Florida Redefines Free

 

I suppose the dirty little secret will get lost under the campaigning, but despite the title of Governor Ron DeSantis' new book, Florida is not free for everyone.

The real courage in Florida is to disagree with the narrow vision of the governor and the republicans controlling the legislature. Disagreement will be immediately dealt with and stamped out. 

People have been fired from their positions, laws have been passed disenfranchising categories and classes of people, for instance LGBTQ+, and under the guise of giving parents freedom to control the subjects taught in schools, the modern equivalent of book burnings have been conducted. 

Look at what happened to the Disney Corp for voicing disagreement:

• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that takes control of a special tax district surrounding Walt Disney World. State Republicans last year targeted Disney after it publicly clashed with DeSantis over a law that restricts classroom instruction of gender and sexual orientation.

Florida is anti-Woke, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti anything that does not conform to the narrow vision of the governor. The governor is passing laws to limit the discussion of diversity issues in state colleges. Is this all part of a plan to homogenize the state?

And about the claim that Florida did so well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Florida is the third leading state for COVID-19 related deaths based upon data from USA Facts. The touted economic success was achieved at the expense of people's lives. 

True freedom is inclusive of all peoples and beliefs while allowing the discussion and investigation and acceptance of dissenting opinions. DeSantis runs Florida like he is the commander of a naval vessel--it is his way or the highway. That is not what this country needs as a president. 

Florida has redefined free. Floridians instead of being free to choose are becoming free FROM choice. Florida apparently has become subservient to the demands of narrow-minded religious fanatics who believe they have the right to impose their vision of society onto everyone else. That is not what the Constitution says.

That is not the definition of freedom.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL