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‘Organize & unify’

Published May 12, 2005 3:17 PM

An Emergency Crisis has been declared by the community of Asbury Park to combat attacks by business and bourgeois politicians. The community is coming together and has formed the All Peoples’ Movement, a multi-racial group of local activists who see the defense of our communities and the needs of its people as our immediate obligation.

We see how big developers are intentionally destroying our working class neighborhoods and small business and forcing us out. This is most severe for the Black community. We see how the developers sell out our futures while planning their own, buying out corrupt politicians to do their bidding. We see the city being sold (really given away), tax abatements for “investors,” chopping block prices on historic sites, offering the necks of the community as collateral.

The situation for youth is a disaster and the APM is organizing a Jobs for Youth Campaign.

On May 4th we held a rally at City Hall one week before town elections. We wanted to make sure that regardless of who is in office they are made aware that the people are angry and finished with their false promises and exclusive backroom deals. With a loud sound system heard in the Council chambers, we chan ted and held signs reading “Jobs, not jails and war,” “Summer jobs for youth now,” and “Money for the community, not the developers.” People walking by joined in and there were honks of support and clenched fists out of car windows.

The rally moved inside to the Council meeting where we spoke out. Chris New man read a statement asking the Council to declare an emergency crisis in youth unemployment. He demanded that jobs for youth be funded by a tax on developers, and demanded city funds for a program carried out by a community council.

Sister Isis gave a passionate voice to the daily struggle for survival against the racist police force and racism in hiring. Gavrielle Gemma called for the tearing up of the deals given to the developers and took on their representatives attending the meeting. About 40 Asbury Park residents cheered and chanted “Jobs now, jobs now.”

We will never forget the look of shock and fear on the Council members’ faces. For years, Council members have carried out the orders of the developers, with the exception of Councilman John Hamilton who has consistently stood with the community. On the spot, the Council and the developer agreed there would be an emergency meeting held with the All Peoples’ Movement to address this “obvious” need for summer jobs for youth.

The APM is in no sense naïve to the lies and trickery of bourgeois politics. We know that the only way our demands will be met is to continue to organize and unify the people—who must become their own political force, which speaks on its own behalf and answers only to the needs of this diverse working class community, who are the past, present and the true future of Asbury Park.

Steffan Manno

Asbury Park, N.J.