[Marxism] Support grows for Rev. Pinkney in Benton Harbor, Michigan

["Charles Brown" <cbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Support grows for Rev. Pinkney in Benton Harbor

Facing felony charges for exposing racism, corporate greed

By Abayomi Azikiwe
Editor, Pan-African News Wire

Published Mar 15, 2006 12:25 AM
Benton Harbor, March 11, 2006 (PANW)-With his trial scheduled to begin on
March 15, Rev. Edward Pinkney, leader of the Black Autonomy Network of
Community Organizers (BANCO) in Benton Harbor, remained firm in his
commitment to fight the four felony charges leveled against him by the
Berrien County Prosecutor's Office in the southwest region of Michigan.
Ben
ton
Harbor protest, March 11.
<http://www.workers.org/2006/us/benton-harbor-0323.jpg>

Benton Harbor protest, March 11.
WW photo: Dave Sole
        
These charges stemmed from a successful recall campaign during 2005 when
BANCO mobilized voters in Benton Harbor to remove City Commissioner Glenn
Yarbrough. The vote was eventually overturned by Judge Paul Maloney, who
also reinstated Yarbrough as Commissioner and Pinkney was later charged with
paying $5 to individual citizens to cast their ballots for the recall. These
charges could result in sentences of up to 20 years in prison.
Joined by over 100 supporters at the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church,
Rev. Pinkney declared, "We are fighting a real war here. We have to stand
tall. If you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for your chi ldren and
grandchildren."
Rev. Pinkney continued by noting that: "This is not just black and white. It
is the haves vs. the have-nots, the rich vs. the poor. They are using our
money, tax money, to convict us."
This meeting was attended by residents of Benton Harbor as well as people
from various cities around the state including Detroit, Flint, Highland Park
and Battle Creek. In addition, people attended from Chicago, some 90 miles
away, and also a special guest from Washington, D.C. All of the speakers at
the meeting pledged their support for Rev. Pinkney maintaining that his
prosecution by local officials is a direct result of his militant activism
in Benton Harbor and Berrien County.
David Sole, President of UAW Local 2334 in Detroit and a representative of
the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI), opened
his speech by saying that "we are here today along with the Michigan Welfare
Rights Organization (MWRO) to fight this racist frame-up in this city."
Sole said, "There are so many issues we could discuss at this gathering
including the war in Iraq, the money that is being used by the Pentagon that
should go to support the cities, but all of this means nothing if they can
frame fighters like Rev. Edward Pinkney."
"People here are not scared," Sole continued. "They rose up in response to
the murder of a young African-American brother in 2003. The fear is
grounded. We are here like the freedom riders in the South. We must give the
people the courage they need to fight to free Rev. Pinkney," Sole concluded.
Following this call for support, Marian Kramer of the Michigan Welfare
Rights Organization from Hi ghland Park excited the participants by pointing
out that her organization is heavily involved in major battles in the
Detroit area. "We have to let them know that if you touch Rev. Pinkney, you
have touched us."
Kramer continued, "As long as I am living and got breath I will keep
fighting. A line is drawn in the sand, either you are on our side or the
other side. There are eight black City Commissioners and a black Mayor. Just
because they are African-Americans does not mean they are for us. They are
giving Benton Harbor away."
Later, Maureen Taylor, the chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights
Organization, said that: "We have thousands of people in the room because
everyone here is representing their block club and community. If there are
people standing in the way of justice, we have to get rid of them. We should
just take over. We have the capacity to build a house for every body in this
country. We have the capacity to build everything we need in this country
and the world."
Rev. Pinkney leveled much criticism at the Whirlpool Corporation, which
dominates the politics and economics of the Berrien County area. He also
criticized the local corporate media newspaper, the Herald-Palladium. The
newspaper, which is heavily influenced by the dominant white power
structure, has been extremely hostile to the plight of African-Americans in
Benton Harbor and especially critical of Rev. Pinkney and BANCO.
Dalani Aamon, the CEO and founder of The Harambee Radio Network from
Washington, D.C., also addressed the meeting. "You may think what happens
here is isolated. However, everywhere I go you see the same thing. We have
outlived our usefulness in this country like the Native Americans, we have
been moved from our natural environment. The government has hijack ed the
country for its own reasons. They are not operating in anybody's interests,
black or white."
Another local resident Belinda Brown praised the crowd for coming out for
the meeting. "There is so much energy in this room. We are ready to fight.
If you don't have any fight, just touch me because I have enough for both of
us."
Brown said, "Everyone who is here from Benton Harbor knows that this city is
corrupt. They stole that recall vote. They said Yarbrough paid $10 to say
Pinkney paid $5 for people to vote for the recall. When Pastor Pinkney was
in jail he was telling young men not to plead guilty and to ask for a jury
trial."
After Rev. Pinkney's arrest in 2005 on the four felony counts, Brown's
husband came to bail him out of jail. According to Brown: "We bailed out
Rev. Pinkney and shortly thereafter my husband was terminated from his job."
Undeterred, Brown said of Pinkney: "I will take a bullet for you." Pointing
out that "after they stole the recall they decided to build a $8 million
golf course. We have got to pack the courthouse. Pastor Pinkney, you are our
future. You have helped a lot of poor people. They need that county jail to
make us criminals; that is how they make their living."
Later veteran labor activist General Baker of Highland Park addressed the
meeting: "This is the first time I have been to Benton Harbor in my life. I
would always slow down on I-94 when I got to Berrien County."
Baker discussed some of the contemporary labor issues affecting people in
the United States. He mentioned that 16 miners have been killed since the
beginning of 2006. He reflected on his experience as someone who refused
induction into the military in 1965 during the Vietnam War.
Nelson Peery of the League of Revolutionaries for a New America (LRNA)
talked about the history of persecution directed towards African-American
leaders. "We old people may feel we have little to contribute but we can
pass on lessons from the past. We are at war, here in Benton Harbor and New
Orleans. They come first for our leaders: Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Dubois
were both persecuted by the state. And if the movement does not defend its
leaders, no one will be safe."
Peery concluded by saying, "When you defend Rev. Pinkney you defend
justice." Quoting the old spirituals during the slave era he said, "Before
I'd be a slave I'd be buried in my grave."
After the conclusion of the meeting at Hopewell Baptist Church, the
participants then lined up and marched through the communit y to downtown
Benton Harbor. Surrounding the police and fire stations, the crowd called
for justice for Rev. Pinkney and all oppressed people in the city.
Facts point to racist frame-up
According to a document circulated during the March 11 meeting in Benton
Harbor, the charges brought against Rev. Pinkney are fabricated: "A review
of filings in the civil case show that all of the allegations against
Pinkney-and almost all cases where problems with any votes were alleged-are
contradicted by public records and/or sworn statements." The civil case was
filed by Berrien County Prosecutor James Cherry on March 17, 2005.
"Several people have contradicted the claim that Rev. Pinkney paid people $5
to vote for the recall. One story even had it that he and other recall
backers were lining up people at the Benton Harbor sou p kitchen and sending
them in groups of five to the clerk's office to vote absentee-but former
City Clerk N. Jean Nesbitt and her staff saw no such groups." Nesbitt was
later fired as City Clerk.
"Even when pressed by sheriff's investigators, Brenda Fox stood by her
statement that people recruited for the pro-recall campaign were paid $5-not
to vote, but to hand out flyers. Did anybody deliver a flyer, they asked?
Her reply: 'Yes. Honestly, yes,"the factual document stated.
"Prosecutor Cherry's arguments to the court also claimed several people
reported giving their absent-voter ballots to Pinkney to deliver to the
clerk. However, Nesbitt's records clearly show the votes were received in
the mail-and signatures appeared to match those in the master file of
registered voters."
Benton Harbor was the focus of an urban re bellion in June of 2003 after a
young man, Terrance Shurn, was killed by police when their vehicle ran him
into an abandoned building. This blatant act of brutality sparked a
three-day rebellion where state police were called in with tanks and other
weapons to suppress the disorder led mainly by youth. BANCO took the lead
then in calling for justice for Shurn, whose death was ruled accidental.
According to the factual document circulated at the meeting: "BANCO has also
been working to bring jobs to the city of Benton Harbor, where unemployment
rates are stuck in high double digits. And it has pushed the county Juvenile
Center to recognize cases of workers abusing youths in the facility-and take
action."
The statement goes on to say that: Pinkney and BANCO have led efforts to
remove several 'public servants' who seem to be doing more to serve local
economic powerhouse Whirlpool . Among the names they've named are Cherry,
Yarbrough, and his brother Charles (the mayor at the time of Shurn's death).
Pinkney believes Whirlpool (and its creation Cornerstone Alliance, which he
calls 'Whirlpool in disguise') want to gentrify Benton Harbor. 'Lots of
beachfront property, potential for corporate golf courses.' The problem:
'too many poor black people living in the area.' "
This trial will be monitored by people all over the United States. Pinkney
has received inquiries and messages of support from people throughout
Michigan, Illinois and other locations in the midwest. He reported that
people have sent pledges of support from as far away as Utah and California.
Despite the charges filed against him, Rev. Pinkney remains optimistic about
his potential for defeating the prosecution's case.
In order to contact BANCO people can call (269) 925-0001. Or they can
e-mail: banco9342@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
________________________________



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