An Open Letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis

 Dear Governor DeSantis,

Since your website only allows for 500 characters max (which I condensed this letter to fit into that 500 characters on your site), I have decided to post the entire letter here on my blog.  Likeliness that you will actually read it, slim to none.  BUT I was taught that we need to communicate with the people that are in charge of our country - governors, legislators, mayors, etc.  We need to keep our voices out and loud and be heard.  And you, sir, need to start listening.  Below is the entirety of my letter.

I am writing to express my profound outrage and deep disappointment regarding the existence of the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" facility in Florida.  The fact that such a place has been permitted to operate, let alone be built in the first place, is a disgrace and a gross violation of basic human rights and human decency.  

The facility is a horror show.  It is appalling to think that in the United States we would allow people to be subjected to these kinds of degrading and inhumane conditions.  It is not just a stain on Florida's reputation but it is is also an indictment of your leadership.  

Frankly, I am not surprised, given your past involvement in the disturbing practices at Guantanamo Bay.  For someone who claims to be a leader who upholds American values rather than erode them, you have continued to allow Florida to become a testing ground for cruelty and authoritarianism.  

You should be ashamed.  This is not the governance of a free state.  It is the governance of a dystopia.  

I urge you to take immediate action to shut down this facility and ensure nothing like it is ever allowed to exist again in Florida or anywhere else in this country.  Our state, and our country, should be better than this.  

Sincerely,

Jessica Stone