Stop WOKE Act blocked for 1A violation

The ruling seems to focus on the parts of the bill involving private employers rather than public education and, at least in that context, makes a pretty compelling case that the Stop WOKE Act blatantly violates the First Amendment.

In the words of the judge:

“Normally, the First Amendment bars the state from burdening speech, while private actors may burden speech freely, but in Florida, the First Amendment apparently bars private actors from burdening speech, while the state may burden speech freely.”

On a host of different issues (e.g. white privilege, affirmative action, systemic racism) the law clearly sides with one political viewpoint and legally punishes dissenting views. E.G. An employer is free to hold a mandatory meeting where they criticize the notion of "white privilege" but legally forbidden from holding a mandatory meeting where they affirm the notion of "white privilege." That strikes me as a clear cut 1A violation.

If you support the sentiment behind the Stop WOKE Act, I encourage you to consider how you'd feel if the issues at stake were reversed. E.G. Imagine the state of New York passed a law allowing employers to hold mandatory meetings which taught workers that systemic racism as real but legally banned mandatory meetings which questioned it. Or you're allowed to teach employees that the 2020 election was legitimate but banned from telling them it was rigged. Again, those would be obvious violations of free speech.

https://thehill.com/regulation/cour...ida-feels-like-a-first-amendment-upside-down/

 

The Florida law doesn't punish speech, it punishes the indoctrination of children with the woke nonsense in the schools.

Anybody can say what they want on the sidewalk, but they cannot teach the nonsensical garbage to children in schools.

 

If you'll look at the article, the ruling isn't really focused on schools but on the limitations the law sets for what privately owned companies can and cannot say in their own meetings.

If a law says "Your company may hold a meeting that says X is good, but you may NOT hold a meeting that says X is bad," then that's a pretty obvious violation of free speech, isn't it?

 

Corporations are people.

I don't like it either.

 

There are caveats on Free Speech. Your McDonald's employer can bar you from telling customers they really should be going to Burger King instead.
In public schools, speech can and is controlled. The one paying the fiddler calls the tune. In my sphere I have been required to attend all sorts of events that push a particular narrative. If I want to keep my job I better attend.

That's one reason why the private sphere is so important and must be protected. I can leave a job I dislike. Government is much harder to leave. If you cannot leave, you have to change the government. Much easier to leave McDonald's for Burger King.

 

I think you've missed what DeSantis is doing. Florida will no longer invest $, no longer do business with, companies that practice or accommodate the ESG nonsense. The companies can continue their crazy WEF agenda, but Florida will no longer do business with them in any way. I think 15 or so other state governments have followed Florida's lead.

 

Interesting. So actually I think we agree very much on what Florida is doing...I'm just pointing out that it's blatantly against the Constitution.

The government can't Constitutionally go around telling private companies or individuals which ideas are legally allowed and which are illegal "nonsense" based on the politics of the current governor.

This law isn't about the state of Florida investing money in companies, it's about outlawing speech the current administration doesn't like.

Again, I encourage you to imagine this the other way 'round. Suppose California passed a "Stop MAGA Act" and tells companies "You are legally forbidden from saying nice things about Donald Trump in your meetings!" because we, the government, have decided that's all "crazy" "nonsense."

 

Yes, its a violation of free speech. Florida is on a dark path under this governor. Teachers are leaving (10 000 gone) and they are hiring totally unqualified people to fill the vacancies. The "forbidden topics" isn't just for schools either, its for private businesses too.

 

ESG?

 

Is it against the Constitution to not commit fiscal or social suicide? Does the Constitution demand the teaching of biological absurdities in schools?

Freedom of speech is certainly protected, and so is the right to laugh and ridicule individuals or groups who present absurdities and nonsense in their speech.

Any state governor has the obligation to protect institutions from following irrational and absurd paths.

The WOKE nonsense is kind of like religion--any person can buy into it and practice it, but keep it in the church house and AWAY FROM the state house.

 

Environmental, Social, and Governance. The World Economic Forum started pushing it years ago and lately it's become common knowledge for those who avoid the mainstream media.

 

Environmental, social, and governance. It is a model corporations can consider while making business decisions, but the other poster wants the government to make those decisions as opposed to allowing corporations decide for themselves. Getting the government involved in it is straight from the pages of Orwell's 1984.

 

I see.

 

Don't put words in my mouth PLF. I never said here and do not believe in what you wrongfully attribute to me. You constantly attempt to defend absurdly indefensible positions, and doing so in your case means to wrongfully attribute words and thoughts to others. Desperate, you are.

 

The politics of a current Governor should match the politics of the people who elected him/her. If there is a serious split then that Governor is probably gone in the next election cycle. By the same token if that government head doesn't reflect those views they won't last past the current cycle either.

I worked for a major corporation and they were very into changing the social and work structure that was seen as abusive. There were mandatory meetings/classes that outlined changes and those changes lasted longer than a lot of the old school employees. They didn't have to fire us, the structure became so foreign and uncomfortable we removed ourselves.

 

So you don't support the DeSantis agenda?

 

You have a habit of saying things, and then pretending you didn't say it. I have seen you do it over and over and over, and you are doing it again.

You: "Florida will no longer invest $, no longer do business with, companies that practice or accommodate the ESG nonsense. "

So, yes, you are very much in favor of getting the government involved in it. The above IS government depriving private corporations off the freedom to call their own shots, and this is only one example of how authoritarian FL government is.

 

Your command of English is questionable. I strongly support DeSantis.

 

Then he didn't put words in your mouth.
His impression was spot on.

 

No, Florida is giving those companies a choice: continue their silly WOKE agenda as they please if they don't want to do business with Florida, OR return to reality and admit the irrational absurdity (and harm) of the WOKE agenda and stop burdening investors with the ESG crapola.

You too seem to have trouble understanding simple English. Too many shots and boosters?

 

Or you could argue that Wokeness promotes a hostile work environment. Apparently the left has no problem regulating such speech.

 

I'll be honest, I thought the law only addressed schools and government, not private businesses. I don't recall that ever coming up in the rather lengthy threads we had about this topic.

If the article is as it says it is, that it's restricting private employers from whatever nonsense they're in too, than this is a good ruling.

 

Just what is "Wokeness" anyway? Can anyone give a clear definition

Why is that? Why do you support yourself no longer being allowed opinions that disagree with the government's in your
private business?

 

What is "Wokeness" anyway?

 

OK this is a tough one..."why do you support yourself no longer being allowed opinions that disagree with the government..." Aww I give up. That's word salad. Could you rephrase that?