Some pertinent urls:

http://www.lisamcpherson.org/sp_times_4-20-01_brick_bad.htm
http://www.lisamcpherson.org/sp_times_4-26-01_brick_ok.htm
http://www.sanctuaryweb.org/gallery/20041218_Clearwater

When I was living in Clearwater Mark and I attended a meeting of a civic group that wanted to turn a small alleyway into a park. We thought that was a crazy idea because it was actually just a little walkway between 2 buildings and was used almost solely for Sea Org members on their smoke break. Nevertheless, this project went forward.

The method chosen to raise funds was to sell bricks that would be placed in the park. Each brick would have a small message carved in it, and would cost I think $45.

A few of us ordered bricks. Mine was "remember Lisa McPherson."

Stacy's was in memory of Roxanne Friend, and Ida bought one for Leo J. Ryan. I'm not sure if other critics bought bricks or not. Anyway, we sent in our money and everything seemed fine. I got a nice letter thanking me for my contribution.

But then a couple of months later, I got a letter saying my brick was rejected because it would cause "community disturbance" or something like that. This was crazy. What community would be disturbed by "remember Lisa McPherson"? Certainly not the city of Clearwater?

After much discussion, threats, etc., the civic group changed their mind and said they'd put our bricks in. I never saw my brick up to the day of the open house for the park.

As I was picketing the grand opening of the park with my "Remember Lisa McPherson" picket sign, a guy came out of the park and told me my brick was in there. I rushed in and he showed me that sure enough, it was right under the park bench. I was elated but a little worried about where the brick was.

Before I moved away I checked on the brick and it seemed fine. I'd ask friends to check on it and they said it was ok. Now a nice person puts up photos of the current condition of the brick, and it's obviously defaced. The defacing makes me wonder again if the brick was placed right below the bench where people would be putting their feet intentionally.

I paid for that brick to be a permanent memorial to Lisa McPherson and I intend to make sure that a brick in her honor is in that park.