The following Letters to the Editor were published in The Daily Sun on March 7, 2023.
Letter to Ron DeSantis: Recently you appeared in Venice to sell your book. Among your false and misleading comments, is one I find particularly dubious and offensive.
“Florida is among the fastest growing states.” That is true. You then imply that people are arriving because they want to leave ‘poorly governed states.’ What data supports this? We are among those recent arrivals to Florida, among all the people we know, we come for sun and warm weather, not for the ‘good governance.’
And we stay inspite of: An autocratic governor who speaks with scorn about anyone who has differing opinions; a government that imposes censorship on ideas and speech in schools and universities; a system so gerrymandered that Republicans govern knowing that they need not be responsive to all constituents; astronomical home insurance rates; laws that encourage development on a fragile ecosystem; large numbers of unscrupulous businesses who prey on consumers; devastating hurricanes that will continue to get worse; a state that brags of having no state income taxes (progressive taxes) and then taxes items that people need (regressive taxes).
Yes Mr. DeSantis, people are arriving in droves. But you would serve yourself well by finding out the real reasons and speaking to that truth, and not to some fiction that you have created because you want attention in your quest for a national platform. People deserve better than this gaslighting.
You will ask us: Then why don’t you leave? Because of the sun and warm weather.
Allen and Patricia Hoffman, Punta Gorda
What is Gov. DeSantis afraid of?
Ron DeSantis only cares about the freedom of white, straight conservatives who were born in this country and share his views. Perhaps he should have titled his book “The Courage to Bully Gay People, Trans People, Refugees, Teachers and People of Color.”
The majority of his policies and laws actually restrict the freedom of people in one or more of those groups. It does not take courage to ban books, or throw out entire academic fields of study, or bash minorities. Those things are actually a sign of cowardice. What is he afraid of ?
Tom Valois, North Port
Image Credits: By Mark Peterson-Redux
