Whatever people think of Florida’s new “Don’t say gay” law, a side debate should chill the spine of anyone who understands the dangers of abuse of government power in service to ideological fervor. Disney has had the audacity to oppose the law — to which Gov. Ron DeSantis has responded by threatening to hinder the entertainment company’s operations in Florida. It’s but one example of GOP extremists’ rejection of their own limited-government ethos in the party’s slide toward authoritarian thinking.
The new law prohibits teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in ways that are not “age appropriate” for students. Critics say that standard is so vague that it will effectively scare educators away from any such discussion at all, even when it’s appropriate.
The law itself is one debate. But DeSantis’ threats of official action against Disney for merely opposing him on a policy issue should strike any freedom-loving American as an outrageous and unacceptable infringement on free speech rights.
