Sunday, April 1, 2012

Mourning Detroit Transit and Memorial for Martin Luther King Jr.

April 1, 2012 - Detroit

Occupy Detroit is partnering with organizations, communities and transit riders in holding a candlelight vigil on April 4, 2012 from 8:00-11:00pm at the Rosa Parks Transit Center. This event is part of a National Call to Action for Public Transportation with 10 cities holding activities.


On February 28, 2012 a delegation presented to City Council a set of resolutions, within we asked to form a Citizen Transit Advisory Board which would interact with the Department of Transportation. There has been no response.


Our position is Public Transportation is a Human Right granting freedom of mobility as set forth in 1948 through the Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations, Eleanor Roosevelt contributor). We demand Transportation Justice!


Martin Luther King Jr participated in the year-long Montgomery Alabama Bus Boycott of 1956, which was launched when Rosa Parks was placed under arrest for failing to yield to the demands of a bus driver on a segregated bus. Mr and Mrs Parks were members of the NAACP with Martin Luther King Jr, and were leaders of the civil rights movement. We hold this most s
acred vigil on ground most appropriate for demonstration - the Rosa Parks Transit Center.



Fifty six years later the struggle for justice continues. We the people deserve better. We deserve a system that works for our needs - not the needs of some, but for all, regardless of time of day. Correct wrong choices made, create jobs to address weaknesses, enable public access to proceedings and interaction before changes are made that impact everyone. Elimination of night and weekend bus service has impacted hospitals, restaurants, sporting events, nightlife, and visitation with family and friends. People have been cast onto streets dark without public lighting, walking miles to get home in all types of inclement weather, in a city where they have a 1 in 41 chance of being a victim of violent crime; this is unacceptable. 

The vigil will provide the opportunity for speakers from organizations and communities to rally together in support and memorial. We stand together on the night before the Detroit Department of Transportation holds another set of public hearings April 5, 2012 from 10:00am-noon and 6:00-8:00pm at the Northwest Activity Center and at Wayne County Community College-Eastern Campus.


It is appalling that City of Detroit staff have stated they wish to minimize media coverage of the public hearings by knowingly scheduling on the opening day for Tiger baseball.


We are calling for the engagement of all communities around Detroit. 


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Contact: Stephen Boyle, 313-626-8525, transit@occupy-detroit.us

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