Miami Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago, who has been with the paper since 1980, has been heavily criticized for sending a tweet that expressed hope the packed beaches that have reopened "should work out nicely to thin the ranks" of Florida Republicans.
Santiago has since deleted the tweet and send two more tweets stating she only intended to sound the alarm about "prematurely opening up the country and the state" and she was only "trying to open eyes, minds and save lives" when she expressed hope for Florida residents to die.
Folks that don't wish harm on people don't usually encourage them to die.
— East Side Tea Party (@EastSideTea) April 20, 2020
Also, the beaches were not packed. Lawn chairs and sunbathing are still off limits. If surfers are less than 6 feet apart, there's a problem. pic.twitter.com/GrGZJoeR5q
In fact, my intent was to sound an alarm about prematurely opening up the country and the state. I was trying to open eyes, minds and save lives, not create a controversy about me instead of the issue, which merits discussion. #StayHome #BeSafe #practicesocialdistancing
— Fabiola Santiago (@fabiolasantiago) April 20, 2020
You did. You did wish harm on people. You actually wished death on people. https://t.co/xb13xgcrw4
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 20, 2020
This wasn't some muddled terminology. You couldn't have worded this sentiment any differently to make it anything other than you hoping that enough DeSantis/Trump voters die of coronavirus to get them out of office. https://t.co/34dHA1mgQ8
— neontaster (@neontaster) April 20, 2020
Of course it accurately conveyed your sentiment.
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 20, 2020
We all saw it.
It was dripping with smug self-righteousness and giddy vindictiveness.
It was honest.
This is standard PR BS. https://t.co/sih9ku2ZJj
You wished death on those people.
— Andrew Follett (@AndrewCFollett) April 20, 2020
We all read it.
Stop trying to gaslight us.
The other tweets in the original thread are still up. Santiago posted a picture of a gathering of Mustang enthusiasts who were not wearing masks.
"The red-hatted listening to their masters," she said.
Here’s the #miamilakes version of stupid this morning, a gathering of Mustang enthusiasts, no masks, and viejos, young people and children as it grew. The red-hatted listening to their masters. pic.twitter.com/bVm4WVj5RJ
— Fabiola Santiago (@fabiolasantiago) April 19, 2020
More than 200 deaths and almost 10,000 confirmed cases in Miami-Dade alone, 764 deaths in the state and 26,000 confirmed cases in state as of today and they still don’t get the seriousness of an easily transmissible virus.
— Fabiola Santiago (@fabiolasantiago) April 19, 2020
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