Sherman Minton bridge protest.....

[GeoFisher]

Black preacher protesting because not enough minorities are working on the project.

********.........

http://www.courier-journal.com/artic...y=mod|mostview

You are KIDDING, right.......

[RIBLUEFISH]

I saw that on the news last evening. Reminds me of an episode of the Sopranos where the Native Americans were protesting Columbus Day in New Jersey. Tony sent Bobby Vinton to sing at one of the Indian run casinos in Connecticut for free, problem solved. Really though why didn't he do this on day one not at what hopefully is the end of the project. Also I do not care where these workers came from as long as they have the proper skills to do the work and finish it for the price they quoted. I may be wrong but I don't think anyone of those 10 people are qualified to do anything associated with that bridge repair.

[Embrey]

shoot em

[Tyme2fish]

It all started at the "African American Think Tank". Seriously.

Six guys hanging out at the liquor store is more like it.

[DJD]

It all started at the "African American Think Tank". Seriously.

Six guys hanging out at the liquor store is more like it.

What they fail to understand is that business is done a certain way. Walking up and protesting isn't a good showing in my eyes. Maybe putting in applications and if you qualify and are needed they will call you.

Looks like the think tank has sprung a leak.

[ironhead70]

the job is union and you have to go to the hall to get work

[Chubminnow]

I had a friend on facebook post this...I left a comment for all of my friends and his friends to see...my comment was NOT racists in the least! As a matter of fact my exact comment to his posting was this: "Figures....how come they didn't get in line for a job as soon as the project started? What's more important is getting the bridge OPEN, not who's working on it!"

I opened my email the next day and found I had recieved an email from someone's telephone...I have NO idea who the person was who sent it, I do not know or recognize the number, etc...but the content of the email consisted of the following: "When the Ku Klux Klan have a party, it's always black people who get roped in to provide the entertainment."

The telephone number that sent me the email came from 502-235-2001.

Fella's...I'm a long time poster on fishin.com...look through all my posts and try to find one racial comment I have made, you will be lucky to find even one. But let me tell you all what...these so called protestors or marchers or whatever they are, gathering in bands of brotherhood or whatever it is they call themselves...when they do STUPID CRAP such as gathering in numbers and trying to cause a commotion on a job site...it burns my britches to no end!! I don't throw the racial card until provoked to do so...and with this latest protest..well...I'm calling a spade a spade. There's white trash, black trash, mexican trash, you name it...and when ANYONE tries to trump a project by saying they were treated unfair because of their skin color or nationality or whatever the case may be...all I got to say is keep on marching boys, march right there to the edge of that bridge and JUMP!

[Chubminnow]

From the Courier-Journal:

The head of a social-services organization led a march into the restricted work area on the Sherman Minton Bridge on Thursday to protest what he believes is a lack of hiring from neighborhoods with high unemployment near the bridge. [I](If anyone knows anything about construction they know "safety-first" is the keyword, do not cross the barriers where the limits of construction take place unless dressed properly and have permission to do so...you're asking for trouble and putting your life and the lives of others in danger)[/I]

They have not hired people from the West End, said the Rev. Gerome Sutton, director of the Louisville African-American Think Tank.
In an interview before and during his protest march up the ramp to the Sherman Minton from 39th and Bank streets, Sutton said he has been trying since early November to make the bridge contractor, Louisville-based Hall Contracting, and Indiana and Kentucky state governments aware of unemployed peoples needs.

Sutton said a Hall vice president told me they don't have any jobs available.

But Sutton said he believes that with the $13.9 million repair contract requiring 12-hour shifts seven days a week, more jobs could have been provided to those who live so close to the bridge.

Tom Roberts Jr., a Hall Contracting vice president, said in a statement that the company is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate. We are meeting, or exceeding, the minority hiring goals set forth in our contract with InDot for this project. He added, "I think it is important to note that Hall has been committed to completing this very difficult project as rapidly as possible from day one." Todays disruptions by a handful of individuals are not in the best interests of those commuters and/or resident of Louisville and New Albany.

A spokesman for the Indiana Department of Transportation didn't immediately respond to a phone call requesting comment.

Chuck Wolfe, public affairs director for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, said he and other cabinet employees have met with Sutton.
Wolfe said Sutton knows that Kentucky has contracted with Indiana for the management of Sherman Minton repairs and maintenance and has no authority over Hall's hiring. Hall must meet federal requirements for hiring minority and disadvantaged subcontractors and reporting on it, which Sutton referred to, Wolfe said. He hasn't seen the reports but they should be available to the public, Wolfe said.

Wolfe also said that he believes Sutton's goal, in protesting on the Sherman Minton, is to get attention for his concerns NOW so that minorities will be hired to work on the two bridges planned under the Ohio River Bridges Project.

"It's one of our goals to have a training component for Ohio River bridges construction, and to do even more than may be required to assure minority participation in the $2.6 billion project", Wolfe said.

Sutton and eight men, whom he identified as unemployed West End residents, walked up the approach to the Sherman Minton and reached the barriers beyond which Hall employees were working just before noon.
As Sutton and his group entered the work area, construction workers streamed off the bridge for their lunch break. After asking who was in charge, the group was directed to project manager Randy Downey.
We're looking for work, Sutton told Downey. [I](Watch the video, do you really think Sutton and company was looking for a job in the construction industry? Where's their work boots, hard hats, tool belts, fluorescent orange safety vests?)[/I]

After a few minutes of discussion, Downey asked Sutton and his group to leave the restricted work area and said that if they didn't, he would have to call the police.

Sutton told him to call police, which Downey did.

After about 30 minutes, a police car drove up to the work area from the Indiana side. But no arrests were made, and after a wait, Sutton and his group walked back down the Kentucky ramp.

"They wouldn't arrest us," Sutton said. But, he said, he believes he was able to attract attention for his concerns. He said his goal is to win a share of work on the Ohio River bridges for the unemployed in the West End and he offered to help manage a training program for the many people who have come to his office to get help finding a job. We will be back tomorrow at the Sherman Minton, Sutton said. [I](This guy wants to "manage" a training program for skilled construction workers????????).[/I]

The following is a link to the courier-journal report with video...

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...=2012302090038

[Big Gills]

SInce you have his number call him or her back and block yours by pressing #67 first and then dial the number and say that when the Black Panthers have a party the crackers or white folks provide the entertainment like getting beaten to a pulp. Goes both ways.

[DJD]

SInce you have his number call him or her back and block yours by pressing #67 first and then dial the number and say that when the Black Panthers have a party the crackers or white folks provide the entertainment like getting beaten to a pulp. Goes both ways.

Margie,
In the USA when a Black Leader does this kind of thing it's because America is racist and its only fair to the black man. When a nonblack says anything about it he is a racist. Even if nothing is said about this by the preacher or leader it's implied and or assumed. This country is hammered all the time with this black leader standing up for the black man junk.
Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Jeremiah Wright, Louis Farakhan and this fella. It's everywhere.....but as a nonblack don't you dare say a word against a black person directly or implied. You will be fired, ridiculed or harassed. Double standard here is the good old USA!!

[Tim_T]

I had a friend on facebook post this...I left a comment for all of my friends and his friends to see...my comment was NOT racists in the least! As a matter of fact my exact comment to his posting was this: "Figures....how come they didn't get in line for a job as soon as the project started? What's more important is getting the bridge OPEN, not who's working on it!"

I opened my email the next day and found I had recieved an email from someone's telephone...I have NO idea who the person was who sent it, I do not know or recognize the number, etc...but the content of the email consisted of the following: "When the Ku Klux Klan have a party, it's always black people who get roped in to provide the entertainment."

The telephone number that sent me the email came from 502-235-2001.

Fella's...I'm a long time poster on fishin.com...look through all my posts and try to find one racial comment I have made, you will be lucky to find even one. But let me tell you all what...these so called protestors or marchers or whatever they are, gathering in bands of brotherhood or whatever it is they call themselves...when they do STUPID CRAP such as gathering in numbers and trying to cause a commotion on a job site...it burns my britches to no end!! I don't throw the racial card until provoked to do so...and with this latest protest..well...I'm calling a spade a spade. There's white trash, black trash, mexican trash, you name it...and when ANYONE tries to trump a project by saying they were treated unfair because of their skin color or nationality or whatever the case may be...all I got to say is keep on marching boys, march right there to the edge of that bridge and JUMP!

Chub, do you have name to go with the number? I would absolutely be calling this idiot or replying by e-mail to let them know I was not happy.

[Chubminnow]

I don't have a name to go with the number...but in my original comment I commented once again WITH said telephone number for all facebook users to see. I don't know anything about the number, where it came from, etc...as for calling the rascal up...I'd just as soon not. There's to much electronic thieving going on for me to do that, I ain't all that smart when it comes to electronic gadgets, what can be coded, decoded, saved, used under another name or what have you....Tim and Margie you both have good points, but Don is right.

These guys doing this marching thing...in MY OPINION, they aren't really MEN persay, in fact I doubt if any of them would make a good greasy spot on a Tom Boy's ass...and in MY OPINION, they really can't be taken seriously. If you truly do want a job you don't gang up, march and cry to the beat of the African drum. But what you do is make yourself a lunch, put on your work clothes and show up on site prior to the scheduled working hours, so you can be in plain sight of the foreman...start at the job trailer first...get the requirements for being hired and go from there. He may refer you back to his main office or whatever...bottom line, I have NO respect for this sort of folk.