#buytheland
#sendcleanwatersouth
#saveflwater
#stopsaltwaterintrusion
#acoe
This is my friend Ezra.
I met him at our first rally. He was “Mista Big Sugar” You can see him here in this video and you can also see that the locks were closed that day and they have been closed every single time we go out there.
Except for when Rick Scott was there ( we were not allowed in but he was) and when we did the “Keep them closed “protest.
The issue of “civil disobedience” comes up every one in a while. It usually results in all of getting upset. I personally think if people want to do this then its a issue of free choice. If you want to do this then you tell people about it and you give them a choice of what they want to do. I can’t. I won’t. Because I think if you want to do this, really want to do this ,then you have to be prepared to go to jail. I’m not. I cherish my nursing license too much and I couldn’t do what I do every day with out without it. All of us that are credentialed have worked to hard to be able to stay credentialed. For those of those don’t believe me you can go read the nurse practice act.
I also wonder about why anyone would want to do it. I just get never got it as a viable way to do things. I think its born out of frustration and we have so many incredibly smart creative people that are so supportive of each other that we can think better smarter ways to do things as we have in the past. JMHO You have yours. i have mine. RESPECT.
Except this time.
The best things that happen to us happen organically.
Ezra keeps chalk in his car.
So on Sunday, May 3 ,he went to the locks and he wrote
“Buy the land along with his fish symbol that he created.”
Boy did he get in trouble. This upset the policeman so much (our babysitter which is so funny because we have never ever ever ever done anything close to civil disobedience and really insist on being well behaved.
Here he is on government land drawing away with chalk.
photo by Darrel Brand
Photo by Darell Brand
Photo by Darrel Brand
photo by Darrel Brand
A Discussion ensued. It’s Government land. It’s Graffiti.
It’s hysterical. and its ironic if its anything.
The chalk will wash away when we get huge amounts of rain tomorrow. (It would wash away with a little sprinkle)
The green toxic the ACOE is going to send us. Well that’s another story.
This is what Ezra said.
“ I was told to stop what I was doing or face being arrested, as it was considered graffiti on Federal Property. Using sidewalk chalk to draw an image of a fish and the words #SENDTHEWATERSOUTH is apparently a no no. Meanwhile toxic algae was deliberately released into our rivers today. Yet for over 60 plus years, no arrests or fines have ever been made: 1972 Clean Water Act, 1996 Fl Polluters Pay Amendment, Our “Lost Summer” of 2012, dying marine life and sea grass beds, real estate values plummeting and economic losses in the millions. Okay I get it. Next time I’ll just draw images of $ and sugar cane fields!”
So today we went out there because the discharges were starting and someone at ACOE actually had to gall to say that the gate was locked due to yesterdays “Eco terrorist” activities. Seriously. Are you kidding me?
apparently there is an issue with sidewalk chalk. Who knew?
http://www.care2.com/causes/the-american-war-on-sidewalk-chalk.html
While these charges are clearly political (chalk, after all, washes off sidewalks harmlessly) – a scary article from Mother Jones reported recently that at least 50 people have been arrested across the US in the last five years for drawing on sidewalks.
Many of these aren’t political protestors. They’re the parents of four and six-year-old children engaging in fun and harmless summer activity. One mom in Richmond, Virginia was arrested and sentenced to 50 hours of community service for letting her child draw on rocks in a local park – and reports that her daughter is now “very nervous around cops” and “very scared of chalk.”
Apparently writing with Chalk is a gateway crime. Please people keep the chalk away from your children.
Thousands of us have been at these locks. We have had numerous events,
renting out the campgrounds, leaving it cleaner than what we found it, and like I said before the locks have been closed to us every time but once. Which really sucks because the best shot it from the other side. Camera shots people. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.
cyndi lenz 
Thank you Cyndi for starting this important discussion. I’m proud to be your friend as well. I understand your position on Civil Disobedience; there are many who feel the same way. It is a personal choice as to what degree we raise our voices and we contribute what we can.
I was raised in a very progressive home. My parents fought for labor rights in the 1920’s. They lived through the McCarthy era witch hunts. My Mother (an assistant Teacher) held classes in our basement home for a period of time when school buses in NJ were segregated. We went on peace demonstrations together in opposition to the Vietnam War. They were quite vocal and engaged in the struggle of Civil and Woman’s Right’s Movements of the 60-80’s. My friends used to say my Parents were SO COOL but for me this was just they way we were. One thing I remember my Mother saying to me was that: no great social/economic or political change has ever occurred.in this country without civil disobedience of one sort or another.
I like to think that the Appel doesn’t fall far from the tree.
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I loved your reply and I’m so happy to start this discussion because I think its important to have.
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Well said Ezra! And your family stands for what this country is suppose to stand for FREEDOM and rights to all living things! Your Mom, priceless 🙂
Cyndi very nice article. I know deep down if you could have been next to Ezra drawing out your frustrations…you would! It is a shame the government has put people into situations where they have to be obedient slaves! Very sad indeed!
The energy of our 2013 rally, moving … and needed again!
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Hey we agree on something! The power the government has over our livelihoods via the various license regimes takes away from our political freedom. But you have to understand, the guy who works those locks and those gates is scheduled to lose his job if you get what you want, you have made him a pariah. You should expect him to deal with you at the end of a 10 foot pole. Such is the life of an activist. Now quit drawing on the sidewalk! I see kids doing it too now and it may turn into an epidemic of terrorism and hopscotch.
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you wrote “The power the government has over our livelihoods via the various license regimes takes away from our political freedom.” This is so true and then they raised the price. In the past few years I know the rules at the board of nursing have changed and also with our level twos.
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lol john mayo.
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Hey let me put you on the spot, do you think you could ask one of your groups to organize, a collection via crowd funding to get him back up and running? I will make a donation as soon as possible. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/local-news/indian-river-county/critter-haven-owner-moving-forward-after-losing-indian-river-county-home-to-fire_74657534
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I’ll go take a look john
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he has a fundraiser going its on the page you sent me.
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I would love to hear from other people about what their feelings are about civil disobedience.
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Reblogged this on Treasure Coast Free Press.
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I still stand behind my actions that day. I remember it well, and proud of it.
My only regret is that at the time, I didn’t think to sit down on the street in front of the gate of the Visitors Center building when Governor Scott talked to the press inside, while we (his Host’s) waited outside. We had invited him to Locks that day and he didn’t even have the decency to come outside and speak to us directly.
In retrospect, I think we missed opportunity for some really good PR. Who knows what would have happened after that?
Thanks Cindi for sending me this article.
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