Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Watch Blackfacts as Far As Blacks are concerned.....

Study beyond what is published here for ye shall know the truth and the truth will make and set you free...

http://www.wsbrec.org/blackfacts/WatchNight.htm

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Valdosta SCLC, Valdosta City Mayor, Membership, Citizens Right to be Informed

Hello: Outside World, American Veterans and real patriots!
SUBJECT: Valdosta Chapter of the SCLC, questions Valdosta City Mayor John Fretti? (But was the general public properly informed of what took place at the Valdosta City Council Monthly Meeting by the Valdosta Daily times and other news media outlets)?

Soon, we will witness how little some Americans care about Rev. Martin L. King Jr., his dream, heroic work, struggle, and commitment to all humanity. In 2008, will the American Citizens pretend to celebrate Dr. King accomplishments but fail to put into practice what he gave his life for?

Recently, the President of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chapter of the SCLC, (Minister Floyd Rose) an organization that was founded by Rev. King Jr., was ignored by our local media beyond question. Therefore, the people of South Georgia remain ignorant to what took place at the monthly meeting and the real issues were a whiteout.
I will attempt to fill in the gaps, and inform you of what others may have not wanted you to know alleged public meeting. But I want you fully aware of the truth. And we cannot allow our whiteout machine to keep us deaf, dumb, and blind to the times---forever. So we cannot make intelligent decisions based on facts as they relates to our local government and a once sided media.

There have been two or three articles published concerning the SCLC presentation before the mayor and council. However, it seem strange that only 14 words were used------to present the SCLC Chapter address to the major, council, members, and local citizens in the press concerning this meeting.

Therefore, the beef of the SCLC concerns was a complete WHITEOUT. http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/local_story_323233246.html

Then another article was published with approximately 941 words highlighting Mayor John Fretti contributions on Dec 18th, and the mayor accomplishments to the City of Valdosta---by Kari L. Sands. But the local media never interviewed the President of the SCLC. Why?  

What are they afraid of? Is it that they know TRUTH will set US free?
So decide for yourself if our local media is properly informing the general public in Valdosta, Lowndes County, and the State of Georgia concerning governmental meetings in our beloved community? And if not, why NOT?


Please read the unpublished concerns of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chapter President of the SCLC (Minister Floyd Rose), given before the mayor and council. Then read the minutes from the Valdosta City Council and see if the local media was fair and balanced.
 
However, local citizens know absolutely NOTHING ABOUT what transpired at the meeting. Except what the editor and writers wanted the general public to know. Again why would they not publish the facts? This is not a Black or White thing but a right thing… You decide…..

From the Public Record: (See What local citizens never read in the media)



GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES
Retired United States Armed forces
A concerned citizen and brother

September 12, 2007

Ms. Kay Harris Editor
Valdosta Daily Times
200 North Troup Street
Valdosta, Georgia 31601
Dear Ms. Harris:
I was the first editor of a weekly newspaper in Macon, Georgia in 1963. It was called the Macon Reporter. It was published because the mainstream newspaper, the Macon Telegraph, refused to cover stories with which the publisher disagreed and letters to the Editor whose opinions differed from his own.
We had all been led to believe that, although the Editor reserved the right to reject letters that he deemed inappropriate, the restriction had to do with slander for which the newspaper may have been liable, etc. On the other hand, the Macon Telegraph pretended to be fair, and encouraged its readers to write letters to the Editor. At no time did he tell his readers that the letters had to agree with his point of view.
Let me be clear. I certainly understand that a privately owned newspaper has the right to decline letters that expresses a point of view with which the Editor disagrees. However, it seems to us that it is not in the best interest of any newspaper to censor letters and sermons solely because he/she disagrees with the contents.
If the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution says that the "Congress shall make no law..abridging the freedom of speech.., or of the press," it seems that a newspaper would adopt no editorial policy which rejects letters and sermons that restricts freedom of opinion. This is not to suggest that we believe that letters that slander should be printed. They should not. On the other hand, would it not be in the best interest of your readers that they read a variety of opinions, even when those opinions disagree with the Editor's? It seems to us that a letter or a sermon that challenges, convicts, and convinces, would be a credit to the newspaper, however controversial it is.
A review of our letters and sermons indicates that they have been relevant, and we trust, challenging. They have been based on current events, and our own research. Have they been provocative? Perhaps they have. Have they been controversial? Perhaps they have been.
Page #2
factually based? We have responded to articles and information that we have received from the Valdosta Daily Times and other media outlets.
We hesitated to write this letter. However, after some discussion we decided, as a matter of principle, that it is more important to us that you understand our position than it is to have another letter printed, if we have to make sure that you agree with its content. That, it seems to us, goes against everything that we believe is Christian or American.
Sincerely yours,
Floyd
President

December 7, 2007

Dear Valdosta Daily Times
Your reporter's account of what took place during the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the December 6, city council meeting was misleading at best. It portrayed me as some out of control, disrespectful character who was bent on disrupting the council meeting. Because of how our presentation on November 19, was reported by the Times, we taped our presentation on December 6, and a copy is being forwarded to you.
We did not read the same letter before Council as claimed in your report. The letter was not written until December 20, and the Times were given a copy of the letter, along with the News Release. Not that it will likely matter, enclosed is another copy.
I found it interesting that your reporter chose to interview the Mayor, and to give him an opportunity to express his feelings about what took place, but not me. Nor did she interview anybody else.
Not a single black councilmen knew anything about the Mayor's claim that he had brought $11,000,000 to our community, or knew anything about the "more than 4000 new jobs" referenced in his campaign Ad, and they publicly acknowledged such last night. And your report failed to mention it. It also failed to mention that the Mayor was invited to our meeting on November 25 to explain what we now know was a misleading Ad, but he didn't come or call. And he claimed at the December 6 meeting that he asked me to contact him at his office or his home, and neither was true, and the November 19, council meeting minutes should reflect that.
We find it disturbing that neither the November 20, nor the December 7, edition of the Times mentioned what the misleading Ad was about. That, at least, would have let your readers know why it was important for the Valdosta-Lowndes County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to publicly question its truthfulness. Although politicians often mislead the public in their campaigns, but to make claims which affect a population of people who are hurting for jobs is cruel, and should not be acceptable, not even by the newspaper that endorsed him.
Sandy Sander & Kay Harris
All the Mayor had to do was simply tell us where the "more than 4000 jobs" were that he was responsible for bringing to our community, the source of the $11,000,000, and where it was spent, or simply acknowledge that the Ad was not true. And that would have ended the discussion. Instead he chose to play victim of a "barrage of attacks." To describe our exchange of words as a "barrage of attacks," was nonsense. Furthermore, I was not escorted from the Podium by the Police Chief, as inferred by the article. My presentation was over when Councilmen Vickers, Head, Payton, and Wright acknowledged that they knew nothing about the $ 11,000,000 or the 4000 jobs. He then asked me to leave the council chambers, and I refused. In fact, I told him that I would rather be arrested. Nothing is more important to me than my integrity, and I would have preferred to go to jail in dignity than leave the council chambers in shame.
It seems to us that the most important source of news in Valdosta should be concerned about any politician who deliberately misleads a segment of the community in his bid for re-election, even though he was its choice.
We have never asked for preferential coverage from the Valdosta Daily Times. We only expect fair reporting. After all, when your readers pick up their newspaper, except for opinions on the Editorial page, they deserve an unbiased account of events.
Respectfully yours,
Floyd President cc: Kari L. Sands

 

December 8, 2007

John Fretti 
Dear John:
We received your letter on December 7th. Since you indicated that the questions that were raised at the December 6, meeting would be answered, we were eager to read it.
There was never any question about whether more than 4000 new jobs have come to Valdosta in the last four years. Your radio Ad, which was specifically directed at the black community, claimed that the jobs were brought to our community. The question was not whether or not you were responsible for bringing $11,000,000 dollars to Valdosta, but whether the money was spent hi the black community, as claimed by your radio Ad.
The information that you sent to me does not speak to these claims. The article from the Valdosta Daily Times which you enclosed said, "Mayor Fretti exclaimed that anywhere a citizen can look, he or she can notice growth in the community in the last four years." This was written following one of the Candidates forums. "He stated that since he took office, Valdosta has gained approximately 4,000 high paying jobs and received more than $11,000,000 in state and federal aid." This statement does not support your claim that the funds and jobs were brought to our community.
At the December 6, city council meeting you said that the Ad that was aired in the black community was "the same Ad that was all over town; the same words." Are you telling us that you told white supporters that you attended their "Watch Night meetings, and helped organize their Juneteenth observance, neither of which they celebrate?
To trivialize this matter, and make me out to be some out of control character bent on disrupting council meetings, is ludicrous. The unemployment rate among blacks is more than twice that of whites, and the median income for blacks is only $18,600 compared to $36,400 for whites. And for you to claim that you had brought more than 4000 new jobs to our community hurts. And we care too much about our people to allow such claims to go unchallenged.
It seems to us a simple matter. You could have acknowledged that the Ad was, at best, misleading, and the matter would have been ended. Why is that so difficult for you to do? Everybody, including the four black councilmen who represent our community, and the City
John Fretti
Page #2
Manager's Office, have acknowledged that they know nothing about the $11,000,000 and the more than 4000 new jobs referenced in your Ad.
There were other people who were prepared to speak at the December 6, council meeting. At least two with which I am familiar, and the subject of their presentations had nothing to do with this issue; one was Queen Robinson, the fifty-five year old homeless woman who addressed the November 19, council meeting. One of the city's employees had made arrangements for housing for her. And since her case was made public, she wanted to publicly thank you and the council for listening to her, and the employee for helping her. The other was a man who had some concerns about traffic problems. But you arbitrarily cut off that portion of the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the meeting prematurely.
When you came to our office prior to your first election as mayor, seeking our support, we believed that you were, as your campaign literature stated, a man of integrity, leadership, and vision. You had earlier spoken at one, perhaps two, of the meetings of the People's Tribunal, and talked about honesty in government. Unfortunately, the John Fretti who was running for Mayor does not seem to be the John Fretti who is mayor. You have initiated policies designed primarily, not to serve the people, but to control them.
Policies that are unjust must be changed, and they can only be changed if they are challenged. One of those policies is to deny the right of citizens to address their own representative during the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the council meetings. As a man of conscience, I cannot obey an unjust policy, and I am willing to pay the price for challenging it, including arrest and being imprisoned. If there are questions that I have for my representative or any other councilman, I will ask him, and will accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.
Enclosed is a copy of the letter that I sent to the Publisher and Editor of the Valdosta Daily Times expressing our concern over the way the newspaper has covered this issue.
Respectfully yours,
Floyd Rose
cc: City Manager, Councilmen, Valdosta Daily Times, Police Chief Simons.
My words to the American People: Again, and again, I say to the people of South Georgia and the people of America. WE! Had better wake-up to the new reality of our times or the government we once knew----will be a thing of the past.
Then what a day that will be for our beloved nation and the lives that were lost to save us from what we see around the corner for the American people? God bless America and everybody else.
GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES, Retired United States Armed Forces, A concerned citizen and brother of humanity

Valdosta Minutes, SCLC, Address to Mayor Fretti, Council members, citizens, (Minr Rose, Minutes of "Citizens to be Heard portion of Nov 19, 07

Hello: Outside World, American Veterans and real patriots!

SUBJECT: Valdosta Chapter of the SCLC, questions Valdosta City Mayor John Fretti? (But was the general public properly informed of what took place at the Valdosta City Council Monthly Meeting by the Valdosta Daily times and other news media outlets)?

Soon, we will witness how little some Americans care about Rev. Martin L. King Jr., his dream, heroic work, struggle, and commitment to all humanity. In 2008, will the American Citizens pretend to celebrate Dr. King accomplishments but fail to put into practice what he gave his life for?

Recently, the President of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chapter of the SCLC, (Minister Floyd Rose) an organization that was founded by Rev. King Jr., was ignored by our local media beyond question. Therefore, the people of South Georgia remain ignorant to what took place at the monthly meeting and the real issues were a whiteout.

I will attempt to fill in the gaps, and inform you of what others may have not wanted you to know alleged public meeting. But I want you fully aware of the truth. And we cannot allow our whiteout machine to keep us deaf, dumb, and blind to the times---forever. So we cannot make intelligent decisions based on facts as they relates to our local government and a once sided media.

There have been two or three articles published concerning the SCLC presentation before the mayor and council. However, it seem strange that only 14 words were used------to present the SCLC Chapter address to the major, council, members, and local citizens in the press concerning this meeting.

Therefore, the beef of the SCLC concerns was a complete WHITEOUT. http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/local/local_story_323233246.html

Then another article was published with approximately 941 words highlighting Mayor John Fretti contributions on Dec 18th, and the mayor accomplishments to the City of Valdosta---by Kari L. Sands. But the local media never interviewed the President of the SCLC. Why? What are they afraid of? Is it that they know TRUTH will set US free?

So decide for yourself if our local media is properly informing the general public in Valdosta, Lowndes County, and the State of Georgia concerning governmental meetings in our beloved community? And if not, why NOT? http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/archivesearch/local_story_351210607.html

Please read the unpublished concerns of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chapter President of the SCLC (Minister Floyd Rose), given before the mayor and council. Then read the minutes from the Valdosta City Council and see if the local media was fair and balanced.

However, local citizens know absolutely NOTHING ABOUT what transpired at the meeting. Except what the editor and writers wanted the general public to know. Again why would they not publish the facts? This is not a Black or White thing but a right thing… You decide…..

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6210309357032490693&postID=4904801654561036817

GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES

Retired United States Armed forces

A concerned citizen and brother

September 12, 2007

Ms. Kay Harris Editor

Valdosta Daily Times

200 North Troup Street

Valdosta, Georgia 31601

Dear Ms. Harris:

I was the first editor of a weekly newspaper in Macon, Georgia in 1963. It was called the Macon Reporter. It was published because the mainstream newspaper, the Macon Telegraph, refused to cover stories with which the publisher disagreed and letters to the Editor whose opinions differed from his own.

We had all been led to believe that, although the Editor reserved the right to reject letters that he deemed inappropriate, the restriction had to do with slander for which the newspaper may have been liable, etc. On the other hand, the Macon Telegraph pretended to be fair, and encouraged its readers to write letters to the Editor. At no time did he tell his readers that the letters had to agree with his point of view.

Let me be clear. I certainly understand that a privately owned newspaper has the right to decline letters that expresses a point of view with which the Editor disagrees. However, it seems to us that it is not in the best interest of any newspaper to censor letters and sermons solely because he/she disagrees with the contents.

If the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution says that the "Congress shall make no law..abridging the freedom of speech.., or of the press," it seems that a newspaper would adopt no editorial policy which rejects letters and sermons that restricts freedom of opinion. This is not to suggest that we believe that letters that slander should be printed. They should not. On the other hand, would it not be in the best interest of your readers that they read a variety of opinions, even when those opinions disagree with the Editor's? It seems to us that a letter or a sermon that challenges, convicts, and convinces, would be a credit to the newspaper, however controversial it is.

A review of our letters and sermons indicates that they have been relevant, and we trust, challenging. They have been based on current events, and our own research. Have they been provocative? Perhaps they have. Have they been controversial? Perhaps they have been.

Page #2

factually based? We have responded to articles and information that we have received from the Valdosta Daily Times and other media outlets.

We hesitated to write this letter. However, after some discussion we decided, as a matter of principle, that it is more important to us that you understand our position than it is to have another letter printed, if we have to make sure that you agree with its content. That, it seems to us, goes against everything that we believe is Christian or American.

Sincerely yours,

Floyd

President

December 7, 2007

Sandy Sanders, Publisher & Kay Harris, Editor and Chief Valdosta Daily Times 200 North Troupe Street Valdosta, Georgia 31601

Dear Mr. Sanders & Mrs. Harris:

Your reporter's account of what took place during the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the December 6, city council meeting was misleading at best. It portrayed me as some out of control, disrespectful character who was bent on disrupting the council meeting. Because of how our presentation on November 19, was reported by the Times, we taped our presentation on December 6, and a copy is being forwarded to you.

We did not read the same letter before Council as claimed in your report. The letter was not written until December 20, and the Times were given a copy of the letter, along with the News Release. Not that it will likely matter, enclosed is another copy.

I found it interesting that your reporter chose to interview the Mayor, and to give him an opportunity to express his feelings about what took place, but not me. Nor did she interview anybody else.

Not a single black councilmen knew anything about the Mayor's claim that he had brought $11,000,000 to our community, or knew anything about the "more than 4000 new jobs" referenced in his campaign Ad, and they publicly acknowledged such last night. And your report failed to mention it. It also failed to mention that the Mayor was invited to our meeting on November 25 to explain what we now know was a misleading Ad, but he didn't come or call. And he claimed at the December 6 meeting that he asked me to contact him at his office or his home, and neither was true, and the November 19, council meeting minutes should reflect that.

We find it disturbing that neither the November 20, nor the December 7, edition of the Times mentioned what the misleading Ad was about. That, at least, would have let your readers know why it was important for the Valdosta-Lowndes County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to publicly question its truthfulness. Although politicians often mislead the public in their campaigns, but to make claims which affect a population of people who are hurting for jobs is cruel, and should not be acceptable, not even by the newspaper that endorsed him.

Sandy Sander & Kay Harris

All the Mayor had to do was simply tell us where the "more than 4000 jobs" were that he was responsible for bringing to our community, the source of the $11,000,000, and where it was spent, or simply acknowledge that the Ad was not true. And that would have ended the discussion. Instead he chose to play victim of a "barrage of attacks." To describe our exchange of words as a "barrage of attacks," was nonsense. Furthermore, I was not escorted from the Podium by the Police Chief, as inferred by the article. My presentation was over when Councilmen Vickers, Head, Payton, and Wright acknowledged that they knew nothing about the $ 11,000,000 or the 4000 jobs. He then asked me to leave the council chambers, and I refused. In fact, I told him that I would rather be arrested. Nothing is more important to me than my integrity, and I would have preferred to go to jail in dignity than leave the council chambers in shame.

It seems to us that the most important source of news in Valdosta should be concerned about any politician who deliberately misleads a segment of the community in his bid for re-election, even though he was its choice.

We have never asked for preferential coverage from the Valdosta Daily Times. We only expect fair reporting. After all, when your readers pick up their newspaper, except for opinions on the Editorial page, they deserve an unbiased account of events.

Respectfully yours,

Floyd Presiden

cc: Kari L. Sands

December 8, 2007

John Fretti 602 Mack Street Valdosta, Georgia 31602

Dear John:

We received your letter on December 7th. Since you indicated that the questions that were raised at the December 6, meeting would be answered, we were eager to read it.

There was never any question about whether more than 4000 new jobs have come to Valdosta in the last four years. Your radio Ad, which was specifically directed at the black community, claimed that the jobs were brought to our community. The question was not whether or not you were responsible for bringing $11,000,000 dollars to Valdosta, but whether the money was spent hi the black community, as claimed by your radio Ad.

The information that you sent to me does not speak to these claims. The article from the Valdosta Daily Times which you enclosed said, "Mayor Fretti exclaimed that anywhere a citizen can look, he or she can notice growth in the community in the last four years." This was written following one of the Candidates forums. "He stated that since he took office, Valdosta has gained approximately 4,000 high paying jobs and received more than $11,000,000 in state and federal aid." This statement does not support your claim that the funds and jobs were brought to our community.

At the December 6, city council meeting you said that the Ad that was aired in the black community was "the same Ad that was all over town; the same words." Are you telling us that you told white supporters that you attended their "Watch Night meetings, and helped organize their Juneteenth observance, neither of which they celebrate?

To trivialize this matter, and make me out to be some out of control character bent on disrupting council meetings, is ludicrous. The unemployment rate among blacks is more than twice that of whites, and the median income for blacks is only $18,600 compared to $36,400 for whites. And for you to claim that you had brought more than 4000 new jobs to our community hurts. And we care too much about our people to allow such claims to go unchallenged.

It seems to us a simple matter. You could have acknowledged that the Ad was, at best, misleading, and the matter would have been ended. Why is that so difficult for you to do? Everybody, including the four black councilmen who represent our community, and the City

John Fretti

Page #2

Manager's Office, have acknowledged that they know nothing about the $11,000,000 and the more than 4000 new jobs referenced in your Ad.

There were other people who were prepared to speak at the December 6, council meeting. At least two with which I am familiar, and the subject of their presentations had nothing to do with this issue; one was Queen Robinson, the fifty-five year old homeless woman who addressed the November 19, council meeting. One of the city's employees had made arrangements for housing for her. And since her case was made public, she wanted to publicly thank you and the council for listening to her, and the employee for helping her. The other was a man who had some concerns about traffic problems. But you arbitrarily cut off that portion of the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the meeting prematurely.

When you came to our office prior to your first election as mayor, seeking our support, we believed that you were, as your campaign literature stated, a man of integrity, leadership, and vision. You had earlier spoken at one, perhaps two, of the meetings of the People's Tribunal, and talked about honesty in government. Unfortunately, the John Fretti who was running for Mayor does not seem to be the John Fretti who is mayor. You have initiated policies designed primarily, not to serve the people, but to control them.

Policies that are unjust must be changed, and they can only be changed if they are challenged. One of those policies is to deny the right of citizens to address their own representative during the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the council meetings. As a man of conscience, I cannot obey an unjust policy, and I am willing to pay the price for challenging it, including arrest and being imprisoned. If there are questions that I have for my representative or any other councilman, I will ask him, and will accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate.

Enclosed is a copy of the letter that I sent to the Publisher and Editor of the Valdosta Daily Times expressing our concern over the way the newspaper has covered this issue.

Respectfully yours,

Floyd Rose

cc: City Manager, Councilmen, Valdosta Daily Times, Police Chief Simons.

My words to the American People: Again, and again, I say to the people of South Georgia and the people of America. WE! Had better wake-up to the new reality of our times or the government we once knew----will be a thing of the past.

Then what a day that will be for our beloved nation and the lives that were lost to save us from what we see around the corner for the American people? God bless America and everybody else.

GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES

Retired United States Armed Forces

A concerned citizen and brother of humanity

FROM THE PUBLIC RECORD OF THAT MEETING:

MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL

5:30 P.M., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2007

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION

11/19/07 CONTINUED

Floyd Rose, President of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 411 Orange Street, congratulated Mayor Fretti on his re-election and stated that Mayor Fretti carried every precinct including the ones in predominately black neighborhoods. Mr. Rose stated that he had several concerns about some misleading radio ads attributed to Mayor Fretti’s campaign that were directed at the black community. The ad, which was written by the Mayor’s campaign and read by influential black radio personalities, read as follows: “Who’s the man who brought over $11 million dollars to our community. The same man who helps each year organize Juneteenth for us. He’s the guy who has attended every watch night with us in our community since the beginning of his term. The man behind more than 4,000 new jobs in our community. Who is this man? Well you need to know. He is Mayor John Fretti. The man who serves us all – all of us and he is serving with action and doing positive things that make a difference to our own community.” Mr. Rose inquired as to where the more than $11 million dollars came from and where was it spent in our community. Mayor Fretti stated that he would be glad to get back to Mr. Rose on his concern at a later date and he would entertain any comments on the operation of the municipal government. Mr. Rose inquired as to when the Mayor would get back to him. Mayor Fretti stated that Citizens to be Heard portion of the Council Meeting was not for engaging individual Council members. Mr. Rose asked again what the source was for the $11 million dollars that the Mayor’s campaign claimed was spent in the black community and where was it spent. Mayor Fretti stated that he would not answer the question because this is government and not politics or campaigning. Mr. Rose asked about the 4,000 jobs and inquired as to where they were in the community that the Mayor’s ad said he was behind. Mayor Fretti stated that he would not answer the question because this was government and not campaigning. Mr. Rose inquired as to whether he and some others could meet with the Mayor later to discuss who got the jobs. Mayor Fretti stated that Mr. Rose could give him a call tomorrow, but not at City Hall, and he would entertain the call. Mr. Rose stated that he was insulted by the statement that the Mayor had attended every watch night with them in their community. The watch night service began on December 31, 1862 in anticipation of the emancipation proclamation by President Lincoln. Africans and slaves gathered in their churches, private homes, and other places and watched the clock hit midnight and gave thanks to God in anticipation of their freedom. For the Mayor and any other white politician to come into a black church and use this as some reason for blacks to vote for him and had absolutely nothing to do with their freedom is at best insulting. Mr. Rose stated that the Mayor’s ad mentioned that he had organized Juneteenth and perhaps so but he was not sure if the Mayor understood or appreciated the meaning of Juneteenth. It began on the 19th of June in 1863 when the slaves did not get the message that they had been physically freed in Galveston, Texas until five months after the emancipation proclamation. Juneteenth was not simply a celebration of their freedom but the occasion was used to teach them about their new rights and how to go into business, and for the Mayor’s campaign to use that he helped to organize it for them in their community was insulting. Mr. Rose stated that there are two Valdostas – one white and one black. They are separate and unequal. Blacks have a medium income of $18,600 per year and whites have a medium income of $36,400 per year. There is a poll that the New York Times took recently and it indicated that the least trusted group of professionals in this country are politicians and the most respected professional group are the preachers and that is true of the black community. The preacher is the highest respected man in the black community and Mayor Fretti has cleverly used the black preacher and the black church. The Mayor visited the black church and was warmly greeted by the black preacher and he waved to the audience and then left. Mayor Fretti got what he wanted but left the black preacher and his people with nothing. The problem is that there is a difference with being satisfied and pacified. The Mayor is satisfied and then you pacify him before an unsuspecting, gullible black audience. Mr. Rose stated that every road has an end however crooked it might be. Mr. Rose appealed to the Mayor and stated that his ad led this community to believe that he had brought more than $11 million dollars to our community and 4,000 jobs and nobody can tell us who got the money and who got the jobs. Mr. Rose stated that he and others would be glad to meet with the Mayor and inquired as to whether the Mayor would be prepared to tell them about the money and the jobs. Mayor Fretti stated that Mr. Rose could give him a call.

Willie Head, xxxxxx, xxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxx stated that the Mayor used a case of manipulation. They take their churches seriously and a lot of their people are not politically inclined. They are not looking for political apexes but if the Mayor is not going to serve them then he should not go to their churches because they hold those things sacred. In he should not go to their churches because they hold those things sacred.

Special note: This information is provided because I truly believe in the greatness of America. Moreover, I believe the direction our nation is going could destroy our image at home and abroad. Therefore, we must removed our heads from the sand and help save our beloved republic. G,B.R.