Mangrove Republic vows to secede from Florida
In recent weeks a small group representing the villages of Matlacha, Bokeelia and St. James City gathered to declare its independence from the state of Florida. Spearheaded by Matlacha author, Robert Macomber, the newly formed nation has been officially declared as the Mangrove Republic.
Billing themselves as the Committee for the Cultural Independence of the Islands of the Mangrove Republic, this group is dedicated to ensuring that Pine Island and Matlacha maintain its unique culture.
“We have made history here on this islands on signing our declaration of independence,” Macomber said. “Inspired by few, the Mangrove Republic was born at high noon on April 1, with somewhat appropriate toasts over really good shrimp and beer. In the course of humankind, never have so many been so awed, by so little, but we have pledged our humor and piggy banks to do it, for richer or poorer and we rally to the cry, than Mangrove Republic, Don’t Mess with Our Roots.”
With kidding aside, Macomber did say that this stand represents the fact that islanders generally do not take well to change and it is time to take a stand and strive to hold onto all that makes the area considered one of the few places left that reflects Old Florida and its life-style.
During the initial meeting of the Mangrove Republic committee founders unanimously elected the reigning governor of Pine Island, Deb Cole as its prime minister.
The first order of business as determined by the committee would be to establish relations with the Conch Republic of Key West.
“We plan to seek cordial foreign relations with the Conch Republic to our south,” Macomber said. “I have connections there and will seek preliminary contact with them.”
The Mangrove Republic was formed much like the Conch Republic. The Key West motto is “We seceded where others have failed” and vow to mitigate the world of tension through the exercise of humor.
The Declaration of Independence of the Islands of the Mangrove Republic which include Pine Island, Little Pine, Bocilla, Galt, McGradle, Buzzard, Calusa, Matlacha, the peninsula of Matlacha and such other islands who choose to join the republic, states that the declaration is necessary due to a number of conditions. “Since about 1960, the cultural and social elite of the mainland of Florida has not understood and not cared to, understand the grand and historical culture of these islands. Whereas those selfsame authorities have assumed that we are similar to the tourist locals of other neighboring islands, notwithstanding that we are proud to be working islands famous for our agriculture and commercial fishing and the highest speed limit of the coast. Our native cultural habits have thus been thwarted and demeaned by the lack of understanding and respect by those in cultural power who dwell upon the mainland. We do hereby declare our cultural independence of those politically correct and arrogant few from East of our Eden who would dismiss the arts, literature, music, drinks and cuisine of these beachless islands. We pledge to fight such cultural adversity with our considerable arsenal of humor, artistic talent and industrious efforts.”
During the first meeting, several important decisions were made by the 14 founders of the republic. Among the decisions were the establishment of the National motto, “Don’t Mess with our Roots” as well as naming the mullet at the national fish, the laughing gull as the national bird and the National Mangrove Mammal, the coon. The group plans to meet on a regular basis to plan secession strategies and to produce a official flag to fly over the Mangrove Republic.