Jacksonville, FL - Students and workers converged on an outdoor mall called The Landing, here, April 15 to confront Florida Governor Rick Scott at a Tea Party event. More than 50 people attended the rally organized by Fight Back Florida, a statewide labor-student coalition formed against Scott’s vicious attacks on working families, government employee unions and public education.
Workers and students began the protest in front of The Landing by waving signs and chanting “When working families are under attack, what do we do? Stand up! Fight back!” Two right-wing Tea Party members heckled the protestors, but the vast majority of cars that passed by waived, honked and cheered the protestor’s pro-labor, pro-education message.
When Rick Scott was scheduled to speak, the protesters marched on The Landing holding signs that read, “Fight Back Florida!” and “Stop the war on working families!” The Landing’s corporate developers tried unsuccessfully to shut down the protest, but a union worker from the National Association of Letter Carriers pointed out that the protest was on public property.
The Tea Party’s event began with a racist portrayal of President Barack Obama in a skit. Protesters booed the bigoted event and chanted, “Rick Scott, stop the hate! Not our city! Not our state!” Tea Party thugs tried to block protesters from waving signs. One Tea Party thug shoved Dustin Ponder, a Fight Back Florida organizer, to try and provoke a fight. Police restrained, but did not arrest the Tea Party member.
When Rick Scott arrived, protesters confronted him with thunderous chants of “Tax the rich!” and “Hey-hey! Ho-ho! Rick Scott has got to go!” The protesters were chanting so loud that Rick Scott left after just five minutes. As he quickly retreated, workers and students yelled, “You’re a crook!”
After the rally, Dave Schneider, a Fight Back Florida organizer, briefly spoke to the protesters. “These Tea Party thugs can try to silence our voices, but they can’t stop working people and students when we stand up and fight back!”
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rick scott is a crook
We are doomed as Floridians with such a loony government. He will do to Florida what that moron w did to this country's economy.
Be part of the solution, not the problem.
Mr. Lee,
You love these cuts, but as Joe wrote... at what cost do they come? Nothing good comes from cutting necessary programs such as education. This is evident in the fact that you don't even know how to spell governor. It is also both arrogant and ignorant to think a whole group of people (liberals) are lazy people who just want hand outs. I'm a liberal combat veteran who came back and went to school, got a job and pay taxes. Grouping all liberals as lazy and greedy is like me saying all republicans are arrogant d!cks. Of course, not all republicans are, so I would never say such a thing.
In the end we're all Americans. We need to stop the hate. We have plenty of enemies as it is elsewhere, we don't need to make enemies of each other.
Rick Scott and the tea party
Dear James. What do you think happens when the government CUTS CUTS CUTS? Children suffer, roads and bridges fall into disrepair, seniors suffer and some people die! That is what happens when a state such as your elects a thief! Rick Scott was in charge at HCA when the FBI raided his offices and found massive medicare fraud. Rick's company paid over $600 million in fines and admitted to over billing! Rick was fired and left a millionaire. Where I come from over billing is the same as stealing. That makes Rick Scott a thief. So Florida loves a common crook. A millionaire but still a crook. I am fed up with the stupidity of the tea party in particular and the loud mouth, anti government, anti taxes anti thinking people in general that don't have a clue about government. If you think the debt crisis can be managed without raising revenue it exactly because you are not thinking. Paying taxes is a legal duty any patriotic citizen should be willing to do. The government has a responsibility to secure the peace and well being of its citizens which requires revenue. What the republican party is doing at the moment is starving the economy and will not produce jobs! Any economist worth his salt will tell you so. But then after all Florida loves a thief and is probably not listening to any economist worth his salt!
Florida loves Rick Scott
Rick Scott is loved in Florida ! Get over the fact that you liberals lost and the Tea Party WON.Rick Scott is just doing what he said he wanted to do. CUT CUT CUT. You liberals can care less about our state as a whole all you want is another hand out.
Rick Scott For Govener 2014
Allen West for senate 2012
Vote obama OUT 2012
Proud to see some
Proud to see some Jacksonvillains standing up for themselves for once. Even that bastion of conservatism is turning against Scott, which is a nice thing to see. Do you guys need an editor, though? There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes that I caught that should be corrected.
Question on the article
Does anyone know more about the racist skit at this rally? It bothers me that a sitting governor would attend a rally with a racist skit. He should at least condone it, no matter what his politics.
If anyone has info on this, you can contact me at bodhicat7@yahoo.com
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