DeSantis vs Disney
Man vs. Mouse
The New York Times identifies the article above as a political memo. I find the observations interesting. The theme of the the article is a retrospective in group activities to punish companies who venture into social justice issues by using boycotts.
Most companies fair well long term in these battles. Diversity programs have improved the corporate environment for many employees around the country. The result is a more productive work force. I don’t see major industry changing easily. The workplace based on affirmative action has become too diverse to easily change now.
Ron DeSantis’s Battle with Disney Makes Something Clear.
The DeSantis and Republicans aren’t about business. They are about wealth and protecting the elite. DeSantis is using the state to trample on minorities.
We must remember without change there will never be improvement. The hard work of improvement requires forward thinking. Attempts to restore us to the good old days will never work.
Education and DeSantis
There is so much effort by DeSantis to control education. The Anti-WOKE Act is an attempt to remove diversity training from public education.
The Don’t Say Gay is an attack on discussion of issues around sexual orientation. Disney expressed opposition to the bill and DeSantis ire led to the feud between Disney and the state of Florida. A gay teacher must now hide the gender of their spouse.
These bills are cloaked in the guise of parental rights.
DeSantis has blocked the advanced placement class for African American studies. His rational is that it “significantly lacks educational value” or that discussion topics that show how the laws might apply to other minority groups amounts to a political agenda.
What is he talking about. Advance studies is all about understanding the big picture. An advance placement class and curriculum should be expansive and not molded into a box.
Recently, DeSantis signed a bill on Asian Studies. This is a bill to incorporate Asian Studies into the school curriculum. These courses would include discussion on the WWII internment camps. I applaud this step.
But I’ve got to wonder, why is the state of Florida passing all these laws about what can and can not be taught in schools. Republicans keep talking about smaller government. This is not about smaller government. It is about a controlling government.
DeSantis and Diversity Training
His most recent law, makes it illegal to spend state funds on training for diversity and equity, So does that mean it is now fund instruction on the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. For any discussion these documents requires discussing the phrase “that all Men are created equal.” Who qualifies as a man and what that means. Any meaningful discussion requires a discussion on inclusion and equity.
So my response is Ron DeSantis doesn’t want our children to know about the vision of our founding fathers.
Transparency and DeSantis
We now know that DeSantis wishes to govern in extreme secrecy. He signed a bill to keep his travel records secret. This makes it more difficult to monitor the movements and meetings of government officials.
DeSantis indicates it is for security reasons. Okay, but this is also hides past trips. It includes reporting the attendees at meetings the Governor attends, even those held in the Governor’s Mansion.
I agree the press should not be invited on family vacations. Nor should they be present at doctors appointments. That said democracy requires transparency. As voters we need to know what our politicians are doing. Uninformed voters can not make intelligent decisions.
Oh wait. That is what DeSantis and Republicans want.
DeSantis’s Run for Presidency
Florida had to change the law so DeSantis can run for President and remain governor. I find this abhorrent on so many levels. He was elected Florida’s governor on the basis that he would not run for president without resigning. This new law changes the conditions of the oath of office he took to begin his 2nd term as governor.
I did not vote for DeSantis, nor would I ever. But this makes a mockery of the election held less then 6 months ago. DeSantis can now spend more time campaigning out of the state then governing Florida.
Wait because he no longer has to account for his travels and there is no way to track who is funding his run for higher office. I certainly hope it is not tax paper funds from the state of Florida.
Here we go again. The article proposes bloggers register with the state, with required fines from non-compliance. Currently the proposed law is only for commercial sites, so this website doesn’t apply.
I find the whole idea repugnant to right of free speech. The government tracking opposition is what we find in dictatorships and countries like Russia. If you believe in the freedoms we hold dear, this law is an outright attack on freedom of speech.
It smells like a redo of Nixon’s Hit List.
Other DeSantis Moves.
I have blogged often about DeSantis. You can refer to other essays below:
- Government control of education.
- Fauci vs DeSantis. A discussion of medical advice sources.
- DeSantis and Florida Republicans. An essay on several recent laws passed by Republicans in Florida.
Put this all together.
What I don’t understand is why more people don’t connect all the issues and understand that this truly is a fight for democracy. Right now in the Republican party, democracy is losing big time. I see this as a similar to the events as Hilter came to power in Germany.
White supremist groups are a visible presence in the MAGA movement. These groups were in the mob which attack the Capitol Building on January 6th and Donald Trump wishes to grant pardons. So this is a fair comparison.
I see the chest pounding MAGA movement bumper stickers which say “Don’t Blame Me, I voted for Trump.”
My response is, thank God he lost! I’ll take the credit for President Biden. I believe in democracy. I’m not certain the Republican Party still does.
Opinions of Neil L Brackley
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