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Florida judge blocks parts of Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed 'Stop WOKE Act,' saying the state has turned into the upside-down world from 'Stranger Things'
Business Insider ^ | 18 Aug, 2022 | Kimberly Leonard

Posted on 08/19/2022 5:25:47 AM PDT by MtnClimber

A federal judge has suspended partial enforcement of Florida's "Stop WOKE Act," a bill backed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that restricts how companies and schools discuss race.

DeSantis signed the bill into law in April. It would limit race-based teachings in schools, and the way that private companies carry out mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings. Companies that have 15 employees or more could face civil lawsuits if they're accused of violating the law.

In his opinion, Chief US District Judge Mark Walker blocked the employer portion of the law, saying it violated free speech. He compared the law to Netflix's blockbuster science-fiction hit, "Stranger Things."

"In the popular television series Stranger Things, the 'upside down' describes a parallel dimension containing a distorted version of our world," Walker, a nominee of then-President Barack Obama, wrote in his opinion. "Recently, Florida has seemed like a First Amendment upside down."

"Normally, the First Amendment bars the state from burdening speech, while private actors may burden speech freely," Walker continued. "But in Florida, the First Amendment apparently bars private actors from burdening speech, while the state may burden speech freely."

The governor's press office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. When DeSantis signed the bill into law he issued a statement likening the trainings and teachings to "indoctrination," saying, "no one should be instructed to feel as if they are not equal or shamed because of their race."

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Education; Society
KEYWORDS: communism; fl; florida; indoctrination; stopwokeact; walker
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To: Gunslingr3

The judge has no self awareness. /s


21 posted on 08/19/2022 5:52:45 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie (Remember August 8!)
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To: MtnClimber

I worry about any judge who is that familiar with, “Stranger Things”.


22 posted on 08/19/2022 5:52:50 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Sometimes when you get to where you're supposed to be, it's too soon.)
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To: MtnClimber
What if the color “white” and “black” are swapped...

It would never be tolerated. Racial hatred and shaming, as a condition of employment, would be denounced from every angle if the roles were swapped.

23 posted on 08/19/2022 5:53:50 AM PDT by LuxAerterna (/)
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To: chajin

“EastLeftia”, I like that term for them!


24 posted on 08/19/2022 5:56:27 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: moovova

That is the first thing that came to my mind.


25 posted on 08/19/2022 6:01:58 AM PDT by GMThrust
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To: fhayek
I would be curious to hear the other theses.

1) Leftism is a Christian heresy, offering salvation in a supposedly, but never actually, disappearing state.

2) Capitalism without Judeo-Christian ethics is economic Darwinism, leading inevitably to the imposition of Leftism in a vain attempt to establish fairness.

4) The true enemy of the Left is not the Right, but Islam.

5) The true enemy of the Right is both the Left and Islam, so conservatives and moral capitalists have to be constantly fighting a two-front battle, and tend to lose because they forget this and try to fight only one at a time.

26 posted on 08/19/2022 6:06:16 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: MtnClimber

Oh the things obama judges say …. …..


27 posted on 08/19/2022 6:06:31 AM PDT by rhinohunter (“Being woke means you’re a loser” — Donald J. Trump)
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To: MtnClimber

That’s not a biased decision at all


28 posted on 08/19/2022 6:07:38 AM PDT by Skywise
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To: MtnClimber

DeSantis once again going against Obama’s arc of history.


29 posted on 08/19/2022 6:08:16 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: MtnClimber

The homo, tranny, weirdo, pedo, CRT, Marxist and nonstop racism crowd took us to the “Outer Limits” and the “Twilight Zone” decades ago. And these judges think a tiny bit of pushback is tyrannical.

It is all part of their effort to normalize perversion.


30 posted on 08/19/2022 6:28:07 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, angels protect you and heaven accept you”)
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To: MtnClimber
"What if the color “white” and “black” are swapped in CRT material? Is that still free speech?"

I am a fan of the exercise of using the "put the shoe on the other foot" technique and them combine it with the "Reasonable Man" standard.

The other day there was an school union being criticized because they were advocating that, when cutbacks in teachers are implemented, non-Persons of Color would be selected to be let go ahead of "People of Color" regardless of tenure or quality.

What would a "Reasonable Man" say if the policy stated: "In the event of reductions in teacher staff, White employees will be be retained over non-Whites in order to maintain the ratio of Whites to non-Whites regardless of tenure or quality."

A "Reasonable Man" would say that is racist.

31 posted on 08/19/2022 6:29:51 AM PDT by rlmorel (Nolnah's Razor: Never attribute to incompetence that which is adequately explained by malice.)
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To: HYPOCRACY

There needs to be consequences for judges who blatantly disregard the Constitution they swore to uphold and instead are guided by their own emotions.


32 posted on 08/19/2022 6:32:10 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: skeeter

This country is being turned into the Upside Down by the DemoRATS, and it will be a world just as fun and joyful as the Upside Down if we don’t stop them. Without f***ing mercy.


33 posted on 08/19/2022 6:33:18 AM PDT by quikstrike98
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To: MtnClimber

DeSantis should’ve gone with the rats motto shop for a judge until you find one that agrees with you.


34 posted on 08/19/2022 6:34:06 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: chajin

“the school will overturn this...”

Unfortunately an appeal from this will NOT GO TO the SCOFL. It will stay in the Federal system.

This was classic forum shopping. They filed the suit where they did because they knew the proclivity of this particular Obama judge. This will likely have to go to the US SC eventually for final adjudication.


35 posted on 08/19/2022 6:50:06 AM PDT by Castigar
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To: MtnClimber

A teacher is not a “private actor”. Teachers are employees and representatives of the state.


36 posted on 08/19/2022 6:53:03 AM PDT by The Antiyuppie (When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.)
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To: MtnClimber
"Normally, the First Amendment bars the state from burdening speech, while private actors may burden speech freely," Walker continued. "But in Florida, the First Amendment apparently bars private actors from burdening speech, while the state may burden speech freely."

So sexual harassment laws are now Unconstitutional in regard to harassment that is only speech?

37 posted on 08/19/2022 6:58:01 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
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To: Castigar
Unfortunately an appeal from this will NOT GO TO the SCOFL. It will stay in the Federal system.

My bad; I didn't notice it was a Fed stooge. That means SCOTUS will rule on it sometime in June 2025, meaning after DeSantis becomes Trump's VP.

38 posted on 08/19/2022 7:01:39 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: MtnClimber

Only a nutso Feral “judge” would be a fan of a kids’ show. Stranger Things.


39 posted on 08/19/2022 7:11:39 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (The House is supposed to represent the people, not the friggin' Federal government. )
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To: moovova

in Pee Wee’s Playhouse, chairee gets to talk so this judge will let his bench have a say in the decision.


40 posted on 08/19/2022 7:17:52 AM PDT by teeman8r (Armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world or something )
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