Florida Freedoms Not Granted by DeSantis.

Post # 263, Bob McKnight's Florida Commentary

The federal government grants us the freedom to study the lessons of slavery or the deadly threat of Covid, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says teaching about slavery or Covid are freedoms only he can approve for us.

As I mentioned in two week's post to this Commentary, it is not unusual for people in politics

to mis-speak or lie. That was a discussion of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley who praised former President Donald Trump while at the same time suggesting that he would be a weak opponent for her to defeat. I am not sure what she believes.

For anyone to lie is unfortunate, but too real on both sides of the aisle. I have often strongly recommended that when we discover these falsehoods, we cite them and highlight them for further study about the candidate and their opponents.

Our Florida governor, Ron DeSantis is becoming the favorite in the Republican Party to win the nomination for President in 2024. So, I thought it would be interesting to apply the truth test to some of his public statements on freedom:

1. He claims to favor individual freedom while restricting approved federal medical care. No state has had more deaths from Covid not getting available care than Florida.

2. Another claim DeSantis makes about individual freedom during Covid is to not require masks, safe distancing and immunizations, which resulted in the greatest number of Covid cases in any state.

3. With DeSantis, his Covid freedom has resulted in Floridians dying.

4. Another freedom DeSantis preaches that of teaching our children in public schools. He says our elected School Boards are not free to choose members, curriculum and books, but he, the Governor can.

5. A Civil War was fought and won over freedom for slaves in our country. Most of us are proud of our country's improving record on integration. In our public schools, we study that important part of our history with the exception of teaching that violates a new DeSantis law, HB 5. The federal government grants our citizens the freedom to study slavery, but our governor says HB 5 mandates that we not free to do that, to his approval.

Florida is free under Governor DeSantis. But we are not free to elect our local school board, our local State Attorney, to read our public school books about Civil Rights, and to study a curriculum approved by our local school boards. Those are freedoms only granted by Governor DeSantis. But he is running for President and his "handlers" say the public will like this 'freedom' just like Donald Trump.