Florida educators and advocates are up in arms after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called news that books are being banned in Florida schools a “hoax.”
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1450921
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1450921
Right out of the fascist playbook. They’re just relocation camps.
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I just can’t with this man. Is there some sort of incantation that we can murmur to have a water spout pick him up and dump him on a desert island?
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“If publishers and editors exert themselves to keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened of prosecution but because they are frightened of public opinion. In this country intellectual cowardice is the worst enemy a writer or journalist has to face.”
― George Orwell, Orwell on Truth
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The Ides Of March is tomorrow. Just putting that out there.
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DeSantis is the kind of guy who will say “Did you know that they took gullible out of the dictionary?” And then say “Well, you can’t check because the dictionary has been removed due to pornographic content. You just have to take my word on it.”
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His education agenda includes expanding the “Don’t Say Gay” statute, draining the public education budget by granting vouchers on demand, doing away with tenure for college professors, discontinuing courses in the humanities, and giving his political appointees the authority to approve or veto curricula.
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If something happens to him, in the lethal sense, then DeSantis becomes a martyr. We’re just now getting over St. Ronnie Raygun.
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And the first Republican debate is in August.
Which means we have several more months of these monsters, DeSantis, Haley, Pence, Abbott and of course Trump and who know who else, trying to bigger and scary than the other.
That is to some extent we are seeing Republicans trying to do what Trump did in 2016 and dominate the media by being the most outrageous or if you prefer biggest prick.
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DeSantis is starting to get that daily photo/article treatment that Trump got every day until he was elected in 2016. Doesn’t actually matter what the article says - America seems to be swayed mostly by recognition toward people whose face they see most often, and celebrities like Trump and Reagan have a tremendous advantage going into any election.
By August, everyone in America will know who DeSantis is. He won re-election by a landslide in FL - and anyone not taking this budding fascist seriously is ignoring a lot of danger signs.
My prayer is DeSantis gets the nod and Trump runs as a third party candidate.
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Abbott is punching all the right people for a GOP primary race, but I’m not seeing him taking any tangible steps towards running. He has always had a keen sense of his electoral prospects, and my suspicion is that he has concluded Trump will win.
Abbott was originally going to run for Lt. Governor back in 2002, but he promptly dropped out when the very wealthy David Dewhurst tossed his hat in the ring. Abbott traded down to Attorney General instead when John Cornyn announced he was running for Senate instead. Trump is playing the role of David Dewhurst here.
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Came to ask same question.
I’m sure they’ll come up with a reason why their stories about holy sanctioned lies, sex, revenge, murder, gang rape, child mollestation, genital mutilation, pedophilia, infanticide, etc is OK, but a book with two male pengines holding hands is the real source of corruption for children.
Mmmk
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I can recognize R. Crumb anywhere.
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Desantis isn’t upset that there are no books on the library shelves; he’s upset by the very idea of children learning and critical thinking.
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Yes, yes, and yes. And the name of the new third party is ready and waiting to be used again, the Know Nothings.
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Well to give him the benefit of doubt, most republicans believe that any sex that is not done iunder the cover of dark, mostly clothed ,in the missionary position to produce a baby is pornography and if you don’t believe me just ask mother
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DeSantis will overstep the boundaries soon enough, but mostly the rest of the country is not Florida. That’s his jam, not any coastal states who know how to grow and use brains. Personally, I think it will a Biden-trumpet rematch and we know how that ended the last time they went a round or two.
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What was it Maya Angelou said? Ah yes, “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
That last clause often gets left out but gaslighting abusers like DeSantis et al remind us why that part of the warning matters.
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library books must be “free from pornography and materials harmful to minors”
I don’t understand why no one has challenged (in court) the legitimacy of a law that says, we’ll decide post facto what counts as a violation and what doesn’t
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