Michigan
Greens Nominate Pinkney
for Congress
“The Green Party of Michigan nominated jailed Benton Harbor community activist Rev. Edward Pinkney for Congress at the party’s 2008 Nominating Convention. Pinkney, paying a heavy price for his beliefs, will run for the 6th District seat now held by Fred Upton, scion of the family that founded Whirlpool. Pinkney has opposed the corporation’s influence on local government and the plans of Whirlpool-led institutions to take Jean Klock Park away from the people of Benton Harbor for a golf course priced for the wealthy. Pinkney is one of thirteen Michigan Greens who will run for Congress, and 32 Green Party of Michigan candidates in all. They will all join the Green Presidential ticket of former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente, founder of the National Hip-Hop Convention, on the November 4 general-election ballot.” — John Anthony La Pietra, Elections Co-ordinator of the Green Party of Michigan and candidate for Calhoun County Clerk-Register. http://www.jalpForThePeople.org.
Pastor Visits Pinkney
“I was able to spend a couple hours with Rev. Pinkney at Hiawatha Correctional Facility. He seems in remarkably good spirits and utterly hopeful given what he’s been through. He sent greetings and expressed gratitude for everything that people are doing on his behalf and on behalf of the continuing struggle in Berrien County. Acknowledging the pall of fear that hangs over Benton Harbor, he urged organizing and media work in a larger circle around the state. We also talked some about strategies for getting the word out in the wider religious community. He has a low security classification which would ordinarily make him eligible for movement to a camp (or even downstate I would think), but he had seen paperwork with sentencing designations from the judge which urged no special programs or privileges. I was grateful for the time with him and all the providences involved. I pass along his love and thanks and prayers.” — Bill Wylie-Kellermann, Pastor, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Detroit
Take the Country Back from the Corporations!
“A recent article in our local newspaper (The Battle Creek Enquirer) gave notice of a meeting for citizens to come and share their stories about how the “broken economy” is impacting their lives and the lives of their loved ones. It also stated that it is an opportunity to challenge politicians to give credible answers to the country’s economic problems. The closing sentence states: “Learn how to make candidates and elected officials more answerable to our concerns, not just the concerns of powerful special interests.” True that we often hear about problems and solutions during election season, but usually only in the context of “we politicians know all and solve all” without direct feedback from constituents or the mention of powerful special interests. I take this as a sign that more people are beginning to notice how wrong things are in our nation. You only have to look around to see signs of a failing economy especially in the Rust Belt. The data just released by the US government shows Michigan with a 14% unemployment rate and a declining income level. Every week notices are posted of jobs disappearing, some out of the state or country, and some due to advanced technology. The unemployment rates released by the government are lower than the real rates because it only reflects those eligible for benefits. For instance, Rev. Edward Pinkney says that Benton Harbor’s real unemployment rate is closer to 70%. This broken economy is more than poor sales of automobiles and houses and unemployment. It is about power brokers in our government making and interpreting the laws to benefit corporations above the interest of the average worker. There are news stories about large sums of money spent by corporate interests, trial lawyers, ideological groups and political partisans committed to get a particular judge elected across the Midwest. The supposed non-partisan races have become special issue races. Currently the corporate world reigns in getting their judicial candidates elected because they pour the most money into the various judicial elections. Whirlpool is a good example of special interests influencing judges to rule in favor of the Harbor Shores project and against Rev. Pinkney, the most outspoken opponent of the project. My conversations with people from across the state when informed about Rev. Pinkney being sent to prison by Judge Wiley for quoting scripture replied that, more and more, they don’t trust the judges. The decisions that favor corporate interests make these judges richer and average citizens poorer. The gap between rich and poor continues to widen. Before the cost of living had crept up to unmanageable levels for the poor and began to impact the middle class, the houses in my neighborhood quickly sold to young couples just starting out. Now the houses sit empty. It is not just the empty houses with for sale signs that are indicative of a down economy but so are the short tempers and arguments on front lawns about finances. It is the threat of cars being repossessed and agencies and churches being undulated with requests for help purchasing gasoline. When will things improve? Improvement will only come when the people take the country back from the corporations!” — Pastor Mary Gault
WRITE REV. PINKNEY at Hiawatha Correctional Facility; Rev. Edward Pinkney #294671; 4533 Industrial Park Dr., Kincheloe, MI 49786-0001
Friends of Jean Klock Park
“The Friends of Jean Klock Park were naturally disappointed by Judge Schofield’s decision to rule in favor of Harbor Shores. Even though we had the stronger case, we are not surprised that we didn’t get a fair hearing in Berrien County Court. We still believe in John and Carrie Klock’s intent that the park was to be used by the general public and don’t believe they would ever have contemplated that a golf course would be a “public park use.” But now the judge’s ruling has created a new opportunity for our case to be heard in the Michigan Court of Appeals. It is our hope that the Court will look at this case without bias and will rule that the Klock Land Trust and the 2004 Consent Judgement must be enforced”. — Carol Drake
“The Green Party of Michigan nominated jailed Benton Harbor community activist Rev. Edward Pinkney for Congress at the party’s 2008 Nominating Convention. Pinkney, paying a heavy price for his beliefs, will run for the 6th District seat now held by Fred Upton, scion of the family that founded Whirlpool. Pinkney has opposed the corporation’s influence on local government and the plans of Whirlpool-led institutions to take Jean Klock Park away from the people of Benton Harbor for a golf course priced for the wealthy. Pinkney is one of thirteen Michigan Greens who will run for Congress, and 32 Green Party of Michigan candidates in all. They will all join the Green Presidential ticket of former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente, founder of the National Hip-Hop Convention, on the November 4 general-election ballot.” — John Anthony La Pietra, Elections Co-ordinator of the Green Party of Michigan and candidate for Calhoun County Clerk-Register. http://www.jalpForThePeople.org.
Pastor Visits Pinkney
“I was able to spend a couple hours with Rev. Pinkney at Hiawatha Correctional Facility. He seems in remarkably good spirits and utterly hopeful given what he’s been through. He sent greetings and expressed gratitude for everything that people are doing on his behalf and on behalf of the continuing struggle in Berrien County. Acknowledging the pall of fear that hangs over Benton Harbor, he urged organizing and media work in a larger circle around the state. We also talked some about strategies for getting the word out in the wider religious community. He has a low security classification which would ordinarily make him eligible for movement to a camp (or even downstate I would think), but he had seen paperwork with sentencing designations from the judge which urged no special programs or privileges. I was grateful for the time with him and all the providences involved. I pass along his love and thanks and prayers.” — Bill Wylie-Kellermann, Pastor, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Detroit
Take the Country Back from the Corporations!
“A recent article in our local newspaper (The Battle Creek Enquirer) gave notice of a meeting for citizens to come and share their stories about how the “broken economy” is impacting their lives and the lives of their loved ones. It also stated that it is an opportunity to challenge politicians to give credible answers to the country’s economic problems. The closing sentence states: “Learn how to make candidates and elected officials more answerable to our concerns, not just the concerns of powerful special interests.” True that we often hear about problems and solutions during election season, but usually only in the context of “we politicians know all and solve all” without direct feedback from constituents or the mention of powerful special interests. I take this as a sign that more people are beginning to notice how wrong things are in our nation. You only have to look around to see signs of a failing economy especially in the Rust Belt. The data just released by the US government shows Michigan with a 14% unemployment rate and a declining income level. Every week notices are posted of jobs disappearing, some out of the state or country, and some due to advanced technology. The unemployment rates released by the government are lower than the real rates because it only reflects those eligible for benefits. For instance, Rev. Edward Pinkney says that Benton Harbor’s real unemployment rate is closer to 70%. This broken economy is more than poor sales of automobiles and houses and unemployment. It is about power brokers in our government making and interpreting the laws to benefit corporations above the interest of the average worker. There are news stories about large sums of money spent by corporate interests, trial lawyers, ideological groups and political partisans committed to get a particular judge elected across the Midwest. The supposed non-partisan races have become special issue races. Currently the corporate world reigns in getting their judicial candidates elected because they pour the most money into the various judicial elections. Whirlpool is a good example of special interests influencing judges to rule in favor of the Harbor Shores project and against Rev. Pinkney, the most outspoken opponent of the project. My conversations with people from across the state when informed about Rev. Pinkney being sent to prison by Judge Wiley for quoting scripture replied that, more and more, they don’t trust the judges. The decisions that favor corporate interests make these judges richer and average citizens poorer. The gap between rich and poor continues to widen. Before the cost of living had crept up to unmanageable levels for the poor and began to impact the middle class, the houses in my neighborhood quickly sold to young couples just starting out. Now the houses sit empty. It is not just the empty houses with for sale signs that are indicative of a down economy but so are the short tempers and arguments on front lawns about finances. It is the threat of cars being repossessed and agencies and churches being undulated with requests for help purchasing gasoline. When will things improve? Improvement will only come when the people take the country back from the corporations!” — Pastor Mary Gault
WRITE REV. PINKNEY at Hiawatha Correctional Facility; Rev. Edward Pinkney #294671; 4533 Industrial Park Dr., Kincheloe, MI 49786-0001
Friends of Jean Klock Park
“The Friends of Jean Klock Park were naturally disappointed by Judge Schofield’s decision to rule in favor of Harbor Shores. Even though we had the stronger case, we are not surprised that we didn’t get a fair hearing in Berrien County Court. We still believe in John and Carrie Klock’s intent that the park was to be used by the general public and don’t believe they would ever have contemplated that a golf course would be a “public park use.” But now the judge’s ruling has created a new opportunity for our case to be heard in the Michigan Court of Appeals. It is our hope that the Court will look at this case without bias and will rule that the Klock Land Trust and the 2004 Consent Judgement must be enforced”. — Carol Drake
This article originated in the People's Tribune
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