News
By George Miller, 11-3-23, updated 11-5 with Mayor’s response and again 11-7
Editor’s note: We received several unsolicited emails, all but one either anonymous or requesting anonymity, opposing this proclamation, on the grounds that it was based upon lies, that local city government was implicitly condoning it, highlighting it and shouldn’t be.
For November 7 FB Commission meeting:
The full proclamation:
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According to former city Mayor Mike Lednovich, who is now a columnist, Bean initially opposed accepting the proclamation but then abruptly reversed himself:
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We heard from local activist Jack Knocke, Executive Director of Nassau County Citizens Defending Freedom, as follows:
“It is unfortunate that the Pride group is pressuring the Mayor to make a proclamation that he does not want to make, causing the community at large to be caught up in a totally unnecessary controversy. This proclamation has no benefit to and no recognition of anyone in our Fernandina Beach community.“
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Out of Towner Opines
<= 1st Whereas clause. The family of Mr. Hester refers to him as He, Him, William. The proclamation fails to respect the family’s memory of their son. The Mayor is being played.
<=2. The motive behind William’s murder has not been ruled a hate crime by the Boston police. Nor have any facts surfaced to support such conclusion. His sister said the tragedy could have been result of prostitution.
<=3 (second whereas clause). “Each has been subjected to violence”…? This is an impossible statement and a highly inflammatory rhetoric.
<=4. Death due to transgenderism hate are, per the reporters, unreliable. Shame on the Mayor for perpetuating these outrageous falsehoods.
<=5.(third whereas clause)” Allies..”? Mayor Bean is an ally of this type of deviancy?
<=6. “died for being who they are” This has not been ruled a hate crime by the authorities.
<=7. (fourth whereas) A day for “ Advocacy..”? No this is a day to reclaim sanity. Perpetuating the lies and normalizing sexual deviancy calls for deep repentance, Mr. Mayor. Please rescind or alter your course.
< =8 ( the Therefore clause). True as this pertains to life. God rest William Hester’s soul. However, to include transsexualism in a liberty or happiness right is a perversion of your oath, Mr. Mayor. Conceding to Pride’s and the teacher’s unions mission-creep to bestow rights for transexualism is a perversion of our constitution . Granting of rights to one group necessarily restricts freedoms of the rest. Stop with the identity politics. It rips us apart.
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Local and out of town “Pride” advocates have strongly supported such past proclamations and have applied pressure to get this one, as well.
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We queried Mayor Bean on his decision to do this and had not received a response at publication time.
11-4-23 Mayor’s response:
Thank you for your email George.
First, everything Mike writes is full of lies. He’s a biased blogger not a journalist and that is why I refuse to engage with him.
Second, a group in our community asked for this proclamation and I felt that because the city had done this proclamation in the past and because it is specifically for a day of remembrance, City Staff and I had no standing to deny their request. It has been a tough decision and I have given it a lot of thought but that is where I landed. I know many disagree with me and that is okay. Some days this job is not easy but that is the role the people elected me to do.
Thanks again for your email.
Bradley
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Multiple sources indicate that Mayor Bean has changed his stand yet again. As of 11-6 PM, we heard that he is not going to read the proclamation, but that Chip Ross, in a rogue move, may attempt to do it unofficially. What a spectacle, seeing a small town mayor and commission buffeted by counterforces and distracted from their mission.
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Analysis
In recent decades, non-traditional activists have applied tremendous pressure to not only promote tolerance for transgenderism (and other alternative sexual lifestyles), but even to actively promote it, government fund it and conceal from parents the “transitioning” of impressionable minors. This has resulted in a large increase of support for it by large segments of the public, industry, government and NGO’s. However, in recent years, a strong backlash has started to form as a complacent public begins to realize what is happening. This Proclamation is only a tiny piece of a much larger, multi-decade campaign to continue and increase this.
The proclamation states as its justification that its poster “girl” was killed as a result of an anti-transgender hate crime, which is strongly disputed. It also claims a high rate of hate crime deaths and that all who identify at all with transgenderism have also suffered violence as result, which is so unlikely as to be absurd.
We have yet to encounter anyone locally who advocated any violence to those who would pursue the transgender transitioning, but quite a few who object to bullying to get people to embrace, support, or allow public funding or power to promote, legitimize or normalize it. Some would also withdraw their support from agencies, companies or NGO’s doing this. Most believe that minors can’t make an informed decision to do so. They believe that this is a decision for parents. Others believe that no “transitioning” or even propaganda/conditioning should be applied to minors. Others feel that schools and government have the right to do this. So, there is a very wide gulf of opinions on the matter.
A reading of the proclamation indicates to some that this is more than just a simple request for tolerance and safety.
George Miller is Publisher and Co-Founder of Citizens Journal Florida, based in Fernandina Beach. He is a “retired” operations management consultant, software and publishing executive (10 years) and manufacturing management professional.
