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Florida rep files bill to ban ‘divisive concepts,’ ‘race or sex scapegoating’
BY TRIMMEL GOMES, FLORIDA NEWS CONNECTION
State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, is lashing out against the idea of critical race theory, filing a bill to ban its use in all government institutions, including universities.
Critical race theory is an upper-level academic framework that examines whether and how systems and policies perpetuate racism. The topic has become a lightning rod for conservatives across the country, who claim it’s being taught in grade schools.
Fine, who is white, has said the topic is inherently racist. However, state Rep. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, who is Black, says that in grade school, she was taught European history. There was “not any focus at all on the free labor that our people gave that made the American economy a superpower that it became,” Thompson says. “And is it racist, then, that I only got European history? I think so.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis already had issued a ban on discussing critical race theory in public schools in June, after the racial unrest following the killing of George Floyd. Thompson says she believes African American history — which is not the same thing as critical race theory — should be taught because it’s part of American history.
Thompson has filed bills advocating teaching African American history in schools. She noted that since 1994, Florida law has required African American history be taught in all 67 counties. However, she said, research by the Florida Department of Education’s African American History Task Force has shown the law is being ignored.
“They have found that only 11 of the 67 counties are actually providing acceptable instruction in African American history,” she says.
Thompson says what she considers “acceptable” is instruction beyond Black History Month.
Fine’s bill includes a 10-point list of what it calls “divisive concepts” to be banned. The list includes topics around sexism and “race or sex scapegoating.”
The proposal also bans teaching that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, teaching that the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist, or teaching that individuals are inherently racist, sexist or oppressive based on their own race or gender.
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¶ Viral video equates Florida’s COVID-19 death toll to U.S. lives lost in Vietnam War
A viral video made by author Don Winslow compares the death toll in Florida from the coronavirus to the number of American servicemembers killed in the 11-year Vietnam War.
Roughly 57,000 Americans died in that drawn-out and wholly unnecessary conflict, making it a rather apt point of comparison with Florida’s ongoing pandemic, exacerbated as it is by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ stubborn policymaking and head-in-sand tactics.
The clip notes that Florida’s COVID-19 death toll is around 47,000 (note: It has passed 50K now) and points out that thousands of deaths are added every week to Florida’s toll as adjustments are made and new information is added.
The video intersperses the sunny outlook of the thenongoing war from Gen. William Westmoreland and Defense Secretary Robert McNamara with footage of injured or dead soldiers. It then juxtaposes DeSantis’ response to questions about the pandemic with news coverage of hospital staffing shortages, overflowing morgues and climbing death tolls.
The video has been viewed over a million times and currently has more than 20,000 retweets, carrying with it the hashtag #FloridaIsVietnam. — Alex Galbraith
¶ Fire at pet shelter reveals that Orlando is a cat-loving town
A massive fire broke out at the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando’s Conroy Road location last Wednesday at around 10:30 p.m., when the shelter was full due to the recent rescue of several animals from Hurricane Ida.
Bodycam footage released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office showed people carrying dogs and cats out of the burning building. While firefighters, police and shelter staff were able to rescue all dogs on the premises, the animal shelter reported the next morning that 23 cats had perished.
The shelter shared the sad news on their Facebook page, noting that all the surviving animals were taken to the shelter’s Sanford location. “We are heartbroken to share that Pet Alliance’s Orlando location was damaged by a devastating fire last night,” they said. “We are very sad to report that we lost 23 cats to the fire, but firefighters and staff were able to save ALL of the dogs.”
Officials believe that the fire started near the front of the building, closer to the area where the cats are kept.
Firefighters and staff continued to rescue cats from the rubble of the building over the following days, though, and the death toll was eventually reduced to 13 cats, with four still missing. PAGO staff hope to catch the survivors soon and have set up food and drop traps around the area.
Support from the community has poured in. Several restaurants, including Eola General and Dharma Southern Kitchen, offered specials with proceeds going to the shelter. Nearby Japanese restaurant Susuru even created a cocktail to benefit the shelter and honor the cats called the Mao Mao, served with a lucky cat toy.
After directing donations of wet cat food, toys and towels to their Sanford location, by Sunday night PAGO posted on their Instagram feed: “THANK YOU!! We are amazed at your generosity! We are absolutely bursting. PLEASE PAUSE FROM SENDING PHYSICAL DONATIONS. We need to sort through what we have and see how we can help our other rescue partners with this absolute outpouring of generosity. Thank you so very much!”
Monetary donations are still being accepted at petallianceorlando.org. The Orlando facility is closed for the foreseeable future and will need considerable funds to rebuild. — AG
