A Mockery and a Fraud

As “The Face of the State”, governors face busy days. Between cutting ribbons at public works openings and visiting centenarians at Retirement Homes, governors must deal with recalcitrant legislators and must accommodate political donors. When a governor has his eye on the White House, his day is even more full.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis found time this month to insult a middle school kid behind him on a stage for wearing a mask. “Children don’t get COVID,” he snapped. That would be news to the thousands of kids who did, but his base loved it.

State Governors are responsible for public health policy, so Ron is within his job description to mock a 12 year old. State Governors are not responsible for overturning the results of intercollegiate athletic competition though. Still, Ron issued an official proclamation doing just that this week. He was upset that a transgender woman made the finals of the NCAA Swimming Championships. The trans woman did not win the 500 yard freestyle by the way, but that fact didn’t stop Ron from his rant.

The proclamation (also released on Twitter for maximum effect) stated, “By allowing men to compete in women’s sports, the NCAA is destroying opportunities for women, making a mockery of its championships and perpetuating a fraud. In Florida, we reject these lies and recognize Sarasota’s Emma Weyant as the best woman’s swimmer in the 500 yard freestyle.”

It’s a wonder that the other 49 Governors didn’t proclaim their state’s Favorite Daughter as the Best Women’s Swimmer as well. Apparently, what happens in the pool doesn’t matter when you can rack up political points by playing up to the locals and by dumping on transgender folks.

This story struck home for me. Lafayette unveiled its renovated swimming facility back in 2018 with a just-for-fun Alumni — Varsity Swim Meet. I joined three other septuagenarians as an Old Guy Relay Team in an adjacent lane to the varsity women’s team. As we lay gasping on the pool deck having been “lapped” by the ladies (who were scarcely breathing hard), one said to me, “You old guys are so cute when you swim.”

We needed Ron DeSantis to issue a formal proclamation declaring us the true winners. Those fit young women “made a mockery of the race and perpetuated a fraud.”

A future alumni- varsity race would doubtless have the same result. Perhaps Governor Ron could find time in his busy day to proclaim a different outcome.

By Ed Dufton