The Dictators and Billionaires Take Control

   By Rev. Edward Pinkney

May 2013

Palm Sunday gathering in Chicago calls for a real remedy to violence. Photo/deBorah mccoy. Photo/DaymonJHartley.com

The Whirlpool Corporation has unveiled a plan to completely gentrify downtown Benton Harbor, Michigan. This is being accomplished with the aid of the new Emergency Manager, Tony Saunders, who has a shopping list of things Whirlpool wants completed. The last Emergency Manager failed Whirlpool’s test. Whirlpool went to the governor to have him removed. Saunders was put in his place.

The Whirlpool Corporation designed the Harbor Shores project, hailed by the media and the white business community as a revitalization of the city of Benton Harbor. They told the community that the project would bring jobs. It was really an unprecedented opportunity to make a lot of money at the expense of an impoverished community.

The city of Detroit is facing the very same problems with their new dictator. The city of Benton Harbor and Detroit are under a vicious fascist attack by Governor Rick Snyder and his rich buddies, known as the billionaires.

Dan Gilbert, the multi-billionaire owner of Quick Loans, and a member of the Business Roundtable, has been meeting with Detroit’s new Emergency Financial Manager Kevyn Orr under Public Act 436, which gave Orr total control. Gilbert also owns a number of sports teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has plans to transform several Detroit streets and thoroughfares into pedestrian walkways with shopping districts around 22 buildings Gilbert has purchased. Several of the buildings are historic. All were purchased at bargain prices. Gilbert’s company also is providing seed money for digital companies. Detroit is seen as a major future home for that industry. Such companies hire very few workers.

An Emergency Manager has also been placed in six cities and three school districts across Michigan. None of the Emergency Managers work for the citizens. They work only for the corporations.

For example, the Benton Harbor Public Safety officer and Chief Roger Lange reduced the Benton Harbor Fire Department down to three full time firefighters from ten.  They worked hand in hand with the Emergency Manager. Recently Lt. Doug Bell was severely burned in an early morning fire at 1034 Jennings Ave. Bell was the only firefighter on duty when the call came in. How can one person put out a fire? The standard procedure is for two fire fighters to be inside a burning structure and for two to be outside monitoring the scene. The fire department has been destroyed by the cuts. In addition, Benton Harbor city workers saw more benefits cut, including 12 holidays. Their insurance contribution was trimmed and Saunders is promising more cuts in a series of emergency financial orders.

People need to stand up and fight. A new world is possible.

http://peoplestribune.org/pt-news/2013/05/dictators-billionaires-control/

Compassionate Release for Lynne Stewart

The International Petition Campaign to Free Lynne Stewart and
Save Her Life is gratified to report that today, May 13,
following urgent communications from former Attorney General
Ramsey Clark and social activist Dick Gregory, that Federal
Bureau of Prisons General Counsel Kathleen Kenney telephoned
Ramsey Clark to advise that a recommendation of
Compassionate Release for Lynne Stewart from FMC Carswell
Warden Jody R. Upton is on the desk of FBP Director Charles
E. Samuels, Jr. with a full package of
documentation. 

Ramsey Clark and the International Petition Campaign are on
stand-by for further news regarding Federal Bureau of
Prisons implementation of Compassionate Release for Lynne
Stewart with the appropriate filing of this Motion with
Judge John Koetl.

We call upon all to intensify our collective efforts and
expand the Petition Campaign as this life and death decision
for Lynn e Stewart is pending.

Our grateful thanks to all for your dedication and
commitment in waging this struggle for justice, compassion
and freedom for Lynne Stewart

(This Breaking News Update was sent outcby Ralph Poynter.)
 
Now is the moment to redouble our
efforts. as Lynne, who has stage four cancer, wrote on April
28 from Carswell Federal Prison:
 
"Please do not think
that my struggle is WON... 
 
Please, please, please do
not let us rest on our laurels. Until my feet are planted
like the Tree that grows in Brooklyn, and I am among my
family, friends, and comrades and plunged back into the
struggle once more, we must continue. Fight
On!!"
 
Please click here to sign or re-sign the
petition for compassionate release for Lynne
Stewart.  Keep the pressure
on! 
 
For more information and
latest updates, go to LynneStewart.org 

  About the
IAC | Donate | IAC
Books &
Resources | Contact
Us 
 International Action
Center

c/o Solidarity Center

New Address:

147 W. 24th St. 2nd Fl.

New York, NY 10011

212-633-6646

iacenter@iacenter.org

www.iacenter.org 

Whirlpool and Emergency Manager move to take control of Benton Harbor Parks

Every American ought to have the right to vote and their vote should mean something. Everyone ought to have the right to clean air and clean water, to integrity and transparency in a democracy, but the citizens of Benton Harbor, Michigan, do not have a democracy. Public land is about to be stolen by corporate power.

Eminent domain—the power to take private property—is often used by the government or by a corporation that works hand and hand with the government to steal property from the citizens. In Benton Harbor, the Whirlpool Corporation, through the city’s new Emergency Financial Manager, Tony Saunders, (who represents Whirlpool, not the citizens) has come up with a scheme. It is to set up a Conservancy Board or Committee that will steal land without the knowledge of the citizens. 

They plan to privatize all of Benton Harbor's 16 parks and outsource all remaining land that Whirlpool does not control. The main parks where they seek waterway access: Fisherman Park has a roadway straight to Lake Michigan; Hall Park lies along Ox Creek; Riverview Park is on the corridor along the St. Joseph River. This is simply a land grab. Whirlpool can’t buy the parks outright, so they are setting things up so everything goes through a board that they control. The Conservancy board would be the new owners of the parks. The Conservancy board doesn’t have to go through the City Commissioners. This is an underhanded way to get the rest of the land. The citizen's will not have a say. 

There are many questions that need to be answered: How many parks are recognized in the city of Benton Harbor? Where are the parcels located? What parks would be under the jurisdiction of the Conservancy? Will Jean Klock Park, beach and Fishman's Park be included? How many acres of land do the parks equal? Will all of the parks’ land be under a lease and for how long?  The Board must be a 501C3 but it is not. Why?  The City Charter requires 2/3 or six votes to sell, lease or vacate roads or alleys. When will this process be introduced or implemented? Will there be a deed transfer? If so who will sign for the land to be released?

Mr. Tony Saunders: Are the city parks considered assets? Is there a budget for the Conservancy? Are their jobs associated with this initiative? If so, how many?  Will the specifications go through the Planning Commission or the Planning Economic Development Committee? How will the park Conservancy board, which is made up of all Whirlpool supporters and Benton Harbor haters, comply with the charter, as it relates to the Benton Harbor elected officials and the citizens?

It is exceedingly important that this initiative be vetted and filtered through the Public Safety and Parks and Recreation Committee so that the people will have a say. Right now the people do not have a say. It is time for the people to take a stand. Get involved. Save your community from complete corporate takeover.

Rev. Edward Pinkney

Every Sunday 5pm on

blogtalkradio.com/revpinkney

Call-in number 347-994-3644 

Chaos At NAACP Meeting, Marshal Smokes Winston

State takes over local NAACP chapter

Keila Torres Ocasio

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Wayne Winston

NAACP Greater Bridgeport Branch President Carolyn Vermon

BRIDGEPORT -- Twenty minutes into the state NAACP chapter's takeover Monday of the civil rights organization's Bridgeport branch -- meant to bring order back to a severely divided branch -- one of the local members was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Minutes after expressing hope that intervention by the state chapter would put the local group back on track, Wayne Winston was taken into custody by a state marshal and city sheriff. "We've been trying to get in touch with you for two years," State Marshal Charles Valentino told Winston outside the meeting hall at the Messiah Baptist Church. "You've been dodging us."

Leaving the meeting to rush to Winston's defense, Carolyn Nah, former president of the local branch, accused the current president, Carolyn Vermont, of turning him in. "They said somebody told them he was here," Nah said.

The incident comes just three months after Vermont phoned Police Chief Joseph Gaudett during a meeting to charge Winston with harassment. She claimed he was being disruptive and talking over her.

The rift between Vermont and Winston provides a window into how the state takeover came to be. The two are on opposing sides of a larger battle brewing within the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People over control of financial statements and membership information.

Winston and other members say Vermont has failed to provide annual reports or regular updates on the funds raised by the organization, accusations she says are not true.

Their discontent with her presidency came to a head in November when four of the organization's executive committee members sent a letter on NAACP letterhead to People's United Bank, removing Vermont and treasurer Errol Earle from the account. The board members made first vice president Keith Williams the assigner instead.

But both moves were against the NAACP bylaws, according to letters sent from the national NAACP office to the four individuals.

In identical letters dated Feb. 25, national NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous informed Williams, second vice president Jeff Baldwin, secretary Delores Crawford-Carey and committee member Bobby Simmons that their memberships had been suspended.

"This action is taken to protect the NAACP from the danger of irreparable harm," Jealous wrote.

The following month Vermont was notified of plans for the state branch to take over. Scot X. Esdaile, state NAACP president, declined to comment Monday, as did a spokesman for the national NAACP.

Members, including Bridgeport Lt. Dave Daniels, on Monday night expressed optimism about the state's plans to take over the decision making and eventually carry out elections of new executive officers.

"I'm hoping things will get better," said Wanda Simmons. "A new start."

"I wish it never came to this, but this is where we are," added local member Joanne Butler. "I'm hoping order will be maintained and we can get through this process. Let's get goals. Let's stop the infighting and let's help the community."

ktorres@ctpost.com, 203-330-6321, http://facebook.com/ktorresbpt or http://twitter.com/ktorresbpt.

http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/State-takes-over-local-NAACP-chapter-4454784.php#ixzz2T7PiWAbp