DeSantis supporters welcome tourists and children with Nazi flags at entrance to Disney World

When Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis promotes or signs some type of hateful legislation to advance his political ambitions—such as imposing criminal prohibitions on gender-affirming health care, enacting laws restricting what teachers can teach or say to their students upon penalty of termination, or highly publicized, media-friendly measures arbitrarily smearing or criminalizing LGBTQ folks or undocumented immigrants—the easiest thing to conclude is that he’s either a cynical, amoral sleazebag, or an outright bigot. 

Unfortunately, however, DeSantis’ actions don’t occur in a vacuum. They enjoy broad support among his most loyal constituents. The plain fact is that DeSantis is channeling the views and beliefs of those who put him into office.

Which is why this incident, as documented by Grace Hauck, writing for USAToday, is instructive. Because DeSantis, in the eyes of his ardent fans, has been so cruelly treated by a liberal media predisposed to underappreciate the tender bond he shares with them, it sometimes must fall to those same loyal supporters to publicly demonstrate their keen appreciation and thanks for all he has done and continues to do.

Including, apparently, Nazis.