Opinion: David Thundershield Queen stood against the mainstream
Stetson Kennedy
Fruit Cove
Publication Date: 06/16/09
David Thundershield Queen is no longer in this world. Hepassed away June 13, 2009, after a long brave bout with cancer, against which neither native American herbs nor modern medicine were of any avail.
Many of us knew David, in a variety of ways.
Some were personal friends and neighbors, who rallied around and tookcare during his long days and nights of need.
Others knew David for his healing hands.
A popular and skillful masseuse, he was often to be seen practicinghis profession at St. Augustine's Saturday farmers market.
Still others, in official circles, were on the receiving endof David's highly literary and incisive polemics, with which he bombarded public servants for things they did or did not do. A familiar figure at public hearings, he also fired away on the web,through the mails and in letters-the-editor.
That was the essence of David's life. He was a warrior who fought ceaselessly and unflinchingly for the rights ofpeople and against predatory privilege.
For example, he was there when Mavynne Betch, "the BeachLady" took her stand before a zoning commission, trying to save herbeloved American Beach (up on Amelia Island -- the only oceanfront stretch owned by African-Americans on the continent) from being gobbled up byposh Plantation developers, David stood by her side.
The zoning commissioners ordered him to sit down and shut up, butDavid kept standing and talking, so they dragged him off to jail -- still talking.
David was not just a warrior for justice -- he was also a manof peace. Many of you may have seen him at one of those monthly peace rallies in St. Augustine Square. Along with another of his comrades-in-arms,the late Peg McIntire, who at age 95, was still sporting her"Grandmothers for Peace" sign.
Even after he lost his voice, he kept on, writing strongwords with strong hand, mind and heart.
The legacy left to the living and yet unborn by David is not only that of an indefatigable champion of the people, but as a kind of person, selfless and caring.
The future, if any, is going to be needing a lot more people like David Thundershield Queen. I want to pass on to him a tribute which someone once paid to me: "Didn't make much money, but he made a difference."
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Stetson Kennedy is an author, human rights activist and environmentalist. He has been honored on many occasions for his writings, his contributions to arts and popular culture,and his work in human rights.
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