The Ybor City Stogie

I would like to start this New Year by awarding my Sydney Eastman Courage Award for 2022 to Rebekah Jones. Rebekah Jones has been an example of bravery and the desire to report the truth by taking on Ron DeSantis and his suppression of reporting the true numbers of people who were casualties here in Florida of Covid in her position as Florida Health Data Manager. She was fired for not hiding the true numbers of those who had died and were infected, and was even arrested at her home at gunpoint by agents of DeSantis.

In 2022, she ran for Congress in the 1st Congressional District in the Florida Panhandle against Trump apologists and alleged teenage sex offender Republican Matt Gaetz. She ran a valiant campaign in that normally dominant Republican District and forced Gaetz to address the allegations of possible involvement in the January 6th Insurrection attempt and his constant denial of President Biden's victory.

She was also arrested on charges of illegally accessing Florida emergency messaging system to encourage state employee's to tell the truth about Covid numbers here in Florida. She has recently settled that case.

Ms. Jones was the inspiration for this tribute to Syd.