Hemming Plaza Needs Us to Pack the House!

[ronchamblin]

Who was it that said “Truth is Beauty, and Beauty is Truth”, or something similar?  Was it some poet of the 19th century, Keats .. or Byron? .. or was it Dare, of the 21st?    In any case, the recognition and appreciation of truth should be for us, in this 21st century, and in this time of falsehoods, lies, and deceptions, a refreshing thing, a beautiful thing, because it is rare in this culture of greed and lack of concern over the unfortunate in society, those who’ve either been recovering for many decades from the legacy and momentum of slavery and discrimination, or those who, having been lowly workers, have had to endure the consequences of a broken political and economic system with such pain that they have lost their jobs, their homes, and their self-respect, and for some, their sanity. 

Although we might be headed in a direction to provide a day center for those in our city who currently have few places to go and few things to do, we have not yet completed the project.  Given the probability that completion of the center will provide an alternative for most of those who now inhabit Hemming Park most of the day, every day, the planned new center is an encouraging development.  The new center, if built right, and operated with some degree of concern for assisting those in need with long-term recovery tools, will go a long way in reducing the number of needy who usually socialize at Hemming Park, thereby providing opportunity for its use by any casual visitor. 

Therefore, why destroy Hemming Park now, right when we’ve set ourselves on the path of providing a place for most of the park “occupiers” to go?  I suggest that we proceed with the day center, and perform minimal work at the park, perhaps trimming or removing the unhealthy oaks, and planting new ones.  We should never allow the park to be without oaks, as they add a beautiful ambience to it, and shade for visitors in the hot summer.  I would like to focus upon anyone who would suggest that the park should be without oaks, just as I attempt to look upon those who perform idiotic maneuvers in traffic, or who fail to make sensible ones.  I’m always curious to see what borderline idiocy looks like.

The current condition in the park, although somewhat of a nuisance until the day center is completed, offers a truth about our society, about our community, which translates into a beautiful scene for all to see.  Hiding the truth of any societal suffering, while allowing some individuals the comforts born of illusions and ignorance, only perpetuates the suffering and the inequalities, and prolongs the solutions necessary for the their elimination.   

Therefore, I vote to leave alone those who play the games, who sit at the tables and upon the benches, who enjoy their friends, because they are, by their very existence, not only offering a reminder of our society’s condition, but also offering us a truth beyond words, and therefore a scene of great beauty to those who possess the sensitivity to see it. 

Any current excesses in the number of inhabitants of the park will be resolved along the way as the day center is completed, as more residents, workers, and visitors occupy it, and as we infuse it with more activities over time.  A momentum of park normalization will become the force which will see the park enjoyed by all who wish to do so.  Hemming Park, if allowed to retain its amenities of tables, benches, and card games will, by these freedoms, evolve into a park all can use, and all can be proud of.   
   
   

[sheclown]

John Keats. 1795â€"1821
 
625. Ode on a Grecian Urn
 
THOU still unravish'd bride of quietness,   
  Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time,   
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express   
  A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:   
What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape            5
  Of deities or mortals, or of both,   
    In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?   
  What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?   
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?   
    What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?     10

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard   
  Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;   
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear'd,   
  Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:   
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave     15
  Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;   
    Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,   
Though winning near the goalâ€"yet, do not grieve;   
    She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,   
  For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!     20

Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed   
  Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;   
And, happy melodist, unwearièd,   
  For ever piping songs for ever new;   
More happy love! more happy, happy love!     25
  For ever warm and still to be enjoy'd,   
    For ever panting, and for ever young;   
All breathing human passion far above,   
  That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy'd,   
    A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.     30

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?   
  To what green altar, O mysterious priest,   
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,   
  And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?   
What little town by river or sea-shore,     35
  Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,   
    Is emptied of its folk, this pious morn?   
And, little town, thy streets for evermore   
  Will silent be; and not a soul, to tell   
    Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.     40

O Attic shape! fair attitude! with brede   
  Of marble men and maidens overwrought,   
With forest branches and the trodden weed;   
  Thou, silent form! dost tease us out of thought   
As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral!     45
  When old age shall this generation waste,   
    Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe   
  Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,   
'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,â€"that is all   
    Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.'

[sheclown]

Or to put it in today's parlance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NwP3wes4M8

And the anticipation is better than any reality could ever be.

And art, as it evokes the great passion of anticipation without the warts of real life, is more "real" than "life". 

[sheclown]

But getting back to the conversation at hand, Ron I couldn't agree with you more.

Back in the early 70s, Jacksonville found itself having to defend unjust actions against "vagrants" all the way to the Supreme Court.  Jacksonville lost.

We've talked about this before on this forum.  "Papachristou v. Jacksonville"

Facts

Papachristou was one of eight defendants who were convicted for violating a Jacksonville, Florida vagrancy ordinance which forbade a large number of activities including "wandering or strolling around from place to place without any lawful purpose or object". The defendants were charged with several violations under the ordinance: being vagabonds, loitering, being common thieves, disorderly loitering, and resisting arrest.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papachristou_v._Jacksonville#section_3

Opinion of the Court

The court held that the vagrancy ordinance was unconstitutionally vague because it gave too much arbitrary power to the police. The court found that the laws could potentially criminalize a variety of innocent activities, such as "Nightwalking," or "habitually living 'without visible means of support.'" A valid law, the Court found, needed to be clearly written and evenly administered.

Will the unlawful playing cards be "evenly administered" throughout Jacksonville?  Or are we heading down this path once again?

[ronchamblin]

Thanks sheclown.  I suspected Keats.  And I had forgotten the court issue.  I cannot be at the Tuesday meeting, but perhaps someone will offer to those at the meeting a reminder of the decision.  I expect that in the end, we will find that games and dominoes will continue in the park.  I like seeing people playing games and such in the park.  It's real.  It's life in the park. 

[Noone]

This is something the new DIA should be able to weigh on before a decision is made.  I was stopped by a DIA board member today and that member expressed his concerns and asked that we attend this meeting.

Who was the DIA board member? Let's just hope that they don't want to remain anonymous.

Is this the biggest red flag or what? There were a number of us there from metrojax that participated in the first Board meeting of our new Downtown Authority. There are 9 Board members. Does Mr. Or Mrs. Anonymous want to remain anonymous on this HUGE issue?

Boyer and Love showed up to be on the record for the first Board meeting. Didn't have to but did. Will anyone from DIA show up at this 3:30 special meeting of the gaming commission even if it's in their own personal capacity to offer their own personal position?

[Noone]

Emailed the 9 new Board members of the DIA and heard back from 4. Anybody going? 60 minutes out.

[thelakelander]

Fieldafm will be live blogging the meeting.