War has been declared and the battleground determined. Two of state's most powerful, influential and aggressive generals have mustered their huge volunteer armies of dollars and lies. They have come uninvited into our neighborhoods and homes to enslave us to their religion of greed and force us to plant our fields with the seeds of growth to feed their armies. The generals lead armies that rape our rivers and plunder our valuables, including that most precious right to government of, by and for the people. And they are ready to punish those who resist their warring occupation.
Read this morning's Times-Union article by Deirdre Conner about the proposed Florida Hometown Democracy amendment to the state constitution so you won't be shocked when this war comes knocking on your own front door.
It's going to be an all-out war, General Thrasher, the Alexander of the Save Our Constitution army forewarns us. The army's misleading name shouldn't surprise anyone who knows the general is one who believes truth is "just a choice of words." Backed by the large treasuries of Florida's Realtors and Transportation Builders political action committees, Thrasher sounds as if his lust to conquer has targeted everyone who wants to have a vote in how Florida will continue to grow.
His ally, General Caputo, is the Caesar who leads the Chamber of Commerce's Floridians for Smarter Growth Army, who tells us that we are not intelligent enough to be worthy of having a voice in how Florida is developed. His army is trained and primed to wage its battles neighborhood to neighborhood and door to door.
One by one, standing alone, we cannot fight those two massive armies, which turn our apathy into their biggest weapon against us. But together - together - we can rise up, defend our homes and neighbors, our schools and roads, and our right to proclaim that we do not want them to continue destroying Florida to satisfy their greed.
There are many, many Clay County citizens who are eligible yet, for one reason or another, do not participate in local elections. Now the war comes to their own doors. They may feel alone and overpowered by the invading armies. Those of us already in the fight must continue to let them know that there are many, many of us ready to fight by their sides when the battle for Hometown Democracy hits the ballot box. And we need to remind them and as many others as possible why this war is so important and encourage them to stand their post on the line. Our future - neighborhood to neighborhood and door to door - is being attacked by those willing to fight an all-out war.