Reverend Edward Pinkney, a community activist in Benton Harbor who has been active in fighting racial injustice in the southwest Michigan town, has been arrested at his home. According Pinkney's Black Autonomy Network of Community Organizers (BANCO), Pinkney was arrested on Friday for violating a provision in his probation agreement that prohibits him from making certain types of comments in the media or in person. Pinkney's lawyer claims that they were unaware of the prohibition. Pinkney's computer has also been confiscated by the Berrien County Sheriff's Department during the arrest.
At issue are comments by Pinkney in the People's Tribune newspaper. A copy of the arrest warrant obtained by the excellent BlackCommentator.com says:
"I request that a bench warrant be issued and Pinkney, Edward be arrested and brought before the Court for probation revocation proceedings for the following reasons:
Violated the 15th condition of probation, which states that he shall not engage any assaultive, abusive, defamatory, demeaning, harassing, violent, threatening, or intimidating behavior, including through any electronic or print media under his care, custody, or control of the mail, e-mail, or Internet, as Mr. Pinkney authored an article in the People's Tribune at www.peoplestribune.org in the November/December 2007 issue, stating that, 'We must fight for justice for all anytime you have a judge like Alfred Butzbaugh, who is a racist.' 'Nor did I receive due process by the dumb Judge and prosecutor.' 'We are still waiting on this racist, corrupt judge to do the same.'"
Pinkney has announced that he is on hunger strike in protest of the arrest, while BANCO is asking people to take the following actions:
"Gov. Granholm has the ability to pardon Pinkney or commute his sentence. All individuals and organizations are urged to immediately write letters or post cards DEMANDING his pardon. He is only one (the most vocal) in a city of people under a severely repressive government. THEY WANT HIM SILENCED. So far, with the complicit media, they have been successful. Let's do what we can to free him since his leadership is crucial.
Governor Granholm
P. O. BOX 30013
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909
517-335-7858 (call may not be recorded)Legal Fee Donations (non-profit so it's tax-deductible):
BANCO
1940 Union St.
Benton Harbor, MI 49022Herald Palladium Newspaper (letters to the editor)
P.O. Box 128
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
800-356-4262Whirlpool Corp. (World Headquarters and N. America Region)
2000 N. M-63
Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022-2692
269-923-5000Support Rev. Pinkney and Sign Petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/624471377Boycott Whirlpool and it's subsidiaries: Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Gladiator, GarageWorks, Inglis, Estate, Roper, Magic Chef, Acros, Supermatic. ABROAD - Bauknecht, Brastemp, Consul, Eslabon de Lujo.
Buy NON-Whirlpool brands! - Frigidaire, General Electric, LG, Samsung, Viking, Subzero, Dacor, some Kenmore, etc."
More information on the case can be found in a recent article on BlackCommentator.com.
