Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was presented the Defender of Freedom award at the “Let Us Worship” event hosted by Sean Feucht, a Christian artist, in Miami on New Year’s Eve. DeSantis was presented with the award at Miami Baptist Church.
The Defender of Freedom award represents the promise Gov. DeSantis made to the people of Florida to respect their personal freedoms and religious liberties.
After receiving the prestigious award, DeSantis reaffirmed his commitment to religious freedom, stating, “In Florida, we will protect the right to worship and won’t let anyone shut you down.”
DeSantis has become one of the most popular governors in the United States due to his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. His popularity has been the result of constantly maintaining citizens’ freedoms and liberties, while other governors have used the Covid-19 pandemic to seize power and control over the people they were elected to serve. DeSantis has been the voice of freedom for millions of Americans living in Florida and across the nation, providing a sharp contrast to the Biden administration.
The governor’s comments seem to allude to other state’s attempts to shut down churches during the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, government officials have used Covid-19 as an excuse to close churches and prevent Americans from participating in worship services.
Florida, however, has remained committed to respecting American’s freedom of religion under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis.
In September, Governor DeSantis explained, “At the end of the day, my philosophy is that as governor, my job is to protect your individual freedom.” DeSantis has kept his promise to protect each individual’s freedom of choice, despite pressure from the Biden administration to enforce mandates that violate the right to religious expression.
DeSantis has continually shown a commitment to the principles of freedom upon which this nation was built. In November, he said, “Our Founding Fathers gave us a lot to be grateful for, and it is our duty to protect it.” This certainly has been the case in the state of Florida, providing a blueprint for elected leaders to follow in other states.
While DeSantis has been defending American freedoms, he has also been supporting his wife as she undergoes cancer treatments. Over the Christmas holiday season, DeSantis seemed to be avoiding public appearances, leading Democrats to launch criticisms against the Republican governor. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., tweeted, “Hasn’t Gov. DeSantis been inexplicably missing for like 2 weeks?” She added, “If he’s around, I would be happy to say hello. His social media team seems to have been posting old photos for weeks.”
Critics like AOC were called out when the governor’s administration explained the reason for his absence was his wife’s cancer treatments.
The governor’s critics also showcased their hypocrisy by celebrating the holidays and enjoying the freedom of Florida while supporting mask mandates and vaccine mandates in their own Democrat-controlled states.
Gov. DeSantis will continue to face the criticism of the liberal left while supporting his wife as she continues her cancer treatments and defending the freedoms of his citizens. The governor’s latest award is well-deserved and is a great way to celebrate freedom at the beginning of a new year. However, the fight to defend America’s freedoms is only beginning.