The Minneapolis Urban League in trouble…layoff’s and program doors shut next?
IBNN Editors Note: Residents of Minneapolis should read closely the messages sent out in the local Black press that attempt to position this organization as one on the move up, when in fact troubles continue to linger. IBNN has written favorable stories and not-so favorable stories about the Minneapolis Urban League (MUL). Since the Minneapolis Urban League is a membership organization, under the color of law, how will the MUL handle the possible over-throw of the current board to protect “the membership’s $16 million dollar investment on the corner of Penn and Plymouth Avenue North?” If you recall – it was the Minneapolis Urban League management who decided to release great employees in favor of routing dollars to ACORN home foreclosure counseling, among other things. So far the National Urban League has not returned one call to IBNN in over a year…
Under the Minnesota Law – “We” (members in good standing) have the sole responsibility to seek out competent board members and management to continue the organizations ongoing commitment to the community.
Originally posted in The Minneapolis Story
At 5:15 p.m., today, Thursday, 9-17-09, Minneapolis Urban League Branch President Scott Gray announced, in closed session, the new austerity: 10% salary reduction across the board; termination of ten employees within 30 days; and an indication that the staff of the Urban League Street Academy would go on part time employee status (thus losing their benefits).
Ever since the sell-outs kicked Nellie Stone Johnson and me (Ron Edwards) out 20 years ago, when I was the President of the Urban League with 118 employees, they have cannibalized the organization, reducing it from the 118 employees then to what will be less than 20 employees now.
We show how this got started in Chapter 14 of The Minneapolis Story. (The Book)
Sacred Trust..Exploiting the Dream
We have had too many examples in history to not think that we too are immune to totalitarianism. If a leader feels too grand to be questioned, something is rotten in Denmark. The quality of life for African Americans in Minneapolis has declined under their watch, they are responsible. It is a harsh truth, but being a leader also carries the responsibility of ownership of bad choices, or benign neglect. It was better before they positioned themselves as leaders. No one wants to talk about that.
The irony is that poverty pimps use fear as a way to maintain power doing little to change the lives of the most vulnerable the very people they claim to protect. It is their funding, their mortgage and car payment that they are worried about.
Just because those particular African American individuals do not get the funding, does not mean that African Americans will not be served. Crying wolf and white guilt are completely useless tools to end injustice and poverty. They are counter intuitive, and actually do more to alienate than heal the wounds of racism.
If we are expected to have a healthy democracy we are expected to have a free exchange of ideas and have transparency for donations that is contributed in good faith to help the group specified in the grant, not just to keep the funding going. That is inherently evil. I am sure there are many other people and projects that could us the funding in a more productive and moral manner. I believe that their worth is measured by the harvest.
Airing out of dirty laundry is a painful process, but the only way we can change is to acknowledge what is not working and not do it again. I am sure there are many quiet leaders and organizations that have proven programs that exist on a hope and a prayer get the money. The leaders that are too shy or busy to be holding their hands out are usually the ones we most want to support.
The same old tired leadership has been in power my entire life we have given them a chance. The sacred trust of who tends to the tradition of social justice has been so frayed, that we must examine as a community without fear. The current players have had ample time to produce results are not making the grade it is time to question authority. Could you have the same track record and keep your job?
IBNN on BlogTalkRadio Wednesday -April 1, 2009 5 p.m.
This is your chance to chime in on community issues and current events that affect everyone in the Twin Cities. We encourage you to go to www.blogtalkradio.com and setup a “listener’s account.” This service is free of charge and lets you chat live online. Listeners are also able to call in to the show and voice their opinions.
On our upcoming show, we will discuss the current political atmosphere in Minneapolis’ Ward 5 with two very special guests. Also we will talk about the Minneapolis Public Schools and ask the question, “is there a better way to assist the large number of failing African American students in District 1?” Time permitting we will also talk about the role of non-profit, social service agencies as it pertains to local politics and Conflict of Interest and the difference between partisan and non-partisan.
Get ready for some surprising guests and topics to continue weekly. Save the date for one of the most revolutionary radio shows to hit the Twin Cities.
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Obama, ACORN – Follow the Money!
Obama Sued Citibank Under CRA to Force it to Make Bad Loans
Do you remember how we told you that the Democrats and groups associated with them leaned on banks and even sued to get them to make bad loans under the Community Reinvestment Act which was a factor in causing the economic crisis (see HERE and HERE) … well look at what some fellow bloggers have dug up while researching Obama’s legal career. Looks like a typical ACORN lawsuit to get banks to hand out bad loans.
In these lawsuits, ACORN makes a bogus claim of Redlining (denying poor people loans because of their ethnic heritage). They protest and get the local media to raise a big stink. This stink means that the bank faces thousands of people closing their accounts and get local politicians to lobby to stop the bank from doing some future business, expansions and mergers. If the bank goes to court, they will win, but the damage is already done because who is going to launch a big campaign to get the bank’s reputation back?
It is important to understand the nature of these lawsuits and what their purpose is. ACORN filed tons of these lawsuits and ALL of them allege racism.
Case Name
Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank Fed. Sav. Bank Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance
Docket / Court 94 C 4094 ( N.D. Ill. ) FH-IL-0011
State/Territory Illinois
Case Summary
Plaintiffs filed their class action lawsuit on July 6, 1994, alleging that Citibank had engaged in redlining practices in the Chicago metropolitan area in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), 15 U.S.C. 1691; the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. 3601-3619; the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and 42 U.S.C. 1981, 1982. Plaintiffs alleged that the Defendant-bank rejected loan applications of minority applicants while approving loan applications filed by white applicants with similar financial characteristics and credit histories. Plaintiffs sought injunctive relief, actual damages, and punitive damages.
U.S. District Court Judge Ruben Castillo certified the Plaintiffs’ suit as a class action on June 30, 1995. Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank Fed. Sav. Bank, 162 F.R.D. 322 (N.D. Ill. 1995). Also on June 30, Judge Castillo granted Plaintiffs’ motion to compel discovery of a sample of Defendant-bank’s loan application files. Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank Fed. Sav. Bank, 162 F.R.D. 338 (N.D. Ill. 1995).
The parties voluntarily dismissed the case on May 12, 1998, pursuant to a settlement agreement.
Plaintiff’s Lawyers Alexis, Hilary I. (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-7500 | FH-IL-0011-7501 | FH-IL-0011-9000
Childers, Michael Allen (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-7500 | FH-IL-0011-7501 | FH-IL-0011-9000
Clayton, Fay (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-7500 | FH-IL-0011-7501 | FH-IL-0011-9000
Cummings, Jeffrey Irvine (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-7500 | FH-IL-0011-7501 | FH-IL-0011-9000
Love, Sara Norris (Virginia)
FH-IL-0011-9000
Miner, Judson Hirsch (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-7500 | FH-IL-0011-9000
Obama, Barack H. (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-7500 | FH-IL-0011-7501 | FH-IL-0011-9000
Wickert, John Henry (Illinois)
FH-IL-0011-9000
UPDATE: www.Hotair.com comments on this story HERE.
Congressional Candidate Barb Davis White, FairTax, Keith Ellison and more…
Business as Usual?
Ask yourself, “Do I really want change?” Barb Davis White is a Conservative candidate running for congress against Keith Ellison. Most African Americans in Minneapolis say, “We’re voting for Keith”, with no rhyme or reason. We stand in opposition against a giant that has lost his shadow. Keith Ellison may have gripped the voters of Minnesota during the last election, but surveys show that the people of Minnesota are asking for a different choice in Congress. Barb Davis White stands, not in opposition of the Democratic Party, but with the people of the 5th Congressional District. Her beliefs are simple and clear. I understand that you are thoroughly entrenched in Ellison, but the predominate word during this election season is ‘change’
Let me explain something to you…Keith is not your friend. In July 2008 Congressman Keith Ellison was a co-sponsor of HR 3298 which asks for Mental Health screening for 3 year olds (the PRE-K Act)…Do you see something wrong with this as a parent? How can a Black man want the government to regulate what a 3 year old does? There’s something very wrong with this. Could this be the start of the University of Minnesota’s North Side Partnership and the Urban Research and Outreach Center’s move into North Minneapolis with the collaboration of the Ellison’s camp to assist the education giant in the further disassembly and research of poor communities?
Secondly, Keith does not agree with FairTax (www.fairtax.org). If you don’t know what FairTax is, just look at your pay check. Imagine if you had no taxes taken out of your check?
The FairTax plan is a comprehensive proposal that replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes with an integrated approach including a progressive national retail sales tax, a prebate to ensure no American pays federal taxes on spending up to the poverty level, dollar-for-dollar federal revenue neutrality, and, through companion legislation, the repeal of the 16th Amendment.
The FairTax Act (HR 25, S 1025) is nonpartisan legislation. It abolishes all federal personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes and replaces them with one simple, visible, federal retail sales tax administered primarily by existing state sales tax authorities.
The FairTax taxes us only on what we choose to spend on new goods or services, not on what we earn. The FairTax is a fair, efficient, transparent, and intelligent solution to the frustration and inequity of our current tax system.
In a letter to IBNN a concerned citizen wrote: Keith Ellison’s office lied to me, saying the congressman would vote against the measure. I later received a written response from Rep. Ellison, saying he would not vote for the bailout unless four stipulations were met:
- Serious and meaningful Congressional oversight over the Treasury Department as a rescue plan is implemented
- Hold business leaders accountable through restricting executive compensation and investigating possible wrongdoing
- If taxpayers are being asked to bear the risk of these “toxic” investments, then taxpayers should reap some of the potential future financial benefits yielded by this government intervention
- Any financial package must include assistance to families facing home mortgage foreclosures
Keith Ellison voted for the bailout, so I assume those four stipulations were met. Can anyone confirm or deny whether these stipulations were included in the Pelosi Compromise?
See the roll-call vote for yourself here: http://www.freeople.com/blog/house-roll-call-bailout-package-vote-released/1788
We just touched on a couple of items that show Congressman Ellison should re-think what he’s doing – on his own time.
IBNNNEW- Apology to the North Minneapolis Community. We don’t have leaders, we have self-appointed spokespersons Donald Allen
- The Death of North Minneapolis… Donald Allen
- IBNN Exclusive Report: Youth with weapon attempts to enter funeral of Alisha “Lele” Neely (Captured on Film) Donald Allen
- WCCO 4 (CBS) Television fails in journalistic integrity with “edited and spliced” tape of the Minneapolis Police Beating of Ira Stafford…rating F- Donald Allen
- MURDERAPOLIS – Code 4, No More Donald Allen
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