(L-R) Ikarema Goree, Agnes Hitchcock, Abena Hogan (front), Sam Riddle and Love McMiller COURTESY PHOTOS[/caption]
UN: Turn on Detroit water
By Sam Riddle Special to the Michigan Citizen Agnes Hitchcock, the erstwhile founder of Call ‘Em Out, held a “Blacinaw Island” gathering over the weekend with plenty of food and freedom fighting dialogue. The creative session focused on Detroit water shutoffs and direct action tactics. Water shutoff actions by the union-busting democracy-destroying proxies of Koch brothers-supported Gov. Snyder need to be challenged in the world U.N. forum as the city of Detroit continues cutting off the water to tens of thousands of human beings. “On 28 July 2010, through Resolution 64/292, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realization of all human rights. [caption id="attachment_12352" align="alignleft" width="461"]
Blacinaw Island Conference attendeesCOURTESY PHOTOS[/caption] “The resolution calls upon states and international organizations to provide financial resources, help capacity-building and technology transfer to help countries, in particular developing countries, to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all,” (Source: United Nations website “Water for Life”). The shame is that as one Detroit wallows in the Penske Isle Grand Prix triumph, there is another Detroit where over 60 percent of the children live in poverty — now exacerbated by a lack of water in their poverty-stricken homes. Poverty, infant mortality, literacy issues and unemployment levels should earn Detroit’s dominant population U.N. status akin to that of a “developing nation.” We need to develop a list of humans without water who live in Detroit to document this human rights abuse by dispensers of corporate welfare who allow Detroit businesses to forego paying their water bills even as they enjoy tax breaks and land give-a-ways. The television interview was almost too much to watch as a mother declared she wishes Michigan had the death penalty for her son. I heard mama declare the hate, but I felt the pain etched upon her soul. I hurt for all concerned at that moment, then I let it go. Yep, that is my coping tool I just let things go that hurt me even as I employed the ultimate coping weapon. I said prayers for all who were involved since Nicolina Pace’s 19-year-old son was charged with killing her fiancé, U.S. Air Force Sergeant Johnny Clyburn. God is love. We must never let haters cause us to lose hope or dislike ourselves and never let haters make you weak in your faith. Keep the faith. Stay on the battlefield. Sam Riddle is political director for Michigan National Action Network. Follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sam.riddle or Twitter at twitter.com/samriddle.