Gov. Rick Scott declares emergency ahead of white nationalist speech at UF

[Milchshake]

Begs the question about whether free speech is really free, and who really pays for free speech? Guys on walls (Col. Nathan Jessup) or just the taxpayers?


Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency as hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the state gather at the University of Florida in advance of a Thursday event by white nationalist Richard B. Spencer.

Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell had asked Scott to declare the emergency as the university prepares for Spencer's visit. The governor's executive order places the state agency usually responsible for hurricanes at the front of the effort to preserve order during the event. It also places the Florida National Guard on standby.
"I find that the threat of a potential emergency is imminent and hereby declare a state of emergency in Alachua County," Scott wrote in an executive order he signed on Monday.

University officials said the price tag for security at Spencer's event will be $500,000. Spencer's National Policy Institute paid the school $10,000 to rent the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. At least 500 law enforcement officers are expected to be on hand.

Kinda reading it as declaring a state of emergency ahead of white nationalist speech - so that state law enforcement can protect the nazis.

[Doctor Amadeus]

Simply increase to cost for rent.

[Total Crica]

Everyone needs their interest protected from people who decide to not just speak freely and instead attempt to assault them, steal from them, murder them, etc.

[Wiyld]

You have to get a permit to have a large gathering...most of the time the permit holder has to show they have arraigned for sufficient facilities for the event. Gotta have enough security, gotta have enough bathrooms, gotta have enough parking.

At least you do in towns/cities that aren't complete shit. It's kinda the point of permitting.

If it is a private facility then sure...make the venue provide those things and then they can pass it on to the renter.

[Shibito]

Law enforcement should absolutely protect people from assault/ injury with no additional expense charged to them. To suggest otherwise just blows my mind that we are not actually regressing in years as time goes on. Humans have lost all common sense.

Humanity has never had much sense to begin with we are in the most peaceful era of humanity for some reason atm.

[Wiyld]

Law enforcement should absolutely protect people from assault/ injury with no additional expense charged to them. To suggest otherwise just blows my mind that we are not actually regressing in years as time goes on. Humans have lost all common sense.

Did you watch the video of the cops at the event where the black guy lit a spray can and the white guy shot back at him?? How they just sit there and watch literal attempted murders and don't even get involved? The cops don;t want to be there, they aren't even going to get involved if things go south...they aren't protecting anyone anyway.

[Wiyld]

What does this have to do with my post at all? The only connection I can infer is this line: "they aren't protecting anyone anyway." Is your genuine claim that an armed group of almost soldiers standing around an event will offer no protection to the people inside? If thats your argument I staunchly disagree, simply let me know if thats your argument and I will begin citing sources of the many hundreds of thousands of times a large armed police force has defended a priority target with great success even killing up to 10 attackers in one case.

Has nothing to do with ability, everything to do with desire.

Kinda like pro gun people right? The laws aren't going to change anything anyway so, we don't need em.

[Stormdash]

Begs the question about whether free speech is really free, and who really pays for free speech? Guys on walls (Col. Nathan Jessup) or just the taxpayers?


Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency as hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the state gather at the University of Florida in advance of a Thursday event by white nationalist Richard B. Spencer.

Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell had asked Scott to declare the emergency as the university prepares for Spencer's visit. The governor's executive order places the state agency usually responsible for hurricanes at the front of the effort to preserve order during the event. It also places the Florida National Guard on standby.
"I find that the threat of a potential emergency is imminent and hereby declare a state of emergency in Alachua County," Scott wrote in an executive order he signed on Monday.

University officials said the price tag for security at Spencer's event will be $500,000. Spencer's National Policy Institute paid the school $10,000 to rent the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. At least 500 law enforcement officers are expected to be on hand.

Kinda reading it as declaring a state of emergency ahead of white nationalist speech - so that state law enforcement can protect the nazis.

The only cost risk incurred is the possibility of uncivilized backlash, i.e. riots and chaos and vandalism carried on by those who've decided they don't want to hear from others. But Spencer, no matter how vile his politics, is not responsible for the criminal behavior of those who oppose him talking.

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Begs the question about whether free speech is really free, and who really pays for free speech? Guys on walls (Col. Nathan Jessup) or just the taxpayers?


Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency as hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the state gather at the University of Florida in advance of a Thursday event by white nationalist Richard B. Spencer.

Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell had asked Scott to declare the emergency as the university prepares for Spencer's visit. The governor's executive order places the state agency usually responsible for hurricanes at the front of the effort to preserve order during the event. It also places the Florida National Guard on standby.
"I find that the threat of a potential emergency is imminent and hereby declare a state of emergency in Alachua County," Scott wrote in an executive order he signed on Monday.

University officials said the price tag for security at Spencer's event will be $500,000. Spencer's National Policy Institute paid the school $10,000 to rent the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. At least 500 law enforcement officers are expected to be on hand.

Kinda reading it as declaring a state of emergency ahead of white nationalist speech - so that state law enforcement can protect the nazis.

Law enforcement should protect peaceful political speech, no matter what the content, from opposition that will come in the form of criminal behavior against both people and property. Obviously. Basic premise of a civilized society stuff right there.

[Milchshake]

The only cost risk incurred is the possibility of uncivilized backlash, i.e. riots and chaos and vandalism carried on by those who've decided they don't want to hear from others. But Spencer, no matter how vile his politics, is not responsible for the criminal behavior of those who oppose him talking.

You're being really generous with Spencer. Like in assuming he's not doing this to specifically provoke a response.

I'm not clear if that is simple white privilege, or white supremacist sympathetic privilege.

[Stormdash]

You're being really generous with Spencer. Like in assuming he's not doing this to specifically provoke a response.

I'm not clear if that is simple white privilege, or white supremacist sympathetic privilege.

Which makes it even more stupid, basic, pathetic, and useless for there to be violent backlash from vapid nutjobs, because it's exactly what he wants.

[Kaleredar]

The only cost risk incurred is the possibility of uncivilized backlash, i.e. riots and chaos and vandalism carried on by those who've decided they don't want to hear from others. But Spencer, no matter how vile his politics, is not responsible for the criminal behavior of those who oppose him talking.

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Law enforcement should protect peaceful political speech, no matter what the content, from opposition that will come in the form of criminal behavior against both people and property. Obviously. Basic premise of a civilized society stuff right there.

...except for when his parrots try and hit someone with a car, right?

[Wiyld]

You're being really generous with Spencer. Like in assuming he's not doing this to specifically provoke a response.

I'm not clear if that is simple white privilege, or white supremacist sympathetic privilege.

Spencer dindonuffin!

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Which makes it even more stupid, basic, pathetic, and useless for there to be violent backlash from vapid nutjobs, because it's exactly what he wants.

Do you understand WHY politicians have to collect money for campaigns?? Do you even get what campaign contributions are for? What expenses are involved in being politically active? Cuz security is a huge part of it. Security is really really expensive...what you are suggesting is that everybody everywhere who wants to push any and all political agendas should have full security coverage free of charge.

We aren't talking about allowing or denying them the same basic security that everyone in society enjoys. If someone tosses a rock spencer can call the cops the same way anyone else can. If he wants an armed escort everywhere he goes, he can pay for security the same way everyone else does too.

[Stormdash]

Rick Scott has no issue using public funds for private matters.

The prospect of rioting on the state's premier university campus is a very public matter. The peace damn well better be kept, too. This is my own alma mater, when I was a student speakers as contrary as Bob Dole to Mikhail Gorbachev were able to speak there and there wasn't even a whisper of public disturbance of a type that you'd worry if buildings would still be able to open the next day, if your car would still be driveable, etc. There is absolutely no reason that standard shouldn't be expected from today's undergrads or the general population. The best way to punish Spencer is to ignore him, for his speech to be as inconsequential as his ideas are twisted. His political ends are benefited by riots in opposition. What few active white supremacists there are in the country benefit from the prospect of trying to violently engage violent protestors, because they want people keyed up and easily manipulated on tribalist themes.

[Wiyld]

Honestly we should be asking why the UoF wants to hold this event. In the end it isn't Spencers event, its the Universities event. They should shoulder the cost of security, the same way they would if it was a big football game. Whether they choose to pass on the cost to the speaker is on them, maybe they have a budget allotment for that kinda thing that allows it. Maybe they decide its worth it to them to provide a wide spectrum of ideas to spend the money. Maybe they don't, but it really should be on them.

[Zeek Daniels]

Begs the question about whether free speech is really free, and who really pays for free speech? Guys on walls (Col. Nathan Jessup) or just the taxpayers?


Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency as hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the state gather at the University of Florida in advance of a Thursday event by white nationalist Richard B. Spencer.

Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell had asked Scott to declare the emergency as the university prepares for Spencer's visit. The governor's executive order places the state agency usually responsible for hurricanes at the front of the effort to preserve order during the event. It also places the Florida National Guard on standby.
"I find that the threat of a potential emergency is imminent and hereby declare a state of emergency in Alachua County," Scott wrote in an executive order he signed on Monday.

University officials said the price tag for security at Spencer's event will be $500,000. Spencer's National Policy Institute paid the school $10,000 to rent the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. At least 500 law enforcement officers are expected to be on hand.

Kinda reading it as declaring a state of emergency ahead of white nationalist speech - so that state law enforcement can protect the nazis.

Its kinda bad when you need to spend half a million dollars just so someone can give a speech. It should be free since its called free speech but instead you have idiots out there who want to take away peoples right to think and speak and they are willing to harm others to do it. Yea this guys a white nationalist but unless he calls for violence theres no point in counter protesting. All your doing is giving him an even bigger platform to get even more retards to join his side or at the very least become disillusioned with your side.

[Wiyld]

Bob Dole to Mikhail Gorbachev

lol comparing Spencer to bob dole and Gorhachev.....

[unfilteredJW]

The prospect of rioting on the state's premier university campus is a very public matter. The peace damn well better be kept, too. This is my own alma mater, when I was a student speakers as contrary as Bob Dole to Mikhail Gorbachev were able to speak there and there wasn't even a whisper of public disturbance of a type that you'd worry if buildings would still be able to open the next day, if your car would still be driveable, etc. There is absolutely no reason that standard shouldn't be expected from today's undergrads or the general population. The best way to punish Spencer is to ignore him, for his speech to be as inconsequential as his ideas are twisted. His political ends are benefited by riots in opposition. What few active white supremacists there are in the country benefit from the prospect of trying to violently engage violent protestors, because they want people keyed up and easily manipulated on tribalist themes.

Lot's of words to say nothing as usual.

[Grapemask]

Can I get in on the ground floor of what's going to be some gold-winning mental gymnastics to defend Spencer and "white nationalism" while also claiming to not be defending Spencer or white nationalism?

Also,

Yea this guys a white nationalist but unless he calls for violence theres no point in counter protesting.

To the contrary, you should counter protest at every available opportunity, lest you lead them and others to believe those ideas are okay.

[Z-Man]

Its kinda bad when you need to spend half a million dollars just so someone can give a speech. It should be free since its called free speech but instead you have idiots out there who want to take away peoples right to think and speak and they are willing to harm others to do it. Yea this guys a white nationalist but unless he calls for violence theres no point in counter protesting. All your doing is giving him an even bigger platform to get even more retards to join his side or at the very least become disillusioned with your side.

Free as is the government doesn't automatically throw him in jail for being a Nazi.

Not free as you can walk into any place of your choosing and start screaming at people.

("Fighting words" intended to provoke an "immediate breach of the peace" are not free. There's a negative feedback loop involved with taunting people to hit you.)

[Wiyld]

Free as is the government doesn't automatically throw him in jail for being a Nazi.

Not free as you can walk into any place of your choosing and start screaming at people.

("Fighting words" intended to provoke an "immediate breach of the peace" are not free. There's a negative feedback loop involved with taunting people to hit you.)

I mean..at what point is it inciting a riot?