FLORIDA WASN’T ALWAYS A CRAZY STATE. When I was growing up here, getting sun-burned was the worst thing that could happen to you, other than having to suffer the endless visits of northern relatives. But these days, Florida has become the butt of stand-up jocularity and media mockery. It started with the sudden proliferation of the so-called “Florida man…” headlines. They were always nuts. “Florida Man Tries to Pet Alligator;” “Florida Man Robs Old Age Home;” “Florida Man Drowns in Vat of Orange Juice.” Tourist traps multiplied like mosquitoes, touting vacation paradise and the kind of leisure time unreality that Disney World excels at. Seminoles were granted casino licenses and retirement villages sprung up like foyers for heaven. Florida governors began denying the legitimacy of climate change as city streets flood in coastal cities. Next week I expect a prosthetic leg to wash up on a beach with a “Trump 2024” sticker on it.
HenryM