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Showing posts with label RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
MAPLE HEIGHTS IGNORES KEY ISSUES REGARDING ITS RECENT DECISIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS
According to the Maple Heights News, senior housing development and speed cameras will be coming to Maple Heights.
Why would a city open itself up to a potential litany of lawsuits and other legal problems when it is already in fiscal watch?
The use of traffic enforcement (such as red light and speed) cameras (in many cities and states) is under fire for being unconstitutional. In addition to, and at issue 1. where the cameras are used (in too many instances, predominantly poor and/or heavily minority areas) 2. the fact the registered car owner (who may not be the driver) is cited 3. the appeal process (of appealing the traffic ticket) 4. Green Light Yellow Light Traps 5. *Harm to the local economy 6. Photo radar/red light/speed cameras where the speed changes abruptly, and then 7. there's the issue with speed and red light camera errors [see also***] [and also ****]
And of course there's the the whole safety vs revenue generation debate regarding the use of traffic enforcement cameras.
---- --- ---
Side notes REGARDING BUSINESSES AND CONTRACTORS (LIKE PHOTO ENFORCEMENT EQUIPMENT COMPANIES) HIRED BY MAPLE HEIGHTS:
[Maple Heights is a predominantly African American city with predominantly African American taxpayers (who pay sales taxes, income taxes, property taxes). Their money and other public (tax payer) monies go to hiring contractors, yet we see time and time again, African Americans being left out of the picture when it comes to hiring/training. It is felt that contractors are predominantly of European ancestry, most (it's) felt have no or very little" African American staff/workers, and (and it appears that) tend to get away with no insistence by city officials that the contractor show minority paid participation/labor or the willingness to provide training to minorities.]
Finally at issue is where private and public money circulates. It has been proven that communities/cities, where money circulates within the community/city, do better financially. Maple Heights has a high unemployment rate (9.8%), over burdened tax payers, not enough locally owned businesses, and to have a lot of money flowing outside the city is detrimental to Maple Heights local economy. [see: Related articles regarding money circulation below]
Unfortunately, it's felt that Maple Heights city council [and remember Maple Heights is under fiscal watch ] rarely if ever thinks about these facts when making decisions about the disbursement of money. Heck, do they even understand the principle of local money circulation?
Unfortunately, it's felt that Maple Heights city council [and remember Maple Heights is under fiscal watch ] rarely if ever thinks about these facts when making decisions about the disbursement of money. Heck, do they even understand the principle of local money circulation?
RELATED:
Traffic enforcement camera [Wiki]
Cleveland traffic camera case hits red light at Ohio Supreme Court while similar case is decided
Ohio Supreme Court to hear case on traffic cameras Wednesday
Ruling on traffic cameras rejects suit claiming they are saturated in black, poor neighborhoods (REJECTED FOR IMPROPER FILING NOT ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE), July 8, 2014
Are traffic cameras unconstitutional? Editorial Board Roundtable April 10, 2014 - great comments
*COUNTERPOINT: Proposed expansion of speed camera use in Illinois
NMA Objections To Red Light Cameras
***The New Miami Traffic Cameras: Sending over $1 million dollars to Optotraffic LLC of Lanham, Md.
****Surveillance systems warrant careful research March 17 2013
Cheverly Replaces OptoTraffic Speed Cameras January 19, 2012
AAA Clashes with City, Optotraffic Over Speed Cameras [2011]
Red-light cameras leaving a bad taste: Editorial March 28, 2014
Ruling on traffic cameras rejects suit claiming they are saturated in black, poor neighborhoods (REJECTED FOR IMPROPER FILING NOT ON THE MERITS OF THE CASE), July 8, 2014
Are traffic cameras unconstitutional? Editorial Board Roundtable April 10, 2014 - great comments
*COUNTERPOINT: Proposed expansion of speed camera use in Illinois
NMA Objections To Red Light Cameras
***The New Miami Traffic Cameras: Sending over $1 million dollars to Optotraffic LLC of Lanham, Md.
****Surveillance systems warrant careful research March 17 2013
Cheverly Replaces OptoTraffic Speed Cameras January 19, 2012
AAA Clashes with City, Optotraffic Over Speed Cameras [2011]
Red-light cameras leaving a bad taste: Editorial March 28, 2014
Judge raises issues with speed camera citation enforcement
The Arguments Against Red Light Cameras
Red light camera traps: Does science prove our yellow lights are too short?
Palm Coast Getting Fleeced of Red-Light Camera Dollars, Harming Local Economy Nov 1, 2013
The Arguments Against Red Light Cameras
Red light camera traps: Does science prove our yellow lights are too short?
Palm Coast Getting Fleeced of Red-Light Camera Dollars, Harming Local Economy Nov 1, 2013
Black Wall Street
Related articles regarding money circulation (something Maple Heights does not do and one reason why this city is in financial trouble):
Black buying power increases, but circulation of dollar within community remains low Nov 30, 2011
'Money is like blood – it needs to circulate for local economies to survive' Feb 20, 2013
Buying Local: How It Boosts the Economy June 11, 2009
Group Economics
Where you spend your money is important | Business Connections July 29, 2013
Black Wall Street
Durham's "Black Wall Street"
Taking Care of Business by Lee Jenkins
Why local money flows matter
New Study: Spending locally generates four times more economic benefit Sept 3, 2012
Know Your Worth: If We Don't Know, We Can't Grow Our Community Sept. 24, 2012
Related articles regarding money circulation (something Maple Heights does not do and one reason why this city is in financial trouble):
Black buying power increases, but circulation of dollar within community remains low Nov 30, 2011
'Money is like blood – it needs to circulate for local economies to survive' Feb 20, 2013
Buying Local: How It Boosts the Economy June 11, 2009
Group Economics
Where you spend your money is important | Business Connections July 29, 2013
Black Wall Street
Durham's "Black Wall Street"
Taking Care of Business by Lee Jenkins
Why local money flows matter
New Study: Spending locally generates four times more economic benefit Sept 3, 2012
Know Your Worth: If We Don't Know, We Can't Grow Our Community Sept. 24, 2012
Sunday, June 8, 2014
WHEN IS ENOUGH... ENOUGH IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY?
THIS [SEE PICTURE] AND WORSE HAPPENED EVERY DAY IN THE SOUTH NOT THAT LONG AGO
BLACKS HAD NO LEGAL RECOURSE FOR WRONGDOING (TO THEM BY OTHERS) IN THE SOUTH AND ARE STILL DEALING WITH THAT IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH TODAY
BLACK MEN ARE STOPPED AND FRISKED AND SUBJECTED TO EXCESSIVE FORCE EVERY DAY NOW
THERE'S A TRAYVON MARTIN ALMOST EVERY DAY
THERE'S A TIMOTHY RUSSELL AND MALISSA WILLIAMS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS BY POLICE STILL
LAWS ARE IN PLACE AND STILL BEING CRAFTED TO DENY BLACKS VOTING RIGHTS.
BLACKS ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN HIRING EVERY DAY
WHITE SUPREMACY IS EMBEDDED IN MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND ELSEWHERE IN GOVERNMENT (AT ALL LEVELS)
And yet they say NO REPARATIONS!
And yet they say NO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!
And yet they say NO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!
Any yet they say NO TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT!
And yet they say, that in a predominantly African American community there should be NO BLACKS IN THE FIRE DEPT OR ONLY 2 BLACKS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT even though these very same people are paid by the predominantly African American community
And yet they say, that in a predominantly African American community there should be NO BLACKS IN THE FIRE DEPT OR ONLY 2 BLACKS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT even though these very same people are paid by the predominantly African American community
SHAME!!! SHAME!! SHAME!!!
NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Related:
The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Saturday, December 14, 2013
PROBLEMS WITH OUTSOURCING AND PUBLIC MERGERS
Cities have turned to outsourcing and mergers as a panacea to financial budget constraints [a result of, to some degree, poor government policies and a lack of intelligent, creative urban planning]. Unfortunately, this has led to other problems; specifically, higher unemployment rates among the poor and "people of color".
It's bad enough (even insulting at times) that predominantly African American communities are under-represented in the workforce (public and private), but increasingly devastating are the ongoing threats ... "outsourcing" and "public mergers".
Aside from the issue of a lack of minority contractors, does outsourcing release a city from regulations and laws designed to protect certain groups from being discriminated against in hiring?
Are these private companies [that we've outsourced to] scrutinized for their hiring practices? It shouldn't matter if you are public or private, if you are receiving tax payer dollars, public monies, you should be bound by the same state affirmative action programs, anti-discrimination laws, EEOC regulations, etc. [A word to the wise ... those cities who band together to use the same private company, ... you better make damn sure those regulations and laws are being complied with.]
African Americans need to take a look at the companies their city contracts with.
African Americans (esp. in predominantly Black neighborhoods) also need to take a close look at: who is delivering their mail and packages; who is reading their gas and electric meters; who the cable guy is; who represents them; who teaches their children; ... Where I live, I see a lot of white males in these roles (with the exception of teachers who are mostly white females).
What is most alarming is that more and more Blacks (esp. Black males) are disappearing from the [full-time] workforce. While this is alarming, it is not surprising. The "system" has created problems (social, financial, political, legal, structural) that is unique, offensive, and devastating to African Americans and other "people of color". In the mix [laws that give certain groups (dominated by whites) an advantage, our unjust legal/justice system, overcriminalization, the for-profit prison system, and law enforcement (which is predominantly white and designed to act in one's own best interests) which has the power to completely destroy an individuals life], and you get some understanding why Blacks and other "people of color" have higher unemployment rates than other racial/ethnic groups.
It's high time we address these issues, and also come up with intelligent and creative ways to insure that "people of color" are properly represented in every industry in the workforce.
RELATED:
Top 6 Outsourcing Disadvantages: Outsourcing Disadvantages: Reasons That Outsourcing is Bad for Your Company By James Bucki
How Employers Weed Out Unemployed Job Applicants .. 1/14/2011
Employment Law Outsourcing Checklist (Mar 2006)
What is White Supremacy?
Michelle Alexander at Riverside: New Jim Crow convict under-caste
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
SUPREME COURT TO HEAR SHELBY COUNTY ARGUMENT AGAINST VOTING RIGHTS ACT
"Debo Adegbile to go before supreme court to defend Voting Rights Act and argue key provision should not be struck down"
"The lawyer who will ..." [Wednesday, February 27, 2013] "go before the US supreme court to defend the Voting Rights Act has warned that if a key provision of the law that prevents discrimination at the polling booth largely in southern states is struck down, it would “set the hands of the clock winding backwards” for millions of minority voters.
Debo Adegbile, special counsel for the NAACP, the country’s largest civil rights organisation, will have the momentous task on Wednesday of defending one of the mainstays of America’s prolonged struggle against racial discrimination.
Lined up against him will be an array of conservative lawyers and legislators, many based in the south, where the sting of the legislation is felt most keenly.
Wednesday’s hearing, in which the nine supreme court justices will hear oral argument before delivering a ruling expected in June, is being seen as the greatest threat to the Voting Rights Act since it was enacted in 1965. The focus of the debate will be Section 5, a provision under which 16 states – mainly though not exclusively in the south – are subject to stringent federal monitoring designed to prevent them discriminating against African American and other minority voters."
Related articles, etc:
SECTION 5 of Voting Rights Act: "Section 5 currently applies to nine states in their entirety: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. It also applies to identified parts of a further seven states: California, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota."
RACIAL ENTITLEMENT- Term used by JUSTICE SCALIA: "Scalia has generally voted to strike
down laws which make distinctions by race, gender, or sexual orientation .... " "To pursue the concept of racial entitlement – even for the most admirable and
benign of purposes – is to reinforce and preserve for future mischief the way of
thinking that produced race slavery, race privilege and race hatred. In the eyes
of government, we are just one race here. It is American.[74] "[WIKIPEDIA]
THINK THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS OUTDATED? COME TO SOUTH CAROLINA
WHY THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS AS IMPORTANT TODAY AS IT WAS IN 1965
SOTOMAYOR LEADS LIBERAL JUSTICES IN DEFENDING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
WHY THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS AS IMPORTANT TODAY AS IT WAS IN 1965
SOTOMAYOR LEADS LIBERAL JUSTICES IN DEFENDING THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
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