Florida: Beloved Vacation Spot Turned into Political Battleground

Published in Le Journal de Montréal
(Canada) on 24 May 2023
by Luc Laliberté (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Alyssa Noseworthy. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.
Florida is a favorite vacation spot, loved by Canadians and Americans alike. It is also one of the most populous states in the U.S., and on the political front, it has become an emblem of the political struggles that are shaking this country.

The Woke, the Right, and the Extreme Right

The last few days have offered us insight into the intense fight being waged between progressive activists and those who have sworn to kick all woke people out of Florida.

It all started with the publication of a travel advisory intended for tourists planning travel to Florida.

The advisory came from the NAACP, the oldest Black civil rights organization. Thea advisory denounced Gov. Ron DeSantis for devaluing and ignoring the history and contributions of minorities. A representative excerpt from the advisory stated, “Let me be clear — failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all [...].” We can be permitted to question whether this message has been effective, considering some of the events and reactions that have since occurred. First, in a new manifestation of cancel culture, one school just prohibited reading the poem that Black poet Amanda Gorman wrote for President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021.

In response to the NAACP’s message, Republican Sen. Tim Scott created his own travel advisory. In it, he affirms that Florida is hostile to socialists. Even tourism is political.

Finally, Florida, like Texas, attracts increasingly more followers of the extreme right. How many? Enough to color the speeches and legislative bills of influential politicians. It seems that the NAACP might be preaching in the wilderness.

Trump v. DeSantis: A Fight to the Finish

Florida Gov. DeSantis announced tonight on Twitter that he is running for the Republican presidential nomination. He’ll be fighting against the most famous citizen of his state, and it will likely be quite difficult, with an article from The New Yorker evoking nothing less than a fight to the death.

These two candidates are popular in the polls, and both defend ideas that please their partisan base. Nevertheless, they are handicapped by the same reality: to win the presidential race, they will have to be less zealous and extreme if they want to win over other voters.

Between the two, I believe DeSantis will be able to make this adjustment more easily. Even if his preaching isn’t as charismatic, he is more organized and disciplined. More than that, he knows how to avoid untimely improvisation and has shown that he’ll be able to win over an important percentage of the Latino vote. And above all, let’s not underestimate his campaign machine, which steamrolled through the midterm elections.


Destination touristique prisée et État parmi les plus populeux des États-Unis, au plan politique, la Floride offre un concentré des grandes luttes qui agitent le pays.

Wokes, droite et extrême droite
Les derniers jours nous ont offert un aperçu de la lutte intense qu’y mènent les activistes progressistes et ceux qui ont juré de bouter tous les wokes à l’extérieur de l’État.
Le tout a débuté par la publication d’une mise en garde à l’intention des voyageurs qui envisagent la Floride comme destination.
C’est le plus vieil organisme de lutte pour la reconnaissance des droits civiques des Noirs qui est à l’origine du communiqué dénonçant la lutte menée par le gouverneur DeSantis pour dévaloriser ou ignorer l’histoire et l’apport des minorités.
Cet extrait est représentatif de l’ensemble de la semonce: «Let me be clear - failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all [...]».
Il est permis de douter des effets de ce communiqué si on considère quelques faits et réactions. Tout d’abord, nouvelle manifestation de la culture de l’annulation, une école vient d’interdire la lecture du texte que la poétesse noire Amanda Gorman a rédigé pour l’investiture de Joe Biden en 2021.
En réponse au communiqué du NAACP, le sénateur républicain Tim Scott a émis sa propre mise en garde pour certains voyages. Il y affirme que la Floride est hostile aux socialistes. Même le tourisme est politique!
Dernier exemple qui démontre que le NAACP risque de prêcher dans le désert, la Floride, tout comme le Texas, attire de plus en plus d’adeptes de l’extrême droite. Combien? Assez pour teinter les discours et les projets de loi des politiciens influents.

Trump c. DeSantis: lutte à finir
C’est ce soir que le gouverneur de l’État, Ron DeSantis, annoncera sur Twitter qu’il se lance dans la course pour l’investiture républicaine. Le combat qu’il va mener au plus célèbre citoyen de son État risque d’être dur, le New Yorker n’évoquant l’an dernier rien de moins qu’un combat à mort!
Les deux candidats les plus populaires dans les sondages défendent des idées qui plaisent à la base partisane républicaine. Ils sont cependant handicapés par la même réalité: pour gagner la présidentielle, il faudra être moins râpeux et moins extrêmes pour séduire d’autres segments de l’électorat.
Entre les deux, je crois que c’est DeSantis qui peut effectuer ce réajustement avec le plus de facilité. Même s’il ne prêche pas par excès de charisme, il est plus organisé et discipliné.
Il saura éviter les improvisations intempestives et il a démontré qu’il est en mesure de gruger une part importante de l’électorat hispanophone. Ne sous-estimez surtout pas sa machine électorale qui a été un véritable rouleau compresseur lors des dernières élections de mi-mandat.
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