real hope that in time we can start to turn that state. These things take time!
Jay your words give me hope, my daughter a single mom of my 8 1/2 year old grandson had a discussion this morning about moving back to NY given the unfriendly climate here in Florida. Floridians must fight back and make the changes this state needs!
I'm ashamed to say I live in the state of Florida and have for approximately 50 years (I'm 56 yo) and DeSantis scares me more than Trump. Every day, it's what now from him and I so pray someone thumps him hard about what freedom truly means. He keeps saying Florida is a state of freedom as he continues to make up laws to take them away. I also pray my mental state can take the next 2 years and so hope DeSantis crawls back under his rock.
No reason to be ashamed you grew up here and stayed, that’s normal. And there are few places that haven’t been affected by neo fascism in the last decade, Florida had the misfortune of being chosen as the primary residence of you-know-who, which has attracted the dregs of American “conservative” society to settle here and become active. We need to awaken the normie citizens to the MAGA threat and get them voting these anti-freedom bullies out.
And his supporters.
Just like Trump, DeSantis will be credited with inspiring many to engage in the political process. Once again the pendulum has swung far too right and it WILL right itself back. I, for one, am supporting the FLORIDA Democratic Party with monthly financial support. To fight the good fight they will need resources.
As a Floridian, I am vowing: WE WILL FIGHT HIM EVERY STEP OF HIS FASCIST WAY!
Although law suits are certainly appropriate, particularly when state action target a constitutional right, I am a little dismayed by the reliance on law suits, which are no substitute for the very hard but very important work of educating and then organizing people, then getting them to both vote and take other direct actions to resist.
Why are they a "substitute?" Can't you have both? And isn't publicity about what is behind the suit part of that education?
Definitely can have both---I didn't mean to say otherwise. But, as an old retired lawyer, I generally distrust judges a lot and told my clients that it was sometimes better to settle a case and, at least, have control over the outcome, instead of relying on the opinion of 1 man or woman. And, in my experience, "public opinion" does affect what happens in court and people in motion can definitely affect how laws do/don't change.
I am so happy to see people fighting back against this tyrant I hope it’s enough people need to fight back with everything we have o was sad to see target giving into the hate mongering fascists and discontinuing their line of LGBTQIA products sad when we give into domestic terrorists instead of standing our ground I Wi t be shopping at 🎯 any longer.
Interesting how their definition of parental rights means 1 parent can squash the rights of every other parent. I loathe these people.
I'd be interested to know what the First Nations tribes in Florida have to say about all this. Florida is home to several indigenous tribes.
Sorry to say, as long as they have their casinos they really don’t say too much…
Thanks Jay—very important and great info for everyone to see. As a Floridian I’m devastated by what’s happened in my chosen state of almost 30 years! An anecdote: I have a family owned lawn service that takes care of my lawn once a week, and a neighbor uses the same one. My neighbor recently spoke with the owner, and they owner told her they lost ALL THEIR WORKERS since the horrific anti-immigrant law was signed, it’s down to her husband and child now. It’s already happening on construction sites too. Doesn’t anyone remember what happened in Alabama when they did this years ago!? Migrant workers that can legally work here are leaving in droves. And we deserve it!
This is anecdotally what many are saying at farms and construction sites.
Wow, who knew poetry was so dangerous! 🤬🤬
Florida ranks 45th in medium household income. Most of the states at the bottom of the list are in the South. Fighting culture wars is like the magician, who misdirects people. DeSatin is a cunning adversary.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/233170/median-household-income-in-the-united-states-by-state/