There's No Need To Boycott Florida....

[Junkdrawer]

Boycotting Orlando ought to do it. Disney World, Universal Studios, etc....

Same county - more likely to have the political muscle to make it happen.

Just change your plans for one summer - betcha there are a lot of great theme parks with far fewer lines closer to home.

[mdmc]

1. I love playing disc golf in orlando

turkey lake is the bomb..

[Ian David]

2. We bought into the Disney Vacation Club and can't roll-over any more points.

Will certainly boycott Sanford, though.

No Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery this year.

[1620rock]

3. Expensive, overcrowded, hot, and bug infested. Boycott the whole damn state untill SYG repealed.

[Junkdrawer]

6. Busch Gardens Va was great when my boy was a tot. Almost no lines, great attractions and shows

and we worked it into our summer beach get away.

We were told that we would be lucky if we got 4 or 5 rides in if we went the extra 800 miles to Disney World.

I asked the other day if he felt deprived, never having gone to DW as a child. He said: "Missing the experience of standing in hot lines as a child probably scared me for life."

I apologized. Somehow, we'll work it out.

[trumad]

20. LOL--- How's Detroit now-a-days?

[Puzzledtraveller]

4. How about no boycott! They hurt the common workers!

There are other means,use your noggin mate.

[Junkdrawer]

7. Patronize businesses closer to home.

Don't those workers count?

[Zalatix]

15. No.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

26. That would be the common worker that votes Republican

and against their own interests.

[onenote]

5. Here's my concern: if a boycott causes harm to businesses in FL

will those who are impacted -- workers who lose jobs or don't get raises, particularly those in the hospitality/tourist trade, will they blame the Sanford PD and the state attorney who fucked up or will they blame those boycotted the state? If its latter, don't we risk strengthening the repubs hold on the state?

[Hoyt]

11. I get it, but you will help people in areas where you go.

I don't know if a boycott is right in this case, but it might be good to think a few more weeks before booking.

Sadly, right wingers might change their plans and actually go to the area where Zimmerman stood his ground against a threat. SARCASM THINGY.

[EFerrari]

14. BushCo already has an uncontested death grip on Florida.

I hope DoJ isn't thinking the same way but they likely are.

[MrSlayer]

8. Why? Disney and Universal are the only haven against the gun insanity in Florida.

No guns allowed at all on either property. Not even by their cops. They both also circumvent the law that says employees can keep guns in their cars. The safest places in Florida are the Orlando resorts.

You have to physically be in Florida to get to the resorts but you're not really in Florida.

[Creideiki]

9. I've been boycotting Florida for years

Before it was because I'm gay. Now I've got more reason.

[steve2470]

10. There is no need to boycott Florida at this time. It's completely premature.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=505104

(The link above has links to the special prosecutor in the case)

At this point the entire matter is with the Special State Prosecutor, and, as far as I know, she will do the right thing. The problem is with THE SANFORD FLORIDA POLICE DEPARTMENT and Seminole County, which is a fraction of the state.

Now, if the Special Prosecutor fails to do her job properly, then... ok... I can see a rationale.

Until then, talk of a boycott is premature.

[Junkdrawer]

13. TALK of a boycott may be just what is needed now....

I'm sure the "Other Side" is lobbying full tilt boogie. The Special State Prosecutor needs to know there will be heavy costs if she gives in to that lobby.

[Egalitarian Thug]

12. Yeah, I think there is. Those that live there and will be hurt will get another reason to leave,

and hurting corporate incomes is just about the last tool civilized people have to discourage the epidemic of crazy there.

[quaker bill]

16. Sorry, different county, different economy, different politics

very little of what is happening or not happening at the theme parks reaches as far north as Sanford. A job in the theme parks would be roughly an hour each way commute from Sanford. For the most part, those jobs are not worth an hour drive at current gas prices.

Orange County and Orlando have become pretty blue politically. Seminole hasn't elected a dem to any significant office since 1976.

[redqueen]

17. These threads are great ways to be reminded

how little economic power some of us have. Boycott Florida, lol. I've been doing that my whole life (along with most other places) by default (not by choice, in other words).

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. Boycotting Florida is stupid, but as a Floridian I'm all for boycotting Disney irrespective of SYG.

That place is a well-manicured pox on the Central Florida landscape. It's overcrowded, overpriced and was built under shady circumstances. The sprawl that resulted from Disney altered the beautiful Florida landscape forever. Its rides are overrated and underwhelming compared to rides at other amusement parks.

There's nothing "Florida" about Disney World. For a good read on Disney World by a true Floridian, read Carl Hiaasen's "Team Rodent."

Crazy politics and laws aside, I love living in Florida. The weather (even the summer weather) is ideal for me, its natural areas are stunningly beautiful, and it is diverse in both population and wildlife. Simply put, I cannot imagine living anywhere else in the country.

But I cannot stand Disney World. Cannot stand it at all.

[Giantsfootball10]

19. Florida is a GREAT State. But SOME of

the People who Run it Live in it.......Not so much. But I LOVE IT HERE..

[MineralMan]

21. And how does a boycott accomplish anything, do you think?

Many people and groups have offered to boycott Orlando, and for many reasons. Some of those reasons are just plain nuts, like boycotting Disney because of "Gay Days" at Disney World. Not a single one of those boycotts has had any effect whatsoever. This one wouldn't either.

The reality is that such boycotts have zero effect on peripheral issues like the investigation and prosecution of George Zimmerman. There is no connection.

[Junkdrawer]

22. If the NRA is the 800 lb Gorilla in Florida, Orlando Tourism is the 8 ton Elephant...

Betcha there are enough people pissed at this whole affair that IF, mind you IF the clock is run out and nothing is done, they would be willing to burn less gas and patronize more local theme parks as a response.

Speaking of running out the clock, what was your suggestion again?

[MineralMan]

23. For a boycott to be effective, it has to be noticed.

How would you get such a boycott noticed? How much of a downturn in Disney World's business do you figure such a boycott would produce?

Unless a boycott actually seriously affects a business or place, it will have no effect whatsoever. I doubt seriously if a boycott on Orlando because of what happened in Sanford will produce any noticeable results. Seriously.

What's my suggestion? Keep an eye on the state and federal investigation of this murder and encourage people to contact legislators to put pressure on it to be thorough and effective. Now, that might have an effect.

Another suggestion: Look at your own community and how law enforcement and the prosecution treats crimes with race as a component. In your own local community, you can have a great effect. If you don't live in Sanford, FL, you're not going to change much there as an individual. Similar situations exist in many places. Look into that where you live.

[Junkdrawer]

24. The calls for boycotts have begun and are just starting....

I'm saying that, to be effective, they need to be focused.

IF/When comes the time, watch how fast the word spreads.

[rmfuego]

25. Boycott whole State--need to let the State as a whole that the law needs to change

Florida does not have an income tax but rather relies on sales taxes and taxes on hotel rooms and rental cars for the majority of its revenue. Out of state visitors pay a significant proportion of these taxes. Boycotting the State would have a huge impact on State revenues. Even a threat of a boycott would put pressure on the legislature to change the Stand Your Ground Law. Justification for a boycott is that our teenaged children are not safe in Florida with the law as it stands. Need to get some well known person to sponsor the boycott, e.g. someone from MSNBC, an athelete or musician.