Debbie Wasserman Schultz Calls On Florida Mayors To Refuse To Lower Flags In Rush Limbaugh’s Honor

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) is calling on Florida mayors to refuse to lower their flags in honor of the conservative radio legend Rush Limbaugh, who died earlier this month at the age of 70.

This comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called for flags in his state to be lowered as a tribute to Limbaugh.

Wasserman Schultz Calls On Florida Mayors To Go Against Governor

“Rush Limbaugh spent his career normalizing and popularizing hatred and bigotry against people of color, immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. He built a brand around disgusting insults, bolstering rape culture, spewing lies about the AIDS crisis, and nonstop bullying,” Wasserman Schultz wrote in a letter sent to Florida mayors, according to CBS.

“The targets of his attacks often received death threats from his sycophantic fan base. To the end, he stoked the environment that led to an insurrectionist attack on our Capitol, and dismissed calls to end such violence,” she added.

“American political discourse is in a dangerous state,” Wasserman Schultz continued. “Our country is the most divided it has been since the Civil War. As we work to heal the nation, we cannot elevate a person credited for fostering our divisions and emboldening the worst tendencies of human nature.”

DeSantis Honors Limbaugh

DeSantis had said that Florida will fly its flags at half-staff on Friday, when Limbaugh’s body is laid to rest.

“There’s not much that needs to be said, the guy was an absolute legend,” the governor said. “He was a friend of mine and just a great person.”

Wasserman Schultz isn’t the only Florida Democrat who is against lowering flags for Limbaugh. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) stated earlier this week that she will ask state offices under her direction to ignore DeSantis’ order to honor Limbaugh.

‘We Will Not Celebrate Hate Speech, Bigotry, And Division’

“Lowering to half-staff the flag of the United States of America is a sacred honor that pays respect to fallen heroes and patriots. It is not a partisan political tool,” Fried said in a statement obtained by WFLA.

“Therefore, I will notify all state offices under my direction to disregard the Governor’s forthcoming order to lower flags for Mr. Limbaugh – because we will not celebrate hate speech, bigotry, and division,” she added.

“Lowering the flag should always reflect unity, not division, and raising our standards, not lowering them,” she concluded. “Our flags will remain flying high to celebrate the American values of diversity, inclusion, and respect for all.”

This piece was written by James Samson on February 25, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.