The end of the For the People Act opens the way for Republican states to continue their shameless campaign of voter suppression – very possibly giving Republicans a victory in the 2022 midterm elections and entrenching Republican rule for a generation.
Rights & Liberties
Voting Rights Advocates Seek to Block New Law’s Requirement that Limits Ballot-Initiative Contributions to $3,000
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and other supporters of three proposed constitutional amendments designed to expand voting want a federal judge to block a new state law that places a $3,000 limit on contributions to ballot-initiative drives.
From Drag Queens to Sister Bunny Juju, Throngs Exult in Pride, Joy and Freedom at Flagler’s 2nd Annual LGBTQ Festival
Saturday’s Flagler Pride Festival and its crowds, which by 9 p.m. had totaled between 600 and 800 people, put the lie to the county’s presumed homogeneity: Palm Coast, a city started in the late 1960s as an integrated, post-racial subdivision, is still more diverse than perhaps assumed, and if anything growing more so.
Between Protest and Riot
Riots are easily distinguishable from protests, and there is a clear, bright line we can follow. The Florida law draws it, and the protests from my youthful heroes at the ACLU ring hollow, argues Christine Flowers.
Here’s Palm Coast’s Full ‘Difficult Citizens’ List, Its Origins, and the Kind of Offenses that Landed People On It
The full and controversial “Difficult Citizen List” Palm Coast government has kept since 2016 is revealed, along with its history: the city set up a task force on employee safety in 2015, resulting in guidelines for employees on how to deal with difficult customers. The list, kept largely secret, was one of the results. The city council is rethinking its approach.
State School Board Will Vote Next Week on New Rules Sanitizing History Teaching in Public Schools
The proposed rule would mandate that teachers “may not define American history as something other than the creation of a new nation based largely on universal principles stated in the Declaration of Independence.”
Days After Betraying His Country, Rep. Waltz Dares Address Gold Star Families at Palm Coast’s Memorial Ceremony
If Rep. Mike Waltz wanted to thank the Gold Star families, what about the families of Officer Brian Sicknick and all of the other officers harmed the day of the Jan. 6 insurrection? To Waltz and every other Republican out there who voted against a commission to examine the insurrection, your actions clearly state that their lives do not matter, writes Kathleen Brady.
Proposed Civics Standards for Florida Schools Don’t Mention the Word Slavery
Following the George Floyd murder and the national discussion over “critical race theory” — which encompasses slavery, segregation and institutionalized racism — Florida’s proposed civics standards for school don’t mention the word slavery.
A Petition Sparks Flagler Beach Consideration of Better Beach Access for the Disabled
Responding to a social media petition organized by a disabled resident, the Flagler Beach City Commission Thursday said it was interested in exploring easier and clearer disabled access to the beach.
A Mostly Bleak Legislative Session for Open Government and the First Amendment in Florida
The Legislature approved 14 new exemptions to Florida’s Sunshine law and renewed eight, also approving a crackdown on social media companies while criminalizing certain protest activities.