click on the headers below:
Beat Drum Beat: Hundreds Rally for John White
Trees to give way to mansions?
Sag Harbor Housing Update
Peace & Justice Calendar
Suffolk Peace Vigils
WPKN/WPKM East End Programs for download updated Jan 13
East End Ink - Kathy Engel reads from "Ruth's Skirts" on the first
East End Ink - Thursday Jan 17 at 12 Noon
on WPKN 89.5 / WPKM 88.7 or streaming on-line here
Links: Recommended Reading
US Fatalities in Iraq
Counter Recruiting Schedule
Alternative Media
Democracy Now!
Non-corporate news hour with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez:
on Riverhead/Southampton/Southold/Shelter Island Channel 20:
New Schedule Starting Monday October 1:
Monday 6:30 am
Tuesday 11 pm
Wednesday 7 pm
Thursday 6 pm
Friday 9 pm
Saturday - 9 pm
Also on WUSB 90.1 FM 5pm Mon-Friday and East Hampton LTV Ch 20
_________________________________________________
For more Information on Peace Activism on LI
see North Fork People of Conscience at www.nfpofc.blogspot.com
see Suffolk Progressive Vision at www.spv.active.ws
___________________________________________
The East End Report is compiled by Tony Ernst.
Send corrections or comments to eastendreport@yahoo.com
Email subscribers may un-subscribe: reply with "Don't Send" to eastendreport@yahoo.com
Beat Drum, Beat: Hundreds Rally for John White
Hundreds of people rallied on Saturday in support of the black man convicted last month in the killing of a white teenager on Long Island.
The rally in front of the Suffolk County Criminal Court in Riverhead featured Reverend Al Sharpton and was supported by NAACP Long Island Chapters and the Nation of Islam's Harlem Mosque. It was attended by people from various ethnic enclaves on the island.
Speakers called for an over-turn of Mr. White's conviction and also the arrest of the young men who came to the White family home one night in August 2006. They had threatened to kill Mr. White's son Aaron, responding to a false rumor about Aaron White saying he would rape a white woman. One of these men, Daniel Cicciaro, who was drunk, was killed when he attempted to take a handgun from John White. Background on this story.
Bob Zellner of the Eastern Long Island N A A C P considered what would have happened if the roles had been reversed.
Adapted from the WPKN news report of Monday January 7 heard on WPKN 89.5 Bridgeport and WPKM 88.7 Montauk at 6:30 pm
The rally in front of the Suffolk County Criminal Court in Riverhead featured Reverend Al Sharpton and was supported by NAACP Long Island Chapters and the Nation of Islam's Harlem Mosque. It was attended by people from various ethnic enclaves on the island.
Speakers called for an over-turn of Mr. White's conviction and also the arrest of the young men who came to the White family home one night in August 2006. They had threatened to kill Mr. White's son Aaron, responding to a false rumor about Aaron White saying he would rape a white woman. One of these men, Daniel Cicciaro, who was drunk, was killed when he attempted to take a handgun from John White. Background on this story.
Bob Zellner of the Eastern Long Island N A A C P considered what would have happened if the roles had been reversed.
“There is no way in the world that a white person in the same situation as Mr. White would be charged and convicted of that crime”Susan McKeon Steinman spoke to WPKN radio for the South Country Peace Group of Patchogue. Quoting Dr. Martin Luther King she said we can't separate our moral concerns: those about peace and racial justice. Ms. Steinman says the John White case IS about race.
“We are living in the one of the most segregated counties in the whole country We have had people driven out of their neighborhoods; interacial couples and black families in neighborhoods which were perceived to be“white”Asked why she was there, Becky Genia of Shinnecock said her people know about racism:
"Speaking as an indigenous person, as a Shinnecock Indian, we have been facing racism since 1640 so we know how devestating it can be for families"John White, convicted of manslaugher but free on bail, with his wife Sonia by his side, spoke to the crowd.
“I never wavered in my commitment to obtain equal treatment and justice for all persons.... I have complete faith that the day God spoke of through the prophets will indeed arrive when justice shall roll down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream“Reverend Sharpton praised Sonia White for her fortitude and he spoke about winning the fight for justice.
"Don’t worry Ms. White. There is a judge in February but there’s a God that sits higher than the judge. And the God we serve sits high, but he looks down low. And he wipe tears away from our eyes and he’ll make a way out of no way. The arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice. And if we stand together, if we walk together, if we march together, we can win.”But White's attorney Fred Brewingon says obtaining justice for a black man in Suffolk County is a "virtual impossibility"
Brewington urged the crowd to show up at future court dates to see that justice is done.
“I have come before this system and said “Be just to John White”. But in this situation, in this place, in this county, right now, as long as I can see , it will be a virtual impossibility."
"When there are court appearances we need to fill this court house. When there are other rallies we need you there. In the African history there’s a term that says ‘Beat Drum, Beat”. You need to beat the drum, you need to tell the story, because what happened to John White could happen to you tomorrow - and you would want someone standing up for you, wouldn’t you?"--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adapted from the WPKN news report of Monday January 7 heard on WPKN 89.5 Bridgeport and WPKM 88.7 Montauk at 6:30 pm
Trees to make way for mansions in Bridgehampton?
The Southampton Town Planning Board will meet Thursday, January 10 at 7pm at Southampton Town Hall on Hampton Road. On the agenda is a "pre-application" for a large development in rural Bridgehampton. If this development is approved woodland would give way to more expensive housing for weekenders in an area that needs affordable housing for working class families.
The following letter was sent to the Planning Board and members of the Southampton Town Council:
January 10, 2008
Southampton Town Planning Board c/o Mr Dennis Finnerty
cc:
Ms. Linda Kabot, Supervisor
Town Council members:
Ms. Nancy Graboski,
Ms. Anna Throne-Holst
Mr. Chris Nuzzi
The South Fork Chapter of the Long Island Progressive Coalition notes with concern the pre-application by "Vintage Vines" for a 37 lot sub-division on 48 acres of presently wooded land in the vicinity of Scuttlehole Road near Huntington Crossing in Bridgehampton.
This application illustrates the dire need for an inclusionary zoning ordinance so that the affordable component would have been mandated for this development.
If this land is to be cleared for development we feel the Town should seriously consider the construction of affordable housing in this area where recently residents with modest means have been forced out of their homes as re-development brought new higher cost housing to the area. Although there has been a small amount of so-called affordable housing built in Bridgehampton and Southampton Town it is nowhere near what is required to allow the people who work in our mostly low and moderate wage economy to be able to live near their workplace. Even teachers, police and fireman are finding the housing situation impossible.
We suggest as a start that the Board consider a portion (at least 20%) of the units in the proposed development to be subsidized so that the carrying costs are no more that a third of the buyers’ family income. Also we suggest that the project be structured so that the units are affordable in perpetuity. We believe this will work if the developer is given a 'density bonus' as an incentive to built the affordable units.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss this in more detail at a mutually convenient time.
Sincerely, Kathryn Szoka, LIPC South Fork Chapter - Housing Committee
Bill Chaleff, LIPC South Fork Chapter Co-Chair
Antje Katcher, LIPC - South Fork Chapter Co-Chair
The following letter was sent to the Planning Board and members of the Southampton Town Council:
January 10, 2008
Southampton Town Planning Board c/o Mr Dennis Finnerty
cc:
Ms. Linda Kabot, Supervisor
Town Council members:
Ms. Nancy Graboski,
Ms. Anna Throne-Holst
Mr. Chris Nuzzi
The South Fork Chapter of the Long Island Progressive Coalition notes with concern the pre-application by "Vintage Vines" for a 37 lot sub-division on 48 acres of presently wooded land in the vicinity of Scuttlehole Road near Huntington Crossing in Bridgehampton.
This application illustrates the dire need for an inclusionary zoning ordinance so that the affordable component would have been mandated for this development.
If this land is to be cleared for development we feel the Town should seriously consider the construction of affordable housing in this area where recently residents with modest means have been forced out of their homes as re-development brought new higher cost housing to the area. Although there has been a small amount of so-called affordable housing built in Bridgehampton and Southampton Town it is nowhere near what is required to allow the people who work in our mostly low and moderate wage economy to be able to live near their workplace. Even teachers, police and fireman are finding the housing situation impossible.
We suggest as a start that the Board consider a portion (at least 20%) of the units in the proposed development to be subsidized so that the carrying costs are no more that a third of the buyers’ family income. Also we suggest that the project be structured so that the units are affordable in perpetuity. We believe this will work if the developer is given a 'density bonus' as an incentive to built the affordable units.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss this in more detail at a mutually convenient time.
Sincerely, Kathryn Szoka, LIPC South Fork Chapter - Housing Committee
Bill Chaleff, LIPC South Fork Chapter Co-Chair
Antje Katcher, LIPC - South Fork Chapter Co-Chair
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