“More attempts to chill free speech in the ‘free’ State of Florida,” said one Democratic lawmaker.
Ron Desantis is a racist piece of shit.
Sue me motherfucker.
As a white person who’s worked in blue collar industries, I’ve often had discussions with other (usually white) co-workers about “why do black people get so upset about the N-word, it’s just a word, you can call me anything you want and I won’t care”.
Through much trial and error, I eventually discovered that “Okay, Colonizer” was a very effective way to challenge that assertion, though it was usually met with “BUT THAT’S DIFFERENT >:{” rather than “Oh, I understand now”. I’m sure “Okay, racist” would have had a similarly potent effect.
The point that I’m getting at here is that this is basically Florida scrambling to protect white fragility. Laws that protect but don’t bind the in group, etc. etc.
In the era of social media it’s become common for someone’s racism views posted on their personal social media to get forwarded to their professional relationships (employer, clients) leading to fallout, for example.
This is an attempt at stifling that sort of thing. When this first started the people on the receiving end complained about ‘freedom of speech’.
They where told freedom of speech isn’t freedom of consequences.
This is Floridas attempt at getting rid of the consequences by silencing free speech, ironically.
Isn’t truth a complete defense against defamation? As in, if your statement is provably true then it is by definition not defamation (like, this is why the news makes such heavy use of the word “alleged”). So, for example, forwarding someone’s personal social media to their employer couldn’t be defamation, presuming you weren’t claiming someone else’s social media was theirs or something. Always make sure when you dox someone you get the right John Smith, I guess?
Yes, truth is a defense.
The grey area this law attempts to exploit is that terms like ‘racist’ have no absolute definition. The term can be used as a response to anything from ‘i don’t like Indian food’ to ‘Hilters views on the aryan race were right’.
Take the Indian food example. If you were you say that, and I called you a racist for it, is that a matter of opinion on my behalf or a fact that is the basis of a defamation suit?
Only a bunch of racists would pass a law making it a crime to call them racists. Fucking racists.
As always, racists care more about being called racists than they do about actual racism, and will do anything and everything in their power to avoid being called a racist.
Anything and everything, other than, you know, not being racists, that is…If someone is speaking about the freedom of speech, it’s not to save it, it’s to kill it.
This could work. I call a media figure racist. Five media outlets claim “Well, they’re the real racist.” Net $140,000.
The state nets $175k, you don’t net $140k.
It’s cool. I’m used to not actually getting the money I generated.
And they get $210k. I get penalized in this plan. But, I don’t think they they could stop at 5 instances of “they’re the real racist” either. This is the state printing money. This is so close to the corruption of biblical tax collectors, it’s pretty striking.
(btw I know no court will up hold this. Not even in florida )
what if they are racist? do we get to prove that in court now? can someone officially be labeled racist, because hey, i had to prove it wasnt just an accusation, its the truth!
Ok, DeSantis, what would you call someone who says they don’t like white people?
Edit: missed a word
I was going to say Florida becoming the butt of jokes in america, but it’s already broken the fence down long ago.
Florida is it’s own country at this point.
Under SB 1780, “an allegation that the plaintiff has discriminated against another person or group because of their race, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity constitutes defamation per se.” So even when these allegations are false, they are automatically defamatory. Anyone in these circumstances wouldn’t have to prove “actual malice,” which was a standard set for defamation suits following the decision in the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court case New York Times vs. Sullivan. Additionally, the bill would make it easier to set up the conditions for a fact-finder to automatically infer that actual malice took place after an accusation of discrimination is made.
Edit: hilarious that this got downvoted
Every single person in this thread is racist.
Come at me.
Florida, taking tips from South Park?
It’s no wonder South Park isn’t as good as it used to be; the real world is too ridiculous.
Those poor fuckers lost it all in 2016
