The Gainesville Iguana

by Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons

I write as a retired University of Florida Professor and a long time civil rights and peace and justice activist in support of the courageous UF students who joined with thousands of students across the U.S. (Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and non-religious) to protest Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and the ethnic cleansing and occupation of Palestinians in all of Palestine. 

In a country which claims to uphold the right to free speech, free expression of views, the right to peacefully assemble and to protest wrongs, what has happened to the UF Students (known as the UF 9) and many across the U.S. shows that this is not the case. 

Oct. 7, 14, and Nov. 4

You are invited to attend a performance of “It Can’t Happen Here,” a radio play based on the 1935 book by Sinclair Lewis. The production is produced by Actors’ Warehouse and sponsored by the Social Justice Council of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville.

Performances on Oct. 7 and 14 and Nov. 4, starting at 7:30, will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville at 4225 NW 34^th Street.

by Bill Gilbert

Our Republic does not have a people’s representative democracy!

If we did, we would not have the following protracted economic, environmental, and social problems. 

Among the industrialized nations we are: number one in prison population with 2.3 million people incarcerated, first in teen birth rates, and some of the highest rates of STD’s, first in illiteracy, poverty, racism, homelessness, income disparity, child hunger, child poverty, drug use and drug related deaths, use of antidepressants, violence, firearms deaths, not providing access to health care for all of our citizens, not providing child care for working parents, the most military spending, hazardous waste production, recorded rapes, and the poor quality of its public schools, and lowest in life expectancy. This is warp-speed decline.  

by Tim Martin

With so much at stake in this upcoming election, it’s understandable if Amendment 2 hasn’t caught your attention. This proposal seeks to enshrine the right to hunt and fish in Florida’s state constitution. While it might appear to be a harmless endorsement of outdoor traditions, a closer examination reveals significant concerns that should prompt you to vote against it.

Potential Opening of Conservation Lands

One of the most concerning aspects of Amendment 2 is the potential pressure to open public conservation lands to hunting. Currently, many state parks, preserves, gopher tortoise mitigation areas, some state forest lands, and water management district (WMD) lands are off-limits to hunters. This amendment could create legal and public pressure to allow hunting in these areas, jeopardizing the safety and tranquility of spaces crucial for wildlife preservation. Non-hunting outdoor enthusiasts such as hikers, bird watchers, and families seeking recreational activities would likely face increased risks and reduced enjoyment if these areas are opened to hunting.

by Jay Whitehead, President, Florida Free Speech Forum

We hope everyone made it through the storm safely. We hope you will join members of the Florida Free Speech Forum for our Oct. 14 meeting, full of important information just in time for the upcoming election. We will again be meeting at the Institute of Culinary Arts at Eastside High School at our usual time, 11:30am. 

Our speaker this month will be Candy Birch with The League of Women Voters of Alachua County. She will discuss the six Amendment proposals to the Florida Constitution that will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.

by Pamela Koons, Candidate for Alachua County Sheriff

“Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.” Psalm 119:165. This verse is the first line in the book I wrote, “The Art of Forgiveness – An Expression of Peace.” Little did I know it would become my mantra during this campaign for Alachua County Sheriff. It reminds me to stay grounded, focused on serving the public, and to seek peace even in the midst of challenging moments. 

With over 30 years of public policy experience – working on transportation, healthcare, housing, and economic development initiatives and serving as Chief of Staff for the Mayor in one of the nation’s largest counties – I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to run an efficient, safe, and fiscally responsible operation. I helped to manage a $1.2 billion budget, but my key takeaway has always been about people. We must put people over politics. Which is why I chose to run as an independent candidate. Safety isn’t about politics, it’s about protecting people. It’s a fundamental issue that affects us all. This campaign has only reinforced that belief. 

by Susan Bottcher, One Alachua County

Update: On 10/8, Circuit Judge Olin Shinholser ruled in a case brought by Keith Perry against the At-Large District referendum that the ballot language was unlawful, but dismissed all other claims made by Perry (i.e., he ruled the County can return to At-Large Districts if specific ballot language is used). The County Commission decided the very same day to appeal the decision, which the County Attorney feels confident about winning. What’s more, Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton has confirmed she will count and certify the results of the referendum. The campaign is going full steam ahead and urges you to vote YES!

In last month’s issue of the Iguana, we laid out the reasons why restoring At-Large Districts (ALD) voting for county commissioners is better for democracy in Alachua County. 

In short, it increases your chances of having a majority voice and broader representation on county issues. The newly implemented Single Member Districts (SMD) model is now in place which is why you can vote for only one county commission seat this year. If you live in Districts 2 or 4 you don’t get to vote for any county commissioner this election cycle. 

As you’ll recall, in 2022 local Republican operatives used a dark money funded campaign to spew lies and disinformation about what SMD is and what it means to you, as a voter. They claimed it would provide “equal representation, equity, and end racism”. Their ruse worked on just enough people to pass.

We responded with two years of citizen outcry to the county commission asking they place a referendum on the 2024 ballot to return to ALD voting. They heard us and agreed: People need to hear the truth about ALD so they can be fully informed and vote accordingly. 

Now that ALD is on the ballot and voters are being educated with actual facts, Sen. Keith Perry has filed a lawsuit to prevent your vote on ALD from being counted. That’s right. You can vote, but he wants the courts to prevent your vote from being counted. And when the Supervisor of Elections does count your votes, Perry is asking the courts to prevent ALD from being implemented. 

Perry knows people will vote to restore ALD so is using his power to interfere in a free and fair election. This desperate act to silence you is an abuse of power and a betrayal of the public trust. 

In the meantime, they are launching their disinformation campaign, so be prepared. 

They claim that under ALD we won’t be able to elect minority candidates to public office. They’ll say there is a better chance of Black representation on the county commission under SMD. The bitter irony and ugly hypocrisy is this comes from the same people who voted to ban books about Black history and critical race theory in Florida.

Its stunning and disrespectful that they turn a blind eye to all the people of color already in office who have been elected throughout Alachua County. Our school board is elected by ALD and is majority-minority. 

Our Supervisor of Elections and Property Appraiser are Black women overwhelmingly elected countywide. We elected a Black judge to the 8^th Judicial Circuit. The citizens of Hawthorne and Micanopy elected Black women to serve as their mayors. The towns of Archer, High Springs, Alachua, Waldo, and Gainesville have elected Black commissioners. 

The system of ALD we have had in place for decades, prior to this new SMD, worked well. 

It proved that voters throughout Alachua County will elect people they believe reflect their values and will represent their voices best in all areas of government, especially elevating those from the Black community. Perry and his group want to tell you not believe what you see with your own eyes. 

Furthermore, they’re not just trying to interfere with your voting on ALD. 

Perry and the wider Republican forces, including Gov. DeSantis, have been working to use the courts to block your right to vote on other citizen-led initiatives. 

This specifically includes the referendums that will be on your November ballot to amend our city and county charters and our state constitution: They’re suing to block the Local Public Utilities (LPU) referendum for Gainesville voters and are sending cops to intimidate voters from supporting Amendment 4 that will protect women’s reproductive rights. 

Instead of allowing these issues to be settled fairly at the ballot box, they are seeking to use intimidation and the courts to interfere with the democratic process by delaying and blocking the counting of your votes. 

Just like your YES votes on Local Public Utilities, your YES vote on ALD must be heard. An overwhelming turnout in favor of these issues will send a strong message. 

If we pass ALD this year, in 2026 when two county commission seats are up for consideration, you get to vote for both. Then, in 2028 when three seats are up, you get to vote in all three for a total of five over those two election cycles. More representation is better than less representation.

The campaign for YES on At Large Districts is proud of the endorsements we’ve earned. More are coming in every week and so far include: Alachua County Chapter of the NAACP; Alachua County League of Women Voters; Rep. Yvonne Hinson; Alachua County Central Labor Coalition; Alachua County Democratic Party; North Central Florida AFL-CIO; Tax Collector John Power; School  Board members Leanetta McNealy, Tina Certain, and Sarah Rockwell; County Commissioners Anna Prizzia, Mary Alford and Ken Cornell; and former Newberry City Commissioner Alena Lawson Bennett.

You can help increase awareness and build support by putting a YES on At Large Districts sign in your yard. And as with any campaign we need funding to get the truth out. The Perry GOP machine has deep resources, so every dollar you can donate to ALD is meaningful and will be put to good use. 

You can request a yard sign and make a donation by visiting OneAlachuaCounty.com or send a check to One Alachua County P.O. Box 358986, Gainesville 32635. Yard signs for ALD and LPU are now available for free at the Democratic Party office 901 NW 8^th Ave.

Kick DeSantis out of town and put the ratepayers back in charge

by Dr. David Hastings, Suwannee St. Johns Sierra Club and Jyoti Parmar, Sierra Club of Florida 

It’s impossible to ignore the upcoming election, which may be the most important vote we will ever cast. At the top of our ballots, we are choosing between a Black and South Asian woman who worked for McDonalds as a teen, and a chaotic candidate who has called climate change a “hoax.” 

At the bottom of your ballot, the last item on the back page is an important reminder to Think Globally and Act Locally. It is a referendum to remove the DeSantis appointed “GRU Authority” and return decision making to ratepayers in Gainesville. 

by Joe Courter

November 5th is fast approaching and the outcome of it will be important to all of our futures. When I think ahead to Election Day, what worries me is not the voters who will choose to vote for Trump, but the non-voters  who, for whatever reason, choose to stay home. It is those citizens who truly have the impact to decide elections, and even as access to voting is expanded in time and method, still they choose to stay home. Who recognizes their significance? Republicans, whose efforts to make voting harder through harassment, misinformation, and registration hurdles strive to keep likely Democratic voters home. 

by Joe Courter

Back in 2020, during Covid, the city of Gainesville created a walkable area downtown on SW 1st Ave from Main Street to where it ends at the base of the parking garage at SW 2nd Street. This allowed for outdoor seating and strolling, and by lifting the open container laws, allowed downtown bars and restaurants to stay open instead of shutting down. It became known as The Streatery.

The initial hope was to have landscaping and planters put in, but that never happened. To this day there are activities going on that would not be happening otherwise. One or two nights a week there a hundred or more people doing Latin and salsa dancing, the Bull has an outdoor stage which gets regular use, and also provides seating. Further west by the garage, Loosey’s has outdoor seating and tables, and every Monday those tables are packed for the weekly trivia night, and it is otherwise an outdoor dining or socializing area.

by The Gainesville Radical Reproductive Rights Network

In 2022, the story of the Jane Collective experienced a resurgence in popularity. Read about them and ask yourself whether they did anything wrong, or if the state did. Abortion has long been under attack. Anti-choice actors worked for 50 years to overturn Roe v. Wade, which overturned abortion bans in several states. That includes Texas, where Roe was filed, and partly from where a 2023 Supreme Court case targeting access to Mifepristone originated. Dobbs led to Florida’s bans and our ability to vote Yes on Amendment 4 in November.

Defending abortion access in the face of the 6-week ban, we’re forced to weigh the options we have left. Naturally, we might ask whether abortion is better via pill or surgery, or perhaps, does medication abortion replace surgical abortion? As reproductive rights advocates who support the Amendment to Limit  Government Interference, we also ask ourselves: how does Yes on 4 comport with further organizing?

Cornell Graduate Students United demands university bargain with union over pro-Palestine international student’s suspension
by Gabriel Muñoz ~ The Cornell Daily Sun ~ Oct. 3 ~ tinyurl.com/Iguana2094
Approximately 180 Cornell Graduate Students United members and supporters gathered to protest for the University to bargain with CGSU over international graduate student Momodou Taal’s suspension. The graduate student union is demanding the University rescind Taal’s suspension under a Memorandum of Agreement reached in July 2024. The agreement gives CGSU the right to bargain over the effects of academic discipline of graduate students as long as it affects their working conditions. The union suspended Taal for his involvement in a Sept. 18 disruption of a career fair attended by defense contractors L3Harris and Boeing. If Taal is withdrawn from the University, he will be in violation of his  F-1 visa status, likely leading to his deportation. 

Seeking Justice: The Repercussions of Our Peaceful Protest Against Genocide

By Parker Hovis and Keely Gliwa

One would think in our modern age, with knowledge of past horrors and the everyday people that enabled them, that protesting against genocide would be encouraged. Yet, the reality across the United States is the direct opposite. First Amendment rights are being trampled to conceal growing criticism of Israel’s blatant violations of international law. Such repression occurred at the University of Florida in late April of 2024, as part of a concerted national effort to silence anti-genocide, anti-apartheid, and anti-colonial speech on college campuses. For nine individuals arrested in the Plaza of the Americas, now known as the UF 9, the supposed misconduct which triggered their arrests was sitting peacefully in folding chairs while playing cards. A campaign has begun to demand the frivolous charges, criminal and academic, be dropped immediately. Sign the petition, connect us with legal support, donate to the legal fund, and learn more at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/drop-the-charges-against-the-uf-9/ – or by following @UF9ForPalestine on Instagram. We are a subset of the UF 9, and this is our story of how our lives were uprooted for engaging in peaceful protest against the US funded genocide in Gaza.