SEPTEMBER MEETING RECAP

from John Debus

Hi Everyone,

Another great event, and "YES" WE HAD AIR CONDITIONING. The American Legion

has fixed the problem and it was very comfortable all evening. So we will not have

those problems again, and we thanked them for responding to our concerns.

It was a small turn out, fear of no A/C, the rain, lack of interest, or what ever, it was a

great event, with a lot of good information and participation with the group. We thanked

the River Coalition for their presentation and all the work they are doing in trying to fix

the problems with our river and lagoon. We ALL need to get involved by actively

supporting these groups and by calling / e-mailing local, state, and federal representatives

in support for our river and lagoon.

Come out in support of Hands Across The Lagoon on Saturday at one of the eight bridges

or causeways starting at 9:00am until 10:00am. All information is on our web-site Happening

page.

Hope to see you all at our 1st Annual Picnic this Sunday at Pepper Park on the North

Island of Fort Pierce from 11:00am until 2:00pm. Come join like-minded people for a

relaxing, informal day at the river. Also tour the UDT/SEAL Museum across

the street.

A CALL TO ACTION; Please come out to St. Lucie County Commissioner's meeting

on Tuesday 1 October 2013 at 6:00pm at the County building on Virginia Ave in Fort Pierce.

There is a group of Tea Party type people called ac4pr.org that is taking over the meeting

and pushing against Global warming and Sustainability issues being address by Seven50.org.

They have been successful in Indian River County, we need to stop them here. Come and listen

and find out what is going on right here in your backyard, WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

Next month Event will be our Annual Organization Meeting with a short movie. Come join us,

become a member and add your opinion on our priorities, direction and plans for our coming

year. Volunteer to serve or nominate others for board positions. Meet and get to know our

members. A short "surprise" documentary movies will also be part of the Event.

Please continue to check our web-site Happening page for all the latest updates on what is

going on. Feel free to contact me at anytime if you have any questions or concerns. My contact

information is on the web-site.

Thanks you for your support,

Take care,

John

SEPTEMBER 2013 MEETING REMINDER

from John Debus

Hi Everyone,

A reminder of our event this Tuesday evening, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, September  24, 2013 at the

American Legion Post #40, 801 S. US1, Fort Pierce, FL. 34950. Please use the front

entrance (on US1) and it is the large room on the right side as you come in the front door.

Plenty of parking is on the side of the building.

This month we have The Rivers Coalition coming to give us a presentation on the state of our river

and lagoon. They are probably the oldest and largest group advocating for our water ways here

along the treasure coast. Come, listen and find out what you can do to help save our lagoon. We

will have plenty of time for questions, answers, and discussion. "CAN WE SAVE OUR RIVERS &

LAGOON?"

Hands Across The Lagoon on September 28, 2013, 9:00am to 10:00am is occurring in all five

lagoon counties to call attention to the declining condition of our Indian River Lagoon and to ask

our leaders to make the health of the lagoon a top priority. Come out and join your friends and

neighbors at one of the eight locations over the River, Barber Bridge (Vero Beach), South Bridge /

Seaway Dr. (Ft. Pierce), Stuart Causeway A1A (Stuart), other areas North of us are post on our

web-site happenings page.

TCPA annual Picnic will be September 29, 2013 from 11:00am to 2:00pm, at Pepper Park on

North Hutchinson Island in Fort pierce. It is across the street from the UDT/SEAL museum. It

will be an informal get together, bring a dish to share, something for you to barbecue, and drink,

some drinks will be available. We will have a couple kayaks available, or bring your own and any

games you would like to play.

Some people have planed another March Against Monsanto on 12 October, 2013 from

10:00am to 12:00pm at the Library across from the Farmers market in downtown Fort

Pierce in support of the National call. Come out and support this great organization to fight

for our FOOD.

The action table at our event is set up for groups information, sign-up sheets,

up coming events, and petitions. All groups will also have 1-3 minutes at the

beginning to tell us about themselves. You can also contact Kathy or myself to

have your events posted on our web-site.

 

Please come out, we need your support to make a difference. We also would

like your feed-back on our Events and Organization. So feel free to respond

to this e-mail.

CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE; tcprogressivealliance.com

Check often as many events are posted late with little notice. We post as soon

as we get them.

Take Care,

Thanks for your support,

See you Tuesday,

John

TD BANK PROTEST

from Richard Silvestri

350.ORG has called for hundreds of protests at the same time nationwide Saturday.  Let us stand in solidarity with 350.ORG and the other protesters against KXL

 WHEN:    Sat., Sept. 21 @ 2:30 pm

WHERE:  TD Bank, S. US 1, Ft.Pierce.

WHAT:      Protest picket 'cause Toronto Dominion Bank is investing Billion$ in the KXL Pipeline project.

WHO:        You and me

BRING:      SIGNS; MOCK-UP PIPES AND/OR LEAKING OIL; WORDING "NO KXL"              '"TD BANK UNFAIR TO HUMANS" OR SUCH WORDING AS SUITS; USE YOUR IMAGINATION!    

BACKGROUND:  The Tar Sands crude KXL pipeline is extra carbon laden crude, energy inefficient to extract; uses aromatic HCs to slip it through the 3-foot diameter KXL;  Eminent Domain based on the KXL being in the "national interest" is being threatened upon Heartland farmers and ranchers and the Native Americans who have had their treaties broken numerous times already have not given their reservation land to Trans Canada-not willingly yet.  I can go on but don't want to bore you with the facts. 

SPREAD THE WORD:  I am sending this to those whom I think CARE & will SHOW UP.  Spread it to others I don't have access to.

Richard C. Silvestri

WWW.RCSILVESTRI.COM

ROCK THE RIVER RALLY

from Terry LaPlante

ROCK THE RIVER RALLY

Sunday September 29  1-4PM

Guest Speakers 3PM

Selwyn Birchwood Band plays 2-6pm .

Earl's Hideaway  1405 Indian River Dr. Sebastian

FREE ADMISSION!

Good food and good prices: Pizza, Hamburgers, Hot dogs, Fish & Chips etc.

Fundraiser for the Marine Resource Council www.mrcirl.org

Come unite as a community to rally to save the Indian River and all the seafood, wildlife, recreational sports, and beauty it supports!

We need your help. We need you to spread the word that the rivers, lakes, springs, and perhaps even the ocean are sick. We are rapidly depleting our fresh water supplies. We are filling them with human waste, animal waste, insecticides, and fertilizers that are killing the waterways, our quality of life, and a sustainable source of food. The economic engine of Florida's tourism and this too needs to be supported with clean safe water.

Lake Okeechobee is south of Brevard county and west of our neighbors in Martin county.  Lake Okeechobee is a natural waterway with locks and canals that enable excess waters to be discharged when the aging Herbert Hover Dike is threatened by high water levels. Should the lake overflow or the dikes give way the surrounding communities would be flooded.  Lake okeechobee  is a holding tank of polluted water from multiple sources. Recent discharges from the lake into the St. Lucie River have required the Martin County Health Department to declare the waters of the St. Lucie River to toxic to swim in or eat the seafood from.  The heavy rain fall we have had this year and the risk of storms has forced the US  Army Corp of Engineers to dump tens of billions of gallons of highly polluted water into the St. Lucie River on the south east coast and into the Caloosahatchee River on the south west coast.  This water is not safe for  any purpose. The St. Lucie River runs east and west taking the discharged water out into the ocean passing through the Indian River Lagoon. Lots of wildlife and fish have died along with the sea grass. The Sun Sentinel reported that "this summer, discharges from the rain-swollen lake into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers have contributed to major algae blooms that have mucked up the rivers and threatened tourism."  Martin county is the only county in the state reporting an outbreak of mosquito born dengue fever. Is this a coincidence or is there a connection?

Here in Brevard and Indian River Counties the Lagoon has lost over 47,000 acres of seagrass from the 2011 superbloom caused in part by the eutrophic, nutrient rich freshwater, sediments, and fertilizers applied in the surrounding basin for over 100 years. Wildlife moralities including dolphins, manatees, and pelicans have caused the state and federal environmental agencies to declare unusual mortality events for these mysterious deaths. Research is underway to understand the causes of the lagoon's algae blooms and wildlife deaths. Let's show these agencies we support their work to improve the lagoon and save our wildlife and fisheries.

 Watch for our Facebook page Rock the River Rally or check the Facebook page for Florida Water and Land Legacy we will have them up soon.

Terry LaPlante

Field Organizer

tel: (321)543-2156

Terry@floridawaterlandlegacy.org

SEPTEMBER 2013 BOARD MEETING RECAP

from John Debus

Hi Everyone,

A quick review of our board meeting on 4 September 2013. A copy of the minutes will be sent upon request.

Our 1st annual picnic is a go for 29 September 2013, 11:00am to 2:00pm at Pepper Park on A1A North Hutchinson Island, in Fort Pierce, across from UDT Seal Museum.  Bring a dish to share and something to grill for yourself. Some drinks will be available, however feel free to bring your own. There will be

some Kayaks available or bring your own games and/or entertainment. All family and friends are invited.

We will be supporting the Hands Across The Lagoon on 28 September 2013, 9:00am to 10:00am. Chose your location from attached flyer. I will be at the South Bridge/Seaway Dr. in Fort Pierce. Come on out and support our Lagoon.

Please check our web-site happening page for other events at tcprogressivealliance.com

We also discuss Board positions for next year. We are always looking for additional people as well as people changing positions. So if anyone is interested in serving please let us know, we do have enough people to run TCPA for next year, however change is always good and more will also help us to DO more.

Our October Event will be a general meeting with a short movie TBA.

Membership renewal is upon us and we are also looking at ways to add members. So please stay with us and help us grow. Any and all ideas  are welcome.

We are also looking at being more active in our community by attending some of our commissioner meetings and pushing progressive issues. Monday night 16 September 2013, 6:30pm at Fort Pierce City Hall, Commissioner/City meeting. Come out and support us. Tuesday morning 17 September 2013, 9:00am at County building on Virginia Ave in Fort Pierce, County Commissioners meeting. 

More will be coming next week in our Event Reminder. Thanks to all for your support,

Take care,

John

VIGIL AT GAYLE HARRELL'S OFFICE

from Ted Parsons

THERE’S STILL TIME FOR REP. HARRELL TO DO THE RIGHT THING!

More than one million hard working Floridians do not have Access to the quality healthcare they deserve.  Representative Gayle Harrell and extremists in the Florida legislature actions are stopping hard working Floridians from lowering healthcare cost. Join concerned neighbors, friends, and families for a prayer vigil urging Representative Harrell to stand up for hard working Floridians and support lowering healthcare cost and increasing access to healthcare.

WHEN:             Tuesday, September 17, 2013

WHERE:           Representative Harrell’s Office 751 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd., Port St. Lucie, FL  34984

TIME:               11:00 am

CONTACT:      Stephanie Shaw, 305-767-9092, Stephanie.shaw@1199.org       

                                                           

#HealthFLNow             

LETTER TO LARRY LEE JR.

from Richard Silvestri 

Hi Larry,

I hope this finds you well.  The common denominator for finding solutions via government is to take the money out of politics.  In what seems absurd the US Supreme Court ruled corporations can spend from their funds unlimited amounts for political campaigns under the First Amendment.  That is going to destroy democracy for the average Joe like me or Jane like my wife.  The 2012 elections broke records for spending and that is directly because huge corporations can spend unlimited amounts.

I found out online that the sugar lobby (cane and beets) has suppressed medical research on the effects of sugar in our diet.  Some researchers suspect it is toxic to humans.  Big Sugar has lobbied congress and the senators to not fund any medical research on the subject since 1976 and they have clouded the issue with doubts about any research results before or since.  This is the same tactics used by the tobacco industry since the early 1950s when medical research had shown tobacco products cause cancer.  It took 40-50 years before the issue was settled and at the cost of millions of lives and millions spent on unnecessary medical care because if the truth had been known earlier the cancers could have been prevented.  It is the same tactics Big Carbon is using to discredit Global Warming and Climate Change and rising sea theories today while time is of the essence to find solutions.

The sugar industry initially was protected with federal subsidies so that Castro would not have a market for

Cuban sugar.  It appears Big Sugar made so much money it could afford to lobby to have protections against all foreign sugar with subsidies and tariffs costing taxpayers.  This is our money to protect an industry that may be producing something that is harmful to human health.  But we don't know one way or the other and what is it Big Sugar is afraid the results will show?  You know the answer.  The same can be said for big carbon subsidy to keep gasoline prices artificially low but gives the public the impression there is plenty to go around and it is cheap.  Without the oil subsidy we would be paying the same price for motor fuels as do EU nations which I understand is now around $10-12 a gallon.  But by using tax dollars along with price at the pump we are also paying that much.  Why would oil companies sell to us at a lower price when they can get more overseas closer to Mid-East oil?  They wouldn't and Washington is hiding the true cost of motor fuel with the subsidies.  The case for tobacco is resolved but look how long it took; how many lives lost; the anguish to survivors; the cost in dollars.

The sugar protective subsidies and any legislation to the contrary are kept in force because Big Sugar can hold our lawmakers hostage by threatening to not only withdraw financial support but also by the veiled threat of spending for negative advertising.  It is not a threat but now a reality.  Now we know that Big Sugar is also using this power to destroy the environment locally.

The answer is to get the money of out politics.  I am a member of the DEC and the Treasurer of the Democratic Club in SLC but I cannot officially ask you this in their names.  But through my good relations there with many of the members I can state there are others who feel the same.  I am a member of the Progressive Alliance and can officially ask you not only for me and my loved ones and future generations but also on behalf of the alliance.  John Debus, our local president, has said a Constitutional Amendment that would state that the First Amendment is not intended for corporations is the primary goal of the alliance.  It is the common denominator that would break down resistance to changes that would benefit people.

Larry, will you contact Senators Nelson and Rubio and Congressman Murphy and ask them if any of all will sponsor a bill to amend the Constitution?  Will you contact all you know personally and politically in Tallahassee to contact these three and ask them to sponsor an amendment?  Your request and that of your colleagues will carry weight.

I am not an alarmist, but more and more people are beginning to understand that the Citizens United ruling against the Federal Elections Commission is destroying the very foundations of our great nation.

Yours Truly,

Richard.

JURY RIGHTS DAY

from Erika Alvarez

Today, September 5th, is Jury Rights Day.

As a juror, you are the most powerful person in the courtroom!

Jury independence has a long and proud history in our legal system. We have rights such as Freedom of Religion, Freedom of the Press, and the truth as a defense to libel today; ONLY because ordinary jurors had the courage to acquit heroes like William Penn & John Peter Zenger. But be careful! If you act like you know this history, you're likely not to get picked to serve on any jury and then you lose out on the chance to do something good.

Getting called as a juror gives you the opportunity not just to judge the guilt or innocence of a person; you also have the right to judge the law!

There is a lot of information out there about the development of our system of trial by jury, but for today I'm going to take a different tack on the issue, and assume that most of you are aware that jurors -- even contrary to instructions from judges -- can nullify bad laws.

I'm not a lawyer, but over the years, I've heard of a few ways to help justice prevail via the jury system. Turns out, if I were a lawyer, I couldn’t advocate for Jury Nullification, but as a citizen we must know our rights!

Fully Informed Jury Associations (FIJA) attorney, Clay Conrad says "Sometimes a bit of subversion is needed to rescue our government from itself. The second part of the credo 'my country, right or wrong,' is 'when right, to stand by her. When wrong, to set her right again.' Setting government right again is what jury nullification is all about. Bureaucrats may whine about subversion, but jury nullification, in the end, is the democratic response of deliberating citizens to laws that are not popularly supported, in a nation where we, the people, not government, are the source of sovereign power."

As FIJA explains: "Nothing in the U.S. Constitution or in any Supreme Court decision requires jurors to take an oath to follow the law as the judge explains it or, for that matter, authorizes the judge to "instruct" the jury at all.  Judges provide their interpretation of the law, but you MUST also do your own thinking. Keep in mind that no juror's oath is enforceable, and that you may regard all 'instructions' as advice."

Juries exist BECAUSE you have a conscience, and there is NO requirement that jurors reach a verdict - if one person believes the prosecution failed to meet their burden or the law is unjust he or she can "hang" the jury and deliver no verdict. A word of caution - it's a good idea NOT to mention the word "nullification" at all, from start to finish of your jury experience, even to other jurors.

Procedures vary by court, but generally, once you arrive in the morning, you'll be subject to "voir dire," where you're sworn to tell the truth (the words mean "truly say" in Latin/French). So do that, but DON'T go volunteering any extra information when it's not asked of you! Just say repeatedly that you will be fair, while saying as little else as possible, and keeping a neutral/friendly facial expression toward the lawyers on both sides. They are NOT looking for leaders or people who might seem exceptionally intelligent about either the science, in this particular case, or about the law. These are lawyers, and they're used to feeling like the smartest person in the room whether or not it's true. Your job, as a prospective juror who secretly wants to be selected in order to nullify bad law, is to reinforce that feeling, regardless of the truth! ;)

You want to appear to both sides as a middle of the road taxpayer concerned with reaching a fair verdict, and not someone who has controversial opinions, to the extent truthfully possible. It's a good idea to appear well dressed (business casual) and bring NON-CONTROVERSIAL reading material -- nothing political, etc.

By taking part in a jury you can be the person who acquits a patient of growing his or her medicine or the person who provided the care.

If you would like to help Florida CAN change cannabis laws, take the time to educate yourself about the history of jury nullification, download our brochure and make copies for your friends or organize a day at the courthouse passing out our Fully Informed Jury information.

Hope you enjoyed this segment of Know Your Rights,

Yours in liberty,

Jim Ray

Team 27

Labor Day Festival at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery

from Ted Parsons

Come on out this Friday night and continue to celebrate Labor Day with one of the biggest supporters of Labor in the Area. This is always a great event and promises to be even better this year. Hope to see you there.

15 South J Street in Downtown Lake Worth

6-9 PM    FREE Songbooks so you can sing-along

 Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery invites you to its 4th annual Labor Day Celebration at its gallery at 15 South J Street in Downtown Lake Worth.  From 6-9 PM on Friday you will be able to meet and greet Palm Beach County’s top Labor Leaders, Pat Emmert, Terry McKenzie and Tony Fransetta.  Joining them will be our esteemed local officials Shelley Vana and Jeff Clemens.

 What is Labor Day without the singing of Union Songs?  The gallery is providing a free songbook so you can join Rod MacDonald and sing along.  Rod was a staple in the folk song movement in Greenwich Village for several decades before coming to South Florida.  He has been named one of the top 10 Florida singers of all time and is regarded as the most influential person that has kept folk and acoustic music alive in Florida.

No Labor Day is complete without great food and exceptional art.  The labors of the artists at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery have been touted throughout the county. The art on display is unique, unusual, affordable and special.  The food and drink at our receptions are always exceptional.  Look for holiday favorite foods this night.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT

from Nancy Stiefel, SJ Film Committee Chair

What:   A Better Life -- a 2011 feature film 

When:  Sunday, Sept. 8th , 7:00 PM

Where:  Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, at the corner of 16th Street and 27th Avenue, Vero Beach

The Social Justice Film Series of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship begins a new season in its sanctuary with the feature film A Better Life.  This film reveals what it is like to live as an undocumented worker, confined to the shadows of American society.  It’s the story of a gardener in East L.A. who struggles to keep his son away from gangs and immigration agents while trying to give him the opportunities he never had.  This film is uncommon among Hollywood productions in that it is set in a Hispanic community and features an almost entirely Hispanic cast. “Not many films have focused on the struggles of undocumented immigrants, much less done a good job at it,” says Jonathan Perez of the Huff Post Latino Voices blog.

Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote that "the performances are pitch perfect," and he gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4.  Its lead actor, Demián Bichir, a popular Mexican actor, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.  Joy Tipping of Dallas Morning News says, “Director Chris Weitz neatly avoids sanctimony by centering the engrossing story on a father-son relationship, letting the audience make up its own mind about the overarching matter of illegal immigration.” 

All of our social justice films are open to the public.  There is no charge, but donations are always gratefully accepted to cover the screening rights fees.   Mark your calendar to attend this first film of our season and bring a friend!  The Fair Trade Corner will be open 30 minutes prior to the film.