http://www.blackagendareport.com/

News, information and analysis from the black left.

http://district2-13.cwa-union.org/events/entry/verizon_strike_national_day_of_action

http://bit.ly/1NiAxOv

Save the Date! Join us for a May 5 National Day of Action to fight for good jobs at Verizon and Verizon Wireless.

We’ll be back in touch soon with more information about actions at Verizon Wireless stores near you and how you can join the fight online.

40,000 men and women are still on strike at Verizon and Verizon Wireless determined to fight for as long as it takes to protect good jobs.

This strike is bigger than Verizon. It’s about protecting good, hometown jobs in this country. It’s about securing a brighter future for our families and our communities. It’s about standing up to a handful of rich and powerful interests to make sure the needs of working families are met.

That’s why it’s so important for all of us to stand with the working people at Verizon and Verizon Wireless. http://bit.ly/1NiAxOv

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

from Benton Harbor BANCO (Black Autonomy Network Community Organization)

May 2, 2016

Contacts:
David Sole, 313-680-5508; Joe Peery, 312-788-0380
http://bhbanco.org

Court of Appeals Hearing for Faith Leader, Activist, in Election Fraud Case

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — After 17 months behind bars, Rev. Edward Pinkney, 67, will have his case heard Wednesday, May 11, 10am at the Court of Appeals in Grand Rapids. A press conference will be held outside the courthouse at 11:30am after the hearing. A panel of three judges will hear arguments from Rev. Pinkney’s attorney, Tim Holloway. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan and the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) both filed friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the appeal. Mark Fancher of the Racial Justice Project at the ACLU will also deliver oral arguments.

The defense appeal brief argues, in part, that Rev. Pinkney’s trial violated the Michigan Rules of Evidence and his Constitutional rights to free speech and due process when Pinkney’s political and community activities were admitted as evidence. A veteran community activist from Benton Harbor, Pinkney was convicted last November on five felony counts of forgery based on allegations that he changed five dates on a petition intended to recall Mayor James Hightower. He maintains his innocence and was sentenced to 30 to 120 months in prison. He is currently incarcerated in Marquette Branch Prison where he says he has been targeted with racist harassment, threats, and intimidation from correctional officers.

“There are so many violations of Rev. Pinkney’s rights it’s hard to believe. Three witnesses stated emphatically that Rev. Pinkney was not present when another person altered the petition,” said Michigan civil rights attorney Hugh Buck Davis. “The prosecutor in the case was allowed to use Rev. Pinkney’s community activism as evidence. This is a serious violation of the Reverend’s First Amendment rights and due process. When the defense attorney raised objections, the judge called his constitutionally-based arguments ‘emotional rhetoric.’”

Pinkney and his supporters believe his human rights activism has made him a target of political persecution by local government and business interests. Pinkney’s arrest warrant for the non-violent charges was served by a SWAT team surrounding his home at gunpoint. Such tactics, Pinkney says, are designed to intimidate all Benton Harbor residents who speak up against Whirlpool Corporation and local officials. Supporters charge that the unjustified prosecution amounts to election fraud.

Pinkney and other members of the Benton Harbor community group, BANCO (Black Autonomy Network Community Organization), have lead multiple petition drives to recall local officials as one strategy of their campaign to promote democracy, civil rights, and economic justice in the county. Whirlpool Corp. is headquartered in Benton Harbor, which is 96% African-American and has among the highest unemployment and poverty rates in the state. Mayor Hightower’s opposition to a city income tax that would have affected Whirlpool Corp. resulted in the community’s effort to recall him.

BANCO and Pinkney have protested the four emergency managers, appointed by the governor under Michigan’s controversial Emergency Manager Law, who have operated the city instead of democratically-elected officials. BANCO was also among the most vocal opponents of the Harbor Shores golf course and luxury development that appropriated lakeshore land formerly designated as a Benton Harbor city park. BANCO and supporters around the region plan to protest this year’s Senior PGA tournament on May 28 in Benton Harbor.

http://mtea.weac.org/

Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association

Chris Abele’s Commissioner, Demond Means, has unleashed his far-reaching and reckless plan to begin the initial phases of the Milwaukee Public Schools Takeover. The initial plan includes a qualitative analysis of 53 schools which will be used to narrow down the list to 8 schools that will be identified for potential takeover. Those 8 will be more closely surveyed and a final list of 3 will be identified for Takeover.

Together, we must do everything in our power to resist the takeover and refuse to help those who want to gut MPS!

To learn more about recent developments in the Takeover plan and see the list of 53 schools, click here.

Here is what you can do right now:

• Contact your school board director and encourage them to stand against the proposal.
• Join the MTEA letter writing campaign directed at County Executive, Chris Abele here. Tell him to keep his pledge to only one school.
• Attend one of the 4 Community School “Teach-Ins” on Thursday, May 5. Learn more about and embrace authentic Milwaukee Community Schools–the alternative to Means’ plan.

http://appalachianworkersalliance.weebly.com/blog/build-a-united-front-against-trumps-racist-bigotry

5/2/16, Appalachian Workers Alliance, http://appalachianworkersalliance.weebly.com/

The announcement that the GOP front-runner would be arriving in West Virginia prior to the state primaries came as no surprise to anyone. Donald Trump enjoys in West Virginia, his highest rate of supporters. Much of this is due to the rhetoric Trump employs. History shows that people in economically distressed situations sometimes find themselves gravitating towards the promising, yet hollow rhetoric that people such as Trump employ, and this incidence is no different. What is needed is a unified, oppositional voice to counter and silence the hateful and downright shameful voice of Trump and his supporters.

Some argue that Trump has the freedom to speak openly. This is a mistake and the epitome of privilege. The fascist language and methodology that we are facing has historically taken advantage of liberal democratic systems of government and the “freedom of speech” it entails in an effort to ultimately subvert it. They are democratic in the sense that they seek democracy for those who hold power in our society, while legitimizing oppression of those without it. In West Virginia today, that means that wealthier, predominantly white men are held in esteem and political prestige while people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, and those of non-Christian faith are silenced. This is absolutely unacceptable.

The Appalachian Workers Alliance hereby makes a public call to all anti-racist, progressive, and working-class organizations in the state of West Virginia to act together on the basis of principled unity against the political machine of Donald Trump and his supporters. We must bravely, and openly confront the violent rhetoric that he espouses whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. West Virginia is not a safe haven for racism! Shut Trump Down! #wildandantifascist https://www.facebook.com/AppalachianWorkersAlliance

MORE PHOTOS FROM WI BAIL OUT THE PEOPLE MOVEMENT: http://bit.ly/1pWk5Il

May Day March for Immigrant and Worker Rights / Marcha del 1ro de Mayo para los Derechos de lxs Trabajadorxs e Inmigrantxs

ENGLISH BELOW

10º Aniversario: Marcha del 1ro de Mayo para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes y Trabajadores

domingo, 1ro de mayo de 2016, 2pm

reunimos a las 1:30pm en frente de Voces de la Frontera (1027 sur de la calle 5)
Marchamos a las 2pm a la corte del condado de Milwaukee

Marcha por:
Nuestra victoria sobre la ley estatal anti-inmigrante AB 450
La defensa de DAPA y DACA +
Movilizando el voto latino en números históricos en las elecciones de noviembre
Salarios justos y la libertad de organizar en el lugar de trabajo
La defensa de las escuelas públicas

Más información:
Milwaukee: (414) 643-1620
Madison: (608) 212-1267
Racine: (262) 748-7349
Waukesha: (262) 271-2390
Whitewater: (414) 418-8424
Walworth County: (714) 262-2229
Appleton: (920) 460-8312
Waukesha: (262) 271-2390

http://bit.ly/1NKSSDA

The Grass is Greener-2016-04-30 Mr. Abayomi Azikiwe
Detroit-based radio journalist Mr. Abayomi Azikiwe talks to us about Libya, Yemen, refugees, the election, gives us an update on Reverend Pinkney’s legal case, the Flint water crisis, city boondoggles, and more. Babette has an update on the case of Dontre Hamilton, killed by Milwaukee police two years ago today. http://bit.ly/1NKSSDA

Mr. Abayomi Azikiwe of the Pan African Newswire and the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War and Injustice (mecawi.org).

More WI Bail Out The People Movement photos: http://bit.ly/1QIR6xi