A message to America from inside Florida

[teach1st]

A message to America from inside Florida
Stephanie Hayes, Tampa Bay Times, 5/19/2023
Please, be nice. We are human beings and we don’t all love what’s happening here.

...

But, please. We are not a joke or a waste of limestone. At least not fully. We are a culturally diverse pot of real humans who occupy different points on a spectrum of politics and life experience. In fact, Florida was a swing state until recent memory. In 2022, DeSantis overruled the Legislature to redraw congressional maps how he wanted, paving the way for the supermajority that multiplied bad laws like wet Mogwai.

You must know that not everyone here supports, oh God, let me fetch the heavy-a$$ reference materials:

Nonstop school book bans; historic attacks on LGBTQ+ people; a six-week abortion ban; a hostile university takeover; whitewashing textbooks; eliminating majors and diversity programs; targeting and removing elected officials; busting unions; sending Florida law enforcement officers to, uh, Texas to patrol for migrants; and whatever the Donald Duck is going on over at Disney. This is not a complete list, mind you.

It’s not just chill local drum circle members who object. Do you know how often I hear from conservative readers worried about a broader autocratic slide? Centrists making the kind of cringe face that creates a triple chin? A lot! Even the Catholic church is concerned!

No paywall: https://archive.ph/niBaP

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2023/05/19/florida-desantis-michelin-restaurants-redistricting-pride-teachers-guns/

[barbaraann]

1. Sometimes (maybe always) humans have to learn things the hard way.

My grandson was riding his bike too fast around a corner and fell into some vicious blackberry bushes. He's learned his lesson.

[Brenda]

15. Good freaking answer, barbaraann

Florida has a big red X on it's back for climate change and the upcoming Super El Nino is going to do some serious damage to the state.

Folks need to wake up and understand they are going to need help, they are going to suffer a lot more; and they need to quit playing these culture war games and live in the the real world!

[Hortensis]

18. For sure. But what's the lesson for alt-left oppositional factions who

think they have a target for their hostility they can get away with in Florida's people? All of them. Most don't ever seem to learn that those they attack and wish ill on include millions of Democrats and other concerned people.

That makes me wonder if Florida's (and the South's) embattled Dems are actually proxies for the 81M nationally who have the nerve to vote for what they believe in.

I am a proud Democrat who helped carry Georgia for Obama, Biden and two Democratic senators, and Florida retired snowbird who doesn't need to take crap from anyone trying to dish it.

[barbaraann]

20. I'm going to Florida in a couple of weeks for a few days and I might gain some insight

into what the Dems I know there think about that. As of now, my phone contact is still positive. One relative there actually left a fundamentalist church for New Age beliefs!

[Hortensis]

46. :) All right. Our friends down there aren't really thrilled these days.

Wrong season for teasing Canadian snowbirds into saying what they think, which in my experience is pretty much what you'd expect. Hope you're able to have some nice discussions with your relative also. New Age and fundamentalism aren't necessarily all that far apart, but I wouldn't hesitate to choose the former; herbalism maybe...

[barbaraann]

49. Luckily I won't be visiting near Mar-A-Lago!

[Hortensis]

51. I drove the area once when tRump was in office and

saw why he tended to divert out of the way to approach by a longer side route. Even when the demonstrators weren't present in numbers on the main boulevard (like when he was expected), there were still messages for him and other signs of their long-term activities.

Hope you have a nice visit.

[barbaraann]

64. I could think of a few messages I could send Trump!

[Hortensis]

66. Oh, yes! But someday only a few nuts will bother.

[brer cat]

42. +++ nt

[brewens]

53. Blackberry bushes bite. I pick them every year. It's too hot to really dress right for it. I'm as

careful as I can be but still lose a little blood every time.

[lark2]

59. Florida is reknowned for it's blackberry bushes.

Those things can really take over and you don't want to go near them without long gloves. Even then, you pay for your privilege of eating these wondrous fruits with blood and pricks - but it is so worth it when eating the blackberry cobbler and just eating them right off the bush - wow!

[brewens]

68. I mix mine with blueberries quite a bit. For jam and pies mostly. The seeds aren't so bad that way.

Sounds like the Oregon coast. The highway from Roseburg to the coast is all blackberries in some spots. You can pick as much as you want and never reach up or bend down. How ever many miles worth you like. My spots aren't that good, but right in my Idaho town city limits.

[barbaraann]

65. They're so tasty and they seem to be in season for a long time.

It's fun to walk around and get snacks from the side of the path or road.

[RAB910]

2. There's a way to stop the evil GOP. It involves good people coming out and voting in record numbers

[live love laugh]

22. How when the maps are redrawn to overcome GOTV?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. When GOtV does overcome gerrymandering the swing is tremendous and it is a rout. . . . nt

[live love laugh]

37. Good to know 👍🏽

[Bernardo de La Paz]

38. Be prepared. Hard to make happen, but when it does, put Redistricting into Independent Commissions.n

[SouthernDem4ever]

54. If I recall, the states that did use independent commissions were put out of commission

by the fascists in power. Voters have to quit playing with themselves and vote for their rights instead of what some asshole on the radio or fux nooze tells them.

[Mariana]

47. Redrawing of the maps doesn't affect any statewide races.

That includes the elections for President, Governor, and Senators.

[SouthernDem4ever]

55. Which have no effect currently on the crap laws they are passing.

Local is what needs the concentration of voters.

[Mariana]

57. The governor has everything to do with the crap laws they are passing.

The governor won his statewide election by 20 points.

[SouthernDem4ever]

61. "That includes the elections for President, Governor, and Senators."

Yes, the Governor does have an effect but those other things like Pres and Senators don't.

I am in Georgia and none of the dem senators or the president we have elected have changed the weirdos running our state govt.

[anciano]

3. Greetings to all the DU folks in Florida....

I fully understand your dismay and frustration. I am a native Texan and still reside here, so I know first-hand what our two states are going through. But don't lose hope. It's always darkest before the dawn. Love y'all

[snowybirdie]

5. My best to you

as well. Something has to give and soon.

[Pacifist Patriot]

27. Sincerely appreciate that

[Axelrods_Typewriter]

58. I think part of it is trying to get Floridians to lose hope. To get the rest of us to lose hope.

It's easier to fight against somebody that believes they can't or won't win. The R's want us to think that way, so what do we have to do? Have hope and think the opposite.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. I told you murmurs would begin.

[Cha]

6. TY teach! I'm going to St Pete

via Tampa Airport the last of September for my Nephew's wedding.

I love reading this and from people like Stephanie Hayes!

[sanatanadharma]

7. I am glad so many, even the Catholic Church, are concerned

We in the other 49 are also concerned, but our worries can be assuaged, as can those of you in Florida, only by seeing a complete rejection of the Republican Party and conservative labels and thinking which can be evidenced by a Democratic Party sweep of both Florida houses, the Governor, US Senate and Representatives, cites, counties, school boards,, etc.

If the Republicans can not be ejected, it is evidence of we so-called good people still remain the minority.

[erronis]

12. If the Repuglicans can not be ejected - it's evidence that they have corrupted the system

If clear majorities of people across the US and the states don't like repuglicon policies but they continue to control the government, then they've wormed their way into the heart.

[Tommy Carcetti]

8. This part speaks to me:

And this bullet point must be whispered: Some of us like it here. I know, what? Many Floridians are invested in our communities. Some of us enjoy year-round tropical weather, sprawling parks and beaches, breathtaking wildlife. Some of us came to Florida so we wouldn’t have a coronary shoveling show.

And it doesn't even have anything to do with Disney, which in my personal opinion is an overpriced tourist trap.

[lindysalsagal]

9. In the thrall of religion. Failed state.

Democracy is literally against their religion.

[Martin68]

10. Like it or not, Florida is now ground zero for the attempted GOP fascist takeover of the US. Only

Floridians do something about it. As a Virginian who has seen my own state break out from under Republican control, I wish you all well.

[elocs]

28. What DeSantis is doing to Florida now, believe it that he would do the same

were he ever elected president. Unlike Trump, he is intelligent and not mentally ill so although both are evil, DeSantis is more dangerous.

[Martin68]

48. Oh yeah, we know that already. But attacking Disney World was actually something that Trump would

never do, because even Trump knows everybody loves Disneyland. In fact, the cleverness will actually prove entirely counter-productive. Ordinary people are not that into book-banning and the revision of history, things that aren't on Trump's radar because he's illiterate. So I believe DeSantimonious is actually getting into more trouble because he's so "clever."

[appalachiablue]

11. I hear you, thanks. Fla is a beautiful state & I hope it can stave off the crazy GOP forces.

[Evolve Dammit]

13. DeSatan is more fucking nuts than Drumpf. Both autocrat wannabees and enemies of Democracy. nt

[Mblaze]

14. The problem is

That the Governor’s race isn’t affected by gerrymandering. DeSantis won in a landslide.

[elocs]

29. Exactly true. Presidential elections cannot be gerrymandered either. n/t

[Oppaloopa]

16. I have read nothing on here regarding Florida throwing 250,000 off Medicaid. He did

[EndlessWire]

25. Another thing he did

was to change the law they had which would have prevented him from campaigning for President and remaining Governor at the same time. So, he goes overseas to ask for money without a care in the world...

[cilla4progress]

17. Thing is...

Gerrymandering doesn't affect governor races, though voter suppression does.

I have a lot of empathy for those who vote and activists.

Must be incredibly frustrating for them!

Folks gotta vote!

[orthoclad]

19. I've never seen so many victim-blamers

"Let the good people in FL and TX rot."

from the article:
"Further-furthermore, what do you want us to do? Please, do not be so obtuse as to say “vote,” or we will eliminate you during the rose ceremony. Plenty of Floridians are organizing and protesting, and most others simply want to get their kid to language arts class while there are still a few books left. It’s true, our overlords may be toasting each other with tawny port, but please, the regular people are just standing in the sub line at Publix.

...

Move, you say. Get out! Ah, yes, the most specious argument of all. Plenty of residents, teachers and LGBTQ+ people chief among them, are choosing to leave Florida, and not a soul could blame them. But just assuming everyone can uproot their lives stems from a place of privilege that doesn’t account for money restraints, family obligations, custody arrangements, hard-fought careers or deep relationships."

Not to mention that it's a beautiful place.

People are suffering from the early stages of fascism there. Voter suppression and intimidation. But we yell at them "That's what you get for not voting" and smirk. Then we'lll act shocked when fascism is in our state.

They need help. Not scolding and abandonment.

[cilla4progress]

24. How did DeSantis get elected

as governor there?

[Duppers]

30. Point ☝️☝️

[orthoclad]

40. Yes. My point exactly.

[maxrandb]

45. Yes! The people of Florida

want to pretend he was just walking down the street one day, tripped, fell and ended up as Governor.

[flvegan]

50. Democrats, like you and I, couldn't be bothered to vote.

Nope. In a state where it is profoundly easy to vote, registered dems just couldn't. 4.9 million registered dems, 3.1 million bothered to fill out a form they could get in the mail (weeks in advance, mind you), blacken a dot, and return said form in the mail, postage free. Sure, Crist was a gawdawful candidate, but still.

Meanwhile, 4.6 million of the 5.3 million registered republicans gave enough of a shit to follow through.

Maybe our party needs to do better.

Also to add, how a bigot like that shitbrick takes Miami-Dade County...*boom* mind blown.

Note: the above data is from wiki and from myflorida, so precise accuracy is not on me.

[SouthernDem4ever]

56. Call me when the uprising begins

Doesn't look like anything will happen before then - especially from the church crowds.

[Norbert]

21. I am from Ohio and fully understand your frustration.

Dewine and Vance are not the best believe me, but they are a buffer between the extreme MAGA and sanity. I am hoping that JD Vance, bad as he is, does not become Josh Hawley 2.0 and will work to keep our beloved Sherrod Brown in Washington.

[maxrandb]

23. I am sure

The 10 year old incest victim forced to carry her rapists baby to term, or flee the state, will take comfort in knowing some people wrote letters to this reporter.

Sugar coat it all you want, but the majority of Floridians VOTED FOR THIS ASSPICKLE! People will die because of that, but at least we got some letters?

I wonder how many Germans wrote letters to their newspapers in 1930?

[teach1st]

33. I can't sugarcoat Florida

But I can provide clarification on pregnancy resulting from rape and/or incest in Florida. Florida's new restrictions against abortion procedures do have exemptions if a pregnancy is the result of incest or rape. Unfortunately and stupidly, these victims must show proof:

Victims of rape or incest would have to provide a copy of a restraining order, police report, medical record or court document to obtain an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Rape and incest exceptions would end at 15 weeks of pregnancy.

The paperwork requirement would further distress rape victims, who often don’t file reports with law enforcement and the authorities, said Kim S. Ménard, a Penn State Altoona criminal justice professor who studies sexual violence.

“It is appalling,” she said. “It sets up incredible barriers. Most of the time victims don’t have the strength, given the stigma society puts on them, to come forward, period — to come forward for the most basic help.”

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2023/03/10/rape-victims-must-show-proof-to-get-an-exception-under-floridas-6-week-abortion-ban/

[ms liberty]

36. Not the majority of Floridians...

The majority of Floridians who were registered to vote and who actually voted in the election. There are just under 22.5 million people in Florida, and only 14.5 million are registered to vote. So no, half of Florida didn't vote for him, and a bunch of Floridians just didn't vote at all.

This article is from The Tampa Times, and Tampa is a blue area - and is also my hometown. The DA that DeSantis removed was the Hillsborough County DA, which is Tampa.

Maybe all the transplants should go back to the states they came from instead of moving to Florida to try to create their rightwing paradise. Then my friends in Florida might have an easier time becoming the bluish purple state they always were before.

[intheflow]

60. Whether it was "half of Floridians" or "half the voters,"

he was elected in a landslide. That means Florida is Republican. I fully support organizations cancelling conventions where POC, LGBTQ+, and pregnant people aren't guaranteed safety. That is, I know no one is guaranteed safety anywhere, but why put your life on the line in a place that's well-known for violence against these communities? I'm sorry for the liberals who live there, and also, said liberals are not drumming up the votes state-wide to keep the state from sliding into fascism. That's not the fault of transplants and snowbirds.

The state has a history of liberalism and also a history of misogyny, racism, and violence. In 1920, Blacks were massacred for attempting to vote, in the same area where Trayvon Martin was killed almost 100 years later. Anita Bryant was a plague on LGBTQ communities in the 1970s and '80s. Florida didn't ratify the 19th Amendment until 1969. And so on. This is indeed who Florida is, and has been all along.

What people are really talking about is the Danger of a Single Story. Stereotypes exist because there is a grain of truth in them; the problem is that there is always more to the story than the binary tales we tell ourselves in American political circles.

[orthoclad]

41. How many Germans blamed the Jews?

[maxrandb]

44. Enough that it didn't matter that there were "good" people in Germany

That's the problem with fascists. By the time they are done fixing the electoral process, the legislature, the courts and the schools and libraries, it's too fucking late for the "good" people to do a damn thing about it.

[SouthernDem4ever]

63. +1

[Joinfortmill]

26. I love Florida. Lived there for 4 years. Sad situation.

[Duppers]

31. Where are you located there?

Just wondering.

One of my best friends is in Palm Harbor.

[Joinfortmill]

35. I lived in Delray Beach.

[Duppers]

39. Good to know you liked it there.

My friend likes Palm Harbor, for the most part, but says she sees the state changing.

[Joinfortmill]

43. Hope they can turn this around.

[Duppers]

32. Just now read this post...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217928848

[Martin Eden]

52. Every state is purple

With good people doing their best to fight against the blood red plague of creeping fascism.

They need our support -- not uncaring broad brush condemnation, lumping everyone in the state together with maga assholes.

[carpetbagger]

67. My two cents... former Floridian, trans son, I hate the cold.

1. When the Archbishop of Miami denies communion to DeSantis, wake me up. He has been hell bent on restricting the secular rights of people who don't agree on his chruch's sex teachings for decades.

2. Centrist Republicans have a choice to make. My mother was a Florida Republican, now she's a Florida Democrat, like Crist, Jolly, et al. We've been dealing with face-crinkling for 8 years. I don't see it as opposition to the neo-porkchoppers (pork choppers being an old term for racist Dixiecrat Florida politicians in the 1950-60s, the relocated, progressive Yankees being "lamb choppers" ) I see it the vomit-look as part of swallowing the hate. So sad, but not enough for me to care about the heartburn, which should inform them rather than bother them.

3. Must be nice to be able to go to a state facility and take a leak. My son can't, so there goes college, state employment, going to a state park, serving on a jury. Wanting a pat on the head because you think others shouldn't blame my kid for planning to move out of the state... also so sad but no pat for the author.

4. I agree that the segregation by politics is unfortunate, and obviously I don't live by that (my Texas county went 79 percent Trump). But there are times when the right answer is to get the hell out. LBGT in Florida. Black in the Lowland South during the Great Migration. Jewish in the Russian Pale and in Germany. Christian in post-Baathist Iraq. A woman in Kabul.

I still hate the cold. I love it, for a few weeks, but expect warm temperatures by Valentine's Day. If I stay in the US, I'm probably retiring to Chicago.