Category: Calls

This is meant to serve as a little introduction to someone who hopes to become a meaningful contributor to the goals of Indivisible.

I was asked why I want to be involved with Indivisible Jax Riverside? The answers are both simple and complex.

• I listened to an interview of Leah & Ezra and liked what I heard.
• I attended the “No Kings” day rally in Jacksonville and found that my attendance there reignited a dream that was born with the series “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

I have occasionally attended City Council meetings and sometimes delivered questions or opinions about policies, also attended a few local Democratic Party meetings, voted, etc..

My dream started with the concept from Star Trek of the “Federation of Planets.” Ever since that thought was presented to me I have hoped humanity would someday occupy planet Earth as a common group of humanity with shared values of tolerance, understanding, peace, peaceful dialogue, mutual benefit and respect. I have never liked conflict and find our current divisive political environment disturbing, sad, and far more nightmare than dream. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution represent, for me, two founding documents of our Country, Democracy, and a shared dream. Our Democracy is often described as an “experiment.” I am not ready to give up on that experiment or the dreams upon which that experiment was founded.

Background: I am a Mechanical Engineer and a recent review of the math told me that I took 18 years from when I first entered my university to finally obtaining my degree from that same university. My engineering interests were thermodynamics, heat transfer, numerical simulations, etc.. I later received an MBA from a second university. The MBA was great for organizational behavior. I have decided that management theories tend to go through fads or fazes of popularity. While attending school whenever I got tired of being poor I would go out and get a job. Those jobs seemed to have the primary impact of teaching me why I was going to school. The summer spent as a welder’s helper being one of the most effective in this regard. I also learned that galvanized steel can’t be welded without grinding off the galvanizing, and galvanizing gives off noxious fumes that make a person sick to the stomach, and worse. I eventually worked nights in industrial maintenance and attended my University classes during the day. My primary interests turned out to be software in support of manufacturing, and the integration of that software with business systems. My working career afforded me opportunities to work in many countries: the United States, Canada, China, France, Romania, and with people from even more countries including Mexico and Brazil.

Personal interests: Travel via motorcycle, motor home. Flying; owning and operating my own Cessna. Experiencing other cultures. Small Businesses; owning and operating. Reading: historical fiction, philosophy, nature, etc.. There is more, so maybe I am just the small child that never grew up.

Life Mottos: Don’t give up, work for your dreams, learn all you can from life and the people you meet, seek first to understand. You will know you have arrived when you are able to find joy in the joy of others.

My intent: To share ideas and news from current events, a bit of opinion, and hopefully get some feedback from readers.

We have work to do between now and May 27th when the entire Jacksonville City Council will vote on the nomination of Elizabeth Andersen to the Public Library Board of Trustees.  This is a non-paid position, and the Mayor has nominated a highly qualified, highly capable person to sit on this board. Elizabeth Andersen is a former School Board Member, a former high school English teacher, a Mental health Counselor, and currently serves as the CEO of OneJax.  She is a true servant leader, concerned with the betterment of our city.  Now the Grand Old Party has turned its attention to ousting this nominee.

When The Party comes before The People we know we are in deep trouble.  A highly qualified woman is willing to volunteer her time and energy in service to our community and the State GOP is forcing our local elected officials to ignore their constituents and community needs, all to further the GOP.  The GOP is fearful of Andersen because she has integrity and will stand up to the governmental control and overreach as The Party continues to ban books and censor information.

The Rules Committee voted 5 – 3 to reject the nomination.  Next, the full City Council  will vote.  I am profoundly sad.  And I am scared, really scared for our county. The State GOP leaders put pressure on Duval Republican who then pressure council members,  and  many GOP members tow The Party line.  The Party uses Mom’s For Liberty, an extremist group knows for its book bans, and extremists tactics to negatively attack Andersen on any front they can.  They make ungrounded accusations of racism and pedophilia.  They accuse her of usurping parental rights.  Parental rights is the Trojan Horse they hide in to mandate book bans and censorship.  Ironically, these actions actually put the government in charge of what information is and isn’t available to families.

Close to a dozen citizens showed up on a Monday at 2 pm to voice support for Ms. Anderson, some of these members of Indivisible Jax Riverside.  Even former Florida State Senator Audrey Gibson spoke on behalf of Ms Andersen.  IJR’s own council member Jimmy Peluso, although not on the committee, spoke strongly in support of Andersen as did council members Matt Carlucci and Rahman Johnson. The Committee was presented with over 400 signatures on a petition to approve the nomination of Ms.  Anderson. 

Unfortunately, 5 of the 8 elected officials were not interested in representing their constituents, or serving their communities. Howland, Freeman, Gay, Miller and White voted against this highly qualified candidate. They serve only The Party.   And The Party is only concerned about its own power. As Project 2025 eliminates more of our freedoms and attempts to replace our democracy with an authoritarian theocracy we have to be concerned with why the GOP is wanting compliant Republicans on library boards.

Call your council member and  at all at large Council members encouraging them to vote YES on the nomination of Elizabeth Anderson as a COJ Public Library Board of Trustees.   Contact member information  here: https://www.jacksonville.gov/city-council/city-council-members

They’re dismantling our country. They’re looting our government. And they think we’ll just watch. On Saturday, April 5th, we rise up with one demand: Hands Off!  (Click on image for Mobilize information on Jacksonville location.)

This is a nationwide mobilization to stop the most brazen power grab in modern history. Trump, Musk, and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our basic rights—enabled by Congress every step of the way.

They want to strip America for parts—shuttering Social Security offices, firing essential workers, eliminating consumer protections, and gutting Medicaid—all to bankroll their billionaire tax scam. They’re handing over our tax dollars, our public services, and our democracy to the ultra-rich.

If we don’t fight now, there won’t be anything left to save. (https://handsoff2025.com/about)

This action is grounded in a commitment to non-violent action.  De-escalate any potential confrontations and act lawfully.  Now is the time to stand up for our country.  As Cory Booker said in his 25 hour filibuster on the senate floor this week, “The power of the people is stronger than the people in power.”  See you on Saturday, either in Jacksonville, or one of the nearly dozen events happening in Florida. (~n.muse)