Florida, as you’ve probably heard by now, has passed a law that, among other things, defines 3 protestors as a riot and grants immunity to motorists who commit vehicular assault against protestors in the streets — whom the new law defines as felons.
Florida is one of 34 states in which Republicans have introduced anti-protest laws. While I expect many of these laws to be overturned as First Amendment violations, that will take some time. And of course there’s no guarantee that today’s right-wing courts will do the right thing when it comes to that.
What can we do? Well… I’ll tell you what I’m not doing, what I am refusing to do.
I am pledging not to patronize businesses in Florida. No Key West vacations, no Orlando hotel stays, no shopping, not a gallon of gas, not a stick of gum. I won’t set foot in Florida. Not even if the law is rendered void by the courts. As long as the law is on the books, I will not spend a nickel in the Sunshine State.
I also won’t send money to Florida from out of state. I will not buy groceries at Florida-based Publix as long as this new law, or any other Florida law that suppresses the right of citizens to exercise their First Amendment rights, exists.
If the Magic, the Rays, the Marlins, the Heat, the Dolphins, or any other sports franchise moves to a state where the First Amendment is honored and protected, I will buy and wear merchandise from them. If not, I won’t even watch their games.
I have long refused to patronize Walmart for a number of reasons. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever bought anything from Walmart or Sam’s Club. But I pledge here and now to support any business, even Walmart, that shutters their stores in Florida.
If any Florida company wants my business, they can move out of state. Or they can pressure the Florida legislature to repeal this law. If any company anywhere wants my money, they would be well advised to publicly cease doing business there as long as this law is in force.
Businesses respond to public pressure. Politicians respond when businesses demand it. The upshot of the BLM protests has shown that if Americans of good conscience exert enough pressure, businesses will do the right thing — not out of the goodness of their corporate hearts, not from a desire to be good corporate citizens, but to protect their bottom line.
My business doesn’t mean that much to Publix or the Walton family; my money is a tiny drop in a huge bucket as far as they are concerned. But if all Americans of good conscience withhold their money from Florida businesses, we can effect change.
What of the other 33 states that have enacted or are contemplating such laws? We can’t reasonably boycott them all. But at this time, Florida seems to be the worst of the lot. If we can make Florida change its ways, we will send a signal to the other states that these attempts to silence free speech will not be tolerated. When Florida sees the light and repeals this abominable law, we can move on to the new worst state. We must not, we cannot, allow this outrage to stand.