>> WE REJECT THIS WOKE IDEOLOGY. WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER TO THE WOKE MOB. FLORIDA IS WHERE WOKE GOES TO DIE. [APPLAUSE] >> A FEW MINUTES AGO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT STATES THAT ARE NEARLY CONTROLLED BY DEMOCRATS ON THAT HOW THEIR AGENDAS DIFFER STARKLY FROM AGENDAS AND STATES CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS. I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT WHEREVER THE GOP STATES ARE GOING NEXT, FLORIDA WILL GET THEIR FIRST. FRESH OFF HIS BIG SECOND TERM WHEN, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS'S TURBO CHARGING HIS WAR ON WOKE. IN WHICH WOKE SEEMS TO MEAN ANYTHING WRONG DESANTIS DOESN'T LIKE. THE SOUND IS GOES AFTER ALL KINDS OF THINGS FOR BEING WOKE. COLLEGE BASKETBALL, BEN & JERRY'S ICE CREAM, DISNEY, EVEN MATH TEXTBOOKS. NOW HE IS SLAMMING PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY. THE NHL RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A PUSH FOR MORE DIVERSITY IN THIS RANKS. ITS WORKFORCE IS OVER 80% WHITE AND ITS PLAYERS OVER 90% WHITE. BUT WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED A JOBS FAIR IN FLORIDA, DESANTIS'S OFFICE CALLED IT DISCRIMINATION FOR THE NHL TO SPECIFICALLY INVITE APPLICANTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS. THE NHL FOLDED, AND REMOVE THE JOB POSTING. SO CONGRATULATIONS IF YOU HAD KEEPING HOCKEY WHITE ON YOUR BINGO CARD OF RHONDA SCENT'S SECOND TERM PRIORITIES. BUT IT IS FLORIDA SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES THAT ITS GOVERNOR IS REALLY TRYING TO RE-CAUTION IN AN ANTI WOKE IMAGE. DESANTIS HAS JUST PACK PEOPLE TO FLORIDA'S MOST PROGRESSIVE POET PUBLIC COLLEGE WITH HANDPICKED ALLIES. HIS ENDING THE TURN OF NEW COLLAGEN TO A CONSERVATIVE, CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. THESE NEWBORN MEMBERS INCLUDE CHRIS RUFFO, WHO'S ORCHESTRATED THE RIGHT-WING ATTACK ON CRITICAL RACE THEORY. AND RUFFO IS STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT HIS GOALS. QUOTE, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FROZEN THEIR BRAND, CRITICAL RACE THEORY, AND TO THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION AND ARE STEADILY DRIVING UP NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS. WE WILL EVENTUALLY TURN AND TOXIC, AS WE PUT ALL OF THE VARIOUS CULTURAL INSANITIES UNDER THAT BROWN CATEGORY. MEANWHILE, OTHER FLORIDA UNIVERSITIES ARE CANCELING THEIR COURSES DEALING WITH RACE FOR FEAR OF BEING FIRED. TODAY, THE PRESIDENTS OF FLORIDA'S STATE COLLEGE IS PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THAT THEY STAND WITH GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND WILL NOT LET EVIL CRITICAL RACE THEORY INVADE THEIR CAMPUSES. ALSO TODAY, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FINALIZED RULE THAT COULD SEIZE SCHOOL LIBRARIANS PROSECUTED FOR HAVING UNDESIRABLE BOOKS IN THEIR LIBRARIES. UNDESIRABLE TO DESANTIS AND HIS ALLIES. AND IN A FINAL FLOURISH, TODAY, WE LEARNED DESANTIS HAS REJECTED ADVANCED -- AND 60 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT APPARENTLY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT CURRICULUM IS AGAINST THE LAW. THE CONSERVATIVE NATIONAL REVIEW REPORTED EXCITEDLY TODAY ON A LETTER THAT DESANTIS SENT TO THE COLLEGE BOARD THAT SAYS QUOTE, THE CONTENT OF THIS COURSE IS INEXPLICABLY CONTRARY TO FLORIDA LAW AND SIGNIFICANTLY LACKS EDUCATIONAL VALUE. AND IT INVITES THE COLLEGE BOARD TO QUOTE, COME BACK TO THE TABLE WITH LAWFUL, HISTORICALLY ACCURATE CONTENT. ALL OF THIS IS BAD ENOUGH FOR THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA, BUT IT MAY CONCERN ALL OF US OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA IF DESANTIS REALLY IS ON HIS WAY TO A PRESIDENTIAL RUN. JOINING US NOW IS THE END OF THE COLUMBIA JOURNALISM SCHOOL AND IS STAFFORD OR AT THE NEW YORKER. DEAN COBB, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. I THINK THAT THERE IS NO BETTER PERSON TO PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW DAMAGING THIS AGENDA IS, IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, AND HIGHER EDUCATION. CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MOVES THAT THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING TO CENSOR THE TEACHING OF HISTORY AND RACE IN THIS COUNTRY? >> SURE. THIS IS A VERY PRACTICAL POINT TO THIS. THEY ARE TRYING TO ERADICATE THE HISTORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, AMONG OTHER THINGS. WEIRDLY ENOUGH, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS WHAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THOSE UNIVERSITIES TO BE SO PROMINENT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE QUIET PART OF THIS NARRATIVE IS THAT CERTAINLY BLACK PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH BENEFITED FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THIS SECOND BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WERE THE SOUTHERN BUSINESS CLASS AND UNIVERSITIES. IT IS CHAMBERS OF CONGRESS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO MODERNIZE THE SOUTH WHICH WAS VIEWED AS AN ECONOMIC AND INTELLECTUAL BACKWATER BY MOST OF THE COUNTRY. SO IN THIS MARCH BACKWARD TO MAKE THIS HEAVY-HANDED THE TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN BE TAUGHT AND WHAT CAN'T BE TAUGHT, WE ARE PUSHING THESE INSTITUTIONS BACK INTO THE PAST. SO GOOD LUCK AND KEEPING THEM THERE. GOOD LUCK AND ATTRACT GETTING THE TOP STUDENTS. AND GOOD LUCK WITH MAINTAINING THE RANKINGS THAT MAKE THESE UNIVERSITIES AND THE SOUTH COMPETITIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS THE KIND OF MARCH WITH MAYBE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THOSE CROWDS CHEERING, BUT NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE UNIVERSITIES START CATERING IN TERMS OF THEIR PRESTIGE AND REGARD TO WHICH PEOPLE VIEW THEM. >> I JUST WONDER IF THIS ISN'T -- I MEAN, IT SEEMS AT LEAST FROM THE SUPPORT THAT DESANTIS RECEIVES IN CERTAIN CORNERS, THAT IS PART OF THIS OBSESSION WITH TURNING BACK THE CLOCK, AS YOU, SAID NOT JUST IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA, BUT THE INTELLECTUAL FLOURISHING OF IDEAS THAT HAPPENED IN HIGHER -- INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE 60S AND 70S. AND THE BRINGING A MORE INCLUSIVE, PROGRESSIVE YOUTH INTO THE WAYS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CANNON AND HISTORY, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS. AND THE RIGHT SEEMS TO BE VERY PREOCCUPIED WITH THAT. IT IS LIKE THEY LOST THE CULTURE WAR AT LARGE SO THEY ARE GOING TO WAGE IT IN THE HALLS OF EDUCATION. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE REPUBLICANS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT LOOK AT WHAT RON DESANTIS IS DOING AND SAY HEY I WANT TO DO THAT IN MY BACKYARD. I WANT TO DO THAT IN MY STATE, I WANT TO BRING THAT KIND OF CURRICULUM TO WISCONSIN, OR OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE -- OR VIRGINIA, WHERE YOU HAVE GLENN YOUNGKIN, THE GOVERNOR WHO EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THIS KIND OF STUFF. DOES THAT CONCERN YOU? APART FROM WHAT IT DOES TO THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, WHAT ABOUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN THE STATES? >> SURE. IT HAS NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS ALL OVER THE PLACE. ONE OF THE BIZARRE IRONIES OF THE SITUATION IS THAT WHEN RHONDA SENTENCE, IN DENOUNCING THE AP COURSE, USE THE LANGUAGE OF SAYING THAT IT WAS DISCRIMINATORY, THAT SETTING THESE SUBJECTS WOULD BE DISCRIMINATORY, IMPLICITLY DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST WHITE PEOPLE, THE WEIRD THING ABOUT THAT, THE REALLY WEIRD THING ABOUT THAT IS THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE SCHOLARS OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY WILL TELL YOU THAT THE THEORY BASICALLY HOLDS THAT -- IN A SOCIETY THAT IS RACIALLY DRIVEN AS THIS ONE, PEOPLE WILL USE ANTIDISCRIMINATION TACTIC IT'S IN ORDER TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF ACTUAL DISCRIMINATION. SO IN SHORT, RON DESANTIS IS PRACTICING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, AND DOING EXACTLY THIS. HE IS VALIDATING THE THEORY IN THESE ACTIONS. SO, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE LAST THING I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS THAT THE KIND OF PROTECTIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND THE ACADEMIC FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY A PRODUCT OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE COLD WAR, IN THE MCCARTHY ERA. ANOTHER POINT AT WHICH WE SAW HEAVY-HANDED ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO DICTATE WHAT PEOPLE CUT AND COULD NOT LEARN, PEOPLE BEING PROSECUTED, PEOPLE USING THEIR JOBS FOR TEACHING FACTS THAT WERE ACCURATE BUT UNCOMFORTABLE. WE ARE YET AGAIN HAVING A MARCH BACKWARD IN THE PAGES OF HISTORY. >> I WONDER IF YOU LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY IN TERMS OF THE SUPREME COURT TAKING UP AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND THIS MOVEMENT THAT WE NOW SEE THAT SUGGESTS THAT EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY BODIES, WHETHER THEY ARE SCHOOL BODIES, WHETHER THEY ARE CORPORATE WORK ROOMS, WHETHER THEY ARE THE NHL ARE FUNDAMENTALLY ANTI WHITE. AND THAT THEY ARE REVERSED DISCRIMINATION. THAT SEEMS -- THAT THEORY, WELL FRINGE, NOW SEEMS TO BE MORE WIDELY ACCEPTED AT ANYTIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN ALIVE. IS THERE ANY WAY TO TURN BACK THE WHEEL TO GET BACK TO SANITY AS FAR AS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT DIVERSITY? >> SURE. SO, WHEN YOU CITED THOSE NUMBERS, THE NHL'S WORKFORCE BEING 84% WHITE, IT'S PLAYERS BEING 90% WHITE, AND YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WHITES ARE ABOUT 60%, OR 61% OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION, YOU SAY THERE IS A DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION THERE. RATHER, AN UNDERREPRESENTATION OF OTHER GROUPS. SO TO FRAME THE EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY, AS DISCRIMINATORY, THEY ARE IN EFFECT SAYING THAT YOU WANT TO UPHOLD THE KIND OF DISCRIMINATION THAT HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN PEOPLE BEING SO POORLY REPRESENTED IN THAT ONE AREA, WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER AREAS OF AMERICAN EMPLOYMENT, AND UNIVERSITIES, AND SO ON WHERE WE COULD FIND THE STATISTICS. SO I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY AT THE HEART HERE, TO TRY TO FRAME, THE UPHOLDING OF THE STATUS QUO, AND REALLY VALIDATION OF THE WORST SEASONS OF THE PAST AND TRY TO FRAME IT AS AN ACTUAL CIVIL ROUTE YOU. >> VALIDATION OF THE WORST SINS OF THE PAST, THAT IS WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING HERE, I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT THE HEADLINE RATHER THAN WE ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST SOME MARXIST LIBERAL IDEOLOGY THAT IS TRYING TO BRAINWASH EVERYONE'S CHILDREN. DEAN OF THE COLUMBIAN
