Thank you, Gov. Ron DeSantis, for educating us that the institution of chattel slavery was actually an immense jobs program.
Who knew that all those blacksmiths, fishermen and carpenters were the model for modern-era government aid programs, such as Roosevelt’s New Deal and Johnson’s Great Society?
Now, what’s next in the Florida Department of Education’s new standards for teaching history?
Perhaps we’ll learn that the forced relocation of the Seminole Indian tribe in the 1800’s was actually the first subsidized housing program.
Jonathan Rubin, Deerfield Beach
A reader rallies Floridians to fight Gov. Ron DeSantis and his “degradation” of our teaching standards. https://t.co/u29DlRmpLM pic.twitter.com/hGkhbrxBAg
— Sun Sentinel Opinion (@SoFlaOpinion) July 24, 2023
That’s some standard
The new Florida “history” standards Republicans have set for public education have established that 16 — count ’em, 16 — former slaves achieved success from their work experiences in brutally enforced labor.
Even if you were to discount the fact that almost half of these historic figures were never enslaved, that is 16 — count ’em 16 — out of 20 million or so Africans sold into bondage.
I predict, in accordance with new Florida mathematics standards Republicans may install in the future, this will become quite the extraordinary ratio.
Bill Longmuir, Margate
A loyal subscriber
As a loyal Sun Sentinel subscriber for many years. I was delighted to read about the multiple awards received in this year’s Florida Society of News Editors journalism contest.
In a world of false and misleading TV and internet stories (fake news), I can always count on reading the facts and learning the truth about the world around us from your publication. Thank you all for your efforts and dedication in bringing truth to light.
On behalf of your readers, I want to say congratulations to all the award recipients and support staffs. I know you will all keep up the great work and your commitment to keeping us well-informed.
Jay Shapp, Boca Raton
Justice will prevail
Tzedakah. In Hebrew it means righteousness or justice. To the faithful, it’s the word for charity. A tzedek is a righteous, just and charitable person.
President Biden is such a person. Forgiving crushing student loans means treating Joe Lunchbucket the same as billion-dollar corporations. It is equal justice.
I went to work at 16 to pay for college. With the help of my parents, I graduated from the University of Florida debt-free. To pay for my master’s in Education, I worked the previous summer and I borrowed $900 from a college trust. I paid the debt off in my fourth month of service in Vietnam.
The cost of higher education now exceeds the inflation-adjusted wage of 1964 when I started college and is twice the three percent interest I paid. Voters know that.
The last Republican candidate for president lost by over seven million votes while claiming to have won. Justice will triumph over treason — as it did in 2020.
Steven Handshu, Coconut Creek
A business opportunity
The bunny predicament in Wilton Manors is a challenge waiting for the perfect opportunity: a bunny bar.
Not the Hugh Hefner kind, but an establishment that houses bunnies where patrons can interact and order coffee, beer or juice boxes. The owner could partner with an adoption group to maintain the rabbits and to promote adoptions, and Wilton Manors is a perfect location. Imagine the Rainbow Rabbit Room.
Hop to it!
Donna Ihle, Deerfield Beach
A ‘relocation program’?
I agree that Gov. DeSantis should come home and deal with Florida crises. At the top of his list should be to round up all those alien bunnies in Wilton Manors and fly them up to Martha’s Vineyard!
Thomas Menacher, Hollywood