Thu May 25, 2023, 09:37 AM

Cyrano (14,348 posts)

I want to leave Florida. It ain't that easy

I often find myself thinking of my grandparents who had to leave the only country they'd ever known to come here to America. It must have been terrifying to head for a place where there was no one you knew and you didn't speak the language. I can always picture them on a boat in New York Harbor, sailing past the Statue of Liberty, looking at it with awe, knowing they had arrived in a safe place where they could be free.

This is no longer the country they came to. Fascism is on the march, and Florida is right up there in the lead. Fighting our fascist governor and legislature is virtually impossible. They've gerrymandered the state, and installed voter suppression "rules," to the point where it's virtually impossible for them to lose control in the foreseeable future.

As few as ten years ago, no one thought that FL would have a ban on abortion after six weeks, no need for a license to carry a gun, bans on countless books, attacks on education and banning the teaching of true American history, "Don't say gay." And it really is becoming ever more worrisome here if you're Black, Jewish, Muslim, or anyone who isn't a specific type of white, "Christian." Many here don't hesitate to fly confederate flags, but I'm guessing it's just a matter of time before some people will feel free to display swastikas.

I've lived here for many years now and moving means leaving behind friends, community, a way of life, and there are also financial considerations. I know how difficult it would be to start over again in someplace sane and new.

I now realize the tremendous courage that my grandparents had and I hope that I can find in myself. Nonetheless, this is not a place in which I wish to remain.

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180 replies	Author	Time	Post
I want to leave Florida. It ain't that easy (Original post)	Cyrano	Thursday	OP
Sadly they are trying to make America like Florida, and they may succeed.	dem4decades	Thursday	#1
You're always welcome here in Pennsylvania	FakeNoose	Thursday	#2
we left Pennsylvania 45 years ago	onethatcares	Thursday	#3
Personally	claudette	Thursday	#6
LOL you sound like me, Claudette	FakeNoose	Thursday	#12
Went to Miami once	claudette	Thursday	#15
God, Miami is a hellhole!	Aristus	Thursday	#22
I can imagine what's it's like in summer.	Disaffected	Thursday	#53
It was in	claudette	Thursday	#79
It wasn't the humidity that hampered your breathing	ExWhoDoesntCare	Friday	#144
Breezier than Houston, more clouds and t-storms to cool off.	carpetbagger	Thursday	#118
I know that clammy feeling well.	soldierant	Friday	#127
Tell me.	Disaffected	Friday	#139
Isn't the state bird in Florida an insect? n/t	elocs	Thursday	#90
Yes, it's called The swampy flying roach.	Dave Bowman	Thursday	#101
It's called a Palmetto Bug and we don't consider them roaches even though they are. They do fly.	Lochloosa	Friday	#134
LOL!	claudette	Saturday	#156
Imagine Florida's weather and climate but with	misanthrope	Thursday	#110
Same here-never move to FL	Rebl2	Thursday	#20
It will be pretty great when Mr. Kunz defeats Josh Hawley	mahina	Thursday	#26
I wish/hope	Rebl2	Thursday	#27
+1	chowder66	Thursday	#45
Same here	Rebl2	Thursday	#61
son lives in KC	UpInArms	Thursday	#76
Gerrymandering doesn't affect the Senate.	ShazzieB	Thursday	#88
Yes	Rebl2	Thursday	#92
Ah, I see!	ShazzieB	Thursday	#95
I understand your point that gerrymandering	markodochartaigh	Thursday	#97
One of these is wrong in most parts of FL.	lark	Thursday	#28
Same! Give me the cold any day over the heat, humidity and fascism.	PortTack	Thursday	#31
We can dress to stay warm in cold weather	KS Toronado	Thursday	#40
Exactly!!	chowder66	Thursday	#47
Yep!!	claudette	Thursday	#78
Oh god forbid!! I'm too old to go naked without ppl screaming in horror!	PortTack	Friday	#147
Humidity, heat, love bugs,	moreland01	Thursday	#37
and	bdamomma	Thursday	#85
Yikes 😳	claudette	Thursday	#86
OK?	Freethinker65	Thursday	#13
FYI......	Butterflylady	Thursday	#17
Air conditioning	ExWhoDoesntCare	Friday	#143
State income tax was one of the reasons?	JanMichael	Saturday	#159
Florida not having a state income tax is meaningless	Marius25	Saturday	#173
I've lived in Pittsburgh and love that city	Mysterian	Thursday	#11
I was	claudette	Thursday	#14
Florida will survive DeSantis just as it survives every other storm that passes through it.	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#4
Exactly. Been here since 1955 except for a 12 year stint in Appalachia and 4 years in Indiana back	dameatball	Thursday	#38
I may still come back, but at this point I'm not sure.	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#46
Like the old commercial said, "We'll leave the light on!"	dameatball	Thursday	#54
Keep a cold one in the fridge!	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#66
Message auto-removed	Name removed	Thursday	#73
the only people I saw attacked	NJCher	Thursday	#87
Truer words, my friend, truer words...	In It to Win It	Thursday	#52
DeSantis is just the latest wannabee. The real question is, "Will FL survive Republican fascism?"	Cyrano	Thursday	#72
It's wonderful	claudette	Thursday	#5
I hear you	edhopper	Thursday	#7
Comparing Florida to Nazi Germany is just hyperbole.	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#48
The problem with your post is you're trying to think of 1940s Germany	Marius25	Thursday	#55
No, I'm not.	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#65
Numerous gay pride events have already canceled because of fear over the new laws	Marius25	Thursday	#70
You might be surprised to learn how man actual Nazis live in North Florida	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#59
I wouldn't be surprised to learn how many "actual Nazis" live in any state.	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#67
I have lived in a lot of States	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#69
I lived in Gainesville FL when Unite the Right had their Charlottesville follow-up rally	carpetbagger	Thursday	#120
The changes are in small increments so you don't really notice. Then they reach a tipping point.	diva77	Friday	#124
Search for "nazi allies in Florida" online.	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#165
So you really believe "IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE?"	Cyrano	Thursday	#75
No	Pacifist Patriot	Thursday	#114
It's happening - and your parent's friend would have agreed with the following:	GoneOffShore	Friday	#130
I have lived most of my life here in Florida. If I jumped where would I go?	mitch96	Thursday	#8
And from late spring into early fall up north	ExWhoDoesntCare	Friday	#148
"And no, we don't go from heated this to heated that during the winter."	mitch96	Friday	#149
I'm amost a geezer (61)	ExWhoDoesntCare	Friday	#153
I moved to Delray Beach five years ago.	Earth-shine	Thursday	#9
...	BlackSkimmer	Thursday	#49
I hear ya	Mysterian	Thursday	#10
Careful with Oregon (and many other states). Only the coast is somewhat liberal.	erronis	Thursday	#80
if you go to Oregon,	barbtries	Thursday	#123
Really? I heard it was turning blue	Tree Lady	Friday	#137
that's encouraging,	barbtries	Friday	#138
I know some dems that live there	Tree Lady	Friday	#142
My wife and I left good State jobs and moved 3k away to California	obamanut2012	Thursday	#16
While you remain there, I'll remain grateful to you for being there.	Mister Ed	Thursday	#18
Hard to fight back when Republicans control all the levers of power	Cyrano	Thursday	#21
I'm a Texan and I feel the same way - it's not possible for my family	walkingman	Thursday	#19
I understand.	lark	Thursday	#23
We should start a Project to begin helping people abandon Florida.. Refugees...	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#24
I totally agree and I think it would be successful	FakeNoose	Thursday	#29
These states should start Asylum Programs.....	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#33
That's exactly what they want. Let's be careful about playing into that.	tinrobot	Thursday	#51
I LOVED Florida for DECADES.... I moved to and then married a Floridian	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#58
On what basis do you say that Florida is a very close state?	Mariana	Thursday	#102
Been hearing that for 40 years here	madville	Saturday	#161
If California is out of reach, consider the PNW	Fiendish Thingy	Thursday	#25
Other than the wingnuts Arizona ain't too bad	Hugh_Lebowski	Thursday	#30
Its the Wingnuts they are trying to avoid...	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#34
Well, at least we have Katie Hobbs not DeSantis :)	Hugh_Lebowski	Thursday	#43
Hugh, you know there are Dems here in Mesa....	AZ8theist	Thursday	#111
Pima County Arizona home of the city of Tucson	Lady Freedom Returns	Thursday	#81
Oh there are some Blue Areas in Florida too	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#83
For us it's the Southern half of state that's blue.	Lady Freedom Returns	Thursday	#94
Meanwhile...	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#93
That's the difference between Tucson and Phoenix.	Lady Freedom Returns	Thursday	#96
That's pretty much what it was like in NC before.....	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#99
There is something that divides and rules over us that NC doesn't have	Lady Freedom Returns	Thursday	#105
My family have been in Florida for 125 years. I hope that one day, the Republicans	Chainfire	Thursday	#32
Sigh...as someone who has family from either side of the Mason Dixon	RegulatedCapitalistD	Thursday	#35
I do believe	onethatcares	Thursday	#106
Change is inevitable. But whoever thought we'd	Cyrano	Thursday	#107
DeSaster will leave before you	malaise	Thursday	#36
Nah, he will get his Leg and hand-picked SCOFL to let him stay Gov	obamanut2012	Thursday	#44
Nah - the Disney disaster and the 2023 hurricane season	malaise	Thursday	#50
sorry sis, disagree. MAGAts are moving into the state at a frightful rate	Celerity	Thursday	#98
Florida is the biggest MAGAt magnet in the country by far.	Mariana	Thursday	#104
Yes, but who's going to replace him?	Mariana	Thursday	#103
We'll probably get Ashley Moody	madville	Saturday	#160
To paraphrase the character Michael Bolton from the movie Office Space:	Tommy Carcetti	Thursday	#39
I feel you.	hay rick	Thursday	#41
They wear the hats, wave their kind of flags and signs, so that they can identify	chowder66	Thursday	#42
Mixed emotions about leaving FLorida.	Fla Dem	Thursday	#56
Me either	Oppaloopa	Thursday	#57
My grandmother's family settled in western NY	Marthe48	Thursday	#60
Moved out of Akron area in 2016, still working election protection for Ohio.	we can do it	Thursday	#115
It's hard to know where to go.	Hope22	Thursday	#62
I've lived in Florida my entire life	peace frog	Thursday	#63
"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." Wherever one thinks they want to	TeamProg	Thursday	#64
I know how this feels.	GoCubsGo	Thursday	#68
Moved to CA	NowISeetheLight	Thursday	#74
My family is in AZ, so that's where I'd wind up.	GoCubsGo	Thursday	#77
It's never easy to make a major move.	MineralMan	Thursday	#71
+1	llmart	Thursday	#108
Exactly.	MineralMan	Thursday	#112
That's what I am doing. If all goes to plan I should be out of FL	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#167
Good plan.	MineralMan	Saturday	#176
Many here responded to the OP by focusing on Florida heat, humidity, hurricanes, bugs, etc.	Cyrano	Thursday	#82
Exactly!	Pacifist Patriot	Thursday	#116
With you	AmBlue	Thursday	#84
Same boat	Saoirse9	Thursday	#89
About 3 million people move interstate each year	Kaleva	Thursday	#91
And?	Pacifist Patriot	Thursday	#117
Shows that it can be done	Kaleva	Friday	#145
Shows that it can be done. Doesn't indicate how difficult it is.	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#158
Some do put more importance on connections...	Kaleva	Saturday	#163
That's true, but ...	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#164
I generally observe people's actions which I believe....	Kaleva	Saturday	#171
Ok	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#179
Well, my advice would be to do it before you end up doing it....	Lady Freedom Returns	Thursday	#100
I live in a place	KT2000	Thursday	#109
I am on realtor.com daily	Pacifist Patriot	Thursday	#113
I sure wood. If I had children in schools.	OhNo-Really	Thursday	#119
Lived in South Florida during the the wild and wooly 80's...	bahboo	Thursday	#121
i feel that.	barbtries	Thursday	#122
I want to get out of NC too. I hate it here.	GoodRaisin	Friday	#129
North Carolina is another big destination for MAGAt retirees.	Mariana	Friday	#150
I hear you. Hell, it takes a lot of guts to move across town	ecstatic	Friday	#125
Georgia seems to be heading in a good direction	ExWhoDoesntCare	Friday	#151
Those that came ( all my four grandparents too - Ellis Island)	Laura PourMeADrink	Friday	#126
I'm in the same boat when it comes to Texas	vercetti2021	Friday	#128
I live in Lakeland	tornado34jh	Friday	#131
The last time I moved and felt uprooted, I was 23.	DFW	Friday	#132
the dilema seems to be for us anyway	onethatcares	Friday	#133
Georgia is heading in the right direction, thanks to Atlanta.	ExWhoDoesntCare	Friday	#152
I'm in the same boat Cyrano. I have one more reason for wanting to leave.	Lochloosa	Friday	#135
We auctioned everything we own and moved to Costa Rica sight unseen. Never a visit beforehand.	LakeArenal	Friday	#136
Sight unseen? How is it working out? nt	ecstatic	Friday	#154
It's our total dream come true.	LakeArenal	Friday	#155
What was the quote?	Poiuyt	Saturday	#157
No Spanish but it helps. We knew no Spanish and we are fine.	LakeArenal	Saturday	#162
Lovely! That would be me. No need for a beach. Love mountains!	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#169
Thanks!	Poiuyt	Saturday	#180
I watch House Hunters International all the time	Marius25	Saturday	#174
Can't get one here until you become a legal resident and three years.	LakeArenal	Saturday	#175
Any properties on the market in your area?	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#168
Our best advice is know what you like not what you want.	LakeArenal	Saturday	#172
Excellent advice, thanks! The only thing that would turn me off is snow.	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#177
There's one mountain here that gets a bit of snow.	LakeArenal	Saturday	#178
Message auto-removed	Name removed	Friday	#140
We need to get Florida back	gulliver	Friday	#141
"What would we have to do to get more votes there?"	Mariana	Friday	#146
I would think about it, but there would be cost considerations	gulliver	Saturday	#170
That's a question active Dems in FL like myself have been struggling with for decades.	Pacifist Patriot	Saturday	#166

Response to Cyrano (Original post)

Thu May 25, 2023, 09:41 AM

dem4decades (10,515 posts)

1. Sadly they are trying to make America like Florida, and they may succeed.

I wonder if they take control of the US government, what will it be like in a state like Massachusetts. Will the Nazi's there take control too?

I want to leave Florida. It ain't that easy

1. Sadly they are trying to make America like Florida, and they may succeed.

2. You're always welcome here in Pennsylvania

3. we left Pennsylvania 45 years ago

6. Personally

12. LOL you sound like me, Claudette

15. Went to Miami once

22. God, Miami is a hellhole!

53. I can imagine what's it's like in summer.

79. It was in

144. It wasn't the humidity that hampered your breathing

118. Breezier than Houston, more clouds and t-storms to cool off.

127. I know that clammy feeling well.

139. Tell me.

90. Isn't the state bird in Florida an insect? n/t

101. Yes, it's called The swampy flying roach.

134. It's called a Palmetto Bug and we don't consider them roaches even though they are. They do fly.

156. LOL!

110. Imagine Florida's weather and climate but with

20. Same here-never move to FL

26. It will be pretty great when Mr. Kunz defeats Josh Hawley

27. I wish/hope

45. +1

61. Same here

76. son lives in KC

88. Gerrymandering doesn't affect the Senate.

92. Yes

95. Ah, I see!

97. I understand your point that gerrymandering

28. One of these is wrong in most parts of FL.

31. Same! Give me the cold any day over the heat, humidity and fascism.

40. We can dress to stay warm in cold weather

47. Exactly!!

78. Yep!!

147. Oh god forbid!! I'm too old to go naked without ppl screaming in horror!

37. Humidity, heat, love bugs,

85. and

86. Yikes 😳

13. OK?

17. FYI......

143. Air conditioning

159. State income tax was one of the reasons?

173. Florida not having a state income tax is meaningless

11. I've lived in Pittsburgh and love that city

14. I was

4. Florida will survive DeSantis just as it survives every other storm that passes through it.

38. Exactly. Been here since 1955 except for a 12 year stint in Appalachia and 4 years in Indiana back

46. I may still come back, but at this point I'm not sure.

54. Like the old commercial said, "We'll leave the light on!"

66. Keep a cold one in the fridge!

87. the only people I saw attacked

52. Truer words, my friend, truer words...

72. DeSantis is just the latest wannabee. The real question is, "Will FL survive Republican fascism?"

5. It's wonderful

7. I hear you

48. Comparing Florida to Nazi Germany is just hyperbole.

55. The problem with your post is you're trying to think of 1940s Germany

65. No, I'm not.

70. Numerous gay pride events have already canceled because of fear over the new laws

59. You might be surprised to learn how man actual Nazis live in North Florida

67. I wouldn't be surprised to learn how many "actual Nazis" live in any state.

69. I have lived in a lot of States

120. I lived in Gainesville FL when Unite the Right had their Charlottesville follow-up rally

124. The changes are in small increments so you don't really notice. Then they reach a tipping point.

165. Search for "nazi allies in Florida" online.

75. So you really believe "IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE?"

114. No

130. It's happening - and your parent's friend would have agreed with the following:

8. I have lived most of my life here in Florida. If I jumped where would I go?

148. And from late spring into early fall up north

149. "And no, we don't go from heated this to heated that during the winter."

153. I'm amost a geezer (61)

9. I moved to Delray Beach five years ago.

49. ...

10. I hear ya

80. Careful with Oregon (and many other states). Only the coast is somewhat liberal.

123. if you go to Oregon,

137. Really? I heard it was turning blue

138. that's encouraging,

142. I know some dems that live there