Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Poor Jacksonville, If True


Multiple news orgs are reporting that the GOP upper echelons have decided on Jacksonville, Florida, for the big, splashy, packed-to-the-rafters Trump acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, because Governor Cooper wouldn't guarantee a packed Spectrum Center in Charlotte for Twitterman.

An authoritarian needs adoration.

But Charlotte is not completely in the clear: "The GOP will reportedly still hold routine convention meetings in Charlotte to avoid potential lawsuits for violating its contract with North Carolina" (Talking Points Memo). Presumably after three days of business votes in Charlotte, all the delegates will get themselves to Jacksonville to genuflect. By trains, planes, and automobiles.

Jacksonville is Florida's largest city and has a Republican mayor. The state, of course, also has a Republican governor. Evidently, they are not inclined to impose any silly rules about social distancing and mask-wearing. Meanwhile, COVID cases in Florida are also on an upward trend. Almost three times more people have died from the virus in Florida than in North Carolina.

But the appetite in Jacksonville for Trumpism may be limited: "Jacksonville is among the dozens of cities and towns where protesters have called for changes in the treatment of black people by law enforcement. On Tuesday, [Mayor Lenny] Curry walked with protesters who were demonstrating outside City Hall. Early Tuesday morning, city officials took down a confederate statue there" (Maggie Haberman).

1 comment:

Red Hornet said...

Jacksonville tooked down a terrorist racist statue in the big beach town, well I'll be glorified in Heaven!
They gonna need plenty help from De Load after a Covid Convention.
Charlotte Talks (WFAE radio) featured Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles this Wednesday morning.
She was a-hemming and a-hawing, spouting fairy tales about high paying jobs and plentious affordable housing.
The woman definitely knows Charlotte is in several deep messes, but she can't seem to admit the truth.
She's not driving around looking for Confederates to cut down, but she is sucking up to Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Honeywell intensely. That is sad! She's indecisive on the role of Charlotte Police, and she will never admit bidding on the RNC was a mistake.Charlotte was the one and only contender for the fascist party. Vi is a "successful real estate woman" way over on the backward fringes of the Democratic Party.
Which one of those progressive council members is gonna replace her?
I've got high hopes. I think a Democratic Party not beholden to corporate business structural injustice is possible.
Vi can't see it. I can even see the little confederate soldier at the Gaston County Courthouse carted away to the backyard of the County History Museum in Dallas, NC. He'll feel more at ease. Bobblehead Foxx can even bring him a flower before she leaves office. I'm OK with that.