No names means no story! Why does the Spokesman-Recorder continue to engage in the tar and feathering of all black clergy? Stop the slander!!!
Jim Bernstein Fulton -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Shawn Lewis Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 6:54 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [Mpls] A Black Minister takes the money/ Black Bourgeoisie EDITORIAL Beware those who prey on grief By: Booker T Hodges Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Originally posted 5/12/2004 I want to warn you off the bat, readers, that this will be an ugly column. The string of violence has gotten off to somewhat of an early start this year. We have had a sting of murders involving our young people, and these murders are tragic and stressful on the families and loved ones of the victim and the perpetrator. Often when these crimes happen, there's some community activist or group that wants to offer their services to the family. Not all these people are well intentioned, as mentioned in the Spokesman-Recorder during the Tyesha Edwards tragedy, when some uncleansed minister tried to get money from the family for services that they never offered. Prayer vigils are often held to honor fallen youth. At these vigils, people are sometimes asked to give money to benefit the family and help them with the grieving process. The Hodges Investigative Team (H.I.T) has uncovered one case in which the family didn't receive any of the money that was collected on their behalf. I will not name the minister or the victim's family because of fear of retaliation against the minister. Many people reading this will know what I am talking about. A couple of months ago, a young person died violently, and there was a peace vigil held in response to his death. During the vigil there was an offering taken up, and my best guess would put the total offering between $700 and $1,000. After the vigil, some of us who gave money met with the family and asked them if they had received the money from the vigil. They informed us that they hadn't, and in disgust, I had to investigate. When we asked the minister, minister-1, where the money went, he informed us that he had given the money to another minister, minister-2, to deposit in the bank. So we went and asked minister-2 if he had received the money from minister-1. Minister-2 said that he hadn't received any money from minister-1, even going as far to show us the deposit book from the memorial fund set up. After speaking with minister-2, we went back to speak with minister-1, and minister-1 continued to lie to us. He told us that he had taken the money to the bank, but that he could not produce any deposit slips. After going in a merry-go-round with minister-1, we just decided to drop the issue. I mean, is it worth embarrassing a minister for less than $1,000? The Lord will judge them at the gates of heaven when it is their time. I just want people to realize that, as more and more of our young people become victims of violence, there will be those who offer to help them for kickbacks. These people should be ashamed of themselves, and because of my personal promise not to personally attack anyone, I won't name them. The Black Bourgeoisie is trying to kill us Recently, I sent out an inflammatory email attacking the mayor's choice to lead the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department. I was wrong for sending out such an email, but nonetheless, his choice to lead the civil rights department was a poor one. I felt that the civil rights department needed someone who is more of an activist. The mayor's pick is well qualified on paper, but where has she been in the struggle for civil rights over the years? Has she attended any marches? Any prayer vigils? Spoken out against any wrongdoing in communities of color? These are all questions that community members would like to have asked her had they been able to, but the mayor tried to slide her through without the community being able to question her. When I questioned his appointment, I was personally attacked by a bunch of Black Bourgeoisies. The same group of Black Bourgeoisies who wouldn't and haven't challenged White people for anything that they have done to us as a people found the courage to challenge me. If these bourgeoisies were to fight White people as hard as they have tried to fight me over the past week, Black people would be in a whole lot better shape than we are in now. By some accord I am a public figure, so I really don't care who attacks me. But when it is a group of people who love Black people so much that they can't live in our neighborhoods, it bothers me, because they always stick their nose in our business http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=43211&; sID=16 Posted by Shawn Lewis, Field Neighborhood -- ___________________________________________________________ Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com http://promo.mail.com/adsfreejump.htm REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
