RIGHTS: On the arrest of Gantt, Florence, and Scott
By Mary Anna Towler on Feb. 9th, 2008 at 5:05pm 2 Comments
Well, there on the Democrat and Chronicle's website are police mug shots of three African-American community leaders: State Assemblymember David Gantt, the Rev. Franklin Florence, and Raymond Scott.
They were arrested this morning at the County Office Building during protests over the selection process for a new public defender.
The photos of Florence and Scott, in particular, made my heart skip a beat. These are men who were front-page news back during Rochester's tumultuous Civil Rights period, fighting for justice in employment and education, fighting police brutality.
In one respect, it is good to see them back, these heroes of Rochester's African-American struggles. In another respect: have we really come no farther than this? That these black men of a certain age still have to protest and get arrested as they seek justice?
Earlier today, the County Legislature's Republican Majority Leader accused legislature Democrats of fostering this activism, of helping organize the protests to create civil unrest during the committee meeting.
I've covered David Gantt's efforts to help the poor in Monroe County for years. I covered the civil-rights efforts of Franklin Florence and Ray Scott years ago. Those men don't need any help from any Democrats in the County Legislature.
And the Republicans in the County Legislature ought to be ashamed of themselves. It is they, and not anyone else, who have created this conflict.
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Peter Tonery on February 19th, 2008
Sal Costanza on February 20th, 2008
Steven Minarik intends to place as many Republicn partisans in positions of power as possible. The Water Authority has long been a Republican stronghold, Donaher will probably soon begin placing Republicans in his office, and Bill Smith, a machine politicians of the worst sort, could soon be rewarded for lock-stepping with Minarik with a plum job as president of Monroe Community College. I wonder what reward Minarik will give to Zyra when he has to step down? Head of a a new county Department of Human Rights?
These actions are a form of the most insidious kind of corruption--especially when undertaken by the party of "small government." If county Republicans ever want to reclaim a shred of real pride--versus arrogance--they'll have to throw Minarik out. If they have the guts.