Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Benton Harbor Struggle Continues

Rally Held to Defend Rev. Pinkney at Public Library
Prosecutors in Berrien County seek to silence community activist

By Abayomi Azikiwe, Editor, Pan-African News Wire

...Local activist Rev. Carl Brown of BANCO said that "when the people take a stand great change can take place." He continued by discussing how local authorities have accused his organization of "rabblerousing." He pointed to an article in the newspaper recently quoting police chief Samuel Harris as saying that "this group has put a stranglehold on 50,000 people in this community. And in response to that I say that it shows you that when righteousness stands all sin will be exposed."...

Hunter also stated that Berrien County "is operating like it was in the deep south during the 1950s."...

"This fighting that is taking place in Benton Harbor is an economic fight. It is an economic fight over who going to be able to eat, have a home, education and recreation. We have to show them that it is time out for this nonsense and that our children must have a future," [Marian] Kramer declared....

"What they are trying to do is to criminalize the leadership of the movement. And in criminalizing the leadership of the movement what they hope to do is to scare people away. Stop people from organizing and at the same time take away the leadership of the organizations that are really standing up for the people. We cannot allow them to do that," the MECAWI and DCAPB representative stated....

Original article via Michigan Independent Media Centre (IMC)