Sawgrass Rebellion: Property rights the focus of rally - On to Homestead Final Destination

Naples Daily News ^ | October 19, 2002 | ERIC STAATS

[comwatch]

Sawgrass Rebellion: Property rights the focus of rally

Saturday, October 19, 2002

By ERIC STAATS, emstaats@naplesnews.com

After three weeks on the road, farmers and ranchers from as far away as Oregon and Ohio pulled into Collier County on Friday for a peaceful rally for private property rights.

Local property rights advocates met the cross-country caravan about 10 a.m. in the Public parking lot at Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard. From there, a 40-vehicle convoy headed to the rally — dubbed the Sawgrass Rebellion — in the front yard of a remote Golden Gate Estates home on 18th Avenue Southeast.

People came and went throughout most of the afternoon with the crowd topping out at about 200 people at any one time, authorities said. They sat in lawn chairs or stood in the shade as a parade of speechmakers and musicians stepped up to a microphone on a makeshift stage erected across the home's front porch. The rally was set to end at 10 p.m. with a candlelight vigil.

Property rights advocate Bill Lhota, center, and neighbor Donna Scarpa, right, both of Golden Gate Estates, discuss issues pertaining to their homes at the Sawgrass Rebellion rally on Friday at Lhota's home. Lhota welcomed friends, neighbors and members of the Klamath Bucket Brigade, a group from Klamath Falls, Ore., who drove across the country to support property rights. The event featured food, music and speeches. Gary Coronado/Staff

An American flag hung from the home's two-story columns above a banner that stated "Sawgrass Rebellion and Don't Flood My Land."

The rolling rally heads to Homestead today, completing a 5,000-mile trek that took the Klamath convoy through 11 states. Convoy leaders said they heard pleas for relief from federal environmental policy at almost every stop along the way.

"We can take that message to somebody, and it's a message from all across the United States," said Bill Ransom, 52, a logger and farmer from Klamath Falls, Ore., and chairman of the Klamath Bucket Brigade. "We're not going to give up our property rights without a fight."

The bucket brigade was born out of a crisis that resulted when federal agencies shut off irrigation to 220,000 acres of farms last summer to ensure enough water for endangered suckerfish and threatened salmon. A peaceful standoff with federal agents began July 4, 2001, at the headgates of an irrigation canal and ended Sept. 12 in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

The problem in South Florida, landowners say, is too much water. The Klamath Bucket Brigade made the trip after receiving a plea for help from the Dade County Farm Bureau. Plans for Everglades restoration would turn part of Miami-Dade County called the 8½ Square Mile Area into a place to store water.

Local property rights advocates, led by the Property Rights Action Committee, have made the Sawgrass Rebellion a touchstone for their own fights against a new plan for rural growth in Collier County, a proposed wetlands mitigation bank in Golden Gate Estates and a project that would restore natural water flows to stretches of the Estates south of Interstate 75.

Property Rights Action Committee President Bill Lhota said it was a "great sight" to see the caravan pull into town. He said the rally has opened people's eyes.

"I definitely think it's going to have an impact on the way people think about things, the way they vote and the way they relate to their elected officials," said Lhota, a construction consultant.

It was Lhota's home that served as a backdrop for Friday's rally — and he even picked up a fiddle and guitar to play some bluegrass music for the crowd with his son, Bill Jr.

The road in front of Lhota's house was lined with vehicles for a half-mile, including a rig that carried a 10-foot-tall silver bucket from Klamath Falls — a symbol of Western action against federal environmental policies.

Signs of support dotted DeSoto Boulevard, the route the convoy took to the rally site. "Sawgrass Rebellion Convoy We Love You," read one. "Welcome home," said another.

An informal survey of rally-goers found people there from Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan and California. About half the crowd was from the local area.

Volunteers cooked hamburgers and hot dogs in the back yard amid tents set up for sympathetic organizations to raise money and distribute fliers.

The atmosphere was at times angry with speakers railing against "the government." Signs hanging from a wire said "Send all eco-thugs to their brother Castro" and "Together we will throw out the liars, vermin, druids, misfits, drones, United Nations and new robber barons. Don't tread on us."

Bill Ransom

Speakers included former two-term Naples city councilman and defeated County Commission candidate Fred Tarrant and Commission Chairman Jim Coletta.

Tarrant called it a "night of shame" when county commissioners in June voted unanimously for a Transfer of Development Rights program that is part of a new plan for rural growth in Collier County. The TDR program is designed to compensate property owners for lost development rights, but landowners fear it won't work.

"They were looking out for red-cockaded woodpeckers, when you know and I know, we're the endangered species," Tarrant said.

Coletta said before his remarks to the crowd that he disagrees with the way "property rights advocates spread their gospel" but that the County Commission agrees with the basic principle of protecting private property rights.

"We plan to uphold that," he said.

Coletta was the brunt of a national e-mail campaign started by Sawgrass Rebellion organizers who blamed Coletta for trying to run the rally out of the county. Coletta denies trying to do that.

He presented a Collier County flag to Klamath Bucket Brigade members to add to their collection of state flags presented to them in state capitals along the convoy route.

After today's rally in Homestead, the convoy plans to turn around and head back home after follow-up stops in Jackson, Miss., and Albuquerque, N.M., Ransom said.

They'll see the sun set in their windshields, instead of in their rearview mirrors, knowing their own beds are still days ahead of them.

Klamath farmer Bob King, 72, says he's losing money every day he's away from his ranch.

"To me it's worth it, for my kids and my grandkids," he said.

 
   E-mail this story to a friend.

   Format this story for

[comwatch]

---

God bless these truly patriotic Americans.  You've won the hearts and minds of so many in your travels, proving, it's not always the destination that matters as much as the journey.  May the education you have provided our fellow Americans serve as an example, that ordinary people can and will do extraordinary things to preserve and defend the Constitution of these United States.  Let not the few, speak for the many! Know that others apathy and lack of pathos is your crucible survived. Stand tall and proud knowing that next to you stand the spirits of those who could not be with you today... know that we share your resolve and pledge to awaken justice and liberty in all of us. God speed you safely home.  God Bless the Patriots of this Day. God Bless America.

Your Fan Dave in Sacramento

---

[Giddyupgo]

Freedom Bump!

[Seeking the truth]

Just got back home from the Sawgrass Rebellion last night and the convoy across the Tamiani Trail (Rt.41) from Naples to Homestead.

Due to prior committments, I had to bail as the convoy stopped at the Miccosukke Indian Hotel & Resort for a food & comfort stop.

It was a great rally and there was fantastic media coverage.
I saw four news trucks parked on this estate with their satellite booms extended. It was covered live by a local radio WINK (a CBS affilitate). The local TV affliate of CBS, also WINK, was there from about 11:00am to 7:00pm. They led off their 12:00 news with a live report from the rally point.

Meeting these Convoy folks from across this great land of ours was truely an honor for me!

[comwatch]

Thank you sooooo much for the update and inspiring news. A fitting tribute to these great folks who have given so unselfishly of their time and energy for a cause that effect EVERY ARMICAN1

I wish I could have been there in person. I feel such a vicarious connection to our little buddy Fearless Fred and now his new pal Fran, it's almost like being there.

I do hope the many calls to Florida media helped a little. Dave Kirby, Assignment Editor with WINK-TV 5 was great. He'll do what he can to put up the news story on a link we can share. We'll be sending the news guy (Tray) a thankyou note.

[Matchett-PI]

So glad to hear some news about how it went! I was really disappointed that I couldn't have been there with you and the other FReepers.

Hope to hear from some more who were there.

Bump!

[maxwellp]

Ditto, Dave. From a fan in New York State who truly appreciates true Americans! I've e-mailed Rush Limbaugh to give this some publicity.

[MonroeDNA]

Wish I could have been there! What a great bunch of people. Some all teh way from Klamoth Falls. Wow!

Had to work today...durn!

Florida Freeper bump!

[farmfriend]

Glad your back sweetie. Your posts are so much better than mine.

[farmfriend]

pinging for pinging

[comwatch]

I'm only "back" to live up to a promise I made everyone connected with this movement. My word is about all I have left for Free Republic. It was painful not being at the Dump Davis rally and supporting our LOCAL frineds, Saundra, Lager, Impeach and others we have stood shoulder to shoulder with us in the past. But we did our duty, albeit from a distance. See: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/772251/posts

But one truth came out of that rally today, just as truth prevailed in Homestead Florida this morning!

If anyone wants to know what that's all about, I will respond privately and not rain on ANYONE'S parade. But what future, if any I have on FR, now lies squarely in one person's hand. That person didn't own up to the truth when banned Freeper restoreourfreedom introduced himself today.

[calawah98]

Thanks for the great article. I just wanted to let you know that Fox News just had you guys on, telling every one what the caravan was about.
Thanks to all for all the work and time that has gone into this effort.

[Matchett-PI]

Shepherd Smith on Fox News channel just finished up covering this protest. [Around 7:45-7:50 pm] He showed pictures of the convoy coming into town, an interview with Bill Ransom and lots of other stuff! It was great coverage!

I'm sure lots of other FReepers saw it too.

BUMP for Fox Shepherd Smith!

[MinuteGal]

I live within striking distance of Naples and planned to join the rally. Only a durned broken foot intervened, which kept me from being with all the patriots from across the country. Congratulations from this "bench warmer". I admire you all so much.

Leni

[AuntB]

Thanks for the update, Seeking. I've been worried about them all! I'm so glad you got to attend and meet some of the greatest people EVER! I should be there....sigh....

[AuntB]

That's great to hear!! I'm going to turn on the TV...been doing some remodeling today, so haven't even checked!

[Ben Bolt]

Bump from the home office . Frustrated and yet excited about the future !

[farmfriend]

bump

[farmfriend]

Did anyone think to ping you?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Sawgrass Rebellion: Property rights the focus of rally PING!

[firewalk]

Thank you for the ping Tonkin & Bttt