FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 14
Contact: Logan Smith
[email protected]
202-709-8825
Florida Jews speak out against recent anti-LGBTQ, anti-history, and anti-voting laws
These bills represent a coordinated backlash to the values of freedom and equality that voters chose in 2020
MIAMI / JACKSONVILLE – Leaders from Bend the Arc: Jewish Action South Florida and Bend the Arc: Jewish Action Jacksonville released a joint statement on Monday in response to three bills which passed the Florida legislature last week targeting the LGBTQ community, public education, and voting:
“This flood of legislation which wantonly targets LGBTQ Floridians, Black and brown communities, and other marginalized groups is an attempt by Gov. DeSantis and his enablers to erase people, history, and voters they disagree with,” said Lauren Levy and Leah Palestrant on behalf of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action South Florida and Jacksonville. “Jewish people know all too well what it looks like for a government to dehumanize people based on who they are and to rewrite history to exclude the voices of the most marginalized. We know that placing limits on what can be taught, how people vote, and how people express who they are is not the mark of a free or safe society, and marks a dangerous chapter for all of us. In these moments, we know how critical it is to respond with deep solidarity and with powerful resistance to expose what these lawmakers are trying to do.”
“Together, these bills represent a coordinated backlash to values of freedom and equality that voters chose in 2020. White nationalist politicians in state houses across the country are seeking to pass fascist laws that spread fear and entrench minority rule. These politicians know they can only hold onto power by making it harder for Floridians to make their voices heard in elections, or to even be who they are without retaliation and intimidation.”
“Although we recognize that Gov. DeSantis intends to sign these bills, we also know the fight is far from over. We have seen the power – in our state and across the nation – of communities joining together to reject the politics of division and fear which DeSantis and his enablers use to strengthen their hold on power. We will continue rising up and joining with our friends and neighbors to elect new leaders who see the people they represent as more than simply pawns and enemies to be exploited for political gain. We will continue working to build a world where all of us can live, work, and thrive without being targeted for who we are and what we believe.”
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action is uniting a movement of tens of thousands of progressive Jews across the country who are fighting for justice and equality for all. We are the only national Jewish organization focused exclusively on social change in the United States.
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