Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis may be Florida’s governor, but one prominent member of the Miami Heat wants people to know that he doesn’t speak for all Floridians.
Forward Udonis Haslem, who’s from Miami and played all 20 seasons of his career with the Heat, spoke to the Boston Globe recently about his disagreements with DeSantis’ far-right ideology.
“Well first and foremost I’m going to ask people out there to stop Florida-shaming us,” he said. “Everybody ain’t down with what’s going on in Florida. People think that because you live in Florida, like you just down with the [expletive]. We’re not. I’m not down with it. I’m not happy about it.”
Those are strong words from a beloved basketball player, especially considering the timing. The Heat are in the NBA Finals; and usually, athletes don’t comment about social or political issues when a championship is at stake. (The series between the Heat and Denver Nuggets is tied 1-1.)
But Haslem feels strongly enough about DeSantis to make an exception.
The attention-seeking politician has waded into every layer of the culture wars over the last two years, beginning with the state’s noxious “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, which bans discussion of sexual orientation and gender ideology in all grade levels.
When Disney criticized the law, DeSantis went to war with his state’s largest tourism attraction, trying to strip the company of its self-governing privileges around Disney World. Disney sued DeSantis in April, saying the governor was extracting political revenge.
But those bad deadlines haven’t stopped DeSantis. He’s supported a large swath of legislation that targets LGBTQ+ people, including laws that outlaw gender-affirming care for minors and make it a criminal offense if adults don’t use the bathroom that corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth. Florida also has a new anti-drag law that bars minors from attending drag shows with “lewd” performances.
In addition, DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban, and attached his signature to bills that prohibit colleges from using state funding on diversity and inclusion programs, and ban critical race theory from being taught in schools. More than 500 books have been banned in Florida public schools since 2021, according to the Globe.
Haslem isn’t happy with any of it.
“I happen to live there and I was born there. It’s not my fault. So please stop Florida-shaming us people,” he said. “We’re not happy about what this man is doing. Diversity and inclusion and taking the [books away]. We’re not happy about that. I sit at home on the couch with my wife and raise hell.”
Haslem 4 governor
— sum_dude44 (@sum_dude44) June 4, 2023
Good for him. Great job. That’s awesome. He’s 100% right. I hope it can get better for all people there at some point soon.
— Jason Someone (@JasonSSomething) June 5, 2023
As a Floridian born and raised, I agree with UD! thanks for speaking on it
— CRB (@courtroxie13) June 4, 2023
As the Heat’s longest-tenured player, and NBA champion, Haslem’s words carry weight in the locker room. Though he’s played sparingly over the last few seasons, he remains an important part of Miami’s winning culture.
Last summer, Haslem announced his intentions to retire following the 2022-23 campaign. He scored 24 points in his final regular-season affair, becoming the second 42 year old in league history to tally 24 or more points in a single contest.
In other words, he’s enjoying a better spring than DeSantis, who officially launched his presidential campaign two weeks ago in disastrous fashion. DeSantis participated in a glitchy “Twitter Spaces” with loathsome billionaire Elon Musk, and didn’t speak for the first 25 minutes.
Currently, DeSantis trails the Republican front-runner, Donald Trump, by an average of nearly 30 points in the polls.
Haslem says he’s concerned for his kids’ futures in the Sunshine State.
“It’s very disappointing and I’m the father of three, three Black men,” he said. “Three boys that are coming up and I would love for them to learn in school about what the hell is really going on and what happened. But that’s out of my control. All I can do is get my ass up and vote. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to continue to encourage everybody around me. That’s all I can do.”
Haslem should be commended for using his substantial platform to speak out against the injustices being carried out in his home state. What an admirable final act to a great career.
Scroll down for more reaction to Haslem’s strong stand…
Thank you @ThisIsUD. As a physician whenever I go to national meetings my colleagues make comments about me living in Florida. This is the perfect answer!
— David Goldberg, MD, MSCE 🇺🇦 (@DrLiver) June 4, 2023
Haslem for Senate 2024
— Garsh (@JLGarsh) June 4, 2023
abfab
I LOVE THIS MAN!
I have to say what I feel, Miami has so much appeal.
A great place to get a seafood meal. Miami.
Miami, Miami, you’ve got style. Blue sky, sunshine, white sand by the mile.
When you live in this town, each day is sublime. The coldest of winters are warm and divine.
Miami, Miami, you’ve got style. Blue sky, sunshine, white sand by the mile.
There’s ball clubs and night clubs, all within reach.
Dance the samba ’till morning, then lie on the beach.
Each view is a postcard, each day a great time.
The cream of the crop, it’s the top of the line.
Miami, Miami, you’ve got style. Blue sky, sunshine, white sand by the mile.
Miami, you’ve got style!
Man About Town
And they just “placed” in the song-writing contest!
abfab
Gloria Estefan needs to put on A HUGE STADIUM EVENT! I don’t follow her…has she said anything yet?
Kangol2
So glad to see Udonis Haslem speaking up. I hope more NBA players, MLB players, NFL players, and others with a platform speak up and out about the fascist DeSaster and his quasi-dictatorial rule of Florida, which he wants to extend to all 50 states.
And let’s see if we hear from EdwardnVirginny and the rest of the racist crew who go silent when Queerty publishes anything that overturns their narrative about Black people being the homophobes as opposed to their beloved White right-wing politicians like Ron DeSaster, Don the Con, etc.
dbmcvey
Fantastic! This is wonderful!
trell
Miami
You’re cuter than
an interuterine
abfab
Yes!
danemichael
I will continue to avoid and boycott all things Florida until they vote these bigots out.
Invader7
You go UD.. While I will NOT go to Florida. It’s the “dick” state…..dangling from the continental US… !! Being run / ruined by a Neo NAZI Hitler fascist wanna be ….
Georgeiv2
So why is DeSantis Governor ?
Kangol2
Because White voters and Latino/Latinx voters of all races voted for him in a landslide. Look at the exit polls.
The only group of voters who voted heavily for the Democrat Charlie Crist were Black voters and younger voters of all races, though mostly Black and Latino/Latinx.
That’s why.
DBMC
Old people.
Brian
Ah, yes, the *real* victims are wealthy heterosexuals. I’m sorry that I didn’t realize that.
“I sit at home on the couch with my wife and raise hell.” That sounds difficult and challenging! You sit on a couch! You yell to a near empty room! How do you manage that? Gay people should be grateful that they don’t have to suffer through relaxing on a couch in their mansion with their spouse. Gay people, and gay children especially, are so lucky. Let’s all do what we can to help this poor, unfortunate man.