May 2026

30 May 2026

This is the second week we, Neptune Beach Coalition, have acted to eliminate “period poverty” in our Beaches communities. In Florida, feminine hygiene products cannot be purchased using SNAP. One in five women experiencing low-income report a lack of access to period supplies (an estimated 100,000+ women and girls in Northeast Florida). This health and safety issue is linked to using unsanitary substitute products, stretching product usage, and missing work or school.

We want to ensure that everyone who menstruates is empowered to manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, with confidence and without shame, where no one is limited by something as natural and normal as her period.

The items collected will be distributed via Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM food pantry). The need for food and personal hygiene assistance is growing. In January 2025 the wait time for an appointment in the food pantry was 2 weeks. Now, due to the increased number of community members needing economic assistance, many clients must wait 4 weeks for an appointment. They are skipping meals, foregoing medical and dental care, and trying to stretch their budgets to pay for increasingly expense gas so that they can drive to/from work. Contrary to what the president keeps saying, America is NOT in “great” shape.

It has been roughly a year and five months of nonstop corruption, cruelty, and chaos and we continue to speak out against this autocratic administration. The president is pilfering money directly from the US treasury – that is, picking our pockets to enrich himself, his children, and his loyalists. And he is doing it in plain sight. Not to mention the suffering and death he is directly responsible for in our country and across the globe.

It’s enough to make an American move “off grid” and read novels until it all blows over - or up. This is precisely what Trump wants – our silence. 

Fortunately, Russian émigré journalist M Gessen proposed some “rules” for surviving autocracy. Among them: “Be outraged ... in the face of the impulse to normalize, it is essential to maintain one’s capacity for shock.”

We don’t shrug and say, “that’s just Trump being Trump.” 

We refuse to gloss over the scale of economic fraud and moral bankruptcy our nation is experiencing. 

Finally, we know it is possible to be in a state of despair WITHOUT being in the state of surrender.

We the People will not be silent. We are going to survive this. We are more determined than ever to build a humane nation with Constitutional guiderails. 

We encourage all citizens to vote and support candidates who share our vision of a government “of the people, by the people, for the people.”  

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence. 

23 May 2026

I created my signs in honor of Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is specifically for remembering and honoring those who died while serving in the United States military, whether they died during combat, from wounds sustained in service, or later because of their service.

I hope you will read the brief facts about these men and contemplate their sacrifice. They are representative of all the service members who gave their lives “to support and defend the U.S. Constitution.” 

Civil War: My 4th. Great-Grandfather - Sgt. Jay Martin (immigrant from England) - New Boston, Illinois farmer - married with 4 children, 124th. Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry - served in Vicksburg Campaign and Battle of Champion Hill (wounded) - Jay was admitted to the National Home for Disabled Soldiers, Dayton, Ohio for treatment of his battle injuries and “sunstroke” (now known as PTSD) - "for six years he patiently endured the sufferings that came as the result of his wounds," - died 4 Jan 1871 at age 46 from “war wounds” – buried in New Boston Cemetery, New Boston, Illinois.

World War II; My Granduncle - SEA1, United States Navy Reserve Arthur Erling - Chicago, Illinois - was a machine shop operator at Electro-Motive Company – engaged to be married - graduated from Great Lakes Naval Training Center 6 Oct 1942  - served as an armed guard on the SS Collingsworth (merchant ship convoy) – 9 Jan 1943 German U-boat, U-124, attacked convoy off the coast of Suriname – Collingsworth sank – Arthur was missing in action at age 22 and his body was never recovered – 10 Jan 1944 posthumously received a Purple Heart Medal – Arthur’s service is memorialized on the Tablet of the Missing at the East Coast Memorial in Battery Park, New York City, New York.  

Vietnam War: My Cousin - Cpl. United States Marine Corps Billy Erling – Chicago, Illinois – engaged to be married - Rifleman with Company B of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division – served in Operation Swift in the Quế Sơn Valley to rescue two Marine units - killed in action near the village of Vinh Huy by small arms fire at age 23 - Billy’s body was recovered and he is buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois.

“We are the Dead.  Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie …

To you from falling hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high ...” 

- Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae  WWI, (1872-1918), “Flanders Field”

Will you catch “the torch” and “hold it high”?

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence.  

16 May 2026

One year later… I have learned to appreciate the difference between like-minded and like-hearted. 

Like-minded is when you have the same political party, same religion, same lifestyle, same education, etc.. Like-minded is about what is in your head.

 Rather like-hearted people are emotionally aligned, often sharing a common purpose, passion for serving others, or a similar, caring disposition. It’s about what is in your heart.

Over the past year I have discovered like-hearted people each Saturday morning. We are loyal to the Constitution. We share a common desire - to support the human and civil rights of all people regardless of their ancestry, country of origin, immigration status, religion, lifestyle, or sexual orientation. 

We have a passion for serving the least fortunate in our community. Together we support our local Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM) and the Mission House with food and personal hygiene collections. 

We value civic activities – partnering with other like-hearted organizations to provide voter registration, petition signing, visibility events – working together to support the human and civil rights of ALL people. 

We share a dedication to peaceful, nonviolent activism. We literally stand with our messages, waving at passing cars, reminding our neighbors that they are not alone in these unprecedented times. And somehow, - it can be challenging - we even maintain a peaceful disposition when those who are not like-hearted pass by us emitting large clouds of “rolling coal,” giving us “the finger,” or shouting streams of obscenities. 

Finally, like-hearted people are generous, kind, and thoughtful people – habitual listeners - who acknowledge your freedom of speech. They will not “ghost,” unfollow, unfriend, or “bad-mouth” you. Instead, like-hearted people simply stand alongside you with their unique signs on a Saturday morning, sharing a common purpose, a desire to help others - resolved to prioritize humanity over any political party or leader. 

One year later … I can choose to spend my life sitting around talking about stuff with like-minded people, or I can go and DO something with people who are like-hearted. I am glad I sought out like-hearted people.  

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence. 

9 May 2026

Another Saturday with the "volunteers for America!" This week my home state was gerrymandered to increase Republication districts in direct violation of our Florida Constitution. This was followed by the Tennessee legislature gerrymandering the state's lone Democratic-held district out of existence. Then the Republicans gathered to gleefully celebrate while one of their colleagues wore a Trump flag as a cape.

I agree with Roseanne Cash - “These Republicans aren’t even pretending they believe in democracy, fair elections, the rule of law, or equal representation. Just cold, hard RACISM and CORRUPTION and they’re caught laughing at the anguish of the people they are supposed to represent.” - which led me to James Madison and my signs …

“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” – James Madison, The Federalist No. 10 – November 22, 1787

While the Declaration of Independence focused on the transcendent principles of liberty, the Constitution focused on the “nuts and bolts.” In The Federalist No. 10,  Madison gives a rundown of all the ways the Constitution is designed to divide power and balance parties against one another to create consensus. The Constitution exists to slow down action unless it is backed by a broad, enduring consensus forged through a whole string of “boring” political compromises. That’s not a failure of our Constitution. It’s a feature.

Madison understood that the Constitution could not enforce itself. What was needed was a culture of tension between the three branches – the separation of powers – checks and balances. 

• Our founders anticipated that legislators, judges, and administrators would respect their offices and defend their turf, even against people in their own political parties. 
• They also anticipated that elected representatives would rise above individual interests to serve the broader public good. 
• Finally, they had a word for the absence of commitment to the public good - CORRUPTION! 

Whatever our founders anticipated, they may never have imagined how far off the Constitutional rails one political party would go. We are now at a point where we have very few “enlightened statesmen” in the Republication majority. Instead we have an overabundance of partisan teams operating ACROSS our government - who support corruption, cruelty, and chaos. 

"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending against all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks". – Samuel Adams

How we fulfill our duty is up to each one of us. It’s all up to us now, so rise and shine. 

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence.

2 May 2026

Abbreviated sign waving today due to lightning, but the rain did not dampen our spirits! 

My signs this week were inspired by an online interaction about Free Speech. This wasn’t the first time someone tried to tell us what our signs “should say.” How free is our speech when someone wants you to express THEIR beliefs?

My response: 

Our First Amendment rights are connected by the core principle of free speech. Without it, we cannot openly express OUR beliefs; the media cannot deliver accurate information; we cannot assemble to protest; and we are unable to challenge what we see as wrong.

Are there free speech limits? Certainly:

    You cannot make threats against others.

    You cannot incite violence.

    You cannot commit fraud or encourage a crime.

    You cannot promote, publish, or possess child pornography.

    You cannot lie about someone

Will people try to intimidate you, to keep you from exercising your right to free speech? Certainly! What can you do?

Refuse to be intimidated. Keep using your voice!

Remember: The government can’t stop you from expressing your opinions, even if you disagree with officials or policies. Show up with YOUR sign! 

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence. 

1 May 2026

Today is International Workers’ Day. In my “neck of the woods”, we gathered at St. John’s Town Center; to remember workers and stand together in solidarity for all working people. 

Commemorated on May 1, International Workers’ Day stems from the Haymarket Affair in Chicago. On May 3, 1886, unarmed workers advocating for an eight-hour workday, clashed with police at Chicago’s McCormick Reaper Works factory. The deaths of six workers led to a public rally the following day to be held in Haymarket Square. Again, the police and the workers clashed, but this time a bomb was thrown, resulting in the death of seven policemen and many in the crowd were injured. The police, uncertain about the source of the bomb, fired into the crowd, killing four of the demonstrators. 

Today we consider an eight-hour workday “normal,” and don’t even realize workers died for it. If you get weekends off or overtime pay, thank those workers in Chicago and all the other union members who fought for labor rights. But injustice still runs amok. Trump's administration stripped union rights from over one million federal employees. In August 2025, the Department of Veterans Affairs terminated union contracts for roughly 400,000 employees.

Today, people are commemorating International Workers' Day by recognizing worker contributions and advocating for labor rights. Many are refusing business as usual through No School. No Work. No Shopping, all are standing up to corporate billionaires and the politicians they control. 

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home…the factory, farm or office where he works…unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.” - Eleanor Roosevelt, United Nations Remarks, 1953

April 2026

25 Apr 2026

Do you remember these words in the Declaration of Independence?  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…” Our Declaration echoes the views of Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” in which the government is defined as the PROTECTOR of human rights, not the source of those rights. 

Later our government’s role as protector of human rights was enshrined in our Constitution. The 5th Amendment states: “No PERSON shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law …” Yet, this administration continues to violate human rights and neglects to fulfill their Constitutional duty. 

Now the current administration is moving to lock thousands of people in massive detention warehouses - disappearing them from their families, their lawyers, and their communities. Immigration detention is the unjust and inhumane practice of jailing immigrants while they await a determination of their immigration status or potential deportation. The current administration is failing to protect human rights in accordance with Constitutionally mandated due process. 

This is why we joined Communities not Cages across the country today to amplify local opposition to efforts by the current administration to expand their existing detention network beyond jails, prisons, and military bases to include large warehouses and industrial spaces for mass detention. People are not boxes or crates on pallets to be “stored” in cavernous warehouses. They are human beings “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” and “no person shall be deprived of … liberty without due process of law.”  

It is up to us, We the People, to assemble, speak, and petition this administration to fulfill their Constitutional duty.

"We have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have. If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that. There are courts. There's a system of justice." – Pope Leo XIV

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence. 

18 Apr 2026

What a gorgeous day for citizenship! We collected breakfast items for our community food pantry and, once again, candidate petitions were circulated. So far one candidate, Rachel Grage, has collected the required signatures and is “ballot bound” – yay! 

Speaking of citizenship - The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has these words for people contemplating U.S. citizenship (and are applicable to ALL citizens!): “Citizenship offers many benefits and equally important responsibilities.” The top three responsibilities are:

“1. Support and defend the Constitution.

2. Stay informed of the issues affecting your community.

3. Participate in the democratic process.”

There are a multitude of ways to stay informed. Television, radio, and internet are popular ways to access information. However, one of the simplest ways is to read materials from the public library. I borrowed and read “Project 2025”.  When I mentioned to someone I had read it, he scoffed, “Why would anyone want to read that?” I told him I wanted to know what it was and how it is impacting our Constitutional rights and our government. He shook his head, saying, “What a waste of time. I’d rather go golfing.” Obviously being an informed citizen is not high on his list of priorities!!! 

Are you loyal to our Constitution or “your” president? Are you avoiding “politics” or are you willing to seek reliable and authoritative information about issues that affect not only you, but all people?

We all make time to watch sports on television, play pickleball, go on trips, etc. but many people make NO time to become an informed voter. Read, listen, watch, discuss, ask questions, and research what is going on in our nation. Be an informed voter! And when you access information, use the CRAAP test:  

Currency: Is the information up to date?

Relevance: Does the information answer your question or pertain to the issue?

Authority: Is the author an expert or, if an organization, reputable?

Accuracy: Can the information be verified by other sources?

Purpose: Is the source designed to inform, not to sell or persuade with bias?

“In the continuing struggle to establish and maintain democratic values, free public libraries are essential … they offer citizens the means by which they may become informed and intelligent citizens.” — William Eshelman

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence.

11 Apr 2026

Beautiful day today for some sign waving! A candidate for the school board was on hand to collect signatures to put her name on the ballot. 

Beaches Activist Movement registered voters and let people know how they can change their party affiliation. Plus, they posted a QR code to connect with our Senators about the SAVE Act and another QR code to sign a petition to get Medicaid expansion on the ballot in Florida. We keep on, keeping on.

Lots of “happenings” this week! Paramount in my mind is the war and the President’s conduct. A passerby objected to my sign about war crimes. He told me that threatening people is “freedom of speech” and "Trump can say or do anything he pleases!!!" I should have kept my silence but … I reminded him in that in Florida threatening to kill or do bodily harm to someone is a second-degree felony, you can go to prison. He stared at me a few seconds then started to walk away “flipping me off” and saying, “F*k*ng P*ssy!” Somehow, I don’t think he is the type of person to Google “war crimes”. 

"the gentleman" (sarcasm) displaying his response

Onward … about my signs …

On April 7, 2026, the President of the United States wrote on social media that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." He was speaking of Iran and its 90 million people.

The American president threatened an attack upon a foreign civilian population of 90 million. He threatened genocide in our name, with our military, before the entire world.

The Geneva Conventions prohibit "acts or threats of violence whose primary purpose is to terrorize civilians.”  The lack of accountability for his statement begs the question: was the post-WWII “never again" a genuine commitment or merely a phrase that disappears in the hands of power-hungry leaders?

Trump's statement - issued on the morning of a self-imposed deadline, to an audience of millions, by the commander-in-chief of a military actively striking Iran - is a threat. It is not background noise. It is a weapon.

Silence in the face of an explicit threat of civilizational destruction is complicity. And complicity is where atrocity finds the oxygen it needs to become real.

The Geneva Conventions have always been a statement about what kind of world the human community was committed to building, and about what we owed to one another across national borders and civilizational difference.

We the People strive to live in a way that does the best for humanity. We will not be complicit in this administration’s intentional violations of the Geneva Conventions; we will not be silent. 

Vigilance. Resistance. Persistence

4 Apr 2026

A much smaller, but energetic crowd today. A man walking by with a guitar stopped to chat with me. As we discussed the various signs, he mentioned that he did not know about the war until two days ago. (?!) 

We talked about reliable news sources, and he admitted he “should really give a damn.”  Finally, he asked if I thought what I was doing was worthwhile – a legitimate question. 

Our weekly visibility action is an opportunity for community members to utilize their First Amendment rights in a highly visible, public space. Standing with a sign by the side of the street enables people passing by to view political issues they might otherwise be unaware of or simply ignore. Participants are creating a visual record of dissent, but they are also connecting with one another and letting the people passing by know they are not alone. In addition, we have registered voters, signed candidate petitions, and supported local charities.

Later, at home, I searched Pubmed for studies on the effectiveness of protests. One interesting fact I learned was about data on Google searches retrieved from Google Trends after protests. There is a strong positive correlation between protest visibility and the search intensity for protest related terms. Protests have the power to inspire citizens to seek information – as Thomas Jefferson said, “An informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.” Perhaps simply seeing us every Saturday is motivating citizens to research so they can become more informed and involved.

Finally, protest is not an endeavor that delivers immediate results; it requires considerable time, along with patience, perseverance, and courage from all involved. That is why we are out in our community every Saturday. Effective protests have demonstrated that long-term success involves visibility actions, political alliance-building, candidate recruitment, fundraising, registration drives, and get-out-the-vote efforts. 

Vigilance. Resistance. PERSISTANCE!