Sunday, October 23, 2016

LORING PARK's PREPOSTEROUS "NO TRESPASSING" SIGNS: BLAKE ROMEYN SOUDER

Blake Romeyn Souder and his dog, Dixie, visited our infamous "No Trespassing" Loring Park:
park (noun). 1. An area of land set aside for public use.
Today, with my dog, I entered Loring Park and sat on a bench, which is pleasantly located across the street from my alma mater, Flagler College, in the core of Downtown St. Augustine. In doing so, I have apparently violated a rule. Yeah, maybe in Nazi Germany!
What's next for Loring Park, a fence that prevents public access?!
This is preposterous!!!
While acknowledging that the NO TRESPASSING signs surrounding Loring Park have been posted by the University of Florida, and unless persuaded otherwise, I believe this to be an embarrassment for the City of St. Augustine. 
What will the residents, students, and visitors make of this?!
When a park is surrounded by NO TRESPASSING signs, a very bad signal is sent.
I would like to see this matter placed on a near future City Commission agenda for the Commissioners to discuss, which must also include public comment.
Sometimes I can't believe I live in a city within the United States where artists can be arrested in public spaces for expressing themselves in such ways as painting or drawing, and I suppose now sitting in Loring Park is trespassing.
Maybe, just maybe, a Federal Judge will make this place a bit more au courant?

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