114 Comments

I'm hoping that some teacher somewhere finally says ENOUGH! and complies with Rhonda Santis' book ban as follows. Leave all the banned books on the shelf organized by offensive subject matter. Cover the shelves with chicken wire to prevent access to the books. Atop the shelf place a sign "Books Governor DeSantis is afraid of". Put small cards on each subject group that in one word labels the offense. The law will have been complied with, the books are no longer available to students. But every middle and high schooler who sees that shelf will be rushing to Amazon to get copies. I think the ACLU would take the teacher's case.

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Again, I would remind everyone that this is what a GOVERNOR DeSantis is doing.

Can you imagine what a PRESIDENT DeSantis would do?

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Ron DeSantis is offering a fact sheet. Unfortunately, his facts are alternative facts. In the modern political landscape where policy positions seem to be valued for their contribution to theater above all else, stunts like this are key to DeSantis's popularity in Republican circles. This showmanship, however, overshadows the real damage he and his cronies can do. Revolting stuff.

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For those interested, here’s a link to an article by PEN (an association of poets,playwrights,novelists,essayists,editors & publishers) that lists all 176 books that have been removed from the shelves of schools in Duvall County, FL.

https://pen.org/banned-books-florida/

I made a quick list of some of the books that stood out to me:

A book about Roberto Clemente called “Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates”

A book about Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

“The Life of Rosa Parks”

“Henry Aaron’s Dream”

“Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa”

“Thank you Jackie Robinson”

A book about rock legend Carlos Santana, “When Angels Sing”

A book about Harriet Tubman, “Before She Was Harriet”

These are all books about people from minority communities who made major contributions to our country. Why does Florida not want students to learn about them?

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I suggest that any teachers who get fired or charged with crimes in Florida pack up their families and move to Michigan We have a teacher shortage. And we won’t judge what you want to teach.

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Mar 13, 2023·edited Mar 13, 2023

I recently read of 182 teacher vacancies somewhere in Florida. Other than Florida ideologues, who will actually teach the children and young adults?

Judd, you and your crew are saving the nation one fact at a time.

To be fully informed is to be fully armed!

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Banning black and gay people here but allowing the literal Nazis to display hate on downtown buildings is now Ron DeSantis Florida and I HATE IT HERE NOW

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I am reminded every time I hear what new authoritarian stance that deSantis and his ilk undertakes, that mental health really is the third rail in human health discussions. We need widespread Public Service Announcements (at a very minimum) to educate the public about personality disorders and dangers to any society that fails to address them. Toxic Narcissism, for example, has been front and center with Trump, Putin, Erdogan, KimJung Un, deSantis, Netanyahu, and many, many others who want to not only be THE center of attention, but to wield power, unconditionally. These are ruthless, and dishonorable dictators who must be recognized and retired

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Great report, Judd. We need to call out every one of his prevarications. He is a dangerous man.

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Both McCarthys are so proud of Meatball Ron, the one who’s all ready in hell and the one who’s headed there.

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What jumps out at me when reading about DeSantis' book ban is that the man probably grew up getting the crap beaten out of him by his parents for masturbating while reading books that may have had sexual references in them. DeSantis possibly had no normal childhood experiences of learning about sexuality and exercising his natural impulses and curiosity. Instead, he learned to associate sexuality with evil, sin, guilt and shame.

Common enough even nowadays, and the entire book banning, LGBTQ hating and misogynistic movement is made up of people just like him.

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We know he has been having goosebumps since he was well received in Iowa. DeSantis hears bells ringing for him. IMHO he will get worse with lies and behaviors including over use of the word Woke and banning more books and a host of other reprehensible facist activities

He sees himself as a Savior to the far right. One scary scenario is this monster could be president.

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Thanks for keeping the pressure up on DeSantis and his Nazi henchmen/henchwomen.

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Time to cut your losses, and get more creative on where to attract new reader. Dump Twitter. Ghost Musk. Even if we succeed in muzzling Murdoch, we'll still have his spiritually demonic spawn Musk. We need to ALL do our part and sacrifice whatever it takes to muzzle and stop them. Every tweet you make is tacit support for that unstable white supremacist. Cancel twitter, go through your withdrawal, and emerge stronger, better, and more broadly appreciated. Do not engage the wealthy troll... on his own turf no less! What are you thinking?

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I have 3 sons, one with several disabilities. Having him in my life for 40 years, as well as choosing to work with children, adults and their families has given me a certain perspective.

I try to act with compassion to all people, unless they show themselves, repeatedly, to be unkind or worse.

Using a woman's name for DeSantis, no matter who did it first, or how it's only meant as a joke, feels too close to what I've experienced from male Dr's who didn't explain, overrode our wishes, or lied. From those who did not treat my son like a person. Instead, less than a person who has feelings and can discern contempt when it's aimed at him.

Yes, I care about children sexually or physically brutalized by adults. I also care about women who must almost die before the recommended procedure, a D&C is performed to remove a fetus that cannot survive birth or endangers the mother's life.

We are lucky enough to have President Joe Biden, a man who lost those he loved and acts from that loss, grief and compassion.

If we don't try to understand people who are not quite like us, don't try to be kind to people who we don't know, then how do we progress as a people? And I admit I loathe R. deS. because his worst crime, in my mind is hampering the education of children, who will be unprepared for the world as it is instead of the world he wishes it to be.

I carry a heavy burden daily, alone, no respite. Please don't respond if you are going to be unkind to me. And if you have that impulse, read my words again and imagine yourself in my place. THAT'S what grows our compassion toward each other.

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I admit that this is really radical and easy for me to key from my cushy confines, but...

Perhaps one or more brave teachers can leave the books on the shelves and get arrested. Let's see if a jury of peers will go along with this fascist law after the defense lawyer reads the Penguin story aloud. I'd donate to the defense fund.

I got this idea from those brave men in Texas who purposely got caught doing the deed leading to the elimination of anti-gay laws.

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