Florida, home of many a Proud Boy, a hotbed for white supremacy. The rest of us can’t stand silent
White supremacists and extremists don’t always wear white robes and burn crosses. They don’t necessarily meet in dingy headquarters away from civilized society
They are marching on Capitol Hill. They are flying Nazi flags over interstate overpasses in Florida. They’ve distributed antiSemitic fliers in Miami Beach, home to a large Jewish population. They have demonstrated outside Disney World, a lighting rod for cultural wars after the company opposed a state parental rights law critics dubbed “Don’t say gay.”
Groups with names like the “White Lives Matter” network, the “Goyim Defense League” and the “New Jersey European Heritage Association” once were relegated to the dark corners of the web. More and more, they feel entitled to publicize their darkest thoughts and beliefs.
Those who have sounded the alarm about the rise of extremism in the Sunshine State have often been dismissed as hysterical liberals. Even as we learned about the Proud Boys’ close ties to Miami Republican politics, in addition to their prominent role in the Jan. 6 attacks, many state leaders remained mum. The Anti-Defamation League describes the Proud Boys as a
People are not chattel; they are not to be treated in the overtly cruel way DeSantis has treated the migrants he sent to Martha’s Vineyard.
May the people who found his actions acceptable be small and may he pay the price at the ballot box.
– Sid Kaskey, South Miami
HELP WANTED
I thank Gov. DeSantis for sending us the Venezuelan immigrants. Please send more. Much like the rest of the country, we have a severe labor shortage and need people will- ing to work. Actually, Florida has the same problem — maybe even worse.
“right-wing extremist group with a violent agenda” and “some members espouse white suprem- acist and anti-Semitic ideologies,” which is why it was so rattling to see them show up in force at a recent Miami-Dade School Board meeting.
TROUBING INCREASE
A new Anti-Defamation
League report shows that Florida has seen a dramatic rise in antiSemitic incidents — a 50% increase in 2021 compared to the previous year — and hate crimes. Nationwide, anti-Semitic acts also rose but at a slower pace of 34% increase. The organization also found that between 2020 and 2022, there were 400 instances of white supremacy propaganda distribution — 95% of those antiSemitic — in the state.
Many will easily jump to the conclusion that we’re placing the blame on Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who have focused on the same red-meat issues that also rally extremists, like immigration, racial resentment (through dog whistles like “critical race theory”) and an anti-LGBTQ agenda. But neither Trump or DeSantis invented anti-Semitism and extreme ideol- ogy.
Many books and dissertations will be written on whether Trump reignited the country’s history of
However, rather than solving problems, DeSan- tis is more interested in political stunts. I’m surprised his constituents fall for this insanity. Well, not so surprised. After all, they voted for a bankrupt- cy-prone, sexual-assaulting con man who couldn’t even lose like a man.
Please keep sending us anyone willing to work. We don’t care where they come from. In return, we’ll keep sending you our retirees who no longer need or want to work.
– Kevin Flannery,
Weymouth, MA
FOCUS ON STUDENTS
As a Broward County Schools paraprofessional and teachers’ union vice president, I am proud of what my fellow employees do daily to create a brighter future for every child.
Gov. DeSantis recently replaced four democratically elected female school board members with four male loyalists who seemingly don’t share
Opinion content from syndicated sources may be trimmed from the original length to fit available space. our community’s values. However, what the grand jury report does not address, nor has DeSantis or other state leaders, is the easy access to military The Sept. 14 Miami assault weapons like the Herald presented a numerical one used at Marjory chart titled “Mia- Stoneman Douglas High mi-Dade County Public School. Schools Report on Public
This became clear when School Student Progression,” the new school board for 2022. The results chair, DeSantis appointee show that (starting in Torey Alston, attempted grade 3 up to grade 10), on to undermine funding for average, 44.6% of students our schools by opposing scored in the “not” the referendum to provide proficient categories (Lev- funds approved by a significant els 1-2). In grade 10, only majority of voters. 51% scored on the proficient He has since denied this, Levels 3-5. but social media posts I don’t know how these show otherwise. When numbers were before the these efforts failed, he pandemic. I would guess verbally attacked educators the scores were better. On who dared to advocate its face, however, it paints for our students, a rather bleak picture of families, and profession. where our students are
Alston and his appointed performing now. Having colleagues must focus worked as a school social on ensuring we have the worker for many years in best schools for every the M-DCPS system, most child, regardless of race, teachers and administrators background, ZIP code, are hard-working, sexual orientation, or dedicated professionals. ability, and not on the Schools should continue
BOB MCFARLIN
racial animosity, or if he’s just a symptom of it. That anti-Semitism is on the rise in much of the Western world, as a study by Tel Aviv University found this year, hints at something deeper than MAGA. Trump and DeSantis have been strong supporters of Israel. DeSantis signed laws requiring schools to certify to the state they teach about the Holocaust and to protect students from anti-Semitism.
At the same time, we cannot ignore that the GOP has an extre- mism problem — and an even bigger problem disavowing it within its ranks.
Florida has the largest number of people arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attacks, according to the ADL.
There was a “significant increase in violent rhetoric in rightwing online spaces” after the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, the report found.
‘STAND BY’
Trump’s call to the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during a 2020 debate was celebrated in the group’s social media circles. It speaks for itself that some prominent GOP elected officials, like Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, attended the America First Political Action Conference. The white-supremacist event purposely coincided with a popular gathering of conservatives happening nearby in Orlando. That the American First conference is named after a famous Trump campaign slogan is not by chance. When a series of neo-Nazi demonstrations in Orlando took place in January, DeSantis deflected questions about it, accusing Democrats of trying to “smear” him with the Jewish community and calling demonstrators “jackasses” and “malcon- tents.”
DENOUNCE BIGOTRY
The Proud Boys’ growing prominence inside the MiamiDade County Republican Party prompted the Herald Editorial Board to ask GOP candidates during our election-recommenda- tion process what they make of the group’s influence. One of them fumbled her response, and did not strongly disavow extremism, so we changed our mind about recommending her in a Florida House primary.
Let’s not forget some Democrats have openly flirted with governor’s agenda. Our kids deserve that.
– Bernie Kemp, Tamarac
BUILDING BLOCKS MONICA R. RICHARDSON
prioritizing reading proficiency at all grade levels, placing the greatest emphasis on grades K-3. Parental participation, like reading with their children, must remain a crucial aspiration. What helped me most with my son was reading aloud with him from infancy.
I encourage all parents and teachers to read, “The Read-Aloud Handbook” by Jim Trelease, to help them make this task a much more enjoyable and effective one.
– Javier Berezdivin,
Miami
THE SMUGGLERS
Gov. DeSantis is a liar. He promised immigrants a plane trip to Boston and help with their immigration papers. The federal government should investigate this fraud.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who also has no ethics, is doing the same in his state.
– Delmar Cain,
St. Petersburg
DANA BANKER
anti-Semitism, and that hatred doesn’t always come from the political right. The ADL report also highlights activity in Florida by Black nationalist groups like Nation of Islam, whose leader “espoused anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-white bigotry.” Michigan Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar used an old anti-Semitic trope when she implied that money was behind U.S. support for Israel. Many lawmakers in her own party publicly condemned her.
“To that end — officials and community leaders must denounce hate especially when it emanates from a group or political party that they identify with,” the ADL report states. “Denouncing bigotry from an opponent is simple; doing so when it comes from an ally requires courage — and now more than ever, we need courageous leaders.”
Words that disavow hatred and extremism matter as much as the extremist acts themselves. It’s time for Florida’s leaders — across the state and here at home in Greater Miami — to speak up.
‘‘ BREAKING: THE FBI TOOK CUSTODY OF THE MY PILLOW GUY’S PHONE, BUT DID NOT SEIZE ANY OF HIS PILLOWS. ‘NOBODY WANTED THOSE,’ AN FBI SPOKESMAN SAID.
INSPIRED CHOICE
Two weeks ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Judge Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme
Court. Not only is there no one more qualified for this position, but her story proves that the American Dream is alive and well.
Judge Francis was born and educated in Jamaica before moving to the United States in 2004. Inspired by our Constitution, she decided to attend law school and soon after graduating, began her legal career as a law clerk for Florida’s First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. She has also worked as a businesswoman and entrepreneur, including operating a bar and a trucking company.
Only in America is her unique story possible. I’m thankful Gov. DeSantis appointed a candidate who will uphold the rule of law and has respect for our Constitution.
– Christopher Brazela,
West Park