Since politics is always front and center in the news every day, let’s talk about history. The history of the United States of America is remarkably diverse in every aspect of our existence. There are Republicans, Democrats, and Non-Party affiliates. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. We are all entitled to the many freedoms that were set for us in the Constitution of the United States back in 1789. It seems like a few of our “freedoms” are under attack here in the sunshine state of Florida. The main one who is attacking them is none other than Governor Ronald DeSantis. I’m still unsure of why his campaign slogan is “Freedom Lives Here” when Governor DeSantis is taking our freedoms from us.
Governor DeSantis is making it harder and harder for people to live in the state of Florida. It started with him taking privileges from Walt Disney World that have been in place for fifty years all because they did not agree with a bill DeSantis signed. Walt Disney World paused political donations which angered Governor DeSantis and then prompted him to retaliate. The first amendment literally says we have the freedom of speech. We can say anything we want, and it is protected under the First Amendment. We also have the right to petition our government to state our grievances without punishment or reprisals. How did that work for Disney? They did not agree with Governor DeSantis, they stopped political donations, and he took away their privileges that have been in place for fifty years. The First Amendment is supposed to protect them from situations like this. Governor DeSantis did not get his way, so he threw a temper tantrum like a two-year-old until he gets his way.
Governor DeSantis then decided to show favoritism to the judges who passed the reversal of Roe v, Wade, making abortions illegal in most states and leaving the decisions up to the individual states. What this means is the state you live in has the right to tell you that you cannot have an abortion unless you or the baby are in danger of dying. If you got pregnant by rape or incest and both you and the baby are healthy, you will be forced to have the baby. Politicians are completely unaware of the effects this will have on a woman’s mental health. How would they feel if they had to go through numerous changes to their mind, body, and even soul knowing they are bringing a rapist’s baby into the world? This new “law” is not going to have a positive effect. It has the possibility to lead to many backyard abortions that lead to infections and possibly death. Many women might even make a drastic decision that they can never take back. Suicide. All because a politician who has never been pregnant forced them to have an unwanted baby. Plus, there is almost eight billion people in the world. Our world is falling apart, and these politicians want to contribute to it. Governor DeSantis wanted to prohibit people from gathering outside the judge’s homes that reversed Roe v Wade making it an arrestable offense if the protestors do not leave. He fails to realize that we have the right under the First Amendment to freedom of assembly. We are allowed to assemble on public property and collectively share our ideas peacefully. As long as no one goes onto private property, no crime has been committed. Governor DeSantis is trying to limit our freedoms to make the people in “power” happy. He should brush up on his reading and add the Constitution of the United States to his list.
Another major issue plaguing the United States of America, including Florida, is gun violence. There have been numerous shootings all over the country with many innocent people losing their lives. The Constitution of the United States says that we have the right to keep and bear arms in the United States and to use those arms for lawful reasons like to protect ourselves within our home. This translates to people owning a gun to protect their homes from intruders that are trying to take it from them or bring harm to their home and the people in it. Nowhere does it say that we can buy guns to go around shooting innocent people, especially young children inside their classrooms where they are getting their education. People are pushing for gun reform and have been for a long time now. No one is challenging gun ownership of those that have gone through the proper steps to own a gun. What they are challenging is making it a more in-depth process to own a gun. For instance, you would not want to sell a gun to someone who is in an active mental health crisis. There needs to be more strict laws for obtaining guns. No one is saying that guns are going to be taken away from responsible gun owners. We do need to, however, become more responsible for our fellow man and woman so these mass shootings can come to an end finally. If you can own a gun, you should have no problem proving that you are a responsible gun owner. Red flag laws should be in place all across the country. Our kids’ lives depend on it. Our families’ lives depend on it. Do you not value the lives of your children, Governor DeSantis?
Our children’s education is under attack as well in Florida. Governor DeSantis does not want our nation’s history taught the way it actually happened. He does not want kids of a certain ethnic background to feel guilty for the way their ancestors treated people of other ethnic backgrounds. We cannot change what happened years ago. We cannot change what our ancestors did to other people. Governor DeSantis does not want Black history taught to our kids because it makes white people look bad. Correct, it does. That also happened many years ago and some things have not changed. Black people are still treated unfairly at the hands of white people. So, why does Governor DeSantis not want our children to learn about this? Black Lives Matter and it needs to be heard! You cannot change the past, but you can learn from it, and you should. We all need to be woken up and have our eyes opened to the injustices that people are facing and going through on a daily basis. We need to teach history the way it happened so we can change our future for the better. We all need to coexist and live in happiness for once. The Stop W.O.K.E. Act should be banished as well as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. We need to learn from the past to make our children’s future better. Teachers need to be able to instruct our children appropriately. Governor DeSantis needs to stop overregulating things that do not need it. What he should focus on is making things more affordable so we can survive.
One more issue with our Governor is his dispersing of federal money. He claims that the stimulus checks that President Biden sent out are what caused our current inflation problems. So why then is Governor DeSantis sending out his own version of stimulus checks to certain Florida families? Also, why are only specific families getting these checks and not all families with children? He is sending out checks for $450 as a one-time payment to help with the costs of whatever you need help with. The money is coming from the federal COVID-19 relief funds that were not spent. The total amount not spent was $35.5 million. (It is no wonder why Florida has a high infection rate and many deaths from COVID!) The catch is, that not every family with children is getting these one-time payments. Foster parents, relative and non-relative caregivers, people who receive temporary assistance for needy families cash assistance program, and children in the Guardian assistance program will receive the $450 check. So, what exactly are all of the other children of Florida supposed to do if they need assistance buying things they need for daily living or school supplies? Why are these children singled out and the rest forgotten? Governor DeSantis said President Biden caused inflation by giving out stimulus checks so isn’t Governor DeSantis doing the same by sending out these stimulus checks? According to his team, the federal government caused inflation by deficit spending. Florida already had the money so there is no deficit to spend. Where do they think the money is going to go? This money will be spent because things have become so expensive that any amount of money given is a blessing. That $450 check will go directly into circulation most likely as soon as it is cashed because a lot of people have been going without necessities since no one is doing anything about controlling the prices of items we need to survive.
Governor DeSantis, as well as the rest of the politicians of the world, need to remember that they were put in power by the people of the United States of America. We the people also have the power to remove you from your current positions of “power.” You were elected to power because the people believed that you would do right by them. We thought that you would listen to our worries and concerns that we have with the way things are in our state and in our country. We never thought that you would ignore the people that you are supposed to be looking out for. We are all citizens of Florida, Governor DeSantis. You need to stop singling out the benefits of one group of people while throwing the rest of us under the bus. We all have the same freedoms as citizens of the United States of America. Stop taking our freedoms from us just because you do not like what we say. Everyone does not have to agree with you. You cannot always get your way. Stop throwing your tantrums in order to get your way. Learning how to share is something that should have been taught to you as a child. You should not need a refresher course at your age. Wake up Florida. Does our governor really have our best interest in mind and at heart for all of us citizens of this lovely sunshine state? Can we all agree that our government needs a wake-up call? Can we all agree that they need to listen to our concerns and actually act on them instead of only doing what they want to do? We need to put people in power that actually follow through with their campaign promises that got them the job that they currently do. Wake up Florida!
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