On Saturday, November 14, Gov. Rick Scott is being honored for his excellent work in conservation. No really, we're serious. I'm sorry you had to find out this way.
Yes, an award for the guy whose response to climate change is "I'm not a scientist," yet whose administration instructed scientists not to use the term "climate change."
The Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida is a nonprofit group that provides funding and support to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — i.e., the state agency that is currently stacked with Scott appointees and just approved the killing of 320 black bears.
The foundation has announced that Scott will be honored at the annual BlueGreen event for his supposed outstanding work in fish and wildlife conservation. The event will take place at Green Glades Ranch — owned by FWC Commissioner Ron "Alligator" Bergeron. Tickets will be sold for a minimum of $200 per plate.
In the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida news release, Gov. Scott and First Lady Ann Scott are touted as outdoorsy angels sent from heaven above:
“Governor Scott has been instrumental in helping develop a strong connection between fish and wildlife conservation and traditional outdoors activities like hunting and especially fishing,” said Rodney Barreto, Chairman of FWFF.
“And our First Lady Ann is an outdoors enthusiast in her own right, dedicated to getting our kids outdoors. Together they provide leadership for effective conservation and youth engagement in Florida.”
As you might have imagined, this has royally pissed off some people who are well aware of Scott's less-than-stellar environmental track record. So much so, in fact, that a group is planning to peacefully protest the ceremony. The group plans to make it apparent why it is there and why Scott receiving a conservation award seems like some sort of sick joke.
It's tough to say what exact event has caused the outrage in Scott being honored as a environmentalist, because there are so many possible suspects.
During his time in office, Scott has lessened restrictions on polluters, killed a statewide septic tank inspection program that would have reduced water pollution, supported the recent black bear hunt in Florida that resulted in more than 300 killings, and never delivered on promises that would have greatly improved vital parts of the Everglades needing tons of attention. Scott has been so opposite-of-green during his tenure that the Tampa Bay Times called him an "environmental disaster" last year.
So yeah, he's being honored, and people are hella pissed about it.
Protesters will be meeting outside Green Glades Ranch, located at 21111 SW 16th St. in Weston. The event is scheduled to take place from 4 to 6 p.m.
