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The Ice Age on Video
Extreme Cruelty Part II
So, here are a number of videos well worth your watching that illuminate what I’ve written in my previous post entitled, “The Ice Age”. Watch the videos in order and you’ll be well-educated.
Save Public Housing in New Orleans
This led to the protest we heard about but here is mostly raw footage:
New Orleans City Council Shuts Down Public Housing Debate
Two of them you see in the above video then appear in an interview with Amy Goodman:
Tasered Citizens Debate on Democracy Now
Tasered Citizens Debate on Democracy Now Part 2
What is the cause of all this, you ask? Well, I discovered a villain we can put our finger on. Apparently, from the first video, we see California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, touring the public housing and being astounded at how well those structures...
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The Ice Age
I’ll never forget the day I heard esteemed Black scholar, Cornel West, refer to this era as “the ice age” because, he said, America was in an era of indifference. Indeed.
Extreme CrueltyYesterday, in New Orleans, protesters tried to stop the city council from voting for demolition of four large project complexes that presently have 4500 livable units. Instead, they are opting for the tax credit profiteering of the HUD office and are replacing the communities with ‘mixed income housing’ to the tune of 744 units. No plan for temporary housing, no plan for allowing people who lived there to come back (it’s called “the right of return”). Let’s take a moment and think on this for a moment . . .
Yes, the police used pepperspray against the people trying to pile into City Council chambers...
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A Fistful of Dollars
Lots of news on the Hill and CBA talk this week. And since my blog is reflective of my column in the Pittsburgh City Paper, here is the latest:
A Fistful of Dollars:If the Pittsburgh Penguins want to play, someone has to pay
“I always enjoyed it when Clint Eastwood squinted, flicked his cigarette and faced his enemy down with a cold, hard stare. Well, here in the Hill District we’re at that point with the city, the county and the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
You should definitely read my column with another main article in the CP (History Repeating? by Chris Young) in which you will find such gems as:
“We’re not asking for a handout,” [Eugene] Taylor said, wearing a One Hill sticker on his chest. “Just a fair share.”
[...]
“We’re going to be ready to sign it on our side,” the mayor said. But, he added, “I’m...
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Mayor Ravenstahl vs. Volunteer Historic Hill Citizenry
I missed Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s “Neighborhood Meeting” in the Hill District on Wednesday, December 12, 2007. But I am appalled at what I am seeing and hearing. Your thoughts before I go any further?
Transcript, Part I:
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl: Thank you, I’ll respond to the CBA stuff first.
I support the Hill District Masterplan, that I know that has been discussed, made that commitment sometime ago. I certainly support the resource center. For those of you that are unfamiliar, the city and county agreed to set up a resource center in the Hill District, staff it, to provide opportunities for individuals that come in, uh, to look and, uh, find job opportunities. I support that in the Community Benefits Agreement.
Support the concept of the grocery store in the Hill District
Support in working with, s’cuse me, the...
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Countdown to a CBA and Proper Reinvestment
This was an old post that I did not get back to but here it is now, still relevant and clarifying.
The questions are:
Will the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team (as a corporate entity, we are not talking about the players and/or fans), which has been siphoning off of the Black Hill District community for decades and benefited from the government’s benign neglect of the Hill, ever give anything substantial back to the community, especially now that the corporation has received millions of dollars of public subsidy (we pay taxes, too!)?
There are two groups of representatives bodies at the table seeking proper reinvestment and/or a Community Benefits Agreement:
1. The Hill District ministers, residents and stakeholder’s group – a representative body of persons who stood in the freezing cold, in front of the...
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Love You, Chester Gregory!
I’m a fan of Chester Gregory ever since I saw him in “The Jackie Wilson Story”, a show I saw at least four times. I just checked out his MySpace page and saw this hilarious video from “The Daily Show” where he and Jon Stewart are spoofing Senator Larry “I just have a wide stance” Craig with R. Kelly’s ‘Trapped in the Closet” song. Check it out:
Love it!
You Go Chester!
Jon Stewart, I’ve been a fan of yours for a long time, too!
Did you like this? Share...
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Brother, Brother, Brother
Oh Yes!Bishop Tutu is visiting the Burgh this week. I really love him. He spent a year on my college campus and we got used to seeing him so much, we used to yell and wave at him across the yard. Imagine seeing this archbishop emeritus in a black starter jacket. He’s a wonderful man with a wonderful spirit. He’ll be visiting Mumia Abu Jamal in prison, lecturing at Pitt, doing service at Calvary Church in Shadyside. Peep the article for details.Ain’t Right!“Man Jailed for Yelling at Dog” KDKA-TV covered this story that happened last week and it’s ridiculous. After being startled by a police dog and then yelling at the dog, he was arrested. The judge was wise and this man was released but he was kept from his job and had to have this experience.What does a brother have to do to get some rights and be...













