Following last week’s school shooting in Uvalde, the Tampa Bay Rays took a stand against gun violence on Twitter, using their platform to share facts and information about America’s gun epidemic. The team also made a $50,000 donation to Every Town for Gun Safety, a nonprofit organization aimed at preventing gun violence.
Apparently, that didn’t sit well with Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who, as reported by CNN’s Steve Contorto, used his veto power Friday to block state funding for a $35-million training facility in Pasco County, which the Rays had planned to use as their new center for player development. Explaining his decision, DeSantis said he “doesn’t support giving taxpayer dollars to professional sports stadiums.” However, according to a Republican leader with knowledge of the situation, DeSantis had not made up his mind until the Rays took their stance on social media.
Recent tragedies in Buffalo, Uvalde and Tulsa have sparked a fierce debate on gun control laws with President Joe Biden advocating for stricter background checks and a ban on assault weapons in a speech Thursday night. Salvador Rolando Ramos purchased an AR-15 rifle, which he would later use to kill 19 elementary school students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, days after his 18th birthday. As a “constitutional carry” state, Texas residents can legally carry firearms without a permit, license or prior training.
According to recent polling, up to 90 percent of Americans support common-sense gun laws. Despite this, little progress has been made with leaders from Republican majority states like Florida and Texas fearful of alienating their constituents, many of whom are pro-gun. Backed by the NRA, the GOP has largely resisted gun legislation, arguing that, if anything, more guns are needed to combat violent criminals perpetrating mass shootings.
It’s a sad state of affairs when the murder of 19 innocent children is used for political gain, but, unfortunately, that’s where we’ve arrived in this country. This isn’t the first time DeSantis has used his power to punish someone who opposed his views. In April, DeSantis stripped Disney of its special governing status after they were publicly critical of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill that prohibits educators from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation in schools.
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