By Rev. Edward Pinkney
Workplace racism and sexism is out of control in Benton Harbor. Kitchen Aid, one of America’s most racist corporations, and part of the Whirlpool Corporation, has been named presenting sponsor of the Senior PGA Championship, the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf. The sponsorship will extend through 2014 and Whirlpool, which is also known for its racism, will be the official sponsor of the first ever PGA Championship in Michigan.
The golf course that that the Championship will use is part of the 530-acre Harbor shores. The project is the leading force in the gentrification of Benton Harbor.
Whirlpool’s racist and sexist workplace behavior is well known in this majority African-American city. Their practices create an environment where inhumane treatment is tolerated and even encouraged. Dawson Manufacturing Co. in Benton Harbor, Michigan, is also a workplace steeped in racial abuse. The latest racial attack was the hanging of a noose in an area where fifteen African-American employees could see it. (A similar incident took place two weeks ago. A man living one-half mile from the Dawson plant found a noose hanging in his backyard. (He is not a Dawson employee.)
At Dawson, Black workers are the brunt of racist jokes and sexual attacks on a daily basis. White supervisors constantly touch Black female employees inappropriately. Dawson’s owner, Bob Trived, simply fires female employees who complain. Trived has fired over ten employees for reporting racial attacks to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
For African-Americans living in Benton Harbor in 2010, where nooses can hang in plain sight, life is made more difficult. A culture of fear has been created in the city.
Another Benton Harbor company with serious racist workplace violations is AutoZone. Supervisor Brian Waldschmidt uses the “N” word regularly, and his Tennessee home office Supervisor, Gary Bailey, protects him from any charges. Waldschmidt told an employee of Indian descent to “start ‘dressing black’ so people won’t think we’re racist.”
Why are these attacks happening? Racism has always been used by our rulers to divide the poor. Today, permanent joblessness resulting from plant closures and automation is affecting millions of Rust Belt workers. It is no accident that this vile racism is increasing at a time when unity of all of the poor for a new life is finally possible.
Demand an end to workplace racist and sexist abuse. Thank you for your effort.
Contact: Dawson Manufacturing,104 N. Crystal Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI 49022-9266 (269) 925-0100 and AutoZone, 1681 Old State Highway 139, Benton Harbor, MI 49022-5715 (269) 925-2288
What’s Behind Racism in Benton Harbor?
Rev. Edward Pinkney.
PHOTO/DONATED
Community Quotes:
It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop. We the residents of Benton Harbor must stop the evil blood sucking Harbor Shores project. It will destroy the whole community.
Rev Smith
Rev Smith
What is Socialism?
From the Editors:
As the Great Recession deepens and all efforts to revitalize the economy fail, a significant number of people are beginning to think the unthinkable – the capitalist system is outmoded by the new electronic means of production and is coming to an end. Since life goes on, people are forced to consider alternative economic systems. Confused by unending red baiting, many Americans have no conception or have a distorted idea of what socialism or communism is. The main tactic of red baiting was to make the people accept the idea that socialism and communism are political rather than economic terms. The next step was to equate capitalism to democracy and link socialism and communism to fascism. It seems that few even thought of going to the dictionary. Our starting point has to be clarity on what socialism and communism is. The Merriam-Webster dictionary states:
1 : (Socialism is) any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.
2 : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism. This general dictionary description is a good place to start. It is more important to understand the force driving toward a socialist transformation of society. Today, the movement toward socialism is not based on some idea or dream. It arises from new, concrete, irreversible economic development.
The world financial crisis, the extreme, unsustainable polarization of wealth and poverty, the BP oil disaster in the Gulf all show that the concentration of finance and production is so great that it can no longer remain in private hands without destroying society. Governmental take over of these giant corporations is inevitable. The bailouts showed the capitalist class is in favor of it so long as it is done in the interest of their class. Popular support for such programs as Medicare and social security show the people are for it so long as it is done in the interest of their class.
The political question comes down to “who will control the government that controls the corporations, finance and distribution?” When the people control such a government the result is socialism. When the capitalists control such a government the result is fascism. We are at that fork in the road and the future is up to us.
As the Great Recession deepens and all efforts to revitalize the economy fail, a significant number of people are beginning to think the unthinkable – the capitalist system is outmoded by the new electronic means of production and is coming to an end. Since life goes on, people are forced to consider alternative economic systems. Confused by unending red baiting, many Americans have no conception or have a distorted idea of what socialism or communism is. The main tactic of red baiting was to make the people accept the idea that socialism and communism are political rather than economic terms. The next step was to equate capitalism to democracy and link socialism and communism to fascism. It seems that few even thought of going to the dictionary. Our starting point has to be clarity on what socialism and communism is. The Merriam-Webster dictionary states:
1 : (Socialism is) any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.
2 : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism. This general dictionary description is a good place to start. It is more important to understand the force driving toward a socialist transformation of society. Today, the movement toward socialism is not based on some idea or dream. It arises from new, concrete, irreversible economic development.
The world financial crisis, the extreme, unsustainable polarization of wealth and poverty, the BP oil disaster in the Gulf all show that the concentration of finance and production is so great that it can no longer remain in private hands without destroying society. Governmental take over of these giant corporations is inevitable. The bailouts showed the capitalist class is in favor of it so long as it is done in the interest of their class. Popular support for such programs as Medicare and social security show the people are for it so long as it is done in the interest of their class.
The political question comes down to “who will control the government that controls the corporations, finance and distribution?” When the people control such a government the result is socialism. When the capitalists control such a government the result is fascism. We are at that fork in the road and the future is up to us.
This article originated in the People's Tribune
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