By Valerie D. Lockhart
Sun Publisher & Executive Editor
A distress signal was sounded throughout the City of Detroit that was answered by thousands, as they fled their homes and sought sanctuary inside Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church on January 2 where an action plan was announced and attendees responded in agreement by standing up and shouting out, "One person, one vote!"
The rally against Emergency Manager Law, Public Act 4, was organized by Detroit City Council Member JoAnn Watson and Congressman John Conyers and was in response to Governor Rick Snyder taking steps to appoint an EM to gain full control of the City of Detroit’s financial matters who can sell public property, terminate union contracts and other agreements, and get rid of elected officials.
"Emergency managers, so called, are merely a dictatorial ruse for a governor to take over and suspend democratic management," said Conyers.
Reminders of the turbulent roads African Americans crossed to reach their destination to achieve freedom and the right to vote was given during the rally which revived the spirits of nearly 3,000 people in attendance, who braved the frigid cold, with some walking several blocks, to be present.
"We do the sacrifice, while others do the sharing," explained Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP, who retrsignificant accomplishments made by blacks throughout history. "If we had surrendered, we would not have come off the plantation….We are not going back to the plantation. We don’t need anybody else to validate us."
This time Detroiters vowed to do the sharing, as petitions to stop the Emergency Manager Law were handed out among the crowd, who hope to gain 100,000 more signatures to place the measure on the November ballot.
Instructions on how to properly complete the petition to ensure validation of every signature were given followed by details on the next phase of action that includes a drive to "take it to the streets".
"You didn’t know what was happening, because some of you went to sleep. But, I’m here to wake you up today," said Reverend Edward Pinckney, who leads the NAACP in Benton Harbor, where the city is under the control of an EM. "They have pushed this Trojan horse inside our black cities, and inside the Trojan horse are Emergency Managers…You don’t want an EFM or an EM, because they’re hard to get rid of."
Once the signatures are collected and validated, actions of all EMs across the state will cease. Currently, EMs have been appointed in Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Flint and Pontiac. An EM currently oversees the Detroit Public Schools, turning a $96 million surplus into a $300 million deficit since taking over. Snyder recently announced that an EM will be appointed to take over Highland Park’s school system as well.
Detroit faces a $45 million fiscal year budget deficit and could run out of cash by April.
"We know we have a problem," said Detroit Council Member Brenda Jones. "There’s problem all around this country. We’re ready to work to solve the problems we have. You voted for elected officials, not dictators."
Yet, the State of Michigan owes the city about $220 million that Snyder reportedly says is too old of a debt to pay back. Meanwhile, Michigan taxpayers are not excused from repaying delinquent taxes regardless of when the debt was incurred.
"We’re not asking anyone to join a pitty party," said State Rep. John Olumba. "We’re not asking for something that doesn’t belong to us, but the state knows it owes us $220 million."
While those in attendance agreed that the state should also pay its debt to Detroit, payment in other forms must also be had to ensure that the democratic process remains intact.
"I think that it is a travesty that the basic need of democracy is being eroded, and they’re doing it for our good," said Pastor Marvin Winans. "You can’t give away what you don’t own."
That ownership includes residents in the City of Detroit, who say they will not be enslaved or have their spirit broken by Snyder.
"God’s gift to all of us is life. What we do with it is our gift to God," said Theo Broughton, co-founder of Hood Research. "Are we ready to use our life to fight against the Emergency Manager Law? We will not allow anyone to step on us, Are we ready to fight?"
And, the crowd shouted without hesitation and in unison, "Yes!"
Scanned Government scans welfare clients, foodstamps at risk
By Valerie D. Lockhart
SUN EXECUTIVE EDITOR
"Stick out your finger!"
It seems like something out of a sci-fi movie.
With the push of a button, the fingerprints of millions of Americans are scanned and uploaded into a file containing all of their health records, criminal background, employment and education history and other personal information. And, the agency eyeing the files is the U.S. government.
It’s not science fiction. It’s reality.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Department of Human Services (DHS) is using finger imaging systems and radio frequency identification (RFDI) to prevent welfare fraud.
"Biometric identification technology provides automated methods to identify a person based on physical characteristics – such as fingerprints, hand shape, and characteristics of the eyes and face – as well as behavioral characteristics – including signatures and voice patterns. Although used in law enforcement and defense for several years, it has recently been used in civilian applications, such as the FSP and other assistance programs. This technology has the potential to identify individuals who attempt to apply for benefits on more than one case, or who attempt to obtain benefits belonging to someone else," posts the government on its website.
Finger images of welfare recipients’ right and left index fingers are currently being scanned and uploaded into a file with other vital information in Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, California, Illinois, and New Jersey. According to government records that are available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website, the State of Michigan is considering using finger imaging on its welfare recipients within the next 12 to 18 months.
Other states planning to use finger imaging includes Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
In the government report "Introduction to Biometric Identification Technology: Capabilities and Applications to the Food Stamp Program," its purpose is stated.
"In its continuing efforts to safeguard the integrity of the Food Stamp Program (FSP), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) initiated this study of the use of biometric identification technologies in the FSP. As a method of reliably verifying the identity of applicants, biometric identification has the potential to reduce the vulnerability of the Food Stamp Program to duplicate participation, which has also been referred to as "double dipping," the report noted.
"Biometric identification technology provides automated methods to identify a person based on physical characteristics – such as fingerprints, hand shape, and characteristics of the eyes and face – as well as behavioral characteristics – including signatures and voice patterns. Although used in law enforcement and defense for several years, it has recently been used in civilian applications, such as the FSP and other assistance programs. This technology has the potential to identify individuals who attempt to apply for benefits on more than one case, or who attempt to obtain benefits belonging to someone else."
Representatives from the Department of Human Services in the eight participating states were interviewed via telephone for one to two hours by government officials to determine the program’s success.
Their findings are documented in "Use of Biometric Identification Technology to Reduce Fraud in the Food Stamp Program: Final Report" which states, "When finger-imaging technology was first applied to reduce multiple participation fraud in assistance programs, there were many concerns about the performance and reliability of the technology in a social service application, as well as about the potential stigma that a finger-image requirement would place on potential clients. The experience of the eight states that have incorporated finger imaging into the process of applying for welfare assistance suggests that many of these fears were unfounded. Finger imaging has been readily integrated into the human services programs of the affected states. However, despite the positive reaction to finger imaging from the state officials we interviewed, there is still uncertainty regarding the extent to which this technology can reduce multiple participation fraud."
Government officials admit that there is no evidence available to prove that the method is working. However, they say that most welfare recipients are agreeable to finger imaging and feel that it is a good idea.
State surveys reportedly revealed that only 15 percent of clients expressed concerns about invasion of their privacy and it being unjust treatment of poor people. They also feared that their information would be passed on to other agencies.
Yet, plans to scan the fingers of 44 million people receiving food stamps are still underway. Those who refuse to participate will be denied benefits. Contact your congressman to voice your support or opposition to finger imaging in the food stamps program.
So, the next time families and individuals seek assistance at the DHS, they may hear workers command, "Stick out your finger!"
Are you willing to be scanned? Your answer may determine if you receive assistance or not.