by Joe Courter
Dwelling on the dark side is not healthy, but so easy to slip into. Voting Rights Act negated, attacks on immigrants and LGBTQ+ rights, war on Iran, White Christian Nationalism on the rise, all the way to the absurdity of James Comey indicted for sea shells reading 86 47. It seems overwhelming and hopeless.
I will break the pattern here this time and celebrate the good that we need to sustain ourselves. It will take a lot to overcome the damages done by the folks in charge now, but we will need be resilient, join with existing movements and address new needs that may arise. It will take work organizing our resistance and responses, but it is what we have to do.
First off, kudos to the people of Hungary who show that you can still make democracy work with their overwhelming rejection of their version of Trump, Victor Orbán, at the polls in early April. Orbán tried to cling to power with various tactics right out of the authoritarian playbook that Trump and others are following and have followed, but the people said NO resoundingly, and their celebrations were magnificent.
Second, in these times of increasing repression against the rights of LGBTQ+ citizens, the Gainesville community has stepped up in a bold move to help the Pride Center secure their own building in which to house all the supportive organizations that have grown over the years. I went to the kickoff fundraiser at The Lynx on April 14, and two of the folks who spoke to the crowd really impacted me. They grew up here in Alachua County, one from Archer, the other from Hawthorne, and both benefitted greatly in their own coming out and personal development from the accepting climate and resources here. It made me proud to reflect on the long run of this paper, and the support we have consistently showed the LGBTQ+ community. See the article on page 1.
Three, around the country there seems to be an electoral Blue Wave building. The group think of MAGA seems to be fracturing, and don’t you know it can’t happen soon enough. The stale leadership of the Democratic Party is being challenged as well. We in Florida, if we can stick together and do the work, can turn a Senate seat Blue. Similarly the Governor’s race is up for grabs this time. The further to the MAGA Right DeSantis goes in his final months, the better. Yes, we are severely gerrymandered, but in a statewide vote, we are not as deep red as some would fear. Remember, Andrew Gillum’s race in 2018 against DeSantis for Governor was very close, and in 2024 initiatives for abortion and marijuana did well, just under the 60% needed.
Four, for those that like to get out and enjoy all the cultural activities in a city like Gainesville, this town is cooking! The theater community is very active in multiple locations. The Haile and Cypress & Grove Farmer Markets are really rolling, the various breweries are hosting all kinds of events, the Streatery downtown promises to be ready for FEST and the Downtown Arts Show this Fall, local music is cooking in smaller venues, and Heartwood Soundstage is bringing in great shows to the outdoor stage and drawing people from all over north Florida to our town’s many restaurants. We are so lucky to live here.
Five, the growth of independent media sources, and our ability to share information, means the corporate media’s hold on political analysis is cracking. The piece by Andrew Reynolds on page 4 was sent to me by longtime friend Brad Tucker, and it said what I wanted to say in this column this time, but better. Yes there are unreliable sources and we need to be aware at all times. Yes, there are completely fake AI-generated photos and stories, but part of the cost of freedom is vigilance, and recognizing those things are just that. Most of all, be sure of what you are sharing to others. The article on page 5 may help with those problems. And sample the podcasts, web pages, blogs and videos displayed on page 20.
Above all, take care of yourselves. Hydration weather is at hand. There will be a June/July edition of the Iguana to come, and then an election edition in August focused on the August 18 primaries.
Thank you for the love and support you’ve shown this paper over the years.