'Free State of Florida' welcome signs should come with fine print | Mark Woods
Interstate 95 passes through 15 states, which means drivers are greeted by a wide assortment of welcome signs. Some simply say, “Welcome to (state name),” along with maybe a state flag or flower. Others include mottos and messages.
Maine: Welcome Home
Welcome to New York, the Empire State
Virginia is for Lovers
Welcome to South Carolina. Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places
Welcome to Georgia. We’re Glad Georgia’s On Your Mind
For decades, when drivers entered Florida, they were greeted by signs that said, “Welcome to Florida, The Sunshine State,” along with smaller signs bearing the name of whoever was governor.
The Florida Department of Transportation recently replaced the greeting with signs that say: “Welcome to the Free State of Florida. The Sunshine State. … Governor Ron DeSantis.”
A press release said this change to all welcome signs on major state roadways was to “highlight Florida’s status as a top tourist destination.”
While we’re going ahead and blowing tax dollars on new welcome signs, why not add a few more signs with the fine print?
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where even though this is the birthplace of Skynyrd, don’t turn it all the way up — playing music too loudly while driving has been against state law since 2022.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Go ahead and say it’s really hot, just don’t try to slip the words “climate change” into state legislation.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where you’re free to say what books someone else’s kid shouldn’t be able to read. (In 2023, we led the nation in book challenges in public schools and libraries.)
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where private businesses are free to take a stand on state issues. Well, as long as that stand involves being in lockstep with state leaders. (See Disney.)
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where again and again state leaders have made sure local governments have less freedom and more mandates.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where a new state law requires the teaching of “dangers and evils of communism” in public schools, leading the governor to say, “The truth will set us free.”
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where teachers can’t teach some truths about our own history.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where the state created a law that restricted professors’ speech — saying it’s government speech — and told private businesses what kind of diversity training they could conduct (and where federal courts ruled that the Stop WOKE Act violated the First Amendment as it applies to businesses).
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where hemp executives scrambled to raise $5 million in political donations after the governor vetoed a bill that would’ve tightened regulations on their industry — and a group chat reportedly included a post that pretty much summed up politics in Florida.
“We know nothing in life is free and neither was this veto.”
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where you soon will be able to tell the kids in the car, “Stop using Snapchat — it’s against the law in Florida.”
Starting in 2025, minors under 14 will be banned from social media platforms and 14- and 15-year-olds will need parental consent.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where women are free to have an abortion. For six weeks. After that, they could face felony charges.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where the governor vetoed all cultural and museum grants — for more than 600 programs around the state — because a few cities have “Fringe Festivals.”
(The Global Association of Fringe Festivals says, “Fringe is a grassroots festival with the freedom to celebrate and exchange.” That might fly in Scotland, where the festivals originated about 80 years ago, but this is Florida.)
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where insurance is far from free — with Florida homeowners paying more than four times the national average for home insurance.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where citizens are free to create constitutional amendments — but even after amendments pass by a 60 percent vote, state leaders sometimes weaken and even ignore them.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where nearly 300 years ago, the first free Black settlement in what would become the United States was created — and where today the 27th state makes headlines for how it teaches Black history.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where during “Freedom Summer,” cities are free to light their bridges with whatever colors they choose — as long as those colors are red, white and blue.
Welcome to the Free State of Florida
Where often freedom is just another word — kind of like irony — and drivers leaving the state now see signs that say: “Hurry Back to the Free State of Florida.”
mwoods@jacksonville.com
(904) 359-4212
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Visitors welcomed by "Free State of Florida" signs
