Coup in Benton Harbor, Michigan - 27:59

The People versus the Corporations in America’s Rust Belt
The Coup in Benton Harbor, Michigan
with
Rev. Edward Pinkney, Community Activist & Leader in the Fight
Against The Takeover of Benton Harbor

For the residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan the question is will America
have prosperity and democracy, or live in poverty under the heel of open
corporate power. There’s been a coup in Benton Harbor, First, Whirlpool
controlled Benton Harbor and now the City of Benton Harbor has become
the battleground for Michigan’s new emergency financial management law.
The law gives an accountant, Joseph Harris, dubbed an emergency manager
the right to tear up labor contracts. And, in Detroit district wide layoff
notices hit every one of its Public Schools. The 5,466 unionized employees
called the move the largest “one fell swoop” firing of teachers in union
memory. Additionally, the Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb’s
concurrent announcement that he plans to unilaterally modify the Detroit
Federation of Teachers’ collective bargaining agreement is the first test
of a sweeping new state law.
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Fighting Back
with
Frances Fox Piven, Professor of Political Science and Sociology,
The Graduate Center, City University of New York

Frances Fox Piven, a distinguished professor, legendary activist, and writer
for more than a year has been accused by Fox news host Glenn Beck, who
employees a graphic of a tree to do so of being an advocate of violence
and plotting since 1966 to overthrow the system. Well Piven now closes
our programming, with our support, respect and affection as she addresses
a national youth audience Teach-In. You’ll hear Piven reference the tree
and rather use the metaphor to advocate organizing movements for peace
and justice.