DeSantis Administration Sets the Record Straight After Pink Attacks Florida with 'Banned Books' Publicity Stunt
Calling progressives demonic wouldn’t be going too far when it comes to how some of them want to “educate” kids.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:6, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Pink should take heed of that verse.
On Monday, the singer announced that she will give away “2,000 banned books” at some upcoming concerts in Florida, according to a news release from PEN America, which is partnering with her in the effort.
If the books were banned in Florida, wouldn’t it be illegal to give them away? Will state authorities storm the concerts to arrest Pink for her brazen disregard of the ban?
No. Because the books are not banned in Florida.
“There is not a banned book list,” Cassandra Palelis, press secretary for the state Department of Education, said in March, according to EdWeek.
That doesn’t mean kids have free access to pornographic material in school libraries.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis explained in March that Florida wants an education system that is “free from sexualization and harmful materials that are not age appropriate.”
“Exposing the ‘book ban’ hoax is important, because it reveals that some are attempting to use our schools for indoctrination,” the 2024 presidential candidate said in a March news release.
“In Florida, pornographic and inappropriate materials that have been snuck into our classrooms and libraries to sexualize our students violate our state education standards,” DeSantis said.
Some examples listed in the release:
“• Gender Queer: A Memoir – an explicit, pornographic book showing sex acts.
“• Flamer – a graphic book about young boys performing sexual acts at a summer camp.
“• This Book Is Gay – a book containing instructions on ‘the ins and outs of gay sex.’
“• Let’s Talk About It – a book that contains graphic depictions about how to masturbate for males and females.”
Manny Diaz Jr., Florida’s commissioner of education, explained the administration’s stance in a March post on X, saying, “Students should be spending their time in school learning core academic subjects, not being force-fed radical gender and sexual ideology. In Florida, we’re preserving the right of kids to be kids.”
Students should be spending their time in school learning core academic subjects, not being force-fed radical gender and sexual ideology.
In Florida, we’re preserving the right of kids to be kids. pic.twitter.com/9WPmbn3vhK
— Manny Diaz Jr. (@CommMannyDiazJr) March 22, 2023
Progressives care for logic about as much as they do for morality. They aren’t partial to truth, either.
For example, Pink claimed books such as “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Diary of Anne Frank” are being banned from Florida schools.
The following are some titles of books that have been banned from schools in Florida…. Lmk which book is pornography…. To Kill A Mockingbird, The Hate You Give, Forrest Gump, A Catcher In The Rye, The Hill We Climb, Girls Who Code, Atlas Shrugged, 1984, The Kite Runner, The…
— P!nk (@Pink) November 14, 2023
Evidently, she isn’t aware of Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking Standards for English Language Arts.
However, DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern is. In a social media post on Tuesday, he suggested Pink “confused Florida for California.”
“To Kill a Mockingbird is on Florida’s BEST standards list,” he noted. “Anne Frank’s diary is on the same page.”
Someone confused Florida for California.
To Kill a Mockingbird is on Florida’s BEST standards list. Anne Frank’s diary is on the same page… https://t.co/gev8Q6FLvN pic.twitter.com/wngakvQaoa
— Jeremy Redfern (@JeremyRedfernFL) November 14, 2023
For the record, those classics aren’t what Pink said she would away during her shows. The PEN America news release said she would be distributing copies of “The Family Book” by Todd Parr, “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison and a book from the “Girls Who Code” series.
False claims about Florida’s “book ban” aren’t anything new.
Last year, USA Today published an article titled “Fact check: Fake list of banned Florida books circulates widely online.”
“In July,” the article said, “a new Florida law went into effect that allows parents to register concerns about books taught in schools and petition local districts to ban them.”
Progressives don’t like parents being allowed to register concerns about what the schools are shoveling down their kids’ throats. They see parents as the enemy, the first and last line of defense against progressive brainwashing.
“Nevertheless,” the article continued, “many prominent people on social media have been claiming that a slew of books were immediately banned in schools and libraries statewide by the law. They have circulated an image of 25 book titles listed on a piece of paper.”
Wait for it …
“The book list includes novels that have been taught in schools for generations, including ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ ‘Catcher in the Rye’ and ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.’ It also includes the Harry Potter series and the biblical Song of Solomon.”
Progressives are like an old blind dog doing an old trick because it can’t see to learn any new ones.
And yes, they’re still coming after your kids.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
