The Miami Herald editorial board published the following editorial in defense of free speech. It was cross posted in The Orlando Sentinel.
Last week, Florida’s government refused to grant permission to the League of Women Voters to hold a rally on the steps of the Old Capitol in Tallahassee, according to a ProPublica story. The group was told that, under a DeSantis administration rule, its rally needed to be sponsored by a state agency.
A thwarted rally during the legislative session may not seem like it warrants a ton of attention in the torrent of bad ideas pouring out of Tallahassee, but this is not small; it’s one more way the state is tightening its chokehold on free speech in Florida.
The league said it was denied permission by the Florida Department of Management Services under a rule that went into effect March 1 that says the use of the space must be “consistent with the Agency’s official purposes.”
In other words, if it isn’t part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-woke agenda or some other Republican cause, you need not apply.
The supposed reason is to protect public safety and make sure state workers and officials can do their jobs. Funny how, in all these years, that hasn’t been an issue. The area around the state Capitol has long been the site of all sorts of demonstrations, rallies and marches. But suddenly, that’s a problem.
Call us crazy, but could it have something to do with the perception that the League is left-leaning? Last year, a local official in Lake County, Illinois, called League members there “partisan hags” in a Facebook posting, apparently because he thought their debate formats favored Democrats. He later apologized — for the “hag” part, anyway.
In Florida, the League has taken an openly adversarial stance against the DeSantis administration in at least one instance. The group went to court to fight a 2021 voting law, with a judge striking down several provisions on grounds they were discriminatory. The state is appealing.
The change in rules for rallies — an excuse to restrict speech — isn’t happening in a vacuum. We’ve already had the effort by the Republican Legislature to stop discussion of systemic racism at universities and in workplace training, the smackdown of Disney for daring to oppose the governor’s “Don’t say gay” law on sexual orientation and gender identity instruction in schools and a bill to make it easier to sue for defamation that would have a chilling effect on public discourse.
In this latest iteration, the government is using state rules and red tape to stop dissent from being heard. What are lawmakers so afraid of?
And while the League managed to hold its event on a plaza nearby and discussed the muzzling of free speech, that’s poor consolation. Lawmakers need to be open to hearing dissent if they are truly representing the will of the people — and not just the will of one man.
This editorial was published by the Miami Herald. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
© 2023 Orlando Sentinel
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Will financial firms that support/gain from DeSantis’ view of Social Security and John Arnold’s view of public pensions achieve goals contrary to a democratic society?
I don’t know if those firms would want policy or legislation that silences their critics.
While I still have free speech, I will write about the Teachers
Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA). On July 13, 2021, the SEC posted at its site, “SEC announces $97 mil. enforcement action against TIAA…will be distributed to investors affected by misconduct…”
Once it was about taking advantage of and perverting public policy. Now it’s about controlling the entire process to align with their most treasured goals. In other words, American fascism’s got some serious legs.
The resume of Roger Ferguson, TIAA’s President from 2008-2021 is interesting -went to Sidwell and Harvard, Vice Chair of the Fed. Reserve, currently a member of an advisory board at MCKinsey and Co.
During Ferguson’s tenure, there was an unusual FINRA fine for the company. Usually Wikipedia lists a section on “controversy” which does not appear for Ferguson’s entry.
Ferguson is Black and claims to be a Democrat, most likely the Clinton neoliberal branch. Internal TIAA PR showed the company’s affinity with Pete Peterson who has spent a fortune to eliminate Social Security. Also, during Ferguson’s tenure, TIAA paired with John Arnold’s efforts against public pensions. One of TIAA’s prominent economists was well-known in right wing circles.
For top positions in companies and government, candidates with association to Harvard should be vetted relative to their opinions about income disparity.
Given that the rich have a stranglehold on the U.S., I foresee a Stalinesque future. Reportedly, it’s a system that Fred Koch profited from. It’s the perfect foil for his sons to loudly pronounce opposition to that period in Russia’s history.
“The world will now understand that the only real ‘ideological’ issue is one between democracy, liberty … on the one hand and despotism, terror on the other.”
“Fascism comes wrapped in the flag and Bible.” The controlling American rich make money from globalism.
The apparent move by the Koch network to gear up acceptance of Islam undercuts the Christian nationalism
plank.
“Isms,” purposeful distraction/ deflection?
DeSantis is just another bully. This is all he’s got.
Bully with actual power is different from a run-of-mill one.
The League of Women Voters is the best reliable source of information before an election in Florida. The most confusing part of ballots is generally the amendments. Those sponsored by the GOP are confounding and often deliberately misleading. Both my husband and I have a master’s degree, and we can’t always figure out what the proposed amendment actually does. We can, however, rely on The League of Women Voters with their team of legal experts to help us decipher the real intent of the proposed amendment. Even when amendments are approved by voters, there is no guarantee the GOP won’t come up with an impediment to stop its implementation as in the case of restoring voting rights to felons. Everything in the state is under the watchful eye and iron fist of Ron, the supreme leader of the “free state of Florida.”
DeFascist better watch out. If he’s caught in those Dallas Cowboy cheerleadier boots again he may be forced to leave his own state.
League of Women Voters vs Dangerously Deranged Despot DeSantis – an unconstitutional case regarding the 1st amendment.
I wonder of the League has a court date yet?
When will the US finally send in troops to protect democracy in FL?
Good point.
Wow! I will really miss going to Florida.
Perhaps it is time to challenge this sort of treatment. The first amendment certainly protects the right to peaceful assembly. They should assemble and get arrested in big numbers, violating the law on purpose. Soon the Supreme Court will be faced with ruling on an issue that will further point out its radical rollback of minority rights (not, in this case an ethnic, but a voting minority)