Some of dozens of activists who turned out May 31 to start Call em Out campaign against water shut-offs, takeover of Detroit. Call em Out steward Agnes Hitchcock is at center in black and yellow Call em Out T-shirt.
- Call ’em Out reunion breathes new life into battle for Detroit
- Community fight against water shut-offs first action: fliering at Grand River/Greenfield water payment office Mon. June 2, 2014 10 A.M.
To print out flier, click on Water fightback plan.
By Diane Bukowski
June 1, 2014
Agnes Hitchcock announces leafleting campaign at Detroit water customer offices.
DETROIT — New hope emerged for the people of Detroit May 31 with the resurrection of the activist organization Call ’em Out. Renowned leader, Call ’em Out steward Agnes Hitchcock, enraged by vicious mass water shut-offs and the creation of a literal concentration camp at Mound Road prison, sponsored an “activists’ re-union.”
It brought out dozens of the city’s most militant warriors to a picnic/rally at “Blackinaw Island” outside her home in the North End.
VOD broke the story of the shut-offs and conditions at Mound Road, which Charity Hicks revealed after her arrest while protesting the shut-offs of her neighbors’ water on the east side.
(See http://voiceofdetroit.net/2014/05/28/mass-water-shut-offs-mass-incarceration-at-mound-road-prison-for-protesters/. That article has had the most massive response of any since VOD began publication, going nation-wide.)
Omar and Cecily “Ebony” McClellan at event.
During the event, long-time warriors from Call ’em Out joined with members of the Concerned Detroit Citizens, Active Employees, and Retirees, Hood Research, We the People for the People, representatives of sectors of the Moors, and many long-time grass roots city leaders.Hitchcock announced that Call ’em Out and its allies would be distributing fliers directly to the grass roots people of Detroit describing action they can take right at home to keep their water, an essential human right, flowing in the face of mass no-knock, no-notice shut-offs by Homrich Wrecking.
Activists relax before rally starts.
The company has a $6 million “Shut Off-Turn On” contract with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department which aims to shut off all Detroiters behind on their bills for two months or more.
- Militant pastor Jerome Poole denounces city’s “snakes in the pulpit” ministers.
The first distribution is set for Mon. June 2 at 10 a.m. at the Grand River/Greenfield office customer service office of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
Intense political discussion took place throughout the picnic, and many speakers came forward to lay plans for revolt. against the takeover of Detroit and the war on its people.
Along with Hitchcock, they included Tyrone Travis, who called for massive door-to-door campaigns in the neighborhoods to make direct contact with the city’s grass roots, many of whom are unaware of what is really happening to their city.
Attendees worked and played.
Tyrone Travis speaks.
Luminaries such as Ron March, Cecily “Ebony” McClellan, Carl Williams, and numerous others spoke of the assault on Detroit by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, EM Kevyn Orr, the Jones Day law firm, and others involved in the phony bankruptcy proceedings, who are basically puppets for the banks and corporations.
- To contact Call ’em Out regarding future plans for leafleting at the water department’s customer service offices, call 313-874-2792.
- Concerned Detroiters, Active Employees, and Retireea can be reached at 313-444-0061. It meets every Monday at 11 a.m. at N’namdi’s at 12150 Woodward, Highland Park, MI.
- The Stop the Theft of Our Pensions Committee is at http://moratorium-mi.org/ or call 313-680-5508. It meets every Monday at 7 p.m. at 5920 Second Avenue north of Wayne State University.
Crowd listens to Agnes Hitchcock.
