Hello there. I'm orlando tampa bay buccaneer fan or orlbucfan. I'm writing this diary to show that not everyone who lives in east central Florida is a raving fruitcake tea bagger or Bible Belt fanatic.
I've lived in this area for over 45 years. If you consult a map, that would be Volusia (Daytona Beach), Brevard (the Space Coast), and Orange (Orlando) counties. I've been a life-long political junkie, and a proud futuristic progressive one at that. :-) I signed on to DailyKos back in 2008. I was already a member of the MoveOn, Union of Concerned Scientists, Apollo Alliance, and Campaign for America's Future blogs. These sites constantly referred to Markos and DailyKos. That stirred up my curiosity. I looked DailyKos up and registered on-line. I've been a faithful reader ever since.
Fast forward to March 8, 2011. Progress Florida sent out an email a few days before notifying me that a march and rally were planned for Orlando. It would be on March 8th as this was the first day of the Florida Legislative Session. Our new governor, Rick Scott, had already upset the whole state by throwing away the $2.5B Washington wanted to send Florida for High-Speed Rail. He was making disturbing noises about supposedly running the state like a CEO. CEO, my foot, he's been acting more like King Rick the first Tyrant! Wisconsin's fight to preserve the federal workers and their unions was being watched down here. Scott started sounding more and more like Wisconsin's governor. He was going after the teachers, nurses, firefighters, electricians and the police by targeting their unions for cuts, cuts, cuts. Of course, this convicted Medicare fraud crook was making sure he cut taxes on Big Oil and the Wealthy first. He could then sing that ole tired tune about the state being broke and we have to CUT SPENDING! Right on! We go after the working and middle class folks cos the poor don't even exist in Governor Rick's eyes!
Florida is an Open Shop State. Unions have always been very few and far between here. The federal and state workers have been the exceptions. I was never an union member during my working years. I wish I had been as I had no benefits, nor was I paid a fair wage. I worked for crooks and sociopaths. My employment story would make a good horror movie script. That's why I am such a fervent union backer.
The Progress Florida email called the rally "AWAKE the State." It would begin at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, March 8. We were instructed to meet at the local office of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. We would then march to Senator Beth Johnson Park. It's a pretty, downtown location right on Lake Ivanhoe, and faces the regional office building of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce. I would estimate (not good at estimates) the crowd to be around 400-plus. The local newspaper estimated 600 in attendance. The day was beautiful; the weather was postcard perfect. I saw signs and members of the nurses, teachers, electricians, firefighters unions, and an off-duty cop proudly waving a Benevolent Order of the Police flag. These were regular working/middle class people like me. We all live here. We do not like Rick Scott's antics. Needless to say, there were registered Republicans and conservative Democrats/Independents in the crowd.
We had several speakers at the park. One was former U.S. House Rep. and fellow Kossack Alan Grayson. He gave a fiery speech and cheered the union members for their fight against our tea bag governor. Alan is also keeping his nose in politics down here. My fingers and toes are crossed that he will run for office again.
The crowd was a true American melting pot. I saw whites, blacks, Latinos, and orientals. There were all ages there: mothers, fathers, kids, retirees like me, single men and women, and young people. Everyone was positive and very well-behaved. There had been earlier rumors and warnings that the Koch Brothers would be busing in tea baggers. I did not see any sign of them. I took my time and scanned the area to be certain...but no tea baggers. I guess they showed their true colors: chicken yellow.
I hope this is the beginning to a positive political era in Florida. We have really taken a beating nationally cos of all the corruption here. Something has to pop the boil and drain the infection/corruption. Better late than never. I hope I live long enough to see it.
P.S.: This is my first attempt at writing a Diary. I hope it makes the grade.
Photos of the crowd marching and gathering at Lake Ivanhoe for Orlando's AWAKE the State Rally. NOTE PHOTO OF ALAN GRAYSON.