May, 2006

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Benton Harbor community speaks out

"This [Lake Michigan] coast is a gold mine. Who's the big golf course coming in for? Who are the big yachts for? A lot of us can't afford to even ride on a boat, let alone own it. Who can afford the $300,000 homes? We don't have the money. The city needs the land, along with the big shots from Illinois. And, with all the construction going on, we'll be taxed right out of our own homes. Then all the rich and influential people will be here and we'll be somewhere else. If they knock Rev. Pinkney's voice out, they figure we'll be quiet. But I don't think so."

- A Benton Harbor resident

"The number one problem here is injustice. They say 'if you have a black behind, you do more time.' Rev. Pinkney exposed them to different options. But, once he worked to bring in a factory, he crossed money lines. As long as he was telling the people to do right, stop drinking and smoking, that was fine. Then he came on the radar for not going through Cornerstone Alliance (Whirlpool). They needed land to make Benton Harbor a resort town like South Haven. The Reverend, in trying to bring justice to the community, charged allocations of misuse of funds by the City Commissioner. When the Reverend did a recall and blocked their vote, he messed with money and land, and whoever controls land has the power. He became a real thorn in people's side."

- Dr. Don Tynes mentors Benton Harbor students

"Whirlpool might be doing good things for the city, but not for the people who live here. Think of the unemployment, the homelessness, and the people living under bridges, the abandoned homes boarded up. I recently met young black mothers who were crying out for help. Their children's fathers were innocent and received jail time. It touched my heart. So many people are talking about injustice, but afraid to speak out. People feel there is no hope. They think it doesn't matter if they come out, that people in office at City Hall will do what they want. I have hope. People need to get involved. If we can get the ministers together, that's the power is to change things in the city. Ministers should be concerned about the welfare of the people.

- Dorothy Pinkney, grew up in Benton Harbor

"The prosecution and police misconduct is a pervasive and serious problem, not only in Berrien County, Michigan, but also in the rest of the country. Here the sheriff's department continues to harass, intimidate, coerce, and bribe witnesses in my upcoming retrial. Police and prosecutor misconduct is easy to get away with here, and elsewhere. We have take this across the country. Make sure Governor Granholm doesn't get back in. Start from Detroit, Flint, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and connect all the way down to Benton Harbor. Sept. 19, 2006 is the trial date for the second round of this heavyweight fight for justice. I need five hundred people everyday for the trial. Please make plans to be there. Defense funds are urgently needed.

- Rev. Edward Pinkney

Send tax deductible checks for Rev. Pinkney Defense to: BANCO, 1940 Union St. Benton Harbor, MI 49022.
http://bhbanco.blogspot.com.