A local retired teacher has declared a corner of the Jacksonville square a speakers’ corner.
Patrick Kennedy, who just turned 81, says he was driving around Jacksonville, thinking about the historic significance of the city when the idea occurred to him.
Kennedy is a retired English teacher from Jacksonville High School.
Kennedy says he came across the perfect spot on the northeast side of the square.
He says what better place to speak your mind than in front of the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence displayed in that corner of the square.
Kennedy says he actually made the declaration in July, but knew he was going to be gone in September.
He has declared the first Tuesday of each month open to the Speakers’ Corner, starting next month.
Kennedy says the monthly testing of the weather siren would be a clarion call for all those who need to get something off their chest, without fear of retribution.
He says there will be no bullhorns, no microphones. He patterned the idea after Hyde’s Park in Westminster, England, among the most well known speakers corners in the world.
More information is available through Kennedy’s Facebook page at JacksonvilleSpeakersCorner.