Ron DeSantis, a random man whom we’re forced to recognize as the governor of Florida and who hates Disney and the Special Olympics, has now thrown another temper tantrum at yet another beloved organization for doing something that irritates him.
On Thursday, DeSantis approved a new state budget but vetoed $35 million for a new practice facility for the Tampa Bay Rays. The decision comes two weeks after the team tweeted about how terrible guns are, in the wake of the Uvalde shooting.
The Rays, along with the New York Yankees, ditched their game coverage on May 26—two days after the deadly mass shooting that killed 19 children and two adults—and instead, used their social channels to share facts about gun violence.
“Firearms were the leading cause of death for American children and teens in 2020,” read one of the dozens of tweets, citing facts from the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety. “When an assault weapon is used in a mass shooting, it results in six times as many people shot than when other guns are used,” reads another. In addition, the Rays also announced a $50,000 donation to the organization the same day.
Brooks Raley, the Rays’ pitcher, grew up in Uvalde, a small town of about 16,000, and attended Uvalde High School. “I did go to that school. I walked those halls, so I can imagine what they experience each day, and I’m feeling for that community,” Raley told the Associated Press. “It’s just a tragedy.”
Unfortunately, since DeSantis loves guns more than human life, the Rays’ awareness campaign and generous donation seemingly cost them their new $35 million practice facility. (Maybe Disney can help them out.) It feels insane to keep wasting our breath and our time and our outrage on people like DeSantis, who is objectively awful. Almost as insane as stomping your feet and punishing people for speaking up about the fact that guns kill too many people! It would be fucking great if that could stop happening.