Anthony Thomas, political gadfly in Fort Myers, dead at 38

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Anthony Thomas, political gadfly in Fort Myers, dead at 38

Bill Smith
Aug. 24, 2021
Fort Myers News-Press

Anthony Thomas Jr., whose outspoken, take-no-prisoners, strident presence in Fort Myers political life forced discussions on issues that some preferred not to*confront,*has died after a long illness.

Thomas turned 38*on July 31. He had*cancer and was hospitalized for several months for treatment before he died Monday.*



He was a frequent advocate for issues affecting the city's Black community, especially quality-of-life issues in Dunbar. Thomas spent considerable time studying issues in-depth, and had little patience for political figures — or anyone else — who*disagreed with him on the facts.

He studied the facts, turned confrontational with reporters who expressed professional skepticism, and had a knack for remembering who said what to whom, and when. Several years ago,*Thomas' confrontational attitude on some issues got him banned from parts of city hall under two city managers.*

'It was political theater':*Fort Myers activist Anthony Thomas, attorney spar at hearing*

Others respected that*he would disagree and not give up when pushing forward on an issue.

"His knowledge — he believed what he believed and nothing was going to deter him because of the fact that*he was very knowledgeable and very well read. He was an adversary to be reckoned with," said Jacquelyn*McMiller, a candidate for Fort Myers mayor last year and Dunbar political activist.*



"Because of this knowledge and because of his ability to negotiate and to really push forward on projects that he believed in is one of the reasons why he was very effective," McMiller said.* "We were on opposite sides*all the time, he was an adversary to be reckoned with."

In demanding action on issues, Thomas occasionally crossed the line into being strident, but few were able to disrupt his understanding of the facts.*

Former NAACP President Willie Green, who waged three campaigns for city council, recalled meeting Thomas as a teenager, campaigning for city council*— and in a district that was made up of voters from*outside of Dunbar.

Green tried to caution him that he couldn't be elected outside his neighborhood, and asked why he was doing it.

"He said that you have to live in the ward 'the day you're sworn in,'" Green said. "He was very astute when it came to knowing his politics and he was 17— he was really very smart in school and he knew*his politics."



'That*voice that would never not speak up'

In perhaps no other issue was Thomas'*style of confrontational politics more successful than in taking direct aim at the city of Fort Myers over its*failure to take responsibility for dumping toxic sludge in a residential neighborhood.

He convinced a group of law students from the University of Miami, participants in an Environmental Justice Clinic, to become involved.*

Patricia Borns, who as a reporter for The News-Press covered the controversy, recalled Monday that once Thomas had taken hold of the issue, he refused to let go.*

"No one wanted to talk about it because they were afraid and there was sort of no will to*even care and Anthony*saw it in that story," Borns said. "He was a great community leader, often a lonely leader. He certainly angered a lot of people and took a lot of condemnation from a lot of people."

The sludge depot between Henderson and Midway avenues and South and Jeffcott streets in Dunbar was a space where children played for years, despite its former use as an arsenic dumping pit.

For years, the city denied it was a problem, at one point going so far as to sell the property to a charity to build housing for members of the community.*

"He was that voice that would never not speak up," McMiller said.*

In one of his last appearances before the city council earlier this year, Thomas rose to speak to issues related to the appointment of a successor to Saeed Kazemi as city manager.

"As we celebrate Black History Month, I want to commend the white leadership here in the city of Fort Myers because unlike the Black leadership who allowed the toxic sludge stuff to go and to hurt their community, the white leadership, Kevin (Anderson), Fred Burson and others, they have been on this issue since day one," Thomas said. "The three Black members of the city council should look at their white counterparts and see what real leadership looks like."

Within a few weeks, Thomas was hospitalized for a long and grueling treatment for cancer.

Mayor Kevin Anderson, who had*presided over city council meetings at which Thomas might talk too loud or too long,*asked for a moment of prayer for his recovery.*

Politics for*Thomas could get personal and rare was the time when he would hold back when his point of view was given token consideration or, worse, ignored. He would respond with a*vengeance that some had a difficult time forgiving.*

"Anthony’s heart might have been in the right place, but some of the things he did to people on the personal level, I didn't agree with," said City Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown. "There was times when he didn't treat Black elected officials right. In time, I made peace with Anthony, we talked and I just pray that Anthony be right with God."

While she often disagreed with him on political issues, McMiller said she will miss their discussions about political strategy and miss him.

"He was always in favor of the disenfranchised," she said. "He was that little brother that is always on your back about something and you fight, but you love them dearly."

Thomas is survived by his mother, Shirley Roberts, and a sister.

Funeral arrangements are still in the works.

[Unregistered]

Hells burning extra hot with him down there.

Good riddance.

[Unregistered]

He was a nasty and vile human being that lied and cheated every time he could. He said horrible and wretched things to people, and was truly a disgusting person. His own community turned its back on him years ago. Why are they celebrating him like he was a wonderful person?

[Unregistered]

Let me start with nobody deserves to die of cancer. Now on the flip side, AT was no pillar of the community or well versed or informed or educated about anything. All you had to do was listen to this idiots short lived morning AM Radio show. But the city will still get to name a street after him. All though ironically enough there already is Thomas Street. The other irony is you take a successful person like Earnest Graham. Educated, Pro Athlete, Professional Business Owner, Mentor, and not a street thug and name the shortest street in the city with two houses on it after him. Way to go Fort Myers. What is the city going to do when Tarik Wilson is gone? Probably rename the Edison Bridges after him.

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https://www.winknews.com/2021/08/24/...eople-a-voice/



Fort Myers community activist Anthony Thomas Jr. dies

Southwest Florida is mourning the loss of a community activist.

Monday, Anthony Thomas Jr.*died of cancer in the hospital. He had been receiving treatment there for the past few months and even worked in his hospital bed until his death.

Thomas was someone who didn’t need a council seat to make his voice heard in the City of Fort Myers. He made sure his voice and the voices he represented in the city were heard.

“You don’t find too many minorities that’s young and that’s involved in politics,” said Larry Wilcoxson, the senior advisor to Congressman Byron Donalds.

Wilcoxson met Thomas more than a decade ago, who was a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives at the time, so Thomas gave him a call.

“This guy loved the city of Fort Myers,” Wilcoxson said. “You couldn’t tell him Fort Myers wasn’t the best city in America.”

Thomas’ hometown was his passion, especially the Dunbar community.

Thomas pushed for the city to clean up the toxic sludge site on South Street. He became the platform for community whistle blowers, being the voice to expose police misconduct and question spending.

Thomas also stood with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, fighting to give convicted felons their voting rights back.

He didn’t let cancer take the fight out of him.

“Even in that last moment, right, that special, special time, he was thinking about other people,” said Neil Volz, the deputy director of FRRC. “He was thinking about his community. He was thinking about those people that don’t have a voice, and trying to figure out a way to make it better for them.”

Fort Myers City Council meetings have been quiet without Thomas’ presence, but his impact in the community will be felt for years to come.

One of the last things Thomas pushed for was an amendment to a Fort Myers City Charter that would ban housing discrimination against people with prior felony convictions.

“You can hear the pain in his voice,” Wilcoxson said. “But he said, ‘If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die fighting,’ and he actually died fighting. That’s what he wanted to do.”

Reporter:Taylor Petras

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Hate AT, liked him or used him. At least he was no coward compared to you keyboard warriors. For the cowardly two faced officers who always sent him shit anonymously in order for him to act on it, whatcha gonna do now? Use your own names? That will never happen. I have worked here for over 10 years and never had a contact with him except at the city council meetings. Rest in Power AT.

[Unregistered]

He was a nasty and vile human being that lied and cheated every time he could. He said horrible and wretched things to people, and was truly a disgusting person. His own community turned its back on him years ago. Why are they celebrating him like he was a wonderful person?

Lol. But the only ones upset were the ones that were doing things they shouldnt have been doing.

[Unregistered]

Hate AT, liked him or used him. At least he was no coward compared to you keyboard warriors. For the cowardly two faced officers who always sent him shit anonymously in order for him to act on it, whatcha gonna do now? Use your own names? That will never happen. I have worked here for over 10 years and never had a contact with him except at the city council meetings. Rest in Power AT.

You will not use your name either. Bet you were a regular caller on his radio show!

[Unregistered]

Hate AT, liked him or used him. At least he was no coward compared to you keyboard warriors. For the cowardly two faced officers who always sent him shit anonymously in order for him to act on it, whatcha gonna do now? Use your own names? That will never happen. I have worked here for over 10 years and never had a contact with him except at the city council meetings. Rest in Power AT.

Litterally calling people cowards for doing EXACTLY what you're doing right now.

Post your cell number or stfu. Hypocrite

[Unregistered]

He was a nasty and vile human being that lied and cheated every time he could. He said horrible and wretched things to people, and was truly a disgusting person. His own community turned its back on him years ago. Why are they celebrating him like he was a wonderful person?

You shitheads.... not even in death are you unhappy disgruntled old folks capable of showing any class.