SPITZER SAYS, JUMP! HARLEM
POLITICIANS SAY, HOW HIGH?
By
Kermit Eady
The blatant disrespect and
disregard for the lives of Black people by Black politicians is at an
all-time high here in
As a demonstration was taking
place at the ESPN Zone in Times Square at Spitzer's Birthday Party, around
June 15, 2004, against his policies towards Black leaders and Black
Institutions, yours truly and Elombe Brath, chairman of the Patrice Lumumba
Coalition and host of his own public affairs program, "Afrikaleidoscope" on
WBAI-FM, as well as many of the demonstrators, explained at length the AG's
attack on the Black United Fund of New York, and his destruction of the
Northeastern Urban League. Also explained was his (Spitzer’s) lying to the
Black Community regarding Attorney Alton Maddox getting his license to
practice law back, in order to get the Black vote.
An earful of history
of abuse and destruction was explained to former Mayor David Dinkins, as he
claimed ignorance about Spitzer's deleterious behavior. A clear example of
See no evil! Hear no evil! Speak no —or better said, not against— evil!
Of course, this is the same Mayor that refused to implement a solid plan
that BUFNY presented to him that would have put every welfare hotel resident
in affordable two-family homes within five years. The plan was deemed sound
and workable by then Human Resources Commissioner, Barbara Sable, as well as
Dinkins’ chief of staff, Bill Lynch, and a number of others that were close
to the Mayor. As a matter of fact, the city would have saved over $25
million in the first year; and within five years, the entire Welfare Hotel
System would have been closed.
In 1998, the North Eastern Urban League in Albany, under the leadership of a
man named Aaron Dare, had begin to turn the floundering organization around,
and had moved the League upward from $350,000 in assets to over $40 million
in development projects —from shopping centers to housing. He was then
attacked by Spitzer. In an article published in the New York Amsterdam News,
The most despicable of them
all, up to this point, in this writer's opinion, is State Senator David
Paterson, who would not return phone calls during the takeover and
dismantling of BUFNY, yet after its destruction, the Senator used Professor
James Smalls as an intermediary to request a meeting with me. I agreed to
meet only if I could bring others with me. Mr. Paterson agreed and two
meetings were held, all at the request of the Senator. At the second
meeting, with Attorney Michael Harding, Larry Barton, Professor James Smalls
and me, the Senator expressed his outrage and anger at Mr. Spitzer to the
extent that he said he was going “to hold Legislative Hearings against
Spitzer” for his blatant destruction of BUFNY. As a matter of fact, he
said at a meeting with Spitzer himself and other Black Politicians from
Brothers and Sisters, our
Black political leadership is as corrupt as the Nixon White House and the
Bush Administration combined! They will lie to you while they are kissing
their “
At the Paterson-Spitzer press
conference February 1st at
How can Black politicians
support Spitzer, when the unemployment rate for Black men in
The destruction of the
Black United Fund of New York was a deliberate act by Spitzer and the Black
political establishment to keep Black people powerless and dependent.
There was absolutely no logical reason for this destruction, except to make
sure we don't do for ourselves. For the first time in our history here in
this country, Black people at the work place, were systematically giving to
empower themselves The country says to bootstrap, then they take the boots
and the straps, and our so-called leadership is in bed with the oppressor.
To all concerned people of
conscience, regardless of skin color, the election of Eliot Spitzer to the
Governorship will guarantee you your worst nightmare. McCarthyism and the
terrorizing policies of J. Edgar Hoover will be in full force.
WE MUST REMOVE THESE
POLITICIANS AT ALL COST!
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