Tallahassee, FL - After months of back and fourth battles over keeping “Swanee River” as Florida’s official state song the verdict is finally in and the men and women in Gray have one! However despite our victory the opposition including Gov. Charlie “Turn Coat” Crist won’t be humming along.
After spending over a year, and millions of state money, trying to come up with a new song to replace the Stephen Foster classic “Swanee River,” which had lyrics some found racist, Florida politicians are expected to keep the song but update its lyrics – if they do anything at all.
The song, also known as “Old Folks at Home,” would remain the state’s official song. As a compromise, a song chosen in a statewide contest – “Florida – Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky” – will be added as the state’s anthem.
Tallahassee attorney Pace Allen lobbied to keep Foster’s famous song, saying that throwing it out was “excessive” and urges lawmakers to”Build on our history,” he said. Crist, however, considers that history offensive to some and wanted a new song.
“I didn’t have it played at my inauguration for a reason,” Crist said this week, disappointed with the compromise reached by lawmakers to update the song and add an anthem. Crist said the agreement made the state look “confused.”
Supporters of keeping Swanee River disagree with Crist, whom they now view as an enemy of the South and some one that is pandering to the wishes of transplant yankees whom seek to ethnically cleanse Florida of its Southern heritage and culture.
“I voted for Crist this past election, but you can bet that I won’t vote for him again” said Norman Hernandez of Dade City. Norman’s ancestors fought in defense of the Confederacy during the War for Northern Aggression, and finds that the song is a piece of his history and the history of Florida that should not be treaded upon to appease people that should have no say in our way of life.
In response to Crist’s recent crusade to remove historical symbols of Florida’s heritage and culture many Southerners have begun to turn on the turn coat governor by pledging to remove him from office when his term is up, and leaders of the Southern Party of Florida could not agree more.
“Crist ran as a Florida native, and Florida’s candidate, how ever since coming into power he has went out of his way to ignore native Floridians and pander to the wishes and opinions of transplants whom want to turn Florida into a sunny version of New Jersey. When Crist refused to have Swanee River played at his inauguration it was a slap in the face to every native Floridian that got him elected.” said SPFL Chairperson Kevin Floyd.
Leaders of the Southern Party of Florida have also stressed countless times that they agree that the song had racist lyrics that has no place in today’s Florida and must be removed and redacted. The SPFL also does not agree with calls to have it removed, according to Party leadership the song is fine, minus of course for its racist lyrcis.
While not reported it should be noted that the Southern Party of Florida and its leaders worked tirelessly with Swanee River song supporters across the state and was key in preserving the song but not its racist lyrics. Now that the battle is won Party leadership has stated that they and their allies will take a break from the Swanee River and focus on more important Southern issues in the state, but has made it clear that this is not over by a long shot. The SPFL while key in the formation of the compromise did not support making “Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky” the states first and only State Anthem, and the reason being is that its creator, Jan Hinton, a Pompano Beach Music Teacher is not a native Floridian. Party leaders have stated that they will for the time being settle with the current compromise, but have made it clear that once the party begins to reestablish its political power it will try to take the offensive and remove the state anthem.
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