The NAACP issued a formal Travel advice to Florida on Saturday in response to what the organization described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “aggressive efforts to erase black history and limit diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Florida schools.”
The civil rights organization is the latest to warn travelers against visiting Florida; The League of United Latin American Citizens and LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida previously issued travel advisories.
“Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to black Americans and is in direct conflict with the democratic principles on which our union was founded,” said NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson. “He should know that democracy will prevail because its defenders are ready to stand up and fight. We are not backing down and we encourage our allies to join us in the battle for the soul of our nation.”
The advice comes just days before DeSantis arrives The president is expected to start campaigning.
“As Governor DeSantis announced last week, Florida is seeing record tourism,” DeSantis’ press secretary said in a statement Monday, advising the NAACP “Nothing but a stunt.”
In an interview with CBS News, Johnson explained what the group’s decision was.
“With the public policy that Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have begun to enact, we’re starting to see the pattern and the ideas. We recognize that this is not only a direct attack on the African American community, but a direct attack on the Latino community, on women, the LGBTQIA community, and that’s a problem,” she said. .
“He’s using his platform as governor to try to promote ‘segregation,’ or racial hatred and division,” Johnson continued. “That should not be the case. And America needs to understand as he prepares to run for president, we cannot stand to have another individual occupy the White House with this type of belief system.”
The DeSantis administration in January Blocked introduction An advanced placement course for high school students with a concentration in African American studies.
“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals,” the NAACP travel announcement states. “Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of African-Americans and the challenges facing other communities.”
“Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic principles on which our union was founded.”
– NAACP President and CEO @DerrickNACP
Take a stand with us. https://t.co/zsgLbNYL8t
— NAACP (@NAACP) May 20, 2023
Texas Republican Senate. Ted Cruz responded to the travel advice, calling it “weird” and “totally dishonest” in a tweet on Sunday.
“In the 1950s & 1960s, the NAACP made extraordinary contributions to leading the Civil Rights Movement,” the senator tweeted. “Today, Dr. King would be ashamed of how deeply they have lost their way.”
Dr. Bernice King, youngest daughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr., responded to Cruz.
“My father is deeply concerned about the harmful, discriminatory law in Florida,” she tweeted.
This isn’t the first travel advisory the NAACP has raised concerns about discrimination. system
Previously published A Travel advice for people planning to visit Missouri in 2017.
In Florida, where tourism is such a big industry, a proposal can have a big impact on visitors. About 137.6 million people are expected to visit the state in 2022, according to tourism agency Visit Florida. Visitors contributed $101.9 billion to the state’s economy and supported more than 1.7 million jobs by 2021.
Disney, one of the biggest tourist attractions, has been at loggerheads with Governor DeSantis. Most recently, Disney canceled the $1 billion project Build a campus in Florida. The fight started after Disney criticized the government “Don’t say gay” law.
Equality Florida released its advisory after DeSantis signed the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
“That legislation, along with additional proposals being considered, has turned the state’s classrooms into political battlegrounds and sends a message that LGBTQ families and students are not welcome in Florida,” the group said at the time.
The advice of the League of United Latin American Citizens was strongly cited Florida laws deal with immigrants. The organization’s president, Domingo Garcia, called the new immigration laws “hostile and dangerous,” saying they present a clear and present danger to Latinos.
“Florida is a dangerous, hostile environment for law-abiding Americans and immigrants,” Garcia said.
