Governor DeSantis Misses the Mark with Ideological Crackdown

Cartoon by Robert Crohan

Robert Crohan/Staff Writer

In the new American era of Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., not everyone is on board.

The President is overwhelmingly disapproved of by Republicans, but this is not the whole story. Top conservative leaders have taken to the pens in protest against what they see as an overarching and overly generous administration. 

Among the leaders of this anti-Joe caravan is none other than our governor, Ronald Dion DeSantis.

A military veteran, former congressman and outspoken MAGA warrior, DeSantis is trying to take the reins of Trump’s GOP by showing America what a Trumpian future could look like. Indeed, Florida is growing astronomically, possesses a strong economy and holds many cultural highlights from Key West to Pensacola.

But DeSantis’ moves to embolden conservatives in the decades-long ‘culture war’ is proving troublesome, in my view. After denying transgender kids the rights to identity, privacy, and medical care, taking aim at the Biden CDC (and winning), and stripping Floridians of an easy voting process, Ron DeSantis is now serving up a nice dish of educational paranoia. Florida will mandate ideological surveys on state college campuses, outlaw critical race theory, and root out communism directly.

I understand why the Governor’s fans may support this, And I will acknowledge that he is in the right to combat foreign influence and make Florida a leader in civic education. DeSantis seems like a good man, the kind of guy I can have a drink and conversation with.

However, these bills seem more a move towards conservative indoctrination than a legitimate attempt at keeping American enemies at bay, hardly a step removed from what students face in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Florida is ground zero for America’s culture war. Retirees, out-of-state suburbanites, North Floridians and Latin Americans from socialist countries all tend to vote red, while Black Floridians, Puerto Ricans and younger voters are overwhelmingly blue. In fact, Florida’s young people are among the country’s most liberal, despite the state’s conservative tilt. We are heavy in immigrants, southern White evangelicals, blue-and-white collar workers and young people.

I can imagine that had these young people been gun-toting, Trump-loving, socialism-denouncing conservatives, DeSantis and the Florida GOP would not turn an eye. Plus, the notion that universities are engaging in ideological indoctrination is a troubling notion in itself.

Yes, Generation Z is liberal. Yes, I have met quite a few communists in South Florida. But there is no proof that there is a conspiracy to turn our hard-working and freedom-loving generation against the country. America, like it or not, has work to do in rooting out its long history of racism, exploitation, and disregard for the disenfranchised. Germany had the same job, and today is a free and democratic haven.

I know several communist or otherwise far-left peers, and they are great people who want justice and liberty just as every American does. What we should be doing is learning what we all have in common, instead of ostracizing those we disagree with.

Concerns over healthy debate are legitimate, as conservatives have been attacked on some campuses. At FIU, I have observed hostility towards Trump supporters when the President visited campus. But my experience in Florida schools shows that conservative students have plenty of breathing space for activism and making their voices heard. Plus, going after the right to individual thought is not the way to expand free speech rights to conservatives.

Miami is the only place in America where the Cold War never truly ends, so the supposed need to root out these ideas seems based on electoral concerns. After Miami-Dade’s hard swing towards the GOP following four years of red-baiting, Florida Republicans will do anything to keep the county competitive.

Much of the right has a long history of equating civil and LGBTQA+ rights activism to Marxist doctrine, making “communism” a vague term to define in law. To Florida Republicans, the notion that children should not go to bed hungry is apparently “communism,” so the law is inherently confusing.

Free speech experts have weighed in, expressing concern over DeSantis’ moves undermining free expression and speech. Indeed, who’s to say that liberal or conservative-leaning people won’t choose to back out, hence why the 2020 election polls were so inaccurate?

The survey bill’s text mandates “viewpoint diversity and intellectual freedom,” obviously crucial things. DeSantis supports “critical thinking” in schools, which is laudable given that a proper education requires this. However, nothing else in the plan indicates a true commitment to such.

What do I mean? Consider that DeSantis is threatening to withhold funding for schools deemed ideologically inadequate. So, if the majority of professors are liberal or leftist, and the student body (or facts) happens to skew left based on the viewpoints presented, punishment could be applied. Is this not indoctrination in its finest form?

As far as critical race theory goes, I find it interesting that the same GOP leaders who hurled threatening language and tropes towards Latino, Black and Asian Americans are suddenly crying “racism” at the prospect of teaching the theory. As far as I can tell, it won’t lead to guilt among White children, which people I’ve spoken to suspect. Do all men feel bad when they’re told the role that men have played in degrading and abusing women throughout history?

Americans of color must decide for themselves, and press elected leaders for the best course of action regarding critical race theory.

Plus, the bill banning school faculty from keeping “uncomfortable” ideas away from students comes immediately after a critical race theory ban. These educational actions are paired with intimidation and permitted violence against Black Lives Matter protesters. DeSantis is engaging in authoritarian-esque behavior while calling the Democrats who are trying to expand freedom for ethnic minorities and LGBTQA+ people authoritarian socialists. The cards don’t add up.

DeSantis’ assertion that this is all to ensure the best for our youth seems doubtful. Ultimately, this looks like a dark step towards more academic pressure from lawmakers. Here’s to hoping DeSantis’ freedom-snatching spree ends in a timely manner.

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community

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