Solemn Day

 

Florida Flip

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Today in Florida, a Democrat defeated a Trump-backed Republican in the race for the open District 87 state House seat. District 87 happens to include . . . Mar-a-Lago.

Feel free to bask in the moment.

I'm not so optimistic as to say the flipping of this seat is a harbinger of things to come, but I sure am digging the symbolism.

By the way, for all his carping on the subject, Trump voted by mail. And probably always will, until they put a polling place on a golf course.

Today's Lesson

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Children, today we're going to learn about the letter "D."

A lot of words begin with that letter. Like the word "desecration." Ooh, that's a long one, isn't it? Let's all say it together: "des-e-cra-tion."

Desecration is when a sacred place or thing is treated with—and here comes another "D" word—disrespect.

Let me give you an example of how to use the word desecration:  "Last night, in a clear act of desecration, the state of Florida sent workers to the Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando to paint over the rainbow crosswalk."

You see, kids, that crosswalk had been a symbol of grief and resilience to LGBTQ people in Florida and around the nation after almost 50 people were murdered for being in a gay club. By sunrise this morning the rainbow was gone, and now there's just a boring old black and white crosswalk. And a lot of people feel like their hearts have broken all over again.

Now here's another "D" word: "defiance." It means a bold resistance to authority, and children, I really, really hope we see a lot of defiance from angry queer people in the days ahead. I don't want to see violence, and I don't want to see—another "D" word—destruction, though they feel tempting right now, a normal reaction to desecration.

No, I want to see and hear the anger we feel—get ready for more "D" words—directed in dazzling displays at the doofuses who demanded this desecration. From Donald to Duffy to DeSantis. These discriminatory dirtbags deserve daily derision. Doubtlessly. Definitely.

Dismissed.

Florida's Finest

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The House Ethics Committee, in a report released today, concluded that former Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz used illegal drugs and regularly paid for sex, including sex with a 17-year-old girl.

In other words, Gaetz really did have all the qualifications necessary to serve as attorney general in a Trump administration.

I'm Confused

Image by Raquel Candia from Pixabay

There's been a settlement between plaintiffs and Florida officials over the infamous Don't Say Gay Law. Shannon Minter, the legal director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, declared, "This settlement is a huge victory for our community, both in Florida and nationally."

Meanwhile, the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed the agreement is "a major win against the activists who sought to stop Florida's efforts to keep radical gender and sexual ideology out of the classrooms."

Both sides triumphed? I guess the title of the most magical place on earth has shifted from Disney World to Tallahassee.

Palm Beach Episode

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Take a gander at the lead of a story from The Advocate this week:  "The son of a Florida sugar company executive was arrested and charged with beating a female companion because he was upset at being seated next to a gay couple at a swanky steakhouse earlier that evening."

Perfectly reasonable. Whenever I'm seated next to a straight couple at Pizza Hut, the evening ends with tears and the SWAT team.

Bye Bye

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Two days before the New Hampshire primary, Ron DeSantis has ended his presidential bid.

All that time he spent as the governor of Florida burnishing his ultraconservative credentials, and he didn't even come close to dislodging frontrunner Donald Trump.

Geez, just how many civil rights does a fella have to take away before he gets to be head caveman?

Next-Level Hypocrisy

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I swear that everything you're about to read came from The Washington Post. I made up none of it. And if I had, you wouldn't have believed me.

The story takes place in—oh God—Florida.

Christian Ziegler, chairman of the state's Republican Party, is under investigation by the Sarasota police for rape. His accuser had agreed to have a threesome with Ziegler and his wife, Bridget. When Bridget couldn't make it, the woman canceled, texting Ziegler, "Sorry I was mostly in for her."

Not a few lesbians can relate. But I digress.

According to the woman, Ziegler showed up at her apartment and raped her. Ziegler claimed they had consensual sex. And that he video-recorded it.

The search warrant affidavit includes this gem:  Bridget Ziegler "confirmed having a sexual encounter with the victim and Christian over a year ago and that it only happened one time." So this was to be round two of a ménage à trois.

The folks getting frisky in Florida, the Zieglers, have three little kids. More to the point, Christian Ziegler leads the party that has recently forced Florida down the conservative Christian purity path.

And Bridget? Fasten your seatbelts.

Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty. Bridget Ziegler advised the legislators who gave Florida the Don't Say Gay Law. Bridget Ziegler has fought to rid schools around the nation of LGBTQ books and books that speak of racial discrimination.

Bridget Ziegler makes Anita Bryant look like Janis Joplin.

The Post notes,"The Zieglers were seen as a rising power couple in the state, second only to Ron and Casey DeSantis in their visibility and influence in state politics."

Now they're seen as cats on a hot tin roof.

Christian Ziegler has told party members that he isn't resigning. He claimed he and Bridget are being "targeted," which is "most likely due to my wife and I being such loud political voices."

Not to mention complete assholes.

University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett commented that the "stunning level of hypocrisy" has generated huge interest and criticism.

"Even if the rape sexual assault charge ends up either not true or unable to be proven, I think for a lot of Republicans, they would just be uncomfortable with the fact that you have people who are pushing a social conservative agenda saying there’s too much sex in society, particularly LGBTQ sex, but yet have engaged in, well, a threesome."

Well. Yes. That.