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Tomorrow night, February 1, opponents of the Mayor Francis Slay’s decisions to demoted Fire Chief Sherman George, support the State takeover of the public schools, and veto a police Civilian Review Board will picket outside the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball from 6 to 7:30 PM on the east side of City Hall.
At approximately 7:00 picketers dressed as the ghosts of the City Fire Department, the Elected School Board, and the vetoed police Civilian Review Board will lead a procession to the front door of the City Hall and seek to join the Ball in a dance of discontent.
Citing this video from last week's tumultuous events at the Old Courthouse, the group opposing Mayor Francis Slay is asking jazz artist Wynton Marsalis to forgo his plans to perform in St. Louis next week in honor of the call for an economic boycott of the city resulting from Slay's rift with the black community.
To: Mr. Wynton Marsalis
Dear Mr. Marsalis:
We are forwarding to you a video which captures the recent incident of the Mayor of St. Louis, Francis Slay, being literally shouted down at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration at the Old Courthouse last week. This video demonstrates how the racial tension in this city is escalating to a fever pitch, receiving front-page coverage last week in both the white and black press and being widely broadcast on every TV and radio station.
We bring this to your attention because I have not heard back from Ms. Stewart, who I understand is your agent, since my January 7, 2008 e-mail to her, which was in follow-up to previous correspondence and e-mails concerning a Boycott Alert that we have issued because of this racial strife.
It is now critical that you communicate with us immediately - prior to your scheduled concert - so that we can make you aware of our position with respect to your appearing here in St. Louis.
We would ask that you show the black community here during this crisis the same kind of courtesy and respect being demonstrated by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), which is threatening to cancel its 2011 convention that is expected to generate $30 million in business for the city. (This information was sent to Ms. Stewart as well).
We hope and trust that you will follow NSBE's example of hearing first hand the concerns of our community, and then let that weigh on your consciousness and conscience. This video amply illustrates how disruptive this situation potentially is because of the deeply felt racial injustice, and we think that you, like NSBE, can and should play an important role in curing this.
Thank you, and because of the urgency, we will expect to hear from you within the next 24 hours.
Eric E. Vickers Chairman Boycott Committee Citizens to Support Fire Chief George
Marsalis is scheduled to perform February 1 and 9 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.
Congressman Lacy Clay is scheduled to speak this morning at the Community Church of God on behalf of Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
The north St. Louis County church is led by Rev. Douglas Parham, a leader of the effort to remove Mayor Francis Slay from office.
Check back at 11:00 AM for text of his speech.
UPDATED: Here's the text of Clay's speech.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WARM WELCOME.
FIRST, LET ME GIVE ALL GLORY AND HONOR TO GOD, WHO IS ALWAYS AT THE CENTER OF MY LIFE.
WHAT A WONDERFUL AND GLORIOUS DAY HE HAS MADE.
I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THIS CHANCE TO WORSHIP WITH YOU, AND TO SHARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS AS WE FACE A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY.
BEFORE I BRING YOU A MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND OF MINE,
I WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT YOUR GOOD SHEPPARD,
MY GOOD AND COURAGEOUS FRIEND:
REVEREND DOUGLAS PARHAM.
REVEREND,
OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, YOU HAVE DISPLAYED A SENSE OF COURAGE, DIGNITY AND RESOLVE THAT IS TRULY INSPIRING.
THE TROUBLES THAT DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY CAN ONLY BE HEALED BY SPEAKING THE TRUTH,
OPPOSING INJUSTICE,
AND HAVING THE COURAGE TO PUT OUR FAITH INTO ACTION.
YOU HAVE TAKEN ON THAT BURDEN WITH GREAT ENERGY AND TOTAL INTEGRITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN WE HAVE A HAND FOR REVEREND PARHAM? (LEAD APPLAUSE)
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE LIVING IN HISTORIC TIMES.
YESTERDAY, A BRIGHT, YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADER WON A RESOUNDING VICTORY IN THE HEART OF THE OLD CONFEDERACY..SOUTH CAROLINA.
IN THE VERY PLACE WHERE THE CIVIL WAR BEGAN TO WIN OUR HUMAN FREEDOM,
MY FRIEND BARACK OBAMA SENT A POWERFUL MESSAGE THAT WILL RESOUND ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,
AND ACROSS THE GENERATIONS…
THE DREAM IS NOW, AND OUR TIME HAS COME!
OF COURSE, TODAY, WE’RE IN GOD’S HOUSE,
SO I WON’T TELL YOU WHO TO VOTE FOR.
BUT I WILL ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF LEADER WE NEED IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND WHEN YOU ASK YOURSELF THAT QUESTION,
ASK YOURSELF, ARE WE READY TO EMBRACE REAL CHANGE, OR ARE WE JUST CONTENT TO TINKER AROUND THE EDGES OF OUR COUNTRY’S PROBLEMS?
ARE WE FINALLY READY TO STAND UP AS A PEOPLE?
ARE WE READY TO REJECT FEAR AND EMBRACE FAITH?
ARE WE FINALLY READY TO THROW OFF THE LAST REMAINING SHACKLES OF OUR FORMER BONDAGE AND FOCUS THE AWESOME POWER OF OUR CITIZENSHIP?
THE ANSWERS ARE OBVIOUS TO ALL WHO CHOOSE TO SEE THE TRUTH. === BY ANY HONEST MEASURE, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE GRAVITY OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY,
AS A STATE,
AND AS A NATION,
MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE BARACK OBAMA HAS THE MORAL CLARITY,
THE POSITIVE VISION,
AND THE BOLD AUDACITY OF HOPE TO HEAL OUR COUNTRY AND ELEVATE THE UNITED STATES TO A NEW PATH. === THE PROBLEMS THAT AMERICA FACES,
AND THE DIVISIONS THAT PLAGUE US,
ARE MUCH TOO DEEP TO BE SOLVED BY THE OLD POLITICS AND THE TIRED REMNANTS WHO ADHERE TO THAT SCHOOL OF THOUGHT.
===
JUST LAST SUNDAY, BARACK OBAMA STOOD IN THE PULPIT OF EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH IN ATLANTA, TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THAT CONGREGATION’S LATE REVERED PASTOR, AND OUR BLESSED TEACHER: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
===
BARACK LIKENED HIS HISTORIC MISSION TO THE STORY OF JOSHUA AND THE BATTLE OF JERICHO.
HE REMINDED THE CONGREGATION THAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, THAT WHEN JOSHUA AND THE ISRAELITES ARRIVED AT THE GATES OF JERICHO, THEY COULD NOT ENTER BECAUSE THE WALLS WERE TOO TALL TO CLIMB. BUT GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HIS PEOPLE.
HE TOLD THEM TO STAND FAST, HAVE FAITH, AND WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDED, SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE.
THEY DID JUST AS THE LORD COMMANDED, AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN. SUCH IS THE POWER OF UNITY. SUCH IS THE POWER OF FAITH. AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BRING DOWN ANOTHER WALL, RIGHT HERE IN MISSOURI, WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDS FOR US ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH.
===
AS SENATOR OBAMA SAID, “UNITY IS THE GREAT NEED OF THE HOUR , AND THE GREAT NEED OF THIS HOUR. NOT BECAUSE IT SOUNDS PLEASANT OR BECAUSE IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD, BUT BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN OVERCOME THE ESSENTIAL DEFICIT THAT EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY.” BARACK WASN’T TALKING ABOUT A BUDGET DEFICIT, OR A TRADE DEFICIT, OR A RECESSION. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT A MORAL DEFICIT THAT HAS AFFLICTED THIS NATION WITH A KIND OF BLINDNESS THAT PREVENTS US FROM CONFRONTING THE RACISM, INEQUITIES AND INJUSTICES THAT REMAIN RAMPANT. IT IS NO ACCIDENT THAT BARACK DELIVERED THAT MESSAGE FROM DR. KING’S FORMER PULPIT, BECAUSE HE IS THE NATURAL DESCENDENT OF HIS LEGACY.
AND I AM CERTAIN THAT BARACK’S CAMPAIGN IS ADVANCING THE MOVEMENT THAT DR. KING LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR. BARACK IS STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF DR. KING, MALCOLM X, MEDGAR EVERS, BOBBY KENNEDY, AND THE MANY THOUSANDS OF BRAVE SOULS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR OUR FREEDOM AND FULL CITIZENSHIP. SO ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND FOR US.
I CAN’T TELL YOU WHO TO VOTE FOR,
BUT I CAN ASK YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.
AND IF ENOUGH OF US STAND TOGETHER,
PRAY TOGETHER,
WORK TOGETHER,
BELIEVE IN OUR OWN POTENTIAL,
AND VOTE TOGETHER,
WE CAN MAKE THE GREATEST CHANGE THIS COUNTRY HAS SEEN SINCE EMANCIPATION.
===
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE, PLEASE VOTE!
IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE STRUGGLE FOR OPPORTUNITY AND EQUALITY,
PLEASE VOTE!
IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE STRUGGLE TO HEAL THIS NATION AND REPAIR THIS WORLD,
TAKE SOMEONE WITH YOU TO VOTE!
PLEASE JOIN ME AS WE MARCH TO THE POLLS ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH TO CHANGE THE WORLD,
TRANSFORM OUR COUNTRY,
CHANGE HOW AMERICA SEES US,
AND ULTIMATELY,
CHANGE HOW WE SEE OURSELVES.
===
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BE TIMID,
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO STAY ON THE SIDELINES,
THIS IS A TIME TO STAND UP FOR CHANGE,
AND TO RECALL JUST AS DR. KING TAUGHT US:
“THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW COMPELS US TO ACT, NOT LATER…BUT TODAY.”
WE CAN’T WAIT ANYMORE!
THE WAVE OF CHANGE IS UPON US,
THE TIDE OF HISTORY IS ROLLING ACROSS THIS COUNTRY,
THE TIME IS NOW,
HELP US MAKE HISTORY!
THANK YOU.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU. AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE UNITED STATES.
Mayor Francis Slay's words were drowned out yesterday by the boos and protests of his opponents.
Slay was trying to deliver a speech at the Old Courthouse during a ceremony honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As soon as the mayor was introduced, protesters began to shout and wave signs. Former fire chief Sherman George, whose demotion by Slay helped spark this fiery political backlash, tried to calm down the crowd down, but to no avail.
These videos are from people in the audience. The video quality is pretty low, but you can clearly hear what happened.
Last week members of the effort to recall Slay warned organizers of the MLK event that there would be problems if Slay was allowed to speak.
After Slay was booed off stage, he stormed out of the Old Courthouse and did not participate in the traditional march or ceremonies afterwards.
For many, the humiliating demotion of the city's first black fire chief was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. But the "Wutcha gonna do about it?" posturing of Mayor Francis Slay and his chief of staff Jeff Rainford brought together people from all walks of life to call for an end to the politics of division that have defined the Slay Administration.
Citing the City of St. Louis' current racial problems, the chairman and the executive director of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) said today they will give Mayor Francis Slay six months to make peace with the city's black community or they will relocate their 2011 national convention and take its millions of dollars of economic impact elsewhere.
PubDef, along with crews from Channel 4 and 5, waited for Mayor Slay or a spokesman to discuss his meeting with NSBE, but no one came out by 5:00 and we all left.
THIS STORY WAS NOT REPORTED LAST NIGHT ON KMOV CHANNEL 4 or KSDK CHANNEL 5 10:00 NEWS SHOWS EVEN THOUGH BOTH HAD REPORTERS AND CAMERAS AT THE SCENE.
Slay's Troubles May Cost Region Millions with Convention Loss
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Monday, December 17, 2007 at 1:46 PM
In response to the recent call to boycott the City of St. Louis, the Chairman of the Board and the Executive Director of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) will arrive in St. Louis tomorrow to meet separately with community leaders and Mayor Francis Slay to determine whether NSBE will cancel its national convention scheduled for 2011 in St. Louis. That's according to the group which called for the boycott and are seeking to remove Slay from office.
By some estimates, the NSBE convention is expected to draw 15,000 visitors and generate as much as $25 million in business for the city.
According to a press release from Slay's opponents, the head of the NSBE will meet with their group before his meeting with the Slay, and will follow that meeting with a joint press conference with the group at 1:30 PM at the Gateway Classic Foundation building.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay told Channel 5 reporter Cordell Whitlock yesterday that he thinks Firefighters Union Local 73, which is white-dominated, and F.I.R.E., the African-American firefighters organization, need to come together.
But as Slay was quick to publicly remind ex-fire chief Sherman George, the mayor's office controls the fire department. He can, as he did with George, order both sides to the table.
Instead, he has clearly sided with Local 73.
To now say "something" needs to be done by "someone" "someday" is just skirting his responsibilities once again.
This whole ugly mess with the stuffed monkey hanging in Firehouse 13 has brought to light a serious problem in how the Slay Administration is running both the St. Louis Fire Department and the City.
When the media learned about this incident from a mass email sent out by a member of F.I.R.E. (the organization representing black firefighters), Mayor Francis Slay and his public safety director Charles Bryson responded a few days later by forwarding the situation F.B.I. At no time did the mayor's office or the public safety director meet with or even call leaders of the black firefighters organization to try to dampen the flames which such an incident could ignite.
The Slay Administration's policy with regard to the fire department is to deal only with the firefighters union, Local 73, and not the black firefighters association. The new fire chief also operates under this policy.
It is interesting that the old chief, Sherman George, was instructed by the mayor's office to meet monthly with both organizations. But now, as F.I.R.E. vice-chair Wayne Luster noted at yesterday's press conference, the black firefighters are no longer involved in the direction of the department, even though their membership accounts for nearly 45% of the department.
So what is the real effect of this policy? Well, when the head of the mostly-white Local 73 was asked about the hanging monkey incident, he downplayed it and suggested there was no need for an investigation.
"[The monkey] was put on the coat rack because it was wet and it was drying," Chris Molitor told the Post-Dispatch. As for the rope, he said it "has been attached to that coat rack for several years."
This calls for some clarification.
First, the black firefighters organization, F.I.R.E., while not a recognized bargaining entity with the City of St. Louis, is still nonetheless clear on their mission: representing the interests of black firefighters. And like any good union, recognized or not, they push hard for the advancement of their members.
Local 73 on the other hand has long rejected its characterization as the "white firefighters union." Its leaders say their mission is to represent all firefighters, regardless of color. However, history has not shown that to be the case. And this incident indicates that the professional needs and desires of African-American firemen and women are still not being represented by Local 73.
While Molitor and the people he represents believe that a hanging monkey means little, his African-American co-workers and his bosses (at least publicly) think it deserves serious investigation.
The fire chief and the public safety director told the media Tuesday that the department was taking the situation "very seriously." Though, again, neither have talked to the black firefighters' organization about it.
If Jenkerson, Bryson and Molitor think the fire department can be its best without communicating with the black firefighters organization, they are wrong. But they are not alone. This "blackout" started at the top.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay's office — specifically his chief of staff, Jeff Rainford, and his communications director, Ed Rhode — continue to ignore St. Louis' African-American press. No responses to inquires (the St. Louis American has not received a response in over a month). No press releases or notices of press conferences.
How long will the Slay Administration continue this "blackout"? And how long with the white press sit without comment and watch the disrespect of its African-American colleagues?
As a citywide elected official from a majority-black city, Mayor Slay actually has more black constituents than white. But that's not how his administration sees it.
A white elected official recently told me how Slay's chief of staff, Jeff Rainford, once suggested to him that he was wasting his time by attending meetings in north St. Louis.
"They'll never vote for you anyway," Rainford told this official.
Is that how we're going to operate in this city? Elected officials only recognizing the importance of half their constituents?
Where's the outrage among more of our white citizens — our white journalists, our white firefighters, our white elected officials?
I can only hope it is because they sincerely don't know what's going on.
I'd hate to think that you are OK with our city being divided as it is today by the people in Room 200.
Leaders of the city's black firefighters association said today that Mayor Francis Slay's removal of Fire Chief Sherman George has created an "energized atmosphere of defiance and intolerance" among some white firefighters, and it is in that atmosphere that a toy monkey was left hanging from a makeshift noose at a northside fire house over the weekend.
The F.B.I. has been notified of this possible hate crime, but Abram Pruitt and Wayne Luster, co-chairs of F.I.R.E., said no one from the Mayor's office nor Public Safety Director Charles Bryson had bothered contacting F.I.R.E. regarding this incident, despite the organization representing 98% of African-American members of the department.
VIDEO: Slay's Clinton Appearance is Off, So is Scheduled Protest (Maybe)
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Friday, November 30, 2007 at 6:02 PM
The coalition seeking to remove Mayor Francis Slay from office appears to have won a battle in a much larger war. The group's threat to protest a public fundraiser for Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has forced the campaign to find someone other than Slay to introduce Clinton at the high-profile event.
The Post-Dispatch reports that former Congressman Dick Gephardt will now be introducing Clinton at her event at The Pageant on Sunday. And Traci Blunt, a Clinton staffer in charge of African-American media, tells PubDef.net that African-American clergyman B.T. Rice will join an otherwise color-free host party.
Today the recall coalition held a press conference outside The Pageant to warn that if Slay makes a surprise appearance at the rally, they'll be ready.
"We have purchased a block of tickets [to the Clinton event]," said spokesman Eric Vickers. And if the mayor should appear on Sunday, "those people that we will have on the inside will protest the fact that this mayor has discriminated, divided this city, and disrespected this community."
Hillary Clinton might have picked up more than she bargained for when she accepted the support of beleaguered mayor Francis Slay. A coalition seeking to remove him from office is moving forward with plans to protest Clinton's St. Louis appearance this weekend because he is scheduled to introduce her.
Yesterday, Sean Thompson, with the Clinton campaign, told State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, who is active with the recall effort, that there was no need for the protest because Slay was no longer going to introduce Clinton because of a "scheduling conflict."
"Upon hearing that news and confirming it myself with his office," said Thompson on a voicemail message, "I called Mr. [Eric] Vickers and talked to him and told him that the mayor would not be in attendance at the Pageant."
"It is my sincere hope that it changes the dynamic of the demonstration that you all had planned," said Thompson.
But when the Clinton campaign was unwilling to confirm in writing that Slay would not be introducing the presidential candidate, organizers moved on with their plans.
Tomorrow the Citizens to Recall Francis G. Slay, the Citizens to Support Fire Chief George, and other organizations and community leaders will hold a press conference to announce their protest plans.
"Mayor Slay, Senator Clinton's top supporter in the City, is scheduled to give the opening remarks at the Clinton Rally. Because of this, Senator Clinton is being placed on notice that protest demonstrations will take place at the rally — both inside and outside the Pageant," said the group in a press release today.
Tomorrow's press conference is scheduled for 10:00 AM in front of The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd.
When presidential candidate Hillary Clinton comes to St. Louis on Sunday she was scheduled to be introduced by one of her best known supporters, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. But a threat to picket the event by the coalition seeking the mayor's removal from office may have put an end to that.
It was former U.S. House Speaker Tip O'Neal who was best known for saying "All politics is local." Well, the prospect of stepping into a big steaming pile of Slay's local political woes seems to have forced the Clinton campaign to distance themselves from the beleaguered mayor.
State Representative Jamilah Nasheed and others supporting the recall effort contacted the Clinton campaign this week to inform them that they planned to picket Clinton's event at the Pageant theater if Slay would be introducing the New York senator.
According to Nasheed, a representative from the campaign notified her Wednesday evening that Slay suddenly had a "scheduling conflict" which will prevent him from introducing Senator Clinton.
In the past, Clinton has offered praise for Slay.
"Francis Slay is one of a new breed of mayors who are revitalizing their cities and setting an example for the rest of the country," Clinton said back in April. "I'm honored to have his support."
Still concerned by Slay's role in the Clinton campaign, the recallers have not yet decided whether to call off their protest entirely.
Clinton will be speaking at the Pageant, 6161 Delmar, this Sunday at 5:00 PM. This is Clinton's last trip here before the important Iowa primaries.
FIRE: Slay Ignoring Our Issues, Demand Independent Investigation of Cheating
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 9:57 PM
The group representing African-Americans in the St. Louis Fire Department today called on Mayor Francis Slay to address the issues of their members — which account for 44% of the department — and no longer deal exclusively with the so-called "white firefighters union," Local 73.
Addington Stewart, the chairman of the Firefighters Institute on Racial Equality (F.I.R.E.), also said that only this week was he informed by St. Louis police that they were about to begin an investigation into allegations of cheating by white firefighters on the 2004 promotions exam — three years after the alleged cheating occurred and after promotions have been made off a possibly tainted list.
Stewart said F.I.R.E. wants to see an independent investigation performed by a federal agency, not local police.
F.I.R.E. Rejects Creation of Asst. Chief Position, Demands 50/50 Hiring
By Antonio D. French
The association of black city firefighters is holding a press conference today to once again demand Mayor Francis Slay address the group's concerns.
The Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality (F.I.R.E.), which almost all of the city's African-American fire fighters belong to — representing 44% of the fire department — is upset with Slay for removing Fire Chief Sherman George from his position and for dealing exclusively with the so-called white firefighters union, Local 73.
UPDATE: The group is also calling on a return the 50/50 hiring (one white for every black) policy which the fire department operated under for many years under a federal consent decree.
From F.I.R.E.:
Members of F.I.R.E. will uphold our oath to the citizens of the city of St. Louis to protect property and save lives. We will fight fires aggressively; respond to emergency medical and special calls with integrity and professionalism. Yet we will not stand for our issues to be ignored by the mayor; members of F.I.R.E. is comprised of 98% of the Black firefighters in the department and represent 44% of the members in the St. Louis Fire Department. Our issues with testing are still pending in the federal court of appeals. Racial tensions are present in firehouses and must be addressed. We have witnessed the mayor addressing all of the issues (transfers, civil service hearings, non-establishment of an Advanced Life Support Pumper Program, etc.) of local 73 during Chief George’s tenure. He has affirmed actions for the local in reference to promotions and the demotion of Fire Chief George. His most recent affirmed action was to promote Battalion Chief Dennis Jenkerson to Fire chief over the most qualified officer in the department Deputy Chief Charles Coyle. Yet he has not addressed our chief complaint cheating during the 2004 exam administered by EBJacobs. To add insult to injury they want to create a position and give it to a Black officer to appease Black firefighters we reject that offer. REINSTATE THE FIRE CHIEF SHERMAN GEORGE! The Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality (F.I.R.E.) will not be able to move forward if our issues are not addressed.
Conduct an INDEPENDENT investigation into the allegations of cheating on the 2004 test.
No testing processes should be administered until an agreement on what the system should be and how it should be administered.
An affirmed action in the form of an executive order from the mayor to institute a 50/50 hiring and promotions diversity plan.
F.I.R.E. is against the creation of an Assistant Chief’s position.
Expedite the Civil Service Hearing of Fire Chief Sherman George.
Fire Chief Sherman George earned his pension as fire chief because of his demotion to deputy chief they deliberately cost him 10’s of thousands of dollars in retirement benefits. Reinstate Sherman George back to Fire Chief.
Today's press conference is at 3:30 PM at F.I.R.E.'s headquarters, 1020N. Taylor Ave.
On the "Collateral Damage" radio show Monday night, the hot topic was Mayor Francis Slay's handling of the fire department controversy.
Hosts DJ Wilson and Fred Hessel and guest Antonio French of PubDef.net discussed the appointment of the new fire chief, Dennis Jenkerson; the qualifications of public safety director Charles Bryson; and what "disrespect" has to do with this whole thing.
"Appointing a fire chief, police chief, or economic development director, or public works director, or streets department director because of his of her race is wrong," said Mayor Francis Slay today standing next to Public Safety Director Charles Bryson.
Slay and Bryson announced Dennis Jenkerson as the new fire chief.
Some important things about today's promotion of Jenkerson as the head of the city's fire department:
Jenkerson is a personal friend of Francis Slay;
Francis Slay changed the rules to by-pass the leading deputy chief candidate, who was black (Historically, only deputy chiefs are considered for chief);
Jenkerson was a battalion chief, a lower rank than deputy chief;
Jenkerson is currently being investigated by St. Louis police for authorizing firefighters under his command to do personal work for lobbyist Lou Hamilton while on duty;
Last week at a press conference in city hall, parents angry at the results of Mayor Francis Slay's years of involvement with the city's public schools joined with organizers of the effort to remove him from office.
The group is angry about Slay's new plan to rapidly expand the number of charter schools in the city. Charter schools are funded by St. Louis Public Schools, which is mandated to pay the schools based on their number of students.
"There has been approximately $60 million diverted from the St. Louis Public Schools," said State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed. "If we want to fix the St. Louis Public Schools we can not continue to take from the St. Louis Public Schools."
Comptroller Darlene Green and License Collector Mike McMillan were among the estimated 350 people who attended a "Unity Rally" yesterday organized by Citizens to Recall Francis G. Slay.
State Representative Jamilah Nasheed, who has been the most visible elected official in the recall effort, served as emcee for the event which was also sponsored by the St. Louis Clergy Coalition and the Gateway Green Alliance. The event took place at the Gateway Classic Foundation building downtown.
According to the event's flyer: "The mayor has a history of playing racial politics, and a history of ignoring the wishes of the people. The Unity Rally is to show the power of the people – of all races – to stand against this racial and social injustice."
Calloway Jumps Into Mayoral Recall Fight -- Against the Recallers
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 8:09 AM
Last week St. Louis County state representative candidate Don Calloway, Jr. penned a letter to the St. Louis American questioning the strategy of those involved in the effort to recall St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay. Calloway, an attorney at the firm Thompson Coburn (as of July, Calloway is now with the firm Lathrop & Gage) and a political newbie, is running in the district currently represented by Ester Haywood, who is term-limited.
Whatever justification there may be for the criticism [against Slay], the current recall effort is possibly the most horrendous thing the anti-Slay contingent could have come up with ...
... A recall, similar to any other election, is a battle of campaign finance. The pro-Slay contingent will be raising lots of cash to combat the recall. The pro-recall committee doesn’t have the support of an established political base to give enough money to make the recall effort viable. Furthermore, political donations are public record. This will force otherwise-closeted supporters who could give big money to support a recall into the open, which many are not willing to risk.
The Slay for Mayor October 2007 quarterly report shows $318,000 on hand, every penny of which can be lawfully used to battle a recall. Strategically, the pro-recall committee has helped Slay, by giving him a golden opportunity to raise money that will eventually go to his 2009 reelection effort...
Most importantly, the pro-recall effort will weaken the moral authority and political viability of our most important advocacy group: the St. Louis Clergy Coalition.
Contrary to mainstream media reports, the recall is NOT a Clergy Coalition thing, it is a Rev. Douglas Parham thing. As president of the coalition, Parham had to have known that taking a stand as the face of the recall would paint the entire coalition as being in support. This is not the case. At the Oct. 21 recall rally, coalition members in support included Parham and the Rev. James T. Morris, who as a candidate for the state House can take political stances. Where were the Revs. Sammy Jones, Earl Nance Jr. or E.G. Shields? The recall is not a Clergy Coalition endeavor.
Calloway's letter fails to mention that Rev. Shields is his campaign treasurer.
In response, local activist Eric Vickers, who is one of the organizers of the recall effort, wrote an open letter to Calloway defending the strategy and attacking the young candidate for his old thinking.
[Calloway's] claim that the recall is infeasible because it "doesn’t have the support of an established political base," is indicative of the racial paradox that has stymied the collective progress by blacks in this city. That paradox, simply put, is the difference between talk and action, the difference between black leaders being captive or being free.
Too many of this city’s black leaders (and blacks in positions like Calloway) live in a benign state of captivity in which they dare not confront the powers that crush beloved black men like Sherman George. They are as afraid today to face and fight a mayor as Frederick Douglas was initially with his slave master. They say it is a difference of means and methods and approaches, but in the end it is fear.
In the end, they are leaders who, as Douglas poetically put it, "profess to favor freedom and deprecate agitation," but "want crops without plowing up the ground…rain without thunder and lightning."
In the end, they will realize that Douglas is right about Mayor Slay: "power concedes nothing without a demand."
Click here to read Calloway's full letter. Click here to read Vickers' full response.
