IS Westin Heights/ Bankhead Risising Up or Drownig in the Creek?

IS  Westin Heights/ Bankhead Risising Up  or Drownig in the Creek?

Will the disparity gap, the racial divide and the prevalence of social injustice, diminish and vanish with the changing Westside neighborhoods?  Will long-suffering indigenous  residents, families and children who stayed, but because they chose to stay, they greatly suffered from the ill effects of poor schools, environmental injustices of illegal dumping, pollution of the earth, the water and the air. Unbridled drug-trafficking, and other social and economic disparities, were permitted to flourish and eviscerate the neighborhoods causing once beautiful, thriving neighborhoods to look like disaster zones?  As the PHOENIX again rises from the embers of its ashes and takes flight, will economics, class and racial identity be determinants of the residents and stakeholders of the NEW Westside neighborhoods?  What does the future hold for us, for our  children and for our children's children?  Will we, and our progeny, enjoy the prosperity that is envisioned for the NEW WESTSIDE?

What Happened to the idea of a KING Park?

The article appearing in the Atlanta Progressice News reported that 

Mims Park Statue, of Confederate Mayor Mims, Raises Concern

By Gloria Tatum, Senior News Writer, Atlanta Progressive News (August 21, 2016)

Read the full article and comment by clicking HERE.

(APN) ATLANTA - Plans are underway to restore historic Mims Park, on Atlanta's West side in the Vine City community, to its original design by world renowned landscape Architects Frederick Law Olmsted and John Charles Olmsted

Should there be a Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Atlanta, GA/? How do we create an unbiased historical record of people and events important to Atlanta’s historical evolution?  Do we obliterate all references to Slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow while embracing only leaders and events of the Civil Rights movements?  Why are we minimizing Atlanta’s status as a beacon for civil rights and racial justice? What is the significance of  honoring and celebrating Atlanta’s leading role in perpetuating slavery and racial injustice in the neighborhood that help to give birth to a worldwide movement for racial and social justice?  

U.S. Presidential Races> A Reality Show on The World Stage

ALARM FOR ACTION:The Wost and Best Countries for Mothers:

ALARM FOR ACTION: Worst and Best Countries for Mothers

Drewnell Thomas

5/10/2015 10:07:21 PM

Is the report of “Save the Children's "State of the World's Mothers 2015: The Urban Disadvantage,” written by Katia Hetter, (published by CNN, Monday evening May 4, 2015) a valid indicator that the world's social and economic systems are out of whack?  Does this list of the best and the worst, sound an alarm that demands a global response to   an increasingly volatile status of HAVES and HAVE NOTs?

Are policy makers clear (do they care) about the social, economic and cultural forces, that create and maintain the glaringly profound disparity along racial lines?  Swift and appropriate actions to address the disparity between BLACK AND WHITE, RICH and POOR are required to obtain social justice and maintain peace.

According to the CNN news report, "Save the Children works to improve the lives of children around the world, which includes better nutrition, sanitation, health care and education for mothers and their children.”  The report did not include demographic data of the countries; however, based on the location of the named Countries; one can surmise the racial, economic and cultural makeup without the specific demographics of each country.

Best countries for mothers:

1. Norway
2. Finland
3. Iceland
4. Denmark
5. Sweden

Worst countries for mothers:

1. Somalia
2. Democratic Republic of the Congo
3. The Central African Republic
4. Mali
5. Niger

What are your VIEWS?

Reference http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/04/living/feat-save-the-children-mothers-index/index.html?sr=fb050915motherhoodrankings230pStoryPhoto

 

 WILL HOME-GROWN WORKFORCE  HELP BUILD GEORGIA DOME?

Now that the huge, ambitious new project of constructing an expensive, retractable roofed arena on Atlanta's Westside is underway, we must consider the many implications of this mega structure's far-reaching tentacles.  Like it or not like it, the success of this project will have impacts on, not only Vine City, English Avenue, Historic Westin Heights/Bankhead and Washington Park neighborhoods largely because Atlanta is viewed through the World's microscope as the cradle of the Civil Rights movement.   

Georgia, can we, and will we build capacity to use homegrown employees from Atlanta's Westside neighborhoods to help build the Georgia Dome?  Will we (can we) help drug addicts, ex-prisoners, old and sick people as well as persons who are so far down in the pit of poverty and despair that they have no way of climbing out?  Well.  I have a dream that we can, and we must, inspire hope through a system of well-connected programs that provide education, training, drug rehabilitation, mental health counseling, as well as programs that develop CLEAN neighborhoods and promote economic development.  This network of programs must have access to real livable wage jobs to insure sustainable neighborhood stability. 

The creative use of homegrown employees and small businesses can builds capacity for self-determination and neighborhood empowerment throughout the City.  The economic and social step up for a few individuals and small businesses potentially can become a beginning to the end of Atlanta’s polarized racial and economic disparity.

Fulton County Election Results - sshHHHHH Quiet TOP SECRET

HAVE YOU HEARD? HAVE YOU READ THE NEWS?  WHO ARE THE WINNERS AND WHO were the losers in the May 20. 2014 elections?  When I went to my polling precinct around 4:00 PM, only 27 persons had voted.  Why the malaise and apathy about voting.  Why such apathy and such  lack of commitment by the United States of America. voting public? Why the failure to exercise rights granted by the U.S. Constitution?

Sports Arenas: Atlanta's Dream Makers or Dream Breakers?

Riding home with my friend on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive   from several meetings in downtown Atlanta, my friend driving, and I giving directions, unexpectedly, we were forced to make a sharp detour from what was the most expedient route, Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive near the Georgia Dome.  The abrupt detour of the street greatly annoyed me, but I overcame my annoyance.  

This morning after I read a report on Facebook (link posted at end of article). I had a flashback of my ride home from downtown.   After reading The Saporta Report about the realignment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, a new sea of emotions engulfed me. I did not get angry, but I felt a sense of dismay that important, sacred places and sacred symbols were being desecrated and violated.  Three Churches have been lost. Morning Star was torn down to make place for the present Georgia Dome.  Mount Vernon Church (and School) and Friendship Baptist Church are slated to be demolished for a VIP parking garage.  Now, what is the eventual fate of the Central United Methodist Church, The Mitchell Street Central Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church and The Phyllis Wheatley Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)?  

The actualization of justice, peace and the actualization of civil and equal rights for all peoples throughout the world are symbolic of the DREAM given to the world by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The DREAM is being tarnished by the lack of respect and by the removal of the physical representations, these symbols that helped to make Atlanta a world-class city. Replacing blight with safe and affordable neighborhoods for all regardless of race, age, sex, ethnic origin, religion is a credible and noble DREAM that should not be tainted.  Shiny new skyscrapers, lavish new sports arenas and new buildings are important parts of a community, but the conscience of people is required to build strong and vibrant neighborhoods. Strong and vibrant neighborhoods are required to build a strong Atlanta.  Vibrant and connected cities and communities will make Georgia a strong STATE.   What will we do to become a CITY with a Conscience?  Will Atlanta's leaders become DREAM KEEPERS and DREAM MAKERS?  Have we become a Community of DEAL MAKERS AND DREAM BREAKERS? Will the deals surrounding sports arenas cause the Phoenix to destruct beyond its ability to resurrect?

Atlanta Falcons defend plans to realign MLK; AU presidents disagree - See more at: http://saportareport.com/blog/2014/02/atlanta-falcons-defend-plans-to-realign-mlk-au-presidents-disagree/#sthash.XC9xeF9n.dpuf