From December 23, 2011 St. Augustine Record:
Friday, December 23, 2011
St. Augustine Record Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice Essay
Letter: There's much to be thankful for this holiday
There’s much to be thankful for this holiday
Editor: As we celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah, I am proud American soldiers have left Iraq. I am proud President Barack Obama speaks out eloquently against inequality, which threatens to tear our nation apart. We must end cynical government policies that waste our money, kill our citizens and perpetuate inequality, making the rich richer and the poor poorer. We shall overcome!
I’m proud our County Commission and School Board finally passed a nondiscriminatory redistricting plan, rejecting Republican and Tea Party proposals that violated the Fifteenth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act.
I’m proud our St. Augustine Mayor and City Commissioners treated Occupy St. Augustine with graciousness on Dec. 14. Thank you for listening. Democracy works!
Our City Commission will soon hold a workshop on protecting artists and entertainers’ rights. Arresting artists and entertainers was illegal, sinful and wrong, blemishing our reputation, driving away tourists who love the buskers. Enough. Let our First Amendment live.
Let’s work for a St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore, providing good “green jobs” and properly commemorating our 450th, preserving our historic and environmental heritage. Yes, we can!
As President John F. Kennedy planned to say to Dallas’ Citizens Council on Nov. 22, 1963: “We in this country, in this generation, are — by destiny rather than choice — the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of ‘peace on earth, good will toward men.’ That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: “except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.’”
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