On Wednesday night, the eve of the one-year-anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 people were murdered, a senior aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo mocked Sen. Rick Scott’s tweet comparing Florida to New York by tweeting, “Nice schools you got there.”
The nasty remark, which was later deleted, came after Cuomo had reportedly bemoaned New York losing its population to Florida, claiming New Yorkers were moving to Florida to avoid paying higher taxes.
Scott responded on Twitter, “.@NYGovCuomo is blaming FL for NY’s population loss and budget shortfall. I say: guilty as charged.” He followed by putting check marks after “Lower taxes, Balanced budget, Job openings, and Better weather & beaches,” then wrote “FL population” with an arrow pointing up and “NY population” with an arrow pointing down. Scott concluded, “Keep doing what you’re doing, Governor.”
According to U.S. News & World Report, Florida’s schools rank seventh in the nation; New York’s rank 23rd.
Scott had his own way to mark the one-year anniversary: he issued a series of tweets commemorating the victims of the massacre. He wrote: “On the 1-year anniversary of the tragedy in Parkland, we remember the 17 souls that were taken from us in a brutal act of violence. They were bright lights with bright futures – the kind of young men and women that made me proud to represent the state of Florida. #MSDStrong.”
“Today we remember Alyssa Alhadeff, 14. A beloved daughter and dedicated soccer player at her school. Her mother Lori Alhadeff, now a Broward County School Board member, continues the fight to ensure our schools are safe.”
“Today we remember Scott Beigel, 35. Scott, a geography teacher at MSD, risked his life to help students hide from the shooting. He is forever remembered as a hero.”
“Today we remember Martin Duque, 14. Martin was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. with his family to live the American dream. He was a cadet in JROTC where he received many awards including the Medal of Heroism.”
“Today we remember Nicholas Dworet, 17. Nicholas was a senior and the captain of the school’s swim team. He enjoyed swimming competitively, and was planning to attend the University of Indianapolis. Eventually he wanted to swim in the 2020 Olympics in Sweden.”
“Today we remember Coach Aaron Feis, 37, the assistant coach for the MSD Varsity football team. He died a hero, shielding a student from a bullet. We created the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program in his honor.”
“Today we remember Jaime Guttenberg, 14. A bright young girl and dancer. Jaime had a heart for those with disabilities. She was involved in many organizations such as Best Buddies and the Friendship initiative.”
“Today we remember Chris Hixon, 49. A loving father, veteran, athletic director and wrestling coach who had a huge impact on the lives of his students. His legacy lives on with the Chris Hixon Athletic Scholarship, which helps further the education of student-athletes.”
“Today we remember Luke Hoyer, 15. Luke loved basketball and chicken nuggets. His mom Gena was by my side when I signed the MSD High School Public Safety Act. Gena and her husband Tom are fighting for safe schools across the nation.”
“Today we remember Cara Loughran, 14. Cara was an incredible young lady who loved Irish dancing and was a part of the Drake School of Irish Dance in Coral Springs.”
“Today we remember Gina Montalto, 14. Gina was a freshman and member of the winter guard team. Gina’s father Tony Montalto is the president of Stand with Parkland, an organization founded by all 17 victims’ parents.”
“Today we remember Joaquin Oliver, 17. Known as “Guac” to friends and family, he loved sports and graffiti and was a beloved son to his parents.”
“Today we remember Alaina Petty, 14. Alaina had a servant’s heart. After Hurricane Irma, I met her family when they volunteered to help storm victims. Her father, @rpetty has been very involved in passing legislation for school safety and joined me in TLH to ensure it got done.”
“Today we remember Meadow Pollack, 18. Meadow was an extremely smart young lady. Her father, @AndrewPollackFL and brother @PollackHunter have been partners in fighting to keep our schools safe. But more importantly, they both have become a great friend to me.”
“Today we remember Helena Ramsay, 17. Helena was an incredibly smart young girl who participated in many school activities. She cared deeply about her community and other communities in FL. She went to Orl for a concert after the Pulse night club shooting to support the community.”
“Today we remember Alex Schachter, 14. Alex was a great young man and a talented trombone player in the MSD marching band. His father Max has been part of the MSD School Safety Commission and has been a powerful voice to prevent future tragedies.”
“Today we remember Carmen Schentrup, 16. Carmen was a dedicated student who was driven to become a medical researcher and find a cure for ALS. Both her parents Philip & April and her siblings Robert & Evelyn are all focused on activism nationwide.”
“Today we remember Peter Wang, 15. Peter dreamed of being a soldier and was posthumously accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Peter risked his life to save his classmates and was awarded with the Medal of Heroism award.”
Scott concluded, “Nothing we say can bring back the lives that were lost. Nothing we do can replace the angels of MSD High School that were taken from us too soon. But we must honor their memory every day. #MSDStrong.”