Island Living in Jacksonville

No, this isn't a post about our Beaches communities. Just stay with me: there's a payoff at the end.

As a native of Jacksonville, I've come to realize something important, critically important, about this town. It's a city made up of islands. The conventional wisdom is that Jacksonville is backwards in its thinking, run by the Good Old Boys, and anathema to new ideas and progressive thinking in general. The zeitgeist that forms the basis of the conventional wisdom comprises the ocean of ignorance for which Jacksonville has heretofore been known.

But Jacksonville is dotted with islands that buck the conventional wisdom. We have a resurgent local Democratic Party, which we need for civic balance. Corruption is the result of any system that is tilted so wildly out of balance. See, the current Duval GOP. See also, the Duval Democrats in the 60s and 70s. There are new voices rising to challenge the JTA's lame-brain mega-bus scheme at MetroJacksonville. JaxOutLoud has become a voice for systemic political change. Arlington residents are energized about the broken promises surrounding Craig Field. RADO has attracted a nucleus of new-thinkers concerned with reserving the effects of White Flight. Pioneers in Springfield have been doing the same for ages. The local GLBT community is finally having an impact and getting noticed. A progressive radio station is giving a voice to so many new ideas and perspectives. And bloggers like Downtownparks, Colony Jax, Hemming Plaza, The Urban Core, Folio, and Urban Jacksonville are stirring up lots of new ideas and organically linking them together on the web.

And then we, each of us, have our own personal islands in the sea of Jacksonville. Our close circles of friends, family, coworkers, parishioners, and associates who we relate to and with on a daily basis. The people who are, for me at least, my balm against the dominant zeitgeist in this town and the people who are, for me at least, the reason why I stay and fight. The people who embody the Jacksonville possible.

So, we have a sea of corruption and negativity. We have islands of new thought and hope for the future. The key is to build bridges between our islands and reach out to as many people as we possibly can who are ready for something new in Jacksonville. Reaching out to others can be difficult. It involves a number of risks. While it's not always easy to do, please know that it's never been easier than it is today.

I've come to believe that to solve our problems and create unconventional wisdom in Jacksonville is to find new ways to unite the islands that we each take for granted. The concept of social networking and mapping is a key to unlocking Jacksonville's potential. Yes, we're surrounded by a status quo that will fight like hell to maintain itself. But we have new weapons in our arsenal in Jacksonville. We only have to use them to our ultimate advantage. I already see the seeds of that renewal beginning to take root. There is much energy pent up and ready for action. Bridges are being built between our islands. Emissaries and new leaders are identifying themselves. Change is coming soon to New Cowford.

Oh, you were promised a payoff if you stayed with me. When we strengthen our connections with each other and turn this kinetic storehouse into motion, bridge the divides, and work together, we'll remake our City as something that looks less like Southeast Georgia and more like the State of Florida (which, we're told, begins here, after all). I can't imagine a better reward for good deeds.