Thanksgiving message from Mayor Ward
Press release from City of Gainesville
Dear Neighbor:
On this Thanksgiving Day, I am reminded of the words of Nelson Mandela, “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to helping others without expecting anything in return.” This resonates with the spirit I see in our community every day – people lifting one another up and contributing to the common good.
That is among the greatest of our blessings here in the City of Gainesville.
As your mayor, I’m grateful for so many things. I give thanks for the beauty of our city – both the urban landscape we’ve built together and the natural environment we are privileged to enjoy. I am thankful for the dedicated city staff who serve our neighbors tirelessly, bringing their commitment and care to each day. I am grateful for our admirable community partners, with their boundless energy, inspiration and ideas.
Most of all, I’m thankful for you. Your engagement, whether in support or in thoughtful disagreement, enriches our community and ensures that Gainesville continues to grow as a vibrant, inclusive home for all its residents. Your journey is woven into the fabric of our city, just as Gainesville is part of you.
No matter where or how this Thanksgiving finds you, I hope you find time for a moment of reflection and gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving Day.
Harvey
Nice message.
I am going to drink a gallon of gravy chase it down with a bottle of syrup and then install an IV into my arm connected to a 50 gallon drum of gravy. I give thanks for the Gru piggy bank that I have continually robbed over the years, even though right now it’s out of reach of my pudgy little fingers. I will regrip it soon.
A very humanist take on a holiday that was created to thank God for his providence
What kind of Christian Nationalist BS is this? We live in a pluralist society, where people are free to practice their religion.
The very premise of this country is a rejection of your type of thinking.
You can pray to the spaghetti monster and still take a pause and be grateful and thankful.
This invasive Christians Nationalist thinking must stop. It’s horse sh!t.
Thanksgiving is NOT a Christian celebration. It has nothing to do with organized religion. Christians and others of faith or not, do give thanks on this day, though.
Nobody is forcing you to believe in God, but you don’t get to rewrite history.
From Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation:
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
From Lincoln’s Thanksgiving proclamation:
“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
“No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
“It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.”
Neither Washington or Lincoln were pilgrims. We all own this country and specifically religion was cut out of necessary credentials in the Constitution.
However, “Lord” is mentioned, and most state constitutions make mention of God. Let’s not forget, the currency of the United States of America has emblazoned, “In God We Trust,” as well as some state license plates.
Guess it’s a good thing not everything was cut out.
“Lord” is not in the Constitution.
As if every tin pot dictatorship, tyrannical empire, and Kingdom that practices beheadings doesn’t claim God as it’s special protector. Is that the “good thing” you think we get from doing it to?
Check again. It’s mentioned, but only in reference to a specific date.
I know how you pay particular attention to detail.
Nobody is forcing you to believe in God, but you don’t get to rewrite history.
From Washington’s Thanksgiving proclamation:
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
From Lincoln’s Thanksgiving proclamation:
“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
“No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
“It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.”
Drop dead
Touchy about religion?
If one has to make a decision on whether God exists, and in so doing acknowledges Jesus Christ is His son; it’s far better to make that decision and be correct than not make that decision and be wrong. Only the Spirit can open one’s heart and the denial of such is the only sin of which there is no forgiveness.
That’s the true freedom of choice that God has given everyone.
Sure, waste your entire life pursuing a fantasy goal you reach when dead, as if you, me, or anyone else could understand the goals of a creator – what are they again, other than stoking his Trump like ego? – and enact “his” program, which he could easily do himself, but who hasn’t bothered to even text us in over 2,000 years?
Sorry to be blunt, but we’re all adults here, and facts are facts. None of them indicate this goal has any basis in reality, while we live, love, and struggle on earth with other humans, the only beings who understand and care about us, and ever will. Save your efforts for them.
My comment needs no further explanation. We’re simply not able to comprehend God and His love for us, or what is to come for those who believe, it’s beyond our comprehension. You must have missed that part about God giving us a choice; that’s what will be revealed on the day of judgement.
As far as being adults, many here may be, but that won’t really matter.
Go ahead Mayor….put another notch in your belt and stuff yourself with all that GRU $$$.
Seems the comment section got off to a right religious start. That said, all Gainesvillians should be thankful for Fat Harvey and his ilk. Without their stupidity we’d have far fewer stories of interest in the chronicle.
If a person can’t see though the phoniness of Ward, I guess you voted for him. He is a “Thanksgiving Turkey”.
The board comments here are always so uplifting, positive, and constructive.
The comments on this board are so toxic. But they do allow angry people to show us all what they fear.
You’re the one who wrote “Drop dead” above
It’s the hypocrisy of the left on full display. Jazzmin must be going crazy after the results of the election. Maybe Jazzmin should do like Rob Reiner and check himself into a psychiatric hospital for a while.
Peabody, I’ve lost elections before – not as many as you – so I know the sun comes up again and the country is moving in my direction – see public opinion on abortion, guns, universal health insurance, climate change prep, Ukraine, gay marriage, etc., and with Trump having more Americans who didn’t vote for him than did (at 49.6% and dwindling) his “mandate” is already over. Public opinion is against tariffs and mass deportations, so his area to succeed in is his campaign promises to erase the national debt (guffaw!), eliminate taxes on SS and tips (see promise to erase the national debt), increase Obama care coverage (oh yeah!), and end all wars in a couple of days.
No doubt you are high in anticipation!
Oh, he still has to get Mexico to pay for the wall, but he and Musk can probably pick up that expense without batting an eye, right?
Sorry, meant to post Kiss my bass.
It’s too bad Harvey doesn’t represent an ounce of thankfulness for the people in the city’s employ. He’s a conniving, self-centered phony who has done a lot behind the scenes to “even the score” with people he doesn’t like. City employees know that.
I’d rather live in a prosperous place where money flows into local businesses, which was the case here until not long ago, instead of having to console myself with the words of a third-world “leader” as Gainesville becomes more like downtown Detroit every day.
Harvey ought to be thankful for his job, if he had any sense, since he’s obviously not very good at it.
Funny Peabody, but I’ve been in business in Gainesville and Alachua County since 1978 and the only downturns I’ve experienced were national/international – OPEC and the late 70s and early 80s, the Great Recession and real estate bubble of 2008, and the Covid Pandemic. You have no idea what you are talking about.
You continue to post about the downtown farmers market when there hasn’t been a downtown farmers market in at least three or four years. That shows how out of touch you are. I’m talking about tech money, obviously. The highest-tech thing going on nowadays at the innovation hub is some food trucks. That’s mostly thanks to a different stupid, fat, inbred-looking mayor, Lauren Poe.
There’s a farmer’s market every Monday on 10th Ave across from the Cypress and Grove Brewery.
No, it’s not obvious you were or are talking about “tech money”, given that has never been the major industry in Gainesville. Health care and education are, 2 very steady sources of jobs and income.
NW 10th Avenue is not downtown. The city commission hogs killed the “downtown farmers market” with excessive fees and overregulation. Healthcare and education are basic jobs, not money flowing in vast amounts into the local economy like we had. The cocaine dealers at Loosey’s are probably the heart of the local downtown economy now, and probably why Ward is so fixated on that place.
NW 10th Ave and 1st Street is downtown – you can walk there from the Top.
The Wednesday farmer’s market on the Plaza was ended for Covid, not fees and regulations. It was going gang busters until then.
NOT downtown. You must be directionally challenged – still.
I still remember your inability to find NE 1st St & E University Ave, and your unwillingness to walk north on it.
No, Jazzdummy. The city was charging them $3,000 every time for police protection. So they stopped doing it.
It’s NW 4th Street and 10th Avenue. It’s not downtown, not even close to what any rational person would consider downtown.