Fighting the new “Jim Crow”
Posted: November 22nd, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: Protest, stop mass incarceration, stop stop and frisk | No Comments »
Community Members Joining Rally
Some people would think that the Jim Crow laws enacted between 1876 and 1965 which mandated “separate but equal” in all public facilities for “negros” was over. Well, in the year 2011, and under the administration of an African-American President, it is alive and well and vibrant in New York City.
Of course this practice of targeting individuals who look “suspicious” or may “pose a threat” to police and the public, in other words walking “while black”, has been growing strong over the last 30 years. However, the NYPD has perfected its use and is now on target to “stop and frisk” (SNF) over 700,000 young men in 2011. The Police Department said it made 601,055 street stops of potential suspects last year, with about 10 percent of the stops resulting in arrests. In 2009, there were 575,304 stops. There are now lawsuits pending against the NYPD demanding proof that this policy is not racially biased and legally viable.
For this reason, the “Stop Mass Incarceration Network” has formed the “Stop, Stop and Frisk” movement. People throughout the city, and those who are now part of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, are challenging this racist, illegitimate and immoral policy by taking to the streets demanding its demise. They are the “New Freedom Fighters.” The first protest was on October 21st in Harlem at the 23 precinct. Members of the community, activists and victims of SNF blocked the entrance and shut down the precinct for a short time, shouting the slogan “Stop and Frisk don’t stop the crime, stop and frisk is the crime.” After about 30 minutes, 37 people were arrested for disorderly conduct. But it didn’t stop there. Two more protests, November 2nd in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and November 19th at the 103 precinct in Queens, challenged this policy by directly confronting the perpetrators of the crime, the police themselves.
On Saturday, November 19th, 20 people were arrested, and incarcerated for “Obstructing Governmental Administration” a misdemeanor, and the second charge of “Disorderly Conduct”. I was one of them. We started our march in the neighborhood where Sean Bell had been brutally executed by police. Members of the community stood up to speak about how SNF had stolen the lives of young black and Latino men by police who eagerly snatch and grab them on the streets as they are going about their daily lives. Many are put up against a squad car in broad daylight, told to empty their pockets, frisked, questioned and usually arrested for minor “offenses” such as not having ID, appearing to look like they are a criminal wanted for questioning, or holding a negligible amount of marijuana in their pockets, out of public view. According to the breakdown, police stop and frisk about 1,900 people a day, most if not all of who are black and Latino men from the age of 16 to 25, who live in the inner city neighborhoods.
After holding our rally, we marched through Jamaica, Queens directly to the 103 precinct, which has the highest percentage of stop and frisks in the City. Our plan was to walk to the main entrance, determined to let our presence be known. However, upon arrival, there were police barricades surrounding the entire square block, the building, and one cop every 2 to 3 feet behind those racks. We stopped and assessed the situation, since this put a kink in our plans. But before I knew it, there was an officer standing at one section of racks asking if we wanted to go inside to the main entrance. He opened up one section, and let those of us in who were committed to taking our message up front.
After only 10 minutes tops, we were ordered to leave or we would be arrested for “Obstructing Governmental Administration.” I thought this was rather harsh since shortly before they allowed us entrance to the area we occupied on the steps. An officer was counting down to the second, and repeated the order. Swiftly they started removing people, me included. Cuffs slapped on and tightened in anger, we were all literally pulled and dragged to an awaiting van just 25 yards away. There were police swarming all over us, and the area. They outnumbered us 4 to 1.
From there we were taken to the 105 precinct for processing. Six women and fourteen men, it took 10 hours to fingerprint us and then we were hauled to Queens central booking for the night. Our property was strewn all over the floor while in the precinct, cops by the dozens were in and out of the holding area, with guns on their hips, and the women were told we would be strip searched for certain property they were looking for. I was there with 5 young brave women, 2 who had never been arrested before. They were somewhat frightened by the police behavior, but stood their ground, did not succumb to threats and bullying. We sang songs, laughed and told jokes until handcuffed again.
Once at central booking, the nightmare continued. By this time we had already been incarcerated for about 11 hours, no food or water, and constant harassment. I had to stick my fingers in my ears to stop the noise from giving me a further migraine. We had already been fingerprinted at the precinct, but now we had to walk through a metal detector, get frisked, and have an optical scanner shoved into our eye sockets. Now I started to get enraged. No one ever asked me if I wanted my eyeballs scanned for database entry so that I would now forever be traceable. My rights had been already egregiously violated that at this point we had no choice but to continue this process.
The outright bad attitudes of the police continued on to the corrections’ officers. The entire building, even where they work, was absolutely filthy. There was dirt and dust in every nook and cranny from the 1960’s. I couldn’t imagine going to work there everyday, but could understand how their bad attitudes were only exacerbated by their working environment. There were roaches crawling on the empty DOC food bins, which once contained dinner of PPJ and cheese sandwiches. We got locked into a holding cell, now in general population. We met others who were similarly disgusted. They talked about how dirty the place was, and how when they were there previously, they had bed bugs and bites on their legs and arms. They warned us not to eat the cheese sandwiches because they were “lethal,” and were truly amazed that we voluntarily placed ourselves in this predicament.
Once another intrusive interview was conducted, where they ask basically your weight, where you were born, and how you earn a living, we were escorted by a miserable man into the main holding pen. By now it was 2:30 am, and the pen was filled with women. There was absolutely no room to move. We had to walk in and step over bodies that were on the floor, sleeping on dirty mats with equally filthy blankets. Searching for a spot, I had to take to the wooden bench, last spot left, that abutted a wall that had blood, urine and feces stains. The bench was about a foot in width, which is way smaller than my ass. Everyone else scattered inside the pen to find their spot, pretty disheveled and disgusted by this point.
Here we were, the new “freedom fighters” going through the system we were fighting against. We all started questioning our resolve and wondering how stupid we could be to have put ourselves there. I looked around the pen, thinking that I had to remain calm, focused and in a Zen like state to get through the next day, or more. Most were sleeping, or attempting to sleep in the crowded, miserable area.
Just as I dozed off at 6 AM, a corrections officer and 2 inmates dressed in orange pinstripes appeared at the gate. The officer started yelling “if you want to eat, line up.” And he continued to yell “ladies, hurry up or you won’t eat.” That’s when I got to see the other occupants of the cell. Young women mostly, an ethnically mixed crowd; Asian, Black, Latino, and me. The discussion was cordial, and turned to “what are you in here for.” There were 2 young women picked up for solicitation, several others for drug use, and then the rest, believe it or not, were “stopped and frisked.” I couldn’t believe my ears. We told them we were there for protesting. Our story was met with disbelief, but complete support. All of them knew about the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, and were pretty well informed, up to the minute. They asked about the police raid last week, expressed concern that the police just “tossed out” personal items, tents, and books; and that the cops generally “sucked.” We had a political conversation about how bad the government was, and how America was absolutely not the country they thought it should be or people believed it was.
The Asian women were from Beijing, China. They said they want to go home. They came here thinking they could live a good life and get good jobs, because that’s what everyone believes. But realize at this point that’s a lie. The young black women were picked up by cops just as they were walking out of their building. They were stopped and asked for identification. They responded that they didn’t have any because they weren’t going anywhere, and were immediately arrested. Another young black female was in the park with her boyfriend after 9 pm, not realizing that there was a curfew. She said out of the bushes came 2 cops who told them they were “trespassing” and immediately cuffed both of them, no questions asked.
So here we were, having put ourselves into the “system”, having doubts about doing so, yet realizing the reason we were there. Stories upon stories of violations of civil rights were told. Stories of disgust with the NYPD, and the situation in this country. After several hours of discussion and debate, we had all bonded, realizing we had much in common. Here were women from the inner city, targeted for very similar reasons to be thrown into the system that would and could destroy their lives. They had kids left at home unattended, jobs they couldn’t get to and questions about their freedom. And yet strangely enough, some, who were constantly in and out of jail, had built a symbiotic relationship with the police who held them hostage and bound in their chains.
For instance, Linda, a hard core addict, greeted a female officer on the morning rounds. They exchanged greetings, and Linda said “she’s my friend for 25 years.” The officer said to Linda “I’m retiring in 30 days, when are you going to retire?” Linda responded, “I’m working on it.” And they both chuckled. I had witnessed earlier at the precinct the desk sergeant walking out with a group of young boys, and I mean boys, who were probably just victims of stop and frisk. She went up to the front of the line as they were cuffed and chained, and fussed with one kid’s hat. She pulled at it and fixed it for him. He seemed uncomfortable, shifted his feet, and hunched a little. She then said to him “Isn’t that better?” He couldn’t really respond because there was no mirror. I could see many emotions passing over his face. What could he have been thinking? Probably “don’t touch me bitch.”
By noon, 20 women were taken to the court holding cell, a 10’ x 12’ space. Once again the walls and floors were blackened with years of dirt, and the toilet, open for viewing, was unspeakable. By now most of us had been held almost 24 hours or more. We were hungry, tired, irritable, and smelly. The hallways were bustling with cops, and corrections officers. They were yelling and cracking jokes about all of the prisoners there, as if we couldn’t hear them. Calling names, exerting their perceived authority and superiority. One corrections officer, Johnson, started to call a women from Occupy Wall Street by her first name. He relentlessly pursued harassing her, until she answered him. The officers then all chimed in and asked us if we were all the “99% ers”.
I told the young woman who was with me not to answer, to ignore their chiding and snide remarks. But by this time she was angry and extremely stressed. Johnson said that he “was with us”, but she said he wasn’t and if he was he would quit his job, or make life better for those of us on the “inside.” They debated and talked about what it meant to be part of the 99%, what the government oppression was all about, and the role of the police protecting the 1%. The discussion raged, and more guards got involved. At this point the women in the cell wanted to put an end to it. Here we were, six “freedom fighters” who were attempting to create a better world being told we were causing a problem. You see those who spend their lives in this cycle of oppression, depend upon this abusive relationship between guards and prisoners. I was told by a woman that Johnson was a “good guy,” that he gave her cigarettes, and water when she was there at other times. Linda said that we were causing a problem for them because they had to return and deal with the guards; that their relationship was important to the comfort of their incarceration.
How odd. The guards depended upon the inmates for entertainment, to make their day go quickly; for exercising their power and supremacy over those that they imprison; and for keeping the system running so that these women would return, and the cops would continue to have a job. The women depended upon the guards for a perceived comfort, like a battered wife saying that “he isn’t so bad,” and basically they were treated “ok.” A textbook abusive relationship, cycling on for decades.
Here we were, women who wouldn’t tolerate the condescension, challenging the system that others knew was oppressive, however, wouldn’t allow us to continue to actually tear a hole in it. I can’t stress enough how important it then became for us to bear witness to this situation of dual dependency buried deep inside a system that perpetuates oppressive, demeaning behavior for all of those involved.
By this time the legal aid lawyers started calling our names and getting us ready for court. There was no privacy to speak to an attorney, so either we stood at the bars by the door, or go inside a tiny room that was refuge for the remaining women who were cramped in the cell with us. My lawyer was thumbing through my file and with a look of shock and a hint of a smile asked me about my “record.” She said “I see there are other cases in your file.” I asked her what she saw, and that nothing was outstanding. In fact, I was acquitted at a trial in Philadelphia. She looked up at me and said “yes, I see that.” We remained in the cell until 3 PM, all of us with no food, water or room to even stand comfortably.
By the time I was called into the courtroom, my head was about to explode, I was shaking, ready to vomit, and worst of all, my makeup was completely smeared on my face. When I got out into the air, all I wanted to do was flee, go home, take a long hot shower, and eat. As I got into my car, and drove along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway to my home in Staten Island, looking at my bruised wrists that were cut from the flexi cuffs, I couldn’t stop thinking about those women I had met on the inside.
I had a retreat. I could go back to my all white neighborhood, with my 4 dogs, 2 cats and husband. My nice 2 story home, on a tree lined street in the most middle class area of the borough was awaiting me. How sad. Those women I left behind didn’t have that option. They would either get out and go back to a place that was targeted by a system of repression, where they couldn’t even walk out of their building without being harassed, or remain in jail to face further incarceration and harassment. There was no retreat, or very little. They had to remain on alert, constantly operating in emergency mode, and most especially, their male friends had to do the same in fear of the police who comb their streets only to pick them up again because of a policy that targets the color of their skin in the place where they live. Whereas I could even drive without identification.
If this isn’t the new Jim Crow, then tell me what is. We live in a country that was founded on genocide, and built on slavery, which won’t end until we make sure it does. It is incumbent upon us, those who can openly fight the system, to do so. Yes, it is more difficult than natural child birth, but the results could benefit all of humanity.
December 2nd is the next day of action where students will be called upon to leave school and rally against this racist policy. Join us. Call 866-941-9139 or visit Stop Mass Incarceration Network.
“Stop and Frisk” Is Just Plain Wrong!
Posted: October 30th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: resistance is the key | No Comments »
Arrested at 28 precinct in Harlem
I’ll tell you why. This policy, instituted under the reign of terror implemented by “bulldog” Kelly and Bloomberg, is up there with the likes of Guantanamo Bay, Baghram prison, and the Hutto prison, all of which, and more, not only detain and torture people illegally, but are just plain morally wrong.
Stop and frisk has given us a whole new generation of black and Latino men who suffer from the “new Jim Crow” law. Because of how they look, they can be detained on any street, store, or anywhere by a person who carries a badge and physically assaulted through frisking. Have you ever been frisked by a cop? Not fun, nor is it done with respect.
By the statistics released by the NYPD, over 400,000 young men were detained last year, and projecting 700,000 in 2011. Most result in arrests for absolutely nothing except being a different color or living in the “wrong” neighborhood. My son was on the “force” for over 6 years, and hates the policy of stop and frisk. He says “it’s racist and stupid.” I say it’s dangerous. If we allow the NYPD to continue, other police departments not only in the country who emulate the supposed “best of the best” but internationally our cops go and train other police forces, like in Haiti, or Afghanistan, it permeates this entire culture of hurting humanity and takes it to a global level.
We cannot allow this to happen. That’s why I was arrested on Friday, October 21st in front of the 28 precinct, and will be arrested on Tuesday, November 1st at the 73 precinct. By the way, the neighborhood in which my husband used to work as an borough command operations Lt., now retired.
This policy represents one of the worst in this city that I grew up in, along with the targeting of our Muslim communities through mosque surveillance, and entrapment. No longer should we tolerate the abuses of our fellow brothers, and sisters. It’s way past time to get mad. The system we are living under is oppressive, always has been and always will be until we decide to change it.
I feel as if that time is now here. The “occupy” movement has taken hold in over 1,500 cities around this country, and others around the world. Targeting the end of policies such as this, and other legislation like the Patriot Act, will strip away one by one all those governmental rules that chain us and make us slaves in the 21st century, no matter what color your skin is.
Join me now, or it will definitely be too late. Please visit www.stopmassincarceration.tumblr.com for more information.
A GREAT CAUSE TO SUPPORT
Posted: June 27th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
About this project
ABOUT
“Thank You For Giving Us…” is a musical book and multimedia project that teaches kids, from a very young age, about the positive power of gratitude. It comes in the form of an enhanced e-book for iPod, iPhone & iPad, hardcover book, song and tour.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Whenever we get frustrated, either as individuals or as a family, gratitude helps bring us into the present moment. Saying and singing “Thank You” helps calm us down and celebrate life, especially when the waters of life get rocky. We want our daughter, Louise, and other children everywhere, to have a navigation tool like gratitude from the start, a tool that will help bring them into the present moment as they fulfill their potential and create their dream reality in this ever changing world.
PROJECT
This upcoming holiday season, please share the gift of gratitude with a child you love by backing this “Thank You For Giving Us…” project now and choosing from the abundance of thank you presents that we will be ready to send to you by October 28th, 2011:
HARDCOVER BOOK
The hardcover picture book is 32 pages long. It follows us on a fantastical adventure through The Land Of Now. The illustrations tell the story of how we lost the Flying Key of Gratitude and how we had to find it in order to get home. Sharing this book with your children is a fun way to teach them the positive power of gratitude from the start.
ENHANCED E-BOOK
The enhanced e-book is everything the hardcover book is, plus it has a multitude of exciting features for kids to explore. This e-book/app will entertain your children in a way you can feel really good about! The features include: a musical book, a bedtime story, sheet music, a read it to yourself feature, a record it yourself feature, a customize it feature, a simple thank you game feature and a send a musical thank you card feature.
SONG
The song is easy to learn and to sing with your kids. Whenever our little Louise is crying or upset, singing this song brings her into a place of joy.
ACTION
With the thirty thousand dollars we raise for this project, we will complete the illustrations, design the lay out, print 1,000 hardcover limited edition books, print 1,000 limited edition CDs, master and mix the “Thank You For Giving Us…” song, create the enhanced e-book, and begin to distribute and promote the entire multimedia project throughout the world (including a U.S. tour).
If we raise more than our goal, we will use the money to further promote and distribute the “Thank You For Giving Us…” project in a variety of ways, including producing a world tour. We will also develop the enhanced e-book for Android and Blackberry.
PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
Phase I: Pre-production (June 7-July 21, 2011)
1. Raise Money For Project
2. Illustrations: Complete Illustrations–12 of the 32 pages are already illustrated but we need help so we have time to finish the rest (cost=$3,500)
3. Music Production: Mix and Master “Thank You For Giving Us…” and “Chariots Rise” and design limited edition CD (cost=$1000)
4. E-book Production: Create Enhanced E-book for iPod, iPhone & iPad (cost=$3000)
5. Book Production: Design and Prepare Hardcover Book for Printing (cost=$4500)
6. Kickstarter: Pay Kickstarter 5% commission on $30,000 raised (cost=$1500)
Phase II: Production (July 22-Oct 28, 2011)
1. Book Printing: Print 1000 First and Limited Edition Hardcover Books (cost=$6000)
2. Music Production: Print 1000 Limited Edition CDs (cost=$1000)
3. E-book Production: Put Enhanced E-book on iTunes and other distribution networks (cost=$500)
4. Music Production: Put song on all digital download distribution networks (cost=$500)
5. Promotion: Promote “Thank You For Giving Us…” throughout the world via fan-base, internet marketing, press, and advertising. (cost=$4500)
6. Packaging/ Shipping: Package and Mail Kickstarter Backer Gifts (cost=$3500)
7. Promotion: Produce and Promote Release Party and Tour (cost=$1000)
Phase III: Release and Promotion (Oct 29 – Dec 19, 2011)
1. Host and Perform Thank You For Giving Us…Release Party
2. “Thank You For Giving Us…” U.S. Promotional Tour
REVIEWS
We asked a a few parents to try out our work in progress. They shared the first 12 illustrations, the entire text of the book, the morning song and the bedtime reading with their children. Here’s what was said:
“I love that book. Thank you Lizzie and Baba. I like the singing and the pictures.” – Leif (3 Years Old) Norfolk, CT
“We read your book with Felix this evening and he (and we) loved it! Felix is 3 and he was thoroughly engaged –the text was just lovely and so easy to read and the pictures were really awesome and whimsical and fun. Felix really enjoyed pointing out the various elements in the pictures — like the dolphins and the mountains and the donkey.” – Azi, mother of Felix (3 Years old) Brooklyn, NY
“Isabella sat still (a rare moment!) and was mesmerized by Thank You For Giving Us…I love that the song has a happy upbeat start the day feel, and then the reading has a lulling, dreamy end of day feel. Perfect for a bedtime story before falling asleep, dreaming of what you are thankful for. As a mother of a very active 15 month old daughter, even I imagine lying in a hot bath at the end of the day with my favorite glass of wine and listening to the “Thank You For Giving Us reading…” – Emma, mother of Isabella (15 months) Eagle, Colorado
Our goal is to raise $30,000 for the multimedia “Thank You For Giving Us…” project, but we also aim to inspire as many people as possible to say thank you for someone they love. So go do it! Write or call someone you love…
Or you can post it publicly on our facebook page, www.facebook.com/thankyouforgivingus
Thank you!
Change You CAN Believe In!
Posted: June 8th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: US marines, we are not your soldiers | No Comments »Source:
www.opednews.com
Supporting Unions
Posted: May 19th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: New York City Hall, Protest, attacks against unions | No Comments »
Me and Tanya at City Hall protest 5/12/11
City Hall Protest 5/12/11
My daughter is a teacher at a public school. She spent years getting her education and lots of money, so that she could devote her life to doing what she loved; spreading information and learning to children who can then give back to their communities. Now Bloomberg has decided to not only privatize schools with big corporate money, like that of Goldman Sachs and Bill Gates so they can influence what our children learn and what our teachers teach, but he wants to fire over 6,000 teachers. This will make our class sizes even bigger than they are, put more students in learning peril, and effect the lives of thousands of teachers throughout the city. Once a job to be aspired to, and proud of, teachers are now looked upon as the dregs of our society, stealing their wages because they work for the “public sector.”
Labor United!
I myself am a public sector worker for 25 years. I worked hard for little pay, to have a small piece of security as a union laborer. My pension and health benefits are threatened by those who also, ironically enough, work for the government, who receive hefty salaries, pensions, health benefits and also lobby money from rich corporations to take down a little guy like me.
I say let the government officials in the highest positions of power give up their security, pension benefits, health benefits, and walk away into private sector business. You can’t take what you can’t secure for us. Some of the politicians with nice cushy jobs make 4 times what I do, or 6 times what a teacher makes, but they insist on scapegoating the rest of us, pointing the finger while everyone else follows along. It’s like a strange horror movie with zombies. One zombie heads down the street to kill off the human and the rest follow. The middle and working class of this country built it, we empower it, and keep it humming. Wall street plays with OUR money.
Last week my daughter and I marched against City Hall in Manhattan, along with about 15,000 others from all unions across the tri-state area. Our purpose was to let them know we wouldn’t take it anymore. But next time we won’t obey the police barricades nicely, nor will we go down Broadway peacefully and blowing our whistles. We have the power to shut this City down, and that is coming to a street near you soon.
We Stand Together!
Everyone Participated
March 20th Protest at Quantico Marine Base Supporting Bradley Manning
Posted: April 13th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: Free Bradley Manning, Protest, Quantico Marine Base, resistance is the key | No Comments »This video was taken at the rally and protest action on Sunday, March 20th at Quantico. Hundreds of us went to the gates of the Marine Corps. base that is holding Bradley, torturing him, and hoping to set an example of him so that others do not speak truth to power. Our demand was simple: FREE BRADLEY MANNING, HE IS A HERO!
The Bradley Manning Rally at the Quantico Marine Base from Mike Knish on Vimeo.
Why I Won’t Protest on a Saturday!
Posted: April 7th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: Protest, my perspective on things | No Comments »I have given this a lot of thought and have come to the decision that I am “protesting the protest.” I henceforth and forever more refuse to protest on a Saturday. I will not march around in circles, permitted by the police, with police barricades constructed in our pathways, and narrowing our march to where they ALLOW us to walk.
I refuse to listen to “peace police” telling me where to walk, follow the traffic signs, where to gather, when to gather, what time to gather, and make a parade instead of a protest.
I refuse to listen to endless speeches about the same thing we have been discussing for upteen years, with the same people, maybe a few new faces added.
We have reached a point where RESISTANCE IN ALL ITS GLORY must be the path we take. That means not abiding by the rules of state power, doing whatever the hell we want when we want to do it, and making life so unbearable for government and their minions that they scream in anguish “ENOUGH.” That means creating our own “Tahrir Square.”
When you all decide you agree and want to join me, I will be waiting. Just like the people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and the over 760 countries that we have military installations in are waiting for us to make the US stop.
Elaine
IF YOU GIVE A DAMN, JOIN US APRIL 4th AROUND THE COUNTRY
Posted: March 29th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: attacks against unions, civil service, resistance is the key | No Comments »Unite and Win: Stand Up for Workers’ Rights
New York City, NY
April 4, 2011 05:00PM to 07:15PM
Hosted by Chris Shelton, Vice President CWA District 1
Contact: 212 344-2515
Event Description:
Forty-three years ago, in Memphis, a long struggle for human rights and human dignity ended in the tragic death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,but it brought economic justice and the respect that all people deserve to 1,300 city sanitation workers, on strike to win recognition of their union.
On April 4 this year,the anniversary of Dr. King’s death, we will remind our elected officials that workers’ rights are human rights, and that those rights will not be destroyed.
In every state, in every community, the fight for workers’ rights and dignity goes forward.
And we’re not alone. Civil and human rights activists; union members and supporters; Latinos, Asians and immigrants; religious supporters; environmental, student and women’s groups; and many others: all of us will stand together for workers’ rights.
Some politicians want to silence millions of working and middle class families.
On April 4th at City Hall Park it’s time for Middle Class Families to make their voices heard. We will stand together. We won’t be silenced.
IT’S TIME TO FIGHT BACK
Sponsored by:
Location:
City Hall Park
New York City, NY
10007-1214
Directions:
City Hall Park between Broadway, Park Row and Chambers Street
Questions? Email the Host
The Worries of a Public Sector Worker
Posted: February 19th, 2011 | Author: Elaine | Filed under: attacks against unions, civil service | No Comments »It’s midnight, and after taking a sleeping pill, I still can’t fall asleep. Watching what has happened in Madison, I worry. That is the front line of the battle being waged against all public sector workers in this entire Country and if we loose there, we are all dead in the water. I have been a “civil service” employee since I was 21 years old. Not since my son went to Afghanistan have I been this scared.
In 1975, graduating from Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School, my uncle, who at the time, rest his soul, was a democratic leader for the party in Staten Island, wanted me to work for the “City”. I’ll never forget what my father and my uncle would tell me, “get a good city job.” I had higher aspirations, and thought that was beneath me. But, being the good girl I was, my uncle took me to City Hall in downtown Manhattan and introduced me to a guy named Joe. We went down into the basement, where it seemed like all the important people met behind closed doors, and I was offered a job working for the Mayor’s office. At that time the Mayor was Abe Beam. My salary was three times less than what it would have been if I had worked in the “private sector” but I was told that it was a good, solid job, and would pay the bills.
So I worked for the Deputy Mayor for many years as a secretary, and got used to earning less than everyone else in Manhattan. I learned how to operate my first computer in 1980, and started taking courses to advance myself. I was a union worker, and enjoyed the fact that I shared that with thousands of other people around me. It wasn’t a job you would go bragging about, like working for Wall Street, or big corporate money, but it got me by.
So here we are, thirty five years later, and the fat cats want to take my pension and cut my health benefits. What gives them the right to do this? Mayor Bloomberg, who claims to be the $1 year man, is full of crap. He has doubled his net worth since he has been in office, stealing his third term right out from under us poor working slobs. I eaked out a living all these years, raised my children, and lived a middle class existence after struggling for promotions, and taking exams. Where do they come off telling us now that we are sucking the government dry of money?
Obama bailed out the banks to the tune of trillions of dollars. They have waged wars for 10 years now to the tune of trillions of dollars, and we public servants are the problem? My daughter is a teacher, and my husband is a retired NYPD Leuitenant, who, yes, gets a well deserved pension. He paid into that pension for 25 years of his working career, and bargained for it. Now those who control the power want to take most of it away? What is their reason? And most importantly, how can we let them?
This all weighs heavily on my mind at midnight. I have been fighting for peace and justice for the last 9 years after my son was swept into this “war on terror” and had to fight 3 combat tours. He came home to unemployment, PTSD, and a VA system that won’t pay him his benefits because they are “backlogged.” My daughter, who has two masters degrees in education, is concerned that her lousy teaching job that drains all of her energy and consumes her entire existence at 27, may be pulled out from under her. Not to mention that she can’t even afford to pay her rent and car in the same month.
I talked to my union representative today and asked “what is the union doing about the attack on public sector workers and what little benefits we receive?” He gave me some mumbo jumbo speech about how bad it was, and if we didn’t do something, all is lost. Well no damn kidding! So why aren’t we doing something? You know, right after Wall Street got their bailout, I went down to the stock exchange, since it is only a few blocks from work, and the brokers were out in the street playing football having a barbeque! They were celebrating. They got bonuses, and this year banks, as well as oil companies, reaped record profits. All because of the taxpayers!
And what about those calling for our money and benefits to be drastically cut? Aren’t they civil servants. Well, let’s see. The NYC Comptroller for one, gets a six figure salary, all the benefits you could ask for, so does the Mayor, City Council members, and don’t forget the State and Federal robbers. The same governor, state senators and assembly people in Wisconsin trying to bust the unions and get workers to pay for their own health benefits and pensions, get six figure salaries, and all kinds of perks, like cars, cell phones, security details all at the expense of the taxpayers, and not the elite who get the tax breaks.
I say lets start at the top. Tell Obama to cut his salary, health and pension benefits in half. Get all those in Congress to do the same. I bet we save billions. And the other thing, tell them no more perks from corporate sponsors. Let them earn their money like I have since I was 21 and had to raise my kids on $30,000 a year. You would see an emptying of the halls of power like never before. Why can’t we do this? What’s stopping us? Beats the hell out of me because all I see and hear are people complaining.
Let those who “run” the government give up the health benefits that are paid for by “we the people.” And I am not alone. There are hundreds of thousands just like me and my family.
My dad worked in sanitation for 25 years, and my mom in a high school. I could go on and on. But we aren’t rich by any means. We are hard working individuals who have to pay through the nose to live in this Country so the top 1 % can get rich.
I’m tired of listening to the liar pundits try to get “each side of the story straight.” There’s only one side, and it’s not with those who are standing in front of the camera in $2,000 suits and colorful ties trying their best to steal from the rest of us. Look at us on the streets, with cardboard signs demanding our right to a decent life. Tell the tea partiers to crawl back under their rocks where they came from, and let those of us who have some sensibilities exist peacefully and feed ourselves. We cannot afford another nickel out of our pockets. I know I can’t.
If I thought I could get people to follow me, I would stand out in front of City Hall in Manhattan with a sign that said “workers unite and throw the bums out of office!” and not leave. That’s where we should be making them worry. I say kick the bastards out of power now before it’s too late. This ain’t Cairo, but it’s damn close to it. I’m willing to pitch a tent in the park, are you?
We think we have a democracy, but think again. If you are reading this chances are you get my drift.
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