Editorial: Mockery can’t dim the shine of Orlando’s poet laureate program

This week, Orlando will introduce residents to the city’s third Poet Laureate: Camara Gaither, a mental health therapist who has been writing poetry since she was a child and now uses it — to great effect — in her work with victims of sex trafficking, young people fighting to stay away from crime and drugs, LGBTQ adults, and veterans haunted by post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some of you are probably wondering why Orlando needs a poet laureate — particularly after the ugly mockery spouted by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia during his press conference Tuesday in Jacksonville.

Part of the answer is this: Because of people like Blaise Ingoglia, who think cheap shots laced with deception are a fitting substitute for public discourse. People who are ready to label anything