DeSantis' latest ploy to counter Pride Month is 'Second Amendment Summer'
In case you haven't been paying attention, we here in Florida are getting quite inventive in figuring out new ways to thwart the annual observance of Pride Month.
Last year, our little schemer Gov. Ron DeSantis came up with the 'Summer of Freedom' as a way to discontinue the practice of lighting state bridges in rainbow colors in June to mark the annual observance of Pride Month for LGBTQ+ Floridians.
'We're kicking off summer the right way in Florida — enjoy the Summer of Freedom,' DeSantis posted on social media.
Get it? The right way. Not the gay way. The rainbow colors of June were replaced with the ordered red, white and blue lights of Florida's 'Summer of Freedom.'
Not to be a nitpicker but I'm pretty sure that Pride Month is all about freedom in an important way. The Stonewall Inn riots that became the inciting event in the civil rights movement for LGBTQ people was an uprising by those who wanted the freedom to live without being harassed and arrested by police for simply being who they are.
So, for Pride Month to be subverted in order that we can all celebrate 'freedom' is some truly twisted reasoning.
I guess the 'Summer of Freedom' was a dud, or at least something that could stand some tweaking as we head closer to another June and its celebration of Pride Month.
'The Summer of Freedom' is now being busted down to 'Freedom Month' in July, opening up June for some new gay-bashing opportunities.
Surely, there must be some other 'right way' to kick off the summer and own the gays.
So what will DeSantis come up with this time to polish his bigot street cred? He delivered the answer this month with his budget.
He wants to declare this year a 'Second Amendment Summer' in Florida, which will include a holiday of state sales tax on the purchases of guns, rifles, shotguns, ammunition and accessories during the period from Memorial Day to July 4 – which just so happens to include all of June's Pride Month.
And unlike past sales-tax holidays, when the break only applied to lower-cost items, the proposed sales-tax holiday doesn't put a ceiling on the cost of the weapons included in the tax break.
Brief sales-tax holidays are nothing new in Florida. They have been most common for such innocuous things as back-to-school supplies and hurricane preparedness items … not an AR-15.
Issuing tax breaks on guns and ammo to encourage sales as some pretext to celebrating the Constitution breaks some new ground.
Opinion: Delray Beach's stance on fluoride is a win for teeth and common sense
I would have started out smaller, say with a 'Militia Month' and then worked my way up to a 'Summer of Carnage Celebration.'
And let's face it, this is very much a 'coals to Newcastle' situation here in Florida. It's not as if Floridians need to be nudged or reminded to buy more firearms. They're pretty good at doing it on their own.
For example, there are 28 gun shows next month in Florida, according to the Gun Show Trader. They're in East Palatka, Newberry, Ocala, Okeechobee, Englewood, Melbourne, Miramar, Pensacola, Stuart, Crestview, Fort Lauderdale, Inverness, Palmetto, West Palm Beach, Brooksville, Bunnell, Hudson, Orlando, Pensacola (again), Sebring, St. Petersburg, Weirsdale, Dade City, Deland, Ft. Walton Beach, LaBelle, Miami, and Ocala (again).
We already have lots of gun commerce without taking millions of dollars out of the state budget, which could be used for better, more pressing needs than encouraging Floridians to buy more guns and ammo.
While gun sales have been falling in the rest of the country, Florida is just one of four states that have seen rising gun sales during the past few years.
But, I guess, we've got to stop those gays from having June all to themselves.
If DeSantis gets his wish for 'Second Amendment Summer' it remains to be seen how we'll light the bridges to celebrate shooting each other. Recommendation: Hemoglobin red lights.
The other thing about celebrating guns in Florida is that 65 percent of gun homicides in Florida are suicides – about eight percent more than the national average of gun-suicide deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.
Opinion: Riviera Beach board fights its own values in suing Target for too much diversity
So, maybe we ought to acknowledge that as we encourage Floridians to stock up.
How about calling it 'Freedom to Kill Yourself Summer' or something catchy like that?
It's also a bad time of year to celebrate guns. It would be much more responsible to have a 'Second Amendment Winter.'
Summers are the peak time of year for people losing their minds and going on shooting rampages.
The Gun Violence Archive, which tracks mass shootings, shows June, July, and August are prime times for mass shootings. The lowest totals are from December through March.
The Independence Day weekend tops the list in the time of year most likely for a mass shooting.
The massacre at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, which at the time was the deadliest mass shooting done by one person, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more. The shooter legally purchased the two firearms he used – a military-style rifle and a handgun – from a Florida gun store a week before the attack.
The gay club massacre happened nine years ago on June 12, which I guess this year would be smack dab in the middle of our 'Second Amendment Summer' celebration.
I think DeSantis can do better than leaning on the Second Amendment to turn his back on LGBTQ+ Floridians.
A reader of mine had a much better idea.
Maybe DeSantis could have a tax holiday for height-enhancing shoes, she suggested.
I think we could all use a lift like that.
Frank Cerabino is a news columnist with The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: DeSantis shows his colors with Second Amendment Summer | Opinion
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
30 minutes ago
- CBS News
$115 billion budget approved by Florida lawmakers. Here's a look at the numbers
On the 105th day of what was supposed to be a 60-day session, Florida lawmakers gave final approval to a leaner state budget totaling $115.1 billion, marking the end of a lawmaking season that was largely defined by inter-party clashes in the Republican-dominated capitol. The new budget lacks some of the top priorities of legislative leaders and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, coming in $500 million less than the governor's proposed budget, and $3.5 billion less than last year's adjusted total, a goal of conservative lawmakers focused on scaling back state spending amid concerns of a broader economic slowdown. The state's legislative leaders had debated for weeks over competing tax cut proposals, initially pushing for broad sales tax relief for everyday Floridians before settling on a package that mostly benefits businesses. "I don't view this on day 105 as a failure," Republican Senate President Ben Albritton said. "We dug in deep." The budget now goes to the governor, who has the power to veto individual line items and is known for slashing into lawmakers' spending plans. Here's a look at Florida's budget by the numbers. A $115 billion budget While political and tropical storms loom on the horizon, Florida's legislative leaders have largely downplayed concerns about how President Donald Trump's aggressive and unpredictable economic policies could impact the state's budget, even as he pledges to phase out the federal agency that responds to hurricanes and other disasters that batter the state. But lawmakers have taken steps to shore up reserves, as forecasters warn of a busier than usual hurricane season and as economists fret over Trump's trade wars and a sweeping proposal to cut federal taxes and spending. Lawmakers crafted a compromise budget and tax cut package, which would save taxpayers and reduce state revenues by an estimated $1.3 billion a year, according to legislative staff. They've also taken steps to set aside an additional $750 million a year into a reserve fund for emergencies, pending voter approval. Republican House Speaker Daniel Perez said building up the reserves is about "being prepared for the unexpected." "None of us know what the future holds," Perez said. $750 million a year The legislature advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would set aside $750 million a year — or an amount equal to up to 25% of the state's general revenue, whichever is less — into a reserve fund that lawmakers could only use for emergencies. The measure has to be approved by 60% of Florida voters to be implemented. The last time state officials tapped into the budget stabilization fund was in 2008, as the Great Recession blasted through Florida's tourism and development-heavy economy. Boosting the reserves is a prudent move, said Republican House Budget Committee Chair Lawrence McClure, and another way to cut state spending. "We are doing this so that are we are truly prepared for a break the glass situation," McClure said. Democrats have called the reserve fund a "lock box" and said lawmakers should keep the funds on hand to support needy Floridians, at a time when many residents are priced out of their homes and schools and prisons are struggling to keep staff on the job. Tax breaks for families and corporate interests The Florida House had initially called for cutting the state's overall sales tax from 6% to 5.25%. A competing offer in the state Senate called for a tax break on clothing purchases under $75. Instead, the largest tax break lawmakers approved was for companies, by eliminating the state's business rent tax. They also approved tax cuts for a slate of special interests including casinos, airlines and NASCAR. Florida residents will get sales tax relief on hurricane supplies, sunscreen and bug spray, and a tax exemption on clothes and school supplies each August. $4 billion for school vouchers State lawmakers are setting aside $4 billion for scholarships for private and religious education, two years after the Legislature expanded the state's voucher program to make all K-12 students eligible, regardless of family income. Since then, the state's indirect spending on private school tuition and homeschooling costs has risen dramatically, which critics warn is burning through the state's budget. More than 2,200 state jobs eliminated Part of state lawmakers' push to cut back on what they see as government bloat is eliminating 2,238 vacant positions across state agencies from the department of health to the department of children and families. Many of the positions being cut have been vacant for three months. While the number of state jobs shrinks, state workers will receive an across-the-board 2% raise, while state law enforcement officers and firefighters will get a 10% total raise, and a 15% raise if they've been on the job for at least five years. Millions for immigration detention at local jails The Legislature is also setting aside $3 million in grants for local jails that have contracted with the federal government to support immigration enforcement efforts. Florida has rushed to help the Trump administration carry out its mass deportation agenda and now leads the country in the number of local and state agencies signing on with the federal government to deputize their officers to carry out immigration enforcement. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Trans Dem Rep. McBride suggests party went too far with transgender agenda before public was ready
Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., told the New York Times on Tuesday that the Democratic Party may have overplayed their hand with regard to trans issues during the 2024 election cycle. McBride, the first transgender representative who was elected to Congress in 2024, spoke to The New York Times' Ezra Klein about where the Democratic Party went wrong on transgender issues and how they should approach winning back the public. "I think that's an accurate reflection of the overplaying of the hand in some ways — that we as a coalition went to Trans 201, Trans 301, when people were still at a very much Trans 101 stage," McBride said. McBride suggested that the trans movement caused a perceived cultural aggression that allowed the GOP to say, "We're punishing trans people because of their actions. Rather than: We're going after innocent bystanders." "And I think some of the cultural mores and norms that started to develop around inclusion of trans people were probably premature for a lot of people. We became absolutist — not just on trans rights but across the progressive movement — and we forgot that in a democracy we have to grapple with where the public authentically is and actually engage with it. Part of this is fostered by social media," the Delaware lawmaker said. McBride argued that progressives pushed for every single perfect policy and cultural norm without keeping public opinion in mind. "We decided that we now have to say and fight for and push for every single perfect policy and cultural norm right now, regardless of whether the public is ready. And I think it misunderstands the role that politicians and, frankly, social movements have in maintaining proximity to public opinion, of walking people to a place," McBride told the NYT. The Democratic lawmaker cautioned the party not to get too far ahead of public opinion and said they lose their grip on it if they do. "And I think a lot of the conversations around sports and also some of the cultural changes that we saw in expected workplace behavior, etc. was the byproduct of maybe just getting too far out ahead and not actually engaging in the art of social change-making," McBride continued. McBride said in November that the GOP's focus on countering trans issues was a "distraction." "I think we are all united that attempts to attack a vulnerable community are not only mean-spirited, but really an attempt to misdirect. Because every single time we hear the incoming administration or Republicans in Congress talk about any vulnerable group in this country, we have to be clear that it is an attempt to distract," McBride said during an interview last year with CBS. The lawmaker was surprised by Republicans prioritizing efforts to keep transgender athletes out of girls' sports, according to a January 2025 interview. "I've had conversations with colleagues about many of the bills that are coming before us and certainly have heard from some colleagues who, like me, are mystified that this is a priority for a Republican conference that is entering a Republican trifecta, that this is an issue that they prioritize," McBride said. McBride noted during the interview with Klein that the transgender movement needed to negotiate with public opinion, and that they shouldn't treat the public like Republican politicians. "When you recognize that distinction, I think it allows for a pragmatic approach that has, in my mind, the best possible chance of shifting public opinion as quickly as possible. It would be one thing if screaming about how dangerous this is right now had the effect of stopping these attacks, but it won't," McBride said.
Black America Web
an hour ago
- Black America Web
Survey Says: Most High-Level Business Executives Believe DEI Initiatives Are Necessary To Avoid Legal Risk
Source: Jackson State University / Getty Since taking office in January, President Trump has made eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all facets of American life one of his key goals. While he's been relatively successful in getting colleges and universities to bend the knee, it's been a more complicated situation when it comes to American businesses. A recent survey has potentially revealed the reason for that, as many business leaders believe removing DEI initiatives opens them up to legal risk. According to Fortune, a joint survey of 1,000 C-suite executives revealed that 83 percent believe DEI initiatives are necessary for their company's well-being. Another 68 percent believed removing them would open them up to potential discrimination lawsuits. The survey also interviewed 2,500 employees and found that 76 percent of respondents would stay at a company that maintained its DEI initiatives, and 43 percent would leave a company if they pulled back. The survey was conducted by Catalyst, a non-profit focused on women's inclusion in the workplace, and NYU School of Law's Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Source: Screenshot / Pollack, A., Glasgow, D., Van Bommel, T., Joseph, C., & Yoshino, K. (2025). Risks of retreat: The enduring inclusion imperative. Catalyst & Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. 'Opting out of DEI is not a neutral act—it's a choice with consequences,' Christina Joseph, project director of the Advancing DEI Initiative at the Meltzer Center, told Fortune. 'That's because these programs help root out harmful policies that especially affect marginalized groups. This report reminds us that without those safeguards, organizations face more, not less, legal exposure.' This survey only proves what we've already seen: the average person either supports or, at the very least, isn't actively opposed to DEI initiatives. In fact, another recent poll shows that companies that keep their DEI initiatives are viewed more favorably by the public. The only people upset about DEI are people who can't compete on an even playing field, or keeping it a buck, are just straight up racist. To some degree, it makes sense why we're seeing universities withdraw from their DEI initiatives. Many of them depend on federal funds to survive, so while they may not necessarily agree with the pullback, they don't really have a choice. Especially considering that the Department of Education (DOE) has been explicitly weaponized to go after any university it believes is trying to provide equitable opportunities for Black, brown, and LGBTQ students. Source: To be clear, I'm not advocating or being an apologist for these moves; I simply understand why they're happening. Conversely, it doesn't make much sense for businesses to engage in this pullback as they don't depend on federal funds, and it's unclear what, if any, legal action the Trump administration could take against a company for continuing DEI initiatives. Apple announced that they would continue their DEI initiatives, and all the president did was angrily post about it on Truth Social. I'm not a legal scholar, but thankfully, Catalyst's poll also included corporate lawyers. A vast majority, 88 percent to be precise, believed that DEI initiatives were essential to avoiding legal risk. So it seems like companies have more to lose by pulling back from DEI than continuing forward. We've seen the opposing approach to DEI initiatives play out in the marketplace this year. Target has been the, uh, target of several boycotts this year as a result of withdrawing from their DEI initiatives as soon as they thought it was politically expedient. This has resulted in foot traffic being down in the stores and the company reporting a drop in first-quarter sales. Target's woes are so pronounced that several companies have started listing consumer boycotts as a potential financial risk in investor reports. On the other end of the equation is Costco, which has stood firm on its commitments to DEI and actually beat its sales expectations for the first quarter. Whether it comes to employees, executives, lawyers, or consumers, it appears the majority are in agreement: DEI works for everybody. Now, if only someone could get that message through to the weirdos running the country right now. SEE ALSO: DEI's Economic Impact: What The Data Reveals Poll Shows Companies Maintaing DEI Intiatives Have Better Reputations SEE ALSO Survey Says: Most High-Level Business Executives Believe DEI Initiatives Are Necessary To Avoid Legal Risk was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
