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Detroit protesters vow ‘civil disobedience’ in opposition to city’s emergency manager
Daily Caller ^ | 03/17/2013 | By Patrick Howley

Posted on 03/18/2013 9:34:24 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd

Hundreds of well-organized demonstrators vowing “civil disobedience” will greet Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder’s visit to Cobo Hall in Detroit Monday for an economic summit in order to protest Snyder’s selection of a powerful “emergency manager” to save the city of Detroit from bankruptcy.

On Thursday, Snyder appointees on a three-person panel confirmed African-American lawyer Kevyn Orr as the city’s “emergency manager,” a powerful position that gives him authority to restructure the city’s finances and change labor contracts while the all-black elected city council sits on the sidelines. The move, facilitated by Snyder, has sparked charges of racial animus and “anti-democracy” against the governor.

“It’s obvious that race played into this decision,” Rev. Charles Williams III, the head of the Michigan affiliate of Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, told The Daily Caller. “There may be some voter suppression behind it.”

“We’re going to educate and also escalate,” Williams said about the planned protest. “Between us and all the people from UAW [United Auto Workers], there should be hundreds. There’s going to be action, and escalation around some civil disobedience.”

“You won’t even know it until it happens,” he continued, when asked what kinds of civil disobedience Snyder should expect. “There are plenty of people committed to going to jail. We’ve been doing traffic slowdowns. We’re going to push that up and go ahead with a full traffic stop.”

Williams confirmed that Sharpton has been very involved in his group’s efforts in Detroit. Williams met with protest organizers Saturday at Detroit’s King Solomon Baptist Church on 14th Street, where, he pointed out, Malcolm X delivered his 1963 “Message to the Grassroots” speech criticizing non-violent civil rights groups.

“Maybe we won’t take it to the level of the ’60s riots, but this thing is escalating,” Williams said.

While supporters of the emergency manager say that Orr’s appointment is the “only option” for a city racked last year with a $327 million budget deficit and $14 billion in long-term liabilities, others see it as a civil rights issue.

“Obviously [Orr] is a black proxy for the governor,” Williams said. “Detroit is 84 percent African-American, and this is an obvious opportunity for Snyder to utilize this man as an Uncle Tom, quite frankly.”

Orr previously served as a partner at the Jones Day law firm, resigning last week to accept his appointment with the city of Detroit. Snyder declared Detroit to be in a state of financial emergency March 1. Though the City Council appealed Snyder’s decision on March 12 in an effort to enact its own recovery plan, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing did not join the appeal and consented to the appointment of an emergency manager.

Bing announced last Monday that the city had hired Jones Day, Orr’s firm, as restructuring counsel.

At the Michigan state capitol in Lansing, tensions are high between Republicans who support Snyder’s emergency turnaround plan and Democrats who fear Orr’s wide-ranging power.

“We had our meeting with the treasurer before it was announced. We said we hear [Snyder is] interviewing people. If the decision hasn’t been made about whether you’re going ahead with an emergency manager, why is he interviewing people?,” Democratic state Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who represents part of Detroit, told TheDC.

“At this point, it’s out of the hands of the legislature, the city council, and the mayor,” Tlaib said.

Orr’s success or failure will likely rest on his own judgment and decisions alone, given the power usually afforded emergency managers.

“[Synder's] treasurer Andy Dillon said ‘we have a tendency not to micromanage emergency managers,’” Tlaib said.

“When I had an issue with the Detroit public schools, which was under emergency management, I presented it to the emergency manager of the Detroit schools, and they were not responsive. I contacted Andy Dillon and he said, ‘we don’t micromanage the emergency managers, we stay out of all that.’”


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KEYWORDS: detroit
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To: Responsibility2nd
Who knew that Robo Cop was a documentary ahead of its time.
21 posted on 03/18/2013 10:09:01 AM PDT by NonValueAdded (If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you've likely misread the situation.)
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To: chesley
There's suburbs, aren't there? What are they going to do is the big question

They might be in for a surprise if they get into the suburbs . . . you know how those gun toting, clinging to their Bible, 3-tooth bill-hillies are, doncha'?

22 posted on 03/18/2013 10:11:52 AM PDT by laweeks
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To: laweeks
They might be in for a surprise if they get into the suburbs

Well, we can only hope. It might bring some clarity to the conversation.

23 posted on 03/18/2013 10:13:25 AM PDT by chesley (Vast deserts of political ignorance makes liberalism possible - James Lewis)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Both the governor and the emergency manager need to plow full speed ahead. The people squealing now are the ones with something to lose because they are feeding off the carcass of Detroit. There is no reason to accommodate the corrupt old power structure, the whole point is having an emergency manager is to break that power structure.


24 posted on 03/18/2013 10:16:04 AM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: Responsibility2nd
“Between us and all the people from UAW [United Auto Workers], there should be hundreds. There’s going to be action, and escalation around some civil disobedience.”

It would be ill-advised for the UAW to participate in this. If the emergency manager route doesn't work, the next step is the declaration of bankrupcy for Detroit. After which follows the dissolution of municipal union contracts.

25 posted on 03/18/2013 10:19:59 AM PDT by kidd
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To: Responsibility2nd

Good place for the Barry Obama of all RIOTS..
The Jesse Jackson of all gimme your stuff muggings..
The AL Sharpton of all Twana Brawly City Rapes..
The most..... (well you know)...


26 posted on 03/18/2013 10:27:56 AM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole..)
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To: Responsibility2nd

80 plus percent are Holders people.
Don’t give a rats patootie if they burn it down.


27 posted on 03/18/2013 10:55:15 AM PDT by Joe Boucher ((FUBO))
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To: cripplecreek
IMO....there are many things that can happen and many routes this 'bailout' trip will take but, the final outcome/results will be:(Or, something similar)

1. The residents of Michigan will be required to pay the bills of Detroit, honor all the pensions and pay Detroits future bills. This will probably be accomplished with some sort of federal grant.(All Americans will be required to pay)

2. Because of the great need in Detroit, few budget or job cuts will be made. Give these people everything for free or they will starve their children or burn the town down.

3. In ten years, this 'bailout' will be required again.

(Today, 43% of the residents of Detroit cannot read or write. What kind of work can they do?)

28 posted on 03/18/2013 10:56:31 AM PDT by blam
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To: blam
The bailout means little without a true rebuilding of the individuals themselves. Too bad no FReepers have the courage to even stand in support of that. I know Reagan would have never accepted the attitude that seems to have infected FReepers.

More than -- More than anything else, I want my candidacy to unify our country, to renew the American spirit and sense of purpose. I want to carry our message to every American, regardless of party affiliation, who is a member of this community of shared values.

Ronald Reagan 1980 Republican National Convention Acceptance Address delivered 17 July 1980, Detroit, MI
29 posted on 03/18/2013 11:03:51 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Idiots on Parade. They need a few more rounds of Winter.


30 posted on 03/18/2013 11:14:21 AM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storm chaser from the west)/ ?)
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To: cripplecreek

Detroit is a broken city because of liberalism. It is gone. The morons left will dime the rest.


31 posted on 03/18/2013 11:17:12 AM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storm chaser from the west)/ ?)
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To: cripplecreek
...who is a member of this community of shared values.

Maybe that's the problem. Ya think ? Or was Reagan talking about the shared values of sloth, cheating, bloated pubic employee unions, rap music, ad nauseum ?

32 posted on 03/18/2013 11:20:03 AM PDT by jimt (Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed.)
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To: jimt

Don’t worry. Nobody will ever expect you to do a damn thing.


33 posted on 03/18/2013 12:18:11 PM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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