“No Kings Day” in Fernandina Beach resembled a group temper tantrum.
The only thing missing from the Saturday, October 17, 2025, event were the 300 or so sign-wavers laying on their backs, kicking their feet, and screaming like toddlers demanding predinner cookies.
What was the purpose? I didn’t hear them complain about any local issues, national, foreign, or domestic policy concerns, or economic or trade anxieties. Based on the feedback I received the only reason they were there is because they were told where to go. Out-of-towners got a free bus ride.
I totally agree with their overall premise of “No Kings.” I don’t want any kings in charge either. This country rid itself of kings 250 years ago. There hasn’t been one hereabouts since King George III, who the American colonists accused of “absolute tyranny” in 1776 and booted out of the colonies in 1783.
The only thing I could discern from this goofy crowd was that they oppose President Trump’s enforcement of our laws. They are protesting safe streets, banning men in girls’ locker rooms and restrooms and men on women’s sports teams. They endorse sexual mutilation of children, antisemitism, and violence on college campuses, reopening the border to illegal aliens, continuing the flow of drugs into the country, and not jailing violent criminals or prosecuting misdemeanors. They advocate tax-payer funded healthcare for illegals and deadbeats, double digit inflation, wars in Gaza and other parts of the world, and more.
Maybe they were celebrating that America doesn’t have kings. Because if it did their protest would have been short-lived.
If Donald Trump is a king how can 47 Democrat senators shut down the government, and Trump can’t do anything about it?
Their irrational hatred of Trump is so intense these people prefer chaos, crime, sexual perversion, wars, and economic pain, over his accomplishments they benefit from and refuse to acknowledge.
The protesting sign-wavers wearing their childish paper “Burger King” crowns are laughable. They’re emotionally befuddled individuals that ignore our Constitution’s design and the negative facets of the chaos of their convoluted political beliefs. Most of those parading around on South 8th and Lime last weekend couldn’t coherently explain why they were there.
They were told where and when to show up and, like sheep, they obeyed. Maybe they thought there would be a free lunch. Maybe there was. From the looks of many of them, they don’t miss many dinner bells. Walking back and forth waving signs was probably the most exercise any of them will get this month. This was not a physically or mentally healthy crowd.
Speaking with reporters before exiting Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews Sunday, Oct. 19, President Trump called the left’s out-of-touch whining “ineffective” and called out wealthy donors for funding the events. “I think it’s a joke,” Trump replied when asked about the protests.
“I looked at the people — they’re not representative of this country. And I looked at all the brand new signs… I guess it was paid for by [George] Soros and other radical left lunatics,” Trump told reporters. “It looks like it was. We’re checking it out.”
“The demonstrations were very small, very ineffective, and the people were whacked out. When you look at those people, those are not representative of the people of our country,” he observed.
It was reported by many local folks in Fernandina that many of the sign wavers along South 8th weren’t locals. A number of empty buses used to transport the crowd were spotted along Clinch Drive during the event. Where did they come from?
An organization called Unified Nassau Florida popped up this past April. It claims it’s a “grassroots activist organization committed to building a democracy that truly serves the people.” Its website advertises the “No Kings” rally, so it’s clearly not a locally organized event.
The site add that its Nassau County group is an “ …inclusive group of like-minded thinkers with progressive values operating under the umbrella of Indivisible.org.”
It has a website https://www.unifiednassauflorida.org/ but doesn’t name any local contacts.
It’s reported that they meet at the local Story & Song Bookstore to plan future events and discuss whatever these people discuss other than their mutual hatred of conservatives and President Trump.
According to the site the following is an example of what folks can expect if they attend one of this crowd’s functions: “Our work is driven by a simple conviction: representatives should answer to the communities they serve, not to billionaires, corporations, or special interests”
It says “Unified Nassau Florida doesn’t have a paid staff and uses donations to help it cover items such as signs, banners, and event supplies for rallies, marches, and local actions.” That may explain the professionally made signs.
Without being specific the site says that one of its local chapter’s objectives is “..to push back against authoritarianism and build a stronger democracy right here in Nassau County.”
WOW! Maybe soon we’ll have our very own Antifa domestic terrorist organization thanks to this crowd.
I heard that they were debating what to name their recent local event until they finally settled on the recommended “No Kings Day.” Dismissed early were catchy phrases such as No King Kongs, No Kingsford Charcoal (nixed early as that would have meant no BBQ at the event), No Stupid People (scratched for obvious reasons); No Paid Parking came in second but was ditched because it made too much sense.
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Speaking Of Paid Parking: If the local activist crowd wants to really get something done, impress locals, and make news, maybe they should start with Fernandina Commissioner Tim Poynter.
The local businessman, who owns six downtown businesses, made it clear in an interview with JAX 4 TV News that he doesn’t care what the city’s citizens, and the signers of the “No Paid Parking” petition want….there WILL BE paid parking in Fernandina Beach and there’s nothing they can do about it.
As far as Poynter is concerned they can go pound sand, because his mind is made up and apparently so are the minds of the other three that voted for what appears to be a local outrage. Only Commissioner Darron Ayscue, who vehemently opposes paid parking, stands alone as opposing paid parking.
If folks look close enough on Fernandina’s downtown sidewalks they’ll see small round circles, where parking meters used to be (photo at left). Residents didn’t want them then, they didn’t raise money and were a nuisance. Why does this quartet of bozos think it’ll work now? They have obviously learned nothing.
Here’s a thought. Instead of looking for ways to raise money for parks, sea walls, etc. how about looking for ways to cut back? Do what corporations do when times get tough and hard decisions must be made. How about a hiring freeze? Cut budgets. Tell each department head to find 10 percent to cut. Or tell them you’ll do it for them. Stop buying and sitting on nonproductive assets like mosquito infested land, new vehicles, and buildings. Get rid of the deadwood and start cutting staff.
If this paid parking fiasco is passed there will be four new Commission faces in city hall in the next elections, and this group will live in local infamy as the most disastrous quartet of losers in Fernandina’s history.
For the first time in my memory the “No Paid Parking” issue is the single most unifying issue I’ve ever witnessed since moving here. Political affiliation doesn’t matter, not a single person I’ve spoken to wants any part of paid parking. They’d rather have a sharp stick in the eye.
At last Tuesday’s City Commission session when Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue made a motion to approve the citizens’ No Paid Parking ordinance it failed. Not one other commissioner chimed in as the second thereby knocking it off the 2026 ballot, despite the locals demand through petitions, demonstrations, numerous Commission speaking engagements, phone calls, and letters.
The clueless, insensitive, and smug four continue to ignore the wishes of the community giving local citizens a huge collective finger.
Business owners and others in the chambers were quick to let the four rogue officials know what they thought of their decision, prompting the potted plant Mayor James Auntun, pretending to be authoritative, to tell them to shut up or he’d call a recess.
Based on the mood of the locals this issue is far from being over and the quarrelsome quartet can expect the locals to turn up the heat.
Is a recall next?
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The Next Hot Issue is the city’s and county’s rapidly increasing property taxes. To highlight that mess, Gerald Decker, a Ph.D. in math from the University of Chicago, used his local property, a single family home, to compare how taxes have increased over the last 16 years (i.e., from 2009 to 2025—post the Great Recession), to wit:
- My property assessed value has risen by 49.5%
- My Fernandina taxes have gone up by 56.15%
- My County taxes have exploded some 83.74%
- And School taxes by 16.04%.
He said: “We know that Fernandina has been expanding government beyond reason (population has risen by only 17.7% since 2009), but the colossal growth of county spending is a surprise. What in heavens name are they buying?”
He summed it up correctly concluding: “Our two local governments are addicted to property tax as their main funding source. This is a serious problem, which only keeps getting worse. Even Tallahassee is concerned and is starting to look at reining in this addiction.”
The increase in property taxes must be reigned in. It will inevitably drive people away. Our property taxes were about $17,000 when we bought our house in 2012. We just got our current estimated tax bill for $54,000! It has more than TRIPLED in 13 years! How can they justify that? We planned for inflation, but certainly not for that!
At the Saturday Oct.18th event, they wanted to park in a business parking lot but the owner said no. Then to top it off, they asked to use the restroom which of course the owner said no way!! I passed by & did not recognize anyone…..send in the clowns?!
One point not addressed by the parking fee mania is the “income” is being used to support the issuance of revenue bonds to fund the plans for the marina area. Ya see, if they want to issue general obligation bonds, they need voter approval, but they do not need voter approval for revenue bonds. The city pulled this scam when they purchased the water utility from FPU as most believed the city residents would not have approved the purchase.
My favorite at the demonstration was the guy in the black tee shirt with large white letters reading “Even My Dog Hates Trump”. I wanted to stop and ask him how he knew that but I was a little uncomfortable what with those “Trump” and “Back the Blue” bumper stickers on my truck.
The city commission badly wants to build the “wall” ostensibly to prevent downtown flooding. That being the case, the proper course of action is for the downtown businesses to fund it–not raise taxes and not implement questionable schemes.
What could be more King-like than removing the Democratic primary winning candidate for the 2024 election and replacing them with one who had NEVER won any national election?
Re: Paid Parking/City Commissioners
My suggestions:
1) A 1% Use Tax for all retail sales within the city. (more income than parking, painless, affects equally)
2) Recall all city commissioners. (Especially those that own half the city)
Not necessarily in that order
Duke
I’m sorry… I was having trouble focusing on the other comments, trying to envision a house that has property taxes of $54,000.
Commissioner Tim Poynter Must be as stoooopid as any of the four commissioners currently screwing the over the residents and taxpayers of Fernandina Beach. To get on any of the lame stream Jacksonville Media Outlets and and say “he doesn’t care what the city’s citizens, and the signers of the “No Paid Parking” petition want….there WILL BE paid parking in Fernandina Beach and there’s nothing they can do about it” just shows how enormously clueless he is to the ways of the political world. Any elected politician that thinks voters can’t do anything about paid parking may have stirred the anti-paid parking resistant to a point he is going to be school in a skill he is sorely lacking and that is “Just Keep Your Mouth Shut.” I hope a leader will step up and lead the recall of the four clueless and quiet possibly brain dead commissioner s.
I’ve wondered the same thing