NAACP President Derrick Johnson says it’s time to solve the DeSantis problem.
On Monday, Johnson said that Democrats need to “get rid of” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) “once and for all” after the NAACP issued a formal travel advisory against the Sunshine State.
During an interview with CNN, Johnson said the organization is actively working to change the political landscape in Florida over the Governor’s “hostile” policies.
“The othering that we have seen, first by Trump, now by him, is not only un-American, it’s dangerous, and we have to right-size this landscape,” he added.
“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals,” the group said. “Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.”
A press release from the NAACP noted that the advisory was “in direct response to Governor Ron DeSantis’ aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools.”
“Due to this sustained, blatant, relentless and systemic attack on democracy and civil rights, the NAACP hereby issues a travel advisory to African Americans, and other people of color regarding the hostility towards African Americans in Florida,” the advisory reads.
The NAACP first proposed issuing a travel advisory in March, but DeSantis brushed off the proposed travel advisory as a “joke.”
“This is a stunt to try to do that,” DeSantis said at a press conference at the time. “It’s a pure stunt. And fine, if you want to waste your time on a stunt, that’s fine. But I’m not wasting my time on your stunts. I’m going to make sure that we’re getting things done here.”
On Monday, Florida Congressman Byron Donalds (R) slammed the advisory from the NAACP as “stupid.”
“I don’t even know what the NAACP is talking about,” Donalds, who is Black, said on “Fox and Friends” on Monday. “This is silly, and it’s dumb. It’s political. It makes no sense. We should be focused on making sure people actually have the opportunity to achieve, which Florida is actually doing and thriving in way better than other states, let’s say New York or California or Washington state.”
“The only hostility I feel is this inflation hitting my pocketbook. I’ll tell you that, because inflation is hitting everybody. That is hostile,” he said. “You know the price of food is up, the price of gas, which is still up, and the fact that fentanyl is coming into every community in our country, because of Joe Biden. Maybe the NAACP should be focused on that, because I know that’s hostile.”
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