Rev. Pinkney is “Banned” – Like in the Old South Africa
full article: http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=975&Itemid=1
The Whirlpool Corporation, which dominates the political and economic life of the region, decided that a golf course would be the best use for 22 acres of local parkland. Under Rev. Pinkney's leadership, Benton Harbor's impoverished Blacks sought redress of this and other grievances through the electoral process - resulting in Rev. Pinkney's conviction by an all-white jury on charges of vote tampering. He was sentenced to a year in prison and five years probation.
"A Black man's freedom of speech is not a right in Benton Harbor - it's a criminal offense."
If, for some reason, Rev. Pinkney is ordered back to prison, he has every reason to believe that his life will be in danger.
So we see that southwest Michigan is not very different than southwest Georgia. Corporate domination in Benton Harbor meshes quite nicely with your garden variety white racism that sentences Black men to prison for the simple exercise of their fundamental constitutional rights.
Rev. Pinkney is no longer imprisoned, but is instead subjected to the same kinds of restrictions that were called "banning" in white-ruled South Africa. He is banned from exercising any of his political rights.
