December 4, 2023 | https://nebraska.tv
The following is an editorial by Armstrong Williams.
Once hailed as a hero of the right during the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida Gov. and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has now become a villain to many of his formers fans. The reason why is tragically obvious: DeSantis is rivaling Donald Trump, a man who many on the right view as a deity – much more than a hero - for the 2024 ticket . Regardless, DeSantis should not be underestimated in this race. Despite the numerous attempts to take him down by both the right and the left, he has stood strong, taking on his rivals and showing up when others haven't. Let’s look at a few examples.
During the pandemic, DeSantis showed his strength by making it clear that he would not bow to the mainstream media, the World Health Organization, corrupt Big Pharma, or Big Brother government. He forged his own path, taking a stance of a commonsense interpretation of the science rather than blind allegiance to the media's interpretation of it. In the face of an onslaught of criticism, DeSantis showed strength. When he was told that masks and closing businesses would stop the spread, he didn't implement mask mandates, instead, he kept businesses open – unlike other states, and he refused to penalize and vilify businesses when they kept their doors open.
In sum, his efforts showed that lockdowns and restrictions were, to a large extent, meaningless and that there was little rhyme or reason to higher or lower rates of death among states. Florida had the 11th lowest deaths per 100,000 persons among the states in 2020 (though there was a practical three-way tie around their ranking), and the 18th highest deaths per 100,000 persons among the states in 2021, and now, like every other state, COVID-19 is essentially a nonissue. On the other hand, New York, one of the most restrictive states, had the highest rate in 2020 and the 21st lowest rate in 2021. And, once again, COVID-19 is not a significant issue today. Of course, this didn’t stop every pro-mandate person and organization from going after DeSantis. Florida was practically the talk of the left during the pandemic, with activists skewing the numbers in a feeble attempt to “prove” that mandates worked.
When it comes to education, DeSantis has also showed his strength. He firmly refused to degrade the Florida educational system by banning pornographic content from schools and by refusing to allow an excessive focus on sexual orientation in the classroom. This common-sense approach to public health and morals demonstrated that DeSantis understood that the loudest people are often in the minority.
It's clear that the relentless teachings of transgenderism have little to do with respecting them and much more to do with trying to convert people to their ideology. So, as a prize for his efforts to protect children from being brainwashed by this ideology, DeSantis was smeared by the media and activists who referred to his law, which banned the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, as the "Don't Say Gay" law. This deliberately misleading name dragged DeSantis' already vulnerable name through the mud and emboldened liberal activists and the media to rally against him with even more strength.
People are beginning recognizing the clear benefits of living in Florida and other conservative states. They are realizing that they are in the minority in liberal states, and so many are choosing to vote with their feet, moving to states like Florida instead of staying in places like New York or California, where they are constantly oppressed by liberal policies and forced to deal with potential violence and the erosion of their children's identities.
Liberal cities have become havens for crime. Consider detailed crime data, which shows the five most dangerous cities. Four out of these five cities have Democratic mayors. Even when you expand the scope, 16 out of the top 25 cities have Democratic mayors. It doesn't take a genius to see the impact that liberal policies have on crime. And it's not just crime either. Take the now well-known map of public feces in San Francisco, which conclusively reveals that the city is not just a crime haven but also serves as a public restroom for the states ever-expanding homeless population.
Now, the only question that remains is whether DeSantis can actually win the Republican nomination. DeSantis’s numbers don’t look too great. He is currently in second place, but by a wide margin – 60% to 12.6% versus Trump. No doubt he has an uphill battle. But let’s not forget, in the 2008 cycle, then-candidate Barack Obama was polling nationally in the low 20s with Clinton at nearly 40% and Obama ended up winning.
DeSantis is up against a foe who will stop at nothing to destroy his name. If he is to win, DeSantis must draw upon the resilience and strategic acumen he has honed over the past four years. He must take notes from this period, which was marked by heavy fire from the mainstream media, Big Pharma, and special interest groups. Should he successfully leverage these experiences, DeSantis stands a strong chance of not only holding his ground against Trump but also distinguishing himself among other Republican contenders and ultimately winning the nomination.
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Mr. Williams is Manager/Sole Owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year.
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