The collective political action committees of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities stand in full support of the advice of the NAACP to consider the ramifications of travel to the state of Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis has embraced an agenda that disrespects and targets Black Americans and people of color and has advanced public policy that resembles Jim Crow practices of the mid-20th century. This neo-segregationist approach to governing has no place in 21st Century America and is contrary to the ideals of a modern democracy.
In pursuit of his personal political agenda that now includes declaring his candidacy for the President of the United States of America, Governor DeSantis has chosen a path that resembles the worst practices of a fascist state. The governor has championed the banning of books, the removal of books by Black authors from library shelves and has eliminated programs specifically in higher education supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Under the guise of attacking ‘wokeness,’ Governor DeSantis has revived the ghosts of governors George Wallace, Lester Maddox and Ross Barnett, all champions of White supremacist politics, by engaging in a dangerous game of scapegoating. By doing so, he is in effect grooming a generation of White children to embrace hate and Black & Brown children to question their cultural identities. This is simply a form of child abuse that no American should embrace. The governor is giving license to hate while aiding and abetting the hateful rhetoric and violence of White nationalists who feel threatened by the changing demographics of our country.
We cannot in good conscious recommend that any citizen travel to the state of Florida under these conditions especially with the intention of spending money that would directly enrich the state of Florida. This, despite knowing the familial ties of many Black families and the presence of historically Black colleges in the state. We cannot allow the state of Florida to use Black tourism dollars to support Governor DeSantis’ draconian agenda, so we applaud the NAACP’s call for a travel ban to the Sunshine State. There is no sunshine in a state where the truth is held from children and where teachers work under the threat of retaliation when teaching factually based lessons. We cannot support a state where Black & Brown children are marginalized, public college campuses are transformed into White- supremacist indoctrination laboratories, Black culture is devalued, and books are weaponized. Why would we choose to spend our hard-earned dollars in such a place? We take this position knowing it could jeopardize financial investments made by our organizations in our meetings planned for Florida.
We encourage Black students and Black families in Florida to use the freedom of electronic commerce, when possible, to spend strategically on consumer purchases, and urge Black organizations and our peer Divine Nine organizations to immediately refrain from holding regional and national meetings in Florida. If our culture is not good enough to be embraced, our history not important enough to be taught and our contributions to this country not worthy of respect, then we should not grace the state of Florida with our presence or spend our money where we are not wanted or respected.
Collectively, we support the NAACP and encourage our NPHC members to do likewise.
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