The First Amendment says that Congress shall make no law "abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press … ." DeSantis must have missed this in his Constitutional Law classes. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and expression. This means individuals have the right to express their opinion and ideas without censorship, restraint, and fear of retaliation by the government.
Tell that to Andrew Warren. Warren signed a pledge about not pursuing cases involving abortion or transgender health. He didn't do anything. He only expressed his opinion. His opinion went against the Governor's policy, so he fired Warren. So much for free speech. In Free Florida, you're free only if you agree with the Governor. A Federal Court said Warren's rights had been violated, but the Feds could do nothing as this was a state issue.
DeSantis signed a bill regulating social media platforms. Critics argue that this bill may force social media platforms to host harmful and offensive content, violating their First Amendment rights to decide what content to allow. No free speech here.
DeSantis has signed legislation limiting the teaching of certain topics related to race and history in public schools. In addition, the law requires a media specialist to review all the books in a school. One teacher, Brian Covey, was fired for posting a picture of empty bookshelves online waiting for approval. So much for freedom of speech.
Pat Barber, president of a teachers' professional organization, said teachers are experiencing "fear" and "confusion" as the districts work to implement HB 1467. As a result, there is confusion about what teachers can teach or say in their classrooms. In Free Florida. You need to watch what you say if you want to keep your job.
Florida GOP State Rep. Alex Andrade proposed a bill to simplify the process for fellow Republican officials, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, to file defamation lawsuits against media and other "critics." Speak in the Freedom State and get sued. No Freedom of the Press here.
Disney complained about a new state law impacting gay and trans people. In retaliation, the Governor removed Disney's Reedy Creek's special status. However, this law was not about the governance of Reedy Creek. Instead, it was about punishing Disney for speaking out against a bill the Governor supported.
By his actions, DeSantis shows he is no friend of the Constitution and our Bill of Rights.
Thomas Mitchell
Inverness