I am going to start this by saying, “Israeli lives matter”. I am then I am going to say, “Palestinian lives matter”. Why? Because I truly believe that. I also believe Black lives matter. I also believe that White lives matter. I have never thought when I said that Black lives matter that White lives didn’t matter. To say “all lives matter” is a given but it doesn’t address that problem of the killing of innocent Black people or any minority. It doesn’t address the problem of children being separated from their families. If you can’t say that Black Lives Matter than guess what? I don’t think Black lives do matter to you. If you can’t say that Palestinian Lives Matter than guess what? Palestinian’s lives don’t matter to you either. If you can’t say that Jewish Lives Matter than guess what? Jewish lives don’t matter to you. I can say all four and more. You see all life really does matter but the world is segregated by many things and we have to understand that segregation. I just can’t be ignored by a statement that in many cases is meant to hide a person prejudices.

I live in Florida where we have a church on almost every corner. I have never seen so many churches. Some of those churches are so busy on Sundays that the police have to direct traffic. After Ian I saw many incredible acts of kindness. But it is these acts of kindness is what I would like to say is the true American spirit and that spirit was on full display after Ian. Help poured in from all over the country. The Cajun Navy was here is force. The Mormons were here in force. It showed the good that is here in this country. The problem is that when that crisis ends everyone goes back to where they were from. Those acts of kindness were great but they couldn’t go on forever. The volunteers that I am so thankful for had to return to their own families and their own lives. The process of rebuilding had to start and that has lead to a lot of uncertainty and heartbreak. In Florida I have seen the best in people and I have seen the worst in people. There are some lives that will never be the same. Some people have lost everything and don’t have anywhere to turn. Even though we have a huge labor shortage because there is so much work to do our Governor is putting legal asylum immigrants onto planes and sending them to other parts of the country. There are far too many in our own State that think that our recovery doesn’t matter. Why? I think it is because all lives really do not matter in Florida even though we have a church on just about every corner.

Our Governor has been trying to make political points with the crisis that is happening in the Middle East. He has been sending charter planes to help evacuate what he says are Floridians that are trapped in Israel though most of the people are not from Florida.  I don’t really mind that as much as he is spending money that is not his. The people have to get out but instead of partnering with the Federal Government he is trying to look like the Lone Ranger using our money. What really bothers me is some of the statements that he has made about the Palestinian people. He has stated that we should not take any Palestinian Refugees because they are all anti-Semitic. His statement was “We cannot accept people from Gaza into this country as refugees. If you look how they behave… not all of them are Hamas but they are all anti-Semitic, none of them believe in Israel’s right to exist.” That is a pretty bold and racist statement from a man that has not spoken out against the Neo Nazis that march here in Florida and the anti-Semitic statements that are made here in his own state by White Supremists. He is very careful not to piss off Florida’s White Supremists while still trying to make points with the Midwestern voters. We really don’t need his double talk that he is spouting just to get votes. We need people that will work toward solutions. That solution can only come about with the help of the entire Middle East and we must be talking with every Country. The only things that I see Ron DeSantis bring to the table is bigotry and hate and this country has enough of that already. I would not say that we shouldn’t take refugees. I will say that they need to be very carefully vetted and only take in people that want to be assimilated into our country. I want people that want to add to the melting pot that is America and not separate from it once they are here.

On Sunday our Dear Governor stated “I don’t think [Israelis’ are] under an obligation to be providing water and these utilities while those hostages are being held, Hamas should return those hostages before any discussions are had.” Those words I find very chilling. Denying water and necessities may actually be considered a war crime. I agree that something has to be done about the hostages and I wouldn’t mind that boots are put on the ground to rescue Americans when it is possible. Starving two and a half million people is not to me a solution to any problem. I should be shocked that this is coming out of the mouth of a man whose State has a church on just about every corner but I am not. DeSantis’s decedents migrated from Italy. Did we punish all of Italy because of the Italian Fascists under Mussolini? Of course not. Did we punish all of the Germans because if the Nazis under Hitler. Of course not. But yet DeSantis’s utter hatred for the Palestinians living in the Gaza strip I find upsetting. I have read that 62 percent of the people in the Gaza Strip want peace with Israel. What are the solutions? The Gaza Strip was already described and the world’s largest open air concentration camp and that was before this conflict. It has been like a ticking time bomb that was ready to blow and that is what happened. It was predictable. Why people were not more prepared is what I find surprising. DeSantis just spouting violent rhetoric may be good for votes but it won’t find a solution to the problem.

Yes I live in a state that has a Church on just about every corner. I also live in a State that has very much hate in it. I live in a state where they ban books. I live in a state where they take away women’s liberties and freedoms. I live in a state where they promote segregation by outlawing diversity and inclusion. I live in a state if you are not White they don’t want you here. I live in a state that attacks the Gay and Trans community. I live in a state were our Ex-President lives who has said all Mexicans are criminals and rapists. I live in a state where the Governor says that all Gaza Palestinians are Hamas terrorists. I live in a state that is full of Christians yet very few believe in the words of Jesus.