Travel warning points to \u2018sustained, blatant, relentless and systemic attack on democracy and civil rights\u2019 under Florida Governor Ron DeSantis<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The largest and oldest civil rights organisation in the United States has issued a formal advisory warning travelers to Florida that the state is \u201copenly hostile\u201d towards Black people, people of colour and LGBT+ people.
An advisory issued by the NAACP on 20 May comes as a response to a series of laws signed by Florida\u2019s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis targeting classroom instruction around race and racism, gender and sexuality, and bills and administration policy aimed at LGBT+ people.
\u201cLet me be clear \u2013 failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all,\u201d NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.
\u201cUnder the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon,\u201d he added.
\u201cHe should know that democracy will prevail because its defenders are prepared to stand up and fight. We\u2019re not backing down, and we encourage our allies to join us in the battle for the soul of our nation.\u201d
The advisory states that \u201cdue 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.\u201d
DeSantis campaign aide and former press secretary Christina Pushaw appeared to mock the advisory in a tweet asking, \u201cDoes this mean no Urban Beach Week?\u201d
On 17 May, Gov DeSantis approved a slate of bills that restrict gender-affirming care for minors, threaten drag shows, forbid people from using bathrooms that match their gender identity, and prevent people from using their chosen pronouns at schools.
The legislation also follows administration policy targeting affirming healthcare for trans youth, over the objections of major health organisations and LGBT+ advocates.
Mr DeSantis also recently expanded a measure labelled by opponents as the \u201cDon\u2019t Say Gay\u201d law prohibiting classroom instruction on issues related to gender and sexuality, which critics argue will have a chilling effect on LGBT+ people in schools as part of an effort to erase LGBT+ people from public life.
Mr DeSantis, who is reportedly preparing to launch his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, also has spearheaded a series of measures around honest discussions of race and racism in schools, including a law that blocks public spending on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Florida also is at the centre of a nationwide trend of challenges against books and materials in libraries and schools. This week, Penguin Random House and several prominent authors and families filed a federal lawsuit against a school district where activists have challenged dozens of books, largely involving or written by people of colour or LGBT+ people.
In April, advocacy group Equality Florida issued a similar travel advisory that warned that the state may \u201cnot be a safe place to visit or take up residence\u201d.
\u201cAs an organization that has spent decades working to improve Florida\u2019s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live work and visit, it is with great sadness that we must respond to those asking if it is safe to travel to Florida or remain in the state as the laws strip away basic rights and freedoms,\u201d according to a statement from Nadine Smith, Equality Florida\u2019s executive director.
The Independent has requested comment from the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n