By Diane Roberts
Some people are ignorant and proud of it.
Ron DeSantis is one of those people.
The man just vetoed almost every pitiful penny of arts and culture funding in the state budget. Museums, music, youth programs, local treasures such as Tallahassee’s Young Actor’s Theater — which trained stars like Alison Miller of “King,” Cheryl Hines of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and Tony Hale of “Veep” — historic houses, Black heritage centers, performing arts spaces, dance companies, kids’ music programs, even renowned institutions such as the Ringling Museum of Art, one of the few places in Florida where visitors can see works by Old Masters such as Veronese, Rubens, and Poussin.
With his characteristic eloquence, DeSantis snarled, “Some of the stuff I don’t think was appropriate for state tax dollars.”
He didn’t elaborate.
(The man has few friends, and words are not among them).
But this latest show of temper is probably because art and culture are “stuff” he thinks liberals like, “stuff” he’s incapable of comprehending.
Ergo, bad “stuff.”
The Legislature’s 2024 budget was worth $117.5 billion and included money for the arts. But DeSantis, determined to demonstrate what a fiscal badass he is, nixed a billion bucks that would have aided programs for the homeless, opioid use prevention, free sanitary products for Florida schools, and food banks, as well as runoff and sewage treatment.
You’d think after the pollution disasters of Piney Point, a shed-load of excrement discharged into Tampa Bay, and the recent fierce flooding in Broward County, he’d take our water issues seriously.
So-called Pregnancy Crisis Centers, pro-birth proselytizing outfits set up to bully young women into having babies they can’t take care of and don’t want, got $25 million in public cash.
What literate folks think of culture, however, got the veto machete: $32 million cut.
$1 : $9
That’s a lot of money to you or me but, spread around the third largest state in the union, it’s what professional economists call minuscule, desultory, sofa change.
A few things survived DeSantis’ attack on mind-enrichment: $5 million for a Holocaust museum in Orlando, $750,000 for preserving oral histories of Holocaust survivors, $250,000 for the Civil Rights Museum in St. Augustine.
Fine, but insultingly meager.
Economically stupid, too. The state’s own data show the arts bring in $5.8 billion a year.
Theaters, museums, orchestras, and the like provide jobs and pump money into the community: One dollar spent on the arts generates $9 for local businesses.
DeSantis doesn’t care. He’s driven by spite, pique, and a MAGA-ty determination to destroy. Have you ever heard the man talk about music he likes or books he enjoys or any kind of aesthetic experience at all?
Every summer former president Barack Obama puts out lists of books and songs he loves, evidence of an active, elastic intelligence taking in everything from serious sociology (Matthew Desmond’s “Poverty, by America”) to thrillers by Dennis Lehane to Bad Bunny’s baddest reggaeton.
It’s impossible to imagine Ron DeSantis doing anything like this. He seems to have no inner life, no curiosity, no desire to learn, no passion for anything other than power.
And maybe baseball.
Ronbo and Lady Macbeth flew to Omaha on a state-owned corporate jet to watch some of the College World Series. You, Florida taxpayer, footed that bill.
Hall of Fame
No governor in Florida history has chosen to wreck one of our most important industries. No other governor has been so aggressive in tearing down what’s taken generations to build up.
Florida used to be better.
In 1976, the Legislature commissioned James Rosenquist, one of the nation’s most important artists, to create witty murals for the new Capitol building. (Don’t tell DeSantis: He’ll probably want to whitewash them).
Ten years later, the Legislature established the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, honoring the likes of playwright Tennessee Williams, master funkster George Clinton, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and film maker Victor Nunez, among others. Gov. Bob Graham loved meeting novelists like Carl Hiaasen and Bob Shacochis and hanging out with Jimmy Buffet.
Even during the late, unlamented administration of Rick Scott, the Governor’s Mansion hosted the Florida Book Awards ceremony. Ann Scott, like many First Ladies before her, promoted reading as a positive good.
The current holder of that title shows no interest in culture.
Sinister project
DeSantis’s attack on arts funding is part of a larger, more sinister project to erase anything that might inspire us to question our assumptions, interrogate our history, critique our society, or imagine what it’s like to be someone whose race or ethnicity or religion or sexuality is different from ours.
Look at what he’s doing to our schools, unleashing on them the chowder-headed Moms for Liberty to push banning any book not in service of white supremacy.
Look what he’s doing to our universities: The once highly regarded New College is now a smoking ruin, transformed by DeSantis into a third-rate Bible college stocked with scholarship baseball players and losing faculty fast.
The University of Florida College of Medicine was not only forced to hire Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s vaccine-hating quack of a surgeon general, but give him tenure and pay him six figures, even though he never teaches any classes.
Now lawyers for the state (you’re paying for those, too) are trying to convince the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to lift the block on DeSantis’ “Stop Woke Act,” arguing (with a straight face, even) that it would be fine for DeSantis’ Education Enforcers to hand professors a script to read from in class on the ground they must teach only “viewpoints” approved by the state: “The professor’s speech is the government’s speech.”
Viktor Orbán couldn’t put it better himself.
Fear
The irredeemably petty DeSantis is scared — scared of scholars, artists, and educators.
When authoritarians get scared, they lash out — in this case, the effect is a bit like a cornered and angry chihuahua.
The situation should be merely comical, but the little bastard can bite the hell out of you and may have rabies.
You can’t keep your service industry serfs numb and inured to increasing insurance rates, rising waters, government secrecy, and diminished freedom (in the name of “freedom”) if they get exposed to plays or pictures that tell a different story than the one on the government’s script.
Actually thinking about the world you live in pretty much guarantees dissent.
Diane Roberts is an 8th-generation Floridian, born and bred in Tallahassee. Educated at Florida State University and Oxford University in England, she has been writing for newspapers since 1983, when she began producing columns on the legislature for the Florida Flambeau. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Oxford American, and Flamingo. She has been a member of the Editorial Board of the St. Petersburg Times–back when that was the Tampa Bay Times’s name–and a long-time columnist for the paper in both its iterations. She was a commentator on NPR for 22 years and continues to contribute radio essays and opinion pieces to the BBC. Roberts is also the author of four books.
Really? says
Too bad some of the programs gave money to Drag Queen programs that should not be paid by State dollars.
Rick G says
A great piece on our insufferable Governor. Voters need to take note on who is disrupting freedom of thought in this state
Jim says
You’re absolutely right. Complete justification for gutting the budget for arts. I hope next year they can cut it to zero and maybe demand some money back.
I would not want anyone in Florida to be exposed to anything that might be a little outside the norms. Those Drag Queen programs are known to turn God-fearing straight men and women into gays and lesbians. If we let that continue, pretty soon the whole state would be gay! Why, even you and I would be gay! Let’s stop this foolishness of giving any state money to the arts before the whole damn state goes to hell.
Al says
Liberals are strange animals, they should all relocate to California where they would be happy.
The tax money spent on hairbrained whims of the left should be vetoed. Art is what you started writing about but then it became everything the governor has done. What is art , running naked down the street, throwing paint at a canvas, plays that no one other than an self- entitled few want? Pay for your own art , support the artist, don’t ask me to agree with what you call art.
TV says
Thank you for a well written article on our Psychopathic governor!!
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
How much was given and to what programs that sponsored any show or shows, you fail to include any facts. If it was part of an art program and patrons enjoyed the show then what’s wrong with that? No one is forcing you to attend any art or culture happening yet you might want to educate yourself in what others freely enjoy.
Michael J Cocchiola says
I’m sick. Sick of Florida, of DeSatan, of the “bible belt”, of evangelicals and MAGAs, and roughly half of America.
I had hoped to leave my granddaughter a better America. I failed.
Sandra says
De Santis is the best governor ever. Those who think our great state isn’t good, should pack up and leave. May I suggest California or New York?
Been There says
Just because you don’t acknowledge certain types of art as art doesn’t mean it isn’t art.
Bob J says
I guess we know what side of the fence you’re on…
Laurel says
So, back in the anti-intelligent saddle again.
Actually, this goes way back. The arts are always the first to get cut for “fiscal responsibility.” I remember going head to head with a boss of mine. He was a very intelligent, educated man (staunch Republican), but our argument was that he felt Public Television (PBS) should not receive any federal funding. I argued back that all people should be exposed to arts and education, and that poor people should not be excluded. The average taxpayer, today, spends a whopping $1.35 annually towards Public Broadcasting.
One issue I have always had with the Grand Old Party (seemingly long gone now) is they don’t want you in their private club.
He went there says
ditto, Jim- Let’s take this back to Ancient Rome/Greece– Eratosthenes should have been executed for believing the earth was round AND having the audacity, people hating, woke culling evil to have actually pretended that he knew enough math to calculate the earth’s circumference! What a horrible person to even imagine that science could contribute anything to living people that knew, for a FACT, that the Earth was flat. Even though, he should be hated for his politics, I suppose. Don’t mock/hate what you don’t know, “Really”, or does (doth) he protest too much. The arts….Egyptians and their stupid pyramids and ridiculous sphinx. Churches and their unbelievably infuriating Sistine Chapel! Oh, thank the good Lord Notre Dame burned….the art there always burned my chaps (forgive the pun). Michelangelo’s Pieta– what a load of crap– not to mention that pornographic David! How in the world did we ever let those past barbarians alter our sensibilities as to what is pornography and what is art?! I pay for the Drag Queen shows, not the State, or those missing a soul, like you, “Really?”. Don’t knock what you haven’t tried and I’m super thankful you stay at home and don’t kill my fun at any art show, enlightening experience, drag show, or other theater/arts venue. Please stay home where you belong. Thanks!
No, no says
What was the last art installation you saw? What was the last museum you went to? What was the last theater production, concert, art class you attended? I’d love to know what you consider art– because we all know that art is in the eye of the beholder– the freedom to create HAS to exist there. The wonderful thing about art is that you never have to attend/look at/participate in- unless you choose to. What a glorious distinction to not be/witness unless you want to/support it. Do you see Liberals telling you how to live your life, or do you have choices to participate where you want, but not suppress others because you don’t agree with it. You throw stones at liberals, but they don’t throw stones at you. What did Jesus teach? This money also cut out many, many non-profits; like lighthouses, museums, archaeologists, and other non-profits. Do your homework, quit being Mrs. Kravitz, and you really don’t have to participate!
faith says
It isn’t over, yet!
Hmmmm says
How long have you been in this State? I have been here for over 50 years. I am kin to those born long ago here. If you have a problem with those that were here before you (not counting Spanish/St Augustine, etc) not agreeing with your indoctrination from out of State, then YOU move out. I suggest you go to Alabama, Missouri, Texas, or some other state that has issued religion in schools and are not progressive in any way. Here’s a tip– cost of living is cheaper, and so is housing costs. We’d be happy to carry on over the next few years with a new Governor without you. If you are still here, down the road, then remember your advice that if you don’t like it, then MOVE. Change is coming!!!
Sherry says
@sandra. . . and, just who in the hell are you to tell people where they should live?
Unless you are 100% Native American Indian, your ancestors were “immigrants”. Legal or not, it doesn’t matter. Perhaps you should return to the country of your ancestors if you do not appreciate the “freedoms” we still have in our country. We still have the freedom to live in any state we please, and to speak out against a tyrannical government. Yes, those freedoms are being eroded by fascists governors like desantis, but they are not gone yet!
I was born and raised in a much different Florida, as were my English and German ancestors. However it’s “haters” like you that were part of the reason we moved away from Flagler Beach, and to wonderful Sausalito California. Here are have a culture where the arts are appreciated. Where people are highly educated, open minded, kind, friendly, happy. Where people have have actually traveled to other countries and embraced other cultures. Where people understand that the creative arts are fundamental to an “evolving civilization”.
sandra do you even have a passport? Enjoy your tiny, close minded life, and please keep your self righteous opinions and judgements to yourself.
Laurel says
I studied “The History of Modern Art” in college, which was very interesting, and I am sorry that so many have missed that opportunity and don’t understand what artists, individually as well as groups, are trying to say. During my studies, I got the great honor of visiting the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, when they displayed the Armand Hammer Art Collection! Wow! That was an amazing experience, and one I will never forget. There was so much, but what really sent chills down my spine was standing in front of a Rembrandt. He painted his subject with what is called a “painterly” style, which shows obvious brush strokes, yet I could see the water in his subject’s eyes, and the fragility of lace. Seriously amazing!
It’s a huge difference where you study art, learn a bit about different artists, and get the chance to see the real thing. This is something no one should be deprived of, affordability or not.
Bill C says
Even cavemen appreciated art. They drew animals, decorated pottery, made jewelry. The first written languages were a series of pictures that recorded their attempts to interpret, understand and explain the world around them. The impulse to create art is embedded in human psyche and a reflection of the world around us. DeSantis should go to Art Basel, a world class exhibition held each December in Miami, and educate himself as to what’s happening outside his little sheltered world.