Eye noticed a tweet discussion between city council woman, Brenda Priestley Jackson and a Jacksonville native/military veteran, Emily Nunez. The tweet discussion was unnerving because Eye has watched Councilwoman Jackson during her time on the special committee for JEA where she has done great work and handled her role with professionalism and a desire to get to the truth of the matter.
How she handled this tweet discussion was completely opposite of her behavior with the JEA committee.
You can check out Ms. Jackson’s tweets on her twitter account here: https://twitter.com/Priestjax. Here is the one that was the most shocking.
Ms. Jackson called Emily Nunez “your kind” which is systemic bias at its core. She also said she does not seek voters who do not share her values. She states her values are loving Jacksonville and the community yet extinguishes the voices of others in the community.
Ms. Jackson shut down debate and instead reverted to name calling.
She states she does seek information from “your kind” but is seeking truth only.
Eye asks: “How can she seek truth when she only listens to her “community?” Everyone knows that truth comes when all “kinds” of people come together and share their side of the story. As a lawyer, Ms. Jackson should understand that more than anyone else.
As Ms. Jackson seeks truth on the JEA committee, we ask that she use that same desire with the people of this community. Her words were divisive, shocking and sad. Demeaning a Jacksonville native who also believes in a beloved and just city and has served her country in the military is unbecoming of a city council member.
In her own words, Ms. Jackson states, “Unity requires truth.”
We agree and we also know that “One sided truth is not truth.”
Name calling and shutting down discussions is no way to sort out the truth we all seek and desire. You can’t persuade us Ms. Jackson by insulting us. Engaging in debate is the way to change hearts and minds.
We are all stressed and not at our best right now so forgiveness is on the agenda for Ms. Jackson. We would also hope she can garner the courage to apologize to Ms. Nunez and others not in her “community.” Jacksonville is our community and that is the only one we need to rally behind and support.
