Friday, January 09, 2009

Today, the town is almost a fascist dictatorship

Editorial in January, 2009 edition of People's Tribune
http://www.peoplestribune.org
(excerpt)...Today, the town is almost a fascist dictatorship.
When Rev. Edward Pinkney addressed the destruction of Benton Harbor by the corporations, city's rulers pulled out the race card to shut him up and to isolate the struggle from the rest of Michigan. They are well aware that the deteriorating industrial base of the entire state is creating anger among the previously well-paid white workers who also are being hurled into poverty. Racism serves to hide the reality that today, the white poor have more in common with the Black poor than they do with the corporations who have discarded them. Racism keeps the poor divided.
Lastly, the first line of attack of the rulers is to isolate the leaders from the movement they represent. The attack on Rev. Pinkney is an attempt to render the movement ineffective. A movement that does not defend its leaders cannot grow. Benton Harbor shows what lies ahead. Let's defend ourselves by defending democracy in Benton Harbor!