Florida governer shows true character

COVID-19 is still very relevant, despite the discontinued mandates. Boosters are the answer to continued protection.

Matthew Montanio

Student Writer

All around us, there are arguments why we shouldn’t try to pursue a policy of vaccination and maintaining booster shots for COVID-19. For starters, COVID is a disease that has critically affected the popula-

courtesy wikimedia commons The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is approved by the FDA. tion. More than 3.5 million people in the U.S. alone have died from COVID, and even more have been infected, so it is a prevalent problem. Those reading this article have more than likely contracted COVID at least once or twice in the years it’s been around. Despite these circumstances, the U.S. did not follow through with many COVID regulations beyond an initial quarantine and halfhearted mask mandates. Even now, most if not all regulations have been discontinued for almost a year. However, despite being surrounded by an environment that almost discourages COVID vaccination, it is still an important responsibility to stay vaccinated and protected not only for your sake, but for others.

Unfortunately, the threat of COVID is still noticeable. According to the latest map and case count as reported by the New York Times, the cases have recently dropped over the summer and are at the lowest for this year. It makes sense as to why there is no desire to change lifestyles. However, upon closer inspection of the data, if the case rate mirrors that of last year, then by winter there should be a dramatic increase in positive case results. Last year, there was a recession of cases over the summer that heralded record-level infection rates in many different areas in the country.

Over 3.5 million people have died of COVID-19 in the U.S. courtesy wikimedia commons

vaccine options and ensure that the vaccine you choose works best for you with the least side effects.

Hopefully, by acknowledging the need to vaccinate is similar to the need to be hygienic, then the psychological barrier might be that much less. Much like regular brushing or regular showering contributes to your hy-

“... the need to vaccinate is similar to the need to be hygienic ...”

Yes, there have been concerns about the side effects of COVID vaccines and it is still an ongoing process. But there are now vaccines which are fully approved by the FDA that people can receive in response to COVID if they haven’t already. I’m not advocating for blind trust in vaccines, so it is still a sensible idea to research the different giene or how regular pet vaccinations contribute to theirs, getting regular vaccination against diseases, including one as prevalent as COVID, should be a no-brainer.

It’s still strange how quickly most, if not all, health measures were rolled back once they became optional. Although masks have become a less frequent phenomenon here in the states, they remain relevant. Even if people don’t social distance in their daily routine anymore, there needs to be some form of precaution that substitutes the protection that it would have provided. The demand has not changed for necessary precautions; we have only set ourselves lower standards.

At the core, enough people need to take a vaccine or change their lifestyle for everybody to benefit from collective immunity against the disease, so the need still remains for as many people to get the vaccine as possible. If people are against receiving the vaccine, they could simply change their lifestyle and begin adhering to COVID safety measures. Just because COVID is relevant doesn’t mean that vaccination is the only way. As long as there is some form of precaution, whether it be vaccines or good practices, we can be better protected against these health threats.

DeSantis sends migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

In a widely criticized political stunt, the Florida governor relocates nearly 50 migrants to the summer colony.

Victoria Grossman

Student Writer

Citizens of famed Massachusetts resort town Martha’s Vineyard got quite a surprise on Sept. 14 when nearly 50 migrants arrived unexpectedly. After much confusion, Florida governor Ron DeSantis came forward to claim responsibility for the unannounced move. The event has been widely criticized by both Republicans and Democrats, and rightly so.

Relocating migrants is not a new policy by Republican governors, but this stunt is particularly egregious in that DeSantis facilitated a move of migrants from Texas to Massachussettes, both states of which he is not the governor. He also used funds belonging to the Florida state government.

Part of DeSantis’ plan surely was to sit back and laugh as the liberal elites that frequent Martha’s Vineyard turned away the migrants in a show of hypocrisy. Unfortunately for him, he failed to consider that it is the offseason for eastern seaboard vacationing, and the town only consisted of its year-round residents. The offseason population is only around 17,000, while during the summer the population can swell to as many as 200,000 coastal elites. In either case, the 48 migrants that DeSantis plopped on the island would not exactly overwhelm the population. And, in fact, it didn’t. The residents of Martha’s Vineyard sprang into action, feeding the migrants and calling in authorities to relocate them to temporary housing. The migrants, mostly from Venezuela, eventually ended up at a nearby military base.

From the beginning, it seemed fairly obvious these migrants were not aware that they were being relocated, despite DeSantis claiming that they had all consented. Reportedly, the “consent form” they signed was only partially translated into Spanish, leaving mentions of transportation and Massachussettes unreadable to most of the mi-

courtesy wikimedia commons

The offseason population at Martha’s Vineyard is around 17,000.

grants. A class action lawsuit has since been filed on their behalf.

In addition to the lawsuit, a sheriff in Texas has officially opened an investigation into the actions of DeSantis, which ultimately cost Florida taxpayers $1.5 million.

It is worth noting that these migrants were no longer classified as illegal. In fact, many of them had court dates to continue on their immigration journey, which are now at stake due to Ron DeSantis’ political theater. This stunt seems cruel even for him. These migrants came to the United States seeking the best country in the world, as conservatives describe it. And why shouldn’t they? The idea that America is the “best country in the world,” however false, is touted far and wide by politicians; yet when people of color decide to be a part of that idea, they become political pawns. While it is widely accepted that some migrants must be relocated from where they originally immigrated to, this action was not taken in any sort of official capacity, with no oversight from the federal government. This type of action by Republican governors is not new, nor will it likely disappear anytime soon.

Democrats and Republicans seem completely deadlocked on the issue of immigration, so until a compromise is reached, these kinds of political stunts will likely not stop. This cannot be the greatest country on earth if political officials kidnap migrants at will.