LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK

WORLDLY DISNEY WORLD,

Pamela Nabors, president/CEO, CareerSource Central Florida: More good news for the Central Florida economy and the tourism industry: International workers are returning to the Epcot and other parks as part of Disney’s Cultural Representative Program. Walt Disney is truly bringing back the “World” in their name, as it’s an even more engaging and immersive experience with cast members from countries like Italy, England, Germany, South Africa and Norway. I enjoy learning the cast members’ names and regions where they’re from. In such divisive and challenging times, the Cultural Program helps bring some education, inclusion, and much-needed unity to our corner of the “World.”

FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL, Brendan O’Connor, editor in chief, Bungalower.com: The Florida Film Festival is ramping up for its 31st annual festival, running April 8-17, which will be hosted in Maitland and Winter Park. This year, the festival will screen 167 films representing 37 countries and of the films selected, 145 have premiere status, including 24 world premieres, and a slew of parties. This fest is a big deal for the region and for participating filmmakers and is actually an Oscar-qualifying event. Sans slapping.

ROCK’S RESTRAINT, Jim Philips, retired longtime radio talk-show host: If only the television media could show as much self-control as comedian Chris Rock. How many times have you seen ... or need to see ... actor Will Smith slap Rock at the Academy Awards? But maybe the real story beyond the assault is a lack of focus on how television (and the movies) has normalized violence. it’s been this way for decades. Watch local television and it seems that every newscast leads with some kind of murder or mayhem ... events that have little or no bearing on your everyday life. Calculate the number of times you’ve seen the Smith-Rock “violation” and wonder when enough is enough.

DESANTIS’ ANTICS, Gloria Pickar, president emerita, League of Women Voters of Orange County:

”Don’t Say Gay” is law … for now. Lawsuits should kill this unconstitutional bill. With children as props, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557 prohibiting discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in schools, including granting parents the right to sue school districts. Instead of protecting children, DeSantis uses them as political pawns. Antics like bullying students at a press conference for wearing masks and declaring the second-place Florida swimmer won the NCAA championship over the transgender real winner keep him on the national stage. At the Oscars, Wanda Sykes targeted Florida, quipping it would be a gay night. Let’s all say, “Gay, gay, gay!”

Two very interesting off-script scenarios deserve mention. In the first instance, in a presentation in Poland on March 26, President Biden finished his speech with “For God’s sake, this man (Vladimir Putin) cannot remain in power,” widely interpreted as a request for regime change in Russia. At the Oscars last Sunday night, Will Smith, in response to Chris Rock’s “GI Jane” joke about his wife, marched on stage, slapped Rock, went back to his seat and screamed some profanities. Both were off-script, of course, and probably instantly regretted. As has been noted, human beings tend to remain works in progress.

VIEWPOINT DIVERSITY, Joanie Schirm, GEC founding president; World Cup Orlando 1994 Committee chairman:

Sen. Joseph McCarthy famously said: “I have here in my hand a list of 57 people that were known ... as being members of the Communist Party.” Professors were singled out purely because of their political, ideological, religious, or antireligious positions. Though entitled to free speech, their jobs were endangered. Wearing a cloak of dishonesty stating the need for a free exchange of ideas, conservative state legislators now demand the University of Florida mandate campus surveys with evaluations about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity.” Universities shouldn’t be controlled by state authority, squelching free thinking and debate. Don’t mistake ignorance for perspective when seeking to understand the logical connection between ideas.

CANVASSING ELECTIONS, Nicole Wilson, Orange County commissioner, District 1:

The diligent work of a local canvassing board is essential to the integrity of our elections. I am honored to serve on the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Canvassing Board and am reminded that everyone plays a role in the health of our democracy. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Now is the time to get involved by making sure you are registered, help your friends and neighbors register, check to see if your signature has changed over the years and double-check your voting precinct. I am grateful for the good work of our Orange County Supervisor of Elections and to live in a country that chooses leaders through free, fair and transparent elections.

WOKE MOB,

Michael Zais, political blogger for thedrunkenrepublican.com: A recent Daily Wire poll directly quoting from the “Parental Rights in Education” bill — with no dishonest slang references — found a whopping 64% of respondents were in favor of the law (including 62% of Democrats), and a mere 21% opposing. Most other polling has shown similar results. What we are witnessing is yet another woke, false media narrative crumbling before our eyes — another inevitability in life right up there with death and taxes. Disney and other woke mob enablers will rue the day they chose this hill to die on.