CONCERNED BLACK CLERGY OF METROPOLITAN ATLANTA, INC.
CONCERNED BLACK CLERGY PRESIDENT: Reverend Darrell D. Elligan
REVEREND RAPHAEL L. ALLEN. CBC Vice-President of Programs
MS. SADIE J. DENARD CBC Vice-President of Administration
Executive Office
Phone 404 755-4900; Fax 404 755-9922; Email cbcatl@bellsouth.net www.concernedblackclergy.org
REVEREND DOCTOR RICHARD H. COBBLE. CBC Vice-President of
Senior Minister,
Voice Mail (404) 624-9488; FAX (404) 622-8906; CELL 678 296-2128; EMAIL omega621@bellsouth.net
INTRODUCTION: Homelessness and hunger are greatly influence by the way Business is done in the
Clergy voices within Concerned Black Clergy – Metro
Madeleine Delbrel founded a group home for a small group of women, in 1933 Ivry, France, outside of
1. Many people do not have what they need in the sense of living conditions, budgets, housing, salary, and culture in order to live a normal human life.
2. Majority of Christians remains among themselves; clergy and lay-people in privileged social sectors; the Gospel is not proclaimed by word and by life. The witnesses no longer bear witness, in the first place because they aren’t there, but also because their life itself does not bear witness.
3. Poverty of the mind” characterizes those who are responsible for human conditions that impoverish human beings.
Homeless is defined as a physical , mental, and spiritual living condition resulting from the way business is done by government, commercial, industrial, and professional transactions and/or dealings. The homeless person or persons experience daily living without a resident while being without work and/or have no source of income.
Therefore in view of Madeleine Delbrel profound revelations, coupled with the 23-years of Concerned Black Clergy ministerial experiences, Homelessness and hunger are living conditions that separate human beings from the dignity and quality of life. These living conditions are further affected by the following: Substance abuse & Drug trafficking, unemployment, housing, legal entanglement, public transportation, domestic violence, AIDS/HIV, health
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ailments and no health insurance, individual personal concerns, family and children concerns, and education. These eleven (11) daily living experiences characterize issues that are associated with homelessness. People experiencing life problems associated with the above have no voice.
Homelessness is among the leading purpose in which Concerned Black Clergy, Metro-Atlanta (CBC) was organized. The founding clergy persons of this organization must have realized that God is most recognized and vocal when the dignity and quality of human life are violated. They must have felt that moneymaking businesses appear only concerned about materialistic schemes of conducting their trade without regards for people.
With this understanding, Concerned Black Clergy, Metro Atlanta (CBC) functions and/or operates upon past, present, and future involvement of clergy who speaks truth to power. Their spiritual thinking and action form a transitive sense where divine intervention enables one to examine and accepts truth and/or reality for what it is worth. Therefore, the Team Leadership of Concerned Black Clergy is working in partnership to be on the cutting-edge in making this problem our most vital concerns. This means assessing and reassessing our collaborative efforts with resources and agencies to promote total community services that enhance quality lifestyles.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
VP of Mission Three Concerns Affecting Homelessness:
1. WEAK PREDATORY LENDING LAWS IN GEORGIA. As Georgia is recognized as number one state in foreclosures. With Atlanta and Fulton County leading this nation in foreclosures, CBC worked in partnership with Rainbow Push to win a concession from Bank of America to stop foreclosure on the church property of Greater Works Church, SE Atlanta.
2. EXTENSION OF THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. Once again, CBC worked in partnership with SCLC, NAACP, PEOPLE AGENDA, AND RAINBOW PUSH to confront seven US CONGRESS POLICY MAKERS FROM GEORGIA. As Georgia is recognized as number one state in foreclosures. With Atlanta and Fulton County leading this nation in foreclosures, CBC worked in partnership with Rainbow Push to win a concession from Bank of America to stop foreclosure on the church property of Greater Works Church, SE Atlanta.
The problems associated with the loan documents of Greater Works
Church is much more complicated with real properties of our senior citizens and/or those citizens who are affected by negatives of economic growth, illnesses, and many other sound reasons that preclude making timely mortgage payments. Rather than having a system that foster 30 to 90 day’s foreclosures, Georgia Policy Makers ought to Strengthen Georgia
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Predatory Lending Laws by implementing a Review Board for mortgage loans and/or loans that have negative affects upon personal and/or real property of Georgia Citizens. While Georgia Banking industry is losing millions of dollars in foreclosures, a thoughtful process could yield greater funding, whereas, cities and/or counties improve their tax base.
3. LT. GOVERNOR MARK TAYLOR’S PRAYER BREAKFAST AT PASCHAL’S RESTAURANT. CBC clergy joined other clergy from across Atlanta in a prayer session. Issues were discussed as they should had been done during the campaign. To be honest, Georgia citizens are tired of negative campaigning!
CBC receives many complaints about candidate not addressing subject matters that are having bad affects upon everyday living. Although healthcare and education are major concerns, everyday working folks are tired of congested highways and interstate movement, folks want to see policy makers talk about investment in other sources of energy! As they are confronted with fluctuating prices of crude oil that translate into higher gasoline prices and utility bills, candidates ought to be presenting their plans for giving Georgia citizens some relief!
Every candidate, whether it is city, county, state, or federal, should be talking about solutions. And trump-up subject matters should not be used as political ploys to divert meaningful discussions. When Georgia citizens are part of the decision process and/or planning process for attracting and/or developing quality life, international business should not have problems relocating to Georgia which further improves the job market. If Atlanta is dis-jointed and Georgia Policy Makers still have their heads in the sand, Atlanta and Georgia cannot move forward as a progressive environment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
Community Drug Problems reinforce the need for our weekly meetings around the subject of confronting illegal drug trafficking: Agape House Ministry, Inc has a “Let’s Talk Breakfast every fourth Saturday morning, 9 AM, to discuss these concerns. Perhaps CBC members will come to learn more about the problems from individuals who have experienced this dilemma. Perhaps special invitation can be extended to Dallas Austin. As an Atlanta music producer, he had a rude awakening with the harsh laws of Dubai, a small Persian Gulf kingdom. Age 35, he was arrested May 19, 2006, at the Dubai International Airport, with possession of 1.26 grams of cocaine. While Dubai’ laws allows two to fifteen years for a first conviction of cocaine possession, drug trafficking is a crime punishable by death. No matter what one may think of Islamic laws, drug and/or alcoholic violations are punishable by harsh penalties. Perhaps an invitation should be extended to Dallas Austin to come and
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share his Dubai experience before a CBC morning meeting. I am almost certain that his story should give greater insights for confronting illegal drug trafficking and utilizing our efforts for substance abuse rehab and/or prevention.
Drug trafficking in any form destroys created-minded individuals, well-meaning families, and a host of communities. Just check out the southeast Atlanta! It appears that illegal drug trafficking within this community set the stage for real property de-valuation, whereas, crack-houses cause real property to run down. And when these houses are vacated, lack of
maintenance cause them to run down even more. Then developers are
able to purchase such properties at rock-bottom prices, only to build costly housing, $200,000 plus homes that increases the taxes. And the fixed and/or low-income folks are forced to leave and subsequently become homeless!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
BOYCOTT ACTION AGAINST BP OIL COMPANY
Thursday, June 29, 2006, on or about 4 PM, Concerned Black Clergy joined Rainbow Push’s boycott initiative against BP to bring down the price of gasoline. The Picket Line march around the BP Service Station on Cascade Road near IH285. CBC joined Rainbow Push in this protest to force down the price of gasoline that is working a hardship on all of us. For the past two years, CBC Vice President of Mission has kept us updated about the oil industry problems and hardships caused by greed and price manipulations.
Current Stock Market activities indicate the “up and down” cost of crude oil and its reflection upon natural gas and gasoline prices. The Hurricane Season and/or International Troubles are being used as scare tactics to drive crude oil prices up. By Winter 2006, the price is estimated to increased to $100. Such increase would work a tremendous hardship on the gas energy bills of all Georgia citizens.
Big oil companies are robbing American consumers for their record profits and Hugh salaries for their executives. Staring with BP and Exxon five worst oil companies, greed and gouging profits are the two forces that State Utility Companies and State Legislatures are forcing people to pay extremely high gas bills. When will Governor Perdue and the Georgia Legislated Transportation Committee and/or Department wake-up and smell the coffee? They ought to take a lesson from the serious position of General Motor’s (GM) stock.
GM is listed as the lowest in the DOW 30 stock, whereas, GM is experiencing the worst in its history of its pricing on the stock market. WHY? About 30 years ago, the mid 1970s, GM indicated that it was going to develop its auto mechanism to get about 41 miles per gallon of gasoline. 30-years later, roads across this nation are crowded with autos, and cities
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like Atlanta are nothing but gridlock in the morning, at noonday, and in the evening. It takes a person in an auto about an hour and forty-five minutes to drive to work. And Georgia is planing on building more highways and/or widening the existing ones.
Current political candidates ought be discussing this concern with the voters. And we, the people ought to raise the questions. They ought to be asking this question, “Election is November 7, 2006. What are you going to do about the high gas bill that consumers will have to pay as the result of crude oil being $100 per barrel? What are you going to do decrease
congested highways throughout Georgia, especially around Atlanta?
When considering the economic development and the major role that Metro-Atlanta plays in the State’s economic development, it makes better sense to orchestrate public transit, in and around Atlanta, connecting to rural and/or other metro communities. And when rural folks say that they don’t want “the hustle and bustle of traffic”, the State must educate them that growth in Georgia is real. People are going to come, like it or not. Within the next five years, it is anticipated that two to three million people are coming to Georgia. Plus the rural communities are fertilized areas for attracting international businesses, which spells economic development.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
SOUTHERN REGIONAL INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT:
The Independent Movement is quietly taking shape. Many of the Democrat and/or Republic Candidates are not addressing issues that people wants to discussed and/or dialogue. Instead, many of them are putting on “Dogs and Pony” shows disconnect from folks. They are using the Bible as defense to defend “Ban on Gay Marriage” . This is nothing but a political ploy to disconnect people and responsible leadership from real issues that are being experienced by people who do not have voices to defend their concerns for daily and decent living.
They further demonstrated such disconnects when discussing homelessness and treatment of veterans. Although they sees homelessness as being the responsibility of churches and/or religious organizations, they have difficult understanding that homelessness is the result of ways business is conducted across this state and nation. America Corporations outsourcing jobs to foreign countries was stated as an example that is a major cause of homelessness.
Then facts about illegal drug trafficking throughout these United States as a core factor for homelessness was presented to him. And with many veterans in the room, much was heard about total disregards for medical attention and service benefits rendered by the Veterans Administration. While current administration PR advocates support for our soldiers in Iraq, such PR for their support after returning home is lacking.
The Republicans and/or the Democrats are lacking on their connection to problems of the people such as “Who is going to help with the high gas
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bills that will be confronting Georgia citizens this winter?” Why it is so hard for candidates for public office to discuss the issues where people are hurting and feeling pain from making ends meet in their daily living? Why are unable to recognize that moving Georgia forward requires acknowledging and discussing issues that decrease income to people?
People are tired of the “Dog and Pony Show” campaigns that are being presented to the people via television, radios, and other news media. Such behaviors among our political
candidates produces nothing but voters apathy, whereas, voters feel that candidates are not interested in their concerns. Therefore, they will tend to go the polls and vote for the lesser of the two evils.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ZONING ORDINANCE:
The Zoning Committee work session met Wednesday evening, June 7, 2006, 7 PM, in City Hall Committee Room 2. Atlanta
As Concerned Black Clergy-Metro Atlanta (CBC) has agreed to work in collaborative partnership with this committee, CBC written presentation was left with the committee. Proposed ordinance as written is outdated, too restrictive, and works totally against HUD’s Supportive Housing requirements, as well as the Anti-Drug Act of 1988. It was recognized that the object of this committee is to clean up our neighborhoods of illegal rooming houses and those ministerial residences claiming to rendering supportive services when such residence are “stand alone” services without any affiliation to any responsible authority.
Probably one of the ways to confront this problem to start inspecting such residences and determine appropriate action. If the residence is a rooming house, than the person responsible for the property should be
forced to comply with current requirements by registering that resident with appropriate city department. If the residence is operating a ministry, than the person responsible for the property and/or ministerial services should show evidence of their affiliation with a responsible religious body and/or appropriate government agency or an association affiliated city, county, or state government.
Even if that ministerial residence is operating as a church, the property owner and/or responsible person should be able to prove their organization as being incorporated with Georgia non-profit status. Both of these stated examples should prove their authority to exist in a residential community. If not, than responsible individual should register their property as being a rooming house under current city ordinance.
Councilman Ivory Young has been enlighten about HUD’s requirements and/or US Government Legislative Acts to protect persons with disability
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living in supportive housing in a residential environment. Concerned Black Clergy Metro Atlanta, Inc (CBC) further recognized that the Proposed Supportive Housing Legislation must be formulated with the under-standing that Atlanta is the crossroad for all of Georgia. We must perform the best public service that will create a welcome environment for all people. Approximately 2 million plus people will be moving to Atlanta within the next five years. Lessons should be learned from other organized supportive housing initiatives where disadvantage folks were able to live
without being stigmatized by the overall community. L’Arche became
visible to pastoral and mission ministry through Father Henri Nouwen, a renowned Catholic Priest who reached out to the desperate, downtrodden, and disabled who helps us to realize that we can learn from disadvantage folks when we find ways and means to connect with their world.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
CBC is working to coordinate with Georgia Public Service Commission Member, David Burgess to do a CBC focus meeting concerning the gas energy problems in Georgia. Although STAN WISES, Chairperson, Georgia Public Service Commission made his presentation Monday morning, May 22, 2006, many questions were not answered, whereas, there is a great heighten interest to re-regulate the gas energy in Georgia. Leadership of Concerned Black Clergy is working in partnership for revealing the following announcements:
1. ENERGY CRISIS IN ATLANTA AND/OR GEORGIA: A personal request was sent to STAN WISE, Chair-person, Georgia Public
Service Commission, to make an immediate presentation on explaining the surplus of emergency funds that are scheduled to be given to the Salvation Army if no one make application within the next several weeks. His office did not give a reply as was promised. His email address is stanwise@psc.state.ga.us. Back in November 2005, CBC was made aware that emergency funds for helping our senior citizens and poor folks would be available. However, when attempts were made to get these funds, phones stay busy. And when folks were able to get through, they were told that funds had run out. Yet! Atlanta Gas Light reported bad debt, due to non-payment of gas bills, increased to about 150 percent while this Georgia Natural Gas resource acquired high profits of about 25 percents.
GEORGIA PUBLIC UTILITY: Stan Wise is up for re-election in November 2006. Reports have been received concerning big oil companies bilking American consumers for their record profits and Hugh salaries for their executives. The Religious Communities must be involved and/or push for nationwide boycott against the oil companies that has caused high gas bills. And since it appears that some of the PSC members are not working on behalf of Georgia consumers, voters should look for new individuals
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who will do the job. Many Georgia customers are reeking from financial hardship cause by the lack of concern shown by the policy makers.
AGAPE HOUSE AFFECTED BY THE BAD GAS POLICY IN GEORGIA:
Agape House Ministry, Inc is a substance abuse recovery program that houses about 23 residents that came from the homeless population. Because of the bad Gas energy policy in Georgia, these men and other poor folk in Georgia have to suffer. Thursday, March 23, 2006, the gas services at the three Agape House group homes, where about 23 residents
are housed. Although this substance abuse recovery program made attempts to do the right thing to alleviate our gas bill for these three homes, totaling about $3,000, service were terminated prior to April 1, 2006.
FIRST! Numerous attempts were made to contact the organization that was presented to a CBC Monday morning meeting by an Atlanta Gas Light representative. Stating that there million of dollars to help folk with over-priced gas bills is nothing but a joke and a serious scheme by the Atlanta Gas Light to keep Georgia and Atlanta bill payers from protesting their monetary hike for gas services.
SECOND! We made a serious attempt to work out a payment plan with the Gas Marketers. That turned out to be a joke! Agape House program has collected funds to have services turned on in two of its facilities. We are still in need of about $1800. We are also experiencing high water bills when the water consumption is low. Yet! In spite of Agape House struggles, the residents are determined to fight for their stability and sobriety. We need financial help! Folks wishing to help Agape House can make their checks payable to Agape House Ministry, Inc. and mail them to PO BOX 310505; ATLANTA GA 30331.
The bottom concern for this whole understanding is that greed and gouging profits are the two forces that the Atlanta Gas Light and Georgia
Power are using State Legislature to go around Georgia Public Service Commission’s constitutional duty to regulate utilities.
TRUTHFUL SPEAKING! Georgia citizens ought to push hard for re-regulating the Gas Energy in Georgia. Not only in Georgia, but also across this Nation, “de-regulation of public utilities” has produced artificial manipulation of supplies while consumers are being gouged with “record high” utility bills.
VP OF MISSION COMMITTEE: Confronting Illegal Drug Trafficking.
Concerned Black Clergy – another homelessness preventive initiative, this committee is meeting every Thursday, 6:30 PM, at Omega Holiness Church, 621 Memorial Drive SE Atlanta, to discuss organizing, strategizing, mobilizing the addiction community for confronting illegal drug trafficking which is the jugular vein for homelessness.
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A COMMENT WAS MADE THAT CONCERNED BLACK CLERGY SHOULD GET BACK TO FOCUSING ON HOMELESSNESS: The person who made the comment was not asked to explain the meaning of his statement. The comment just demonstrated that he is disconnected from CBC activities. CBC is not just focusing on homelessness, we are making inquiries; conducting factual research, and confronting issues that helps to create homelessness.
There is a great deal of funds coming into this city in the name of helping homelessness, but such funds are not reaching the grass-root programs that doing the work! Now that we are in Mid-Election season, every candidate must be checked out to ensure that they have the total community best interest in their efforts to affect change. They must be educated to the understanding that homelessness results from ways business is conducted in Atlanta, throughout Georgia, and across this nation.
We are looking at other possibilities through the eyes of the Addiction Community. The VP of Mission homeless committee meeting will meet briefly after this Monday AM CBC meeting. We want to get at the jugular vein of homelessness! For about two years, the VP of Mission has inquired and evaluated other concerns associated with homelessness and finally realized that illegal drug trafficking underlines those community concerns that are destroying people, families, and communities. Therefore, mobilizing the addiction community is most vital for helping this population of folks to understand that they have voices, and they ought to be heard. And CBC can no longer ignore their concerns for having dignity and quality of life.
Recognizing that illegal drug trafficking is the root cause and affect upon homelessness and hunger in Georgia and throughout this Nation,
CBC VP of Mission is forming a committee to tackle this concern. The Committee is meeting every Thursday evening, 6:30 PM at Omega Holiness Church, 621 Memorial Drive. The committee will organize and strategize methods and procedures that should help CBC to broaden its base for
confronting illegal drug trafficking and building for a better Atlanta and Georgia. Thursday evening leadership sessions, 6:30 PM, at 621 Memorial Drive SE Atlanta.
ALL OF THE US GOVERNMENT monies are going to the WAR IN IRAQ! There are three commodities that dominate world markets, whereas, their profits and/or commercial advantage are gouging everyday working folks, especially the poor and elderly in our Black neighborhoods.
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These economic items are OIL, NATURAL GAS, AND ILLEGAL
DRUG TRAFFICKING! How can some defend US Position in Afghanistan
when the warlords and/or Tribal Chiefs in that country are heavily involved in pushing their agricultural product of the “poppy seeds” that produces heroin? Who are behind the business deals that make sure that oil and
illegal drug shipment co-exist while all the national fuss is being made about six major US Ports being protected by a foreign government? While tons and tons of marijuana is trafficked from Mexico into these United States, so does OIL! Although cargo after cargo of cocaine is slipped from South America into these United States, so is OIL.
HIGH PRIORITY CONCERNS:
POINT OF INTEREST TO BE RAISED DURING THE 2006 CAMPAIGN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE IN GEORGIA!
1. Universal Healthcare for All Citizens.
2. Re-regulation of Natural Gas in Georgia.
3. Establish a Georgia Energy Conservation Program.
4. Funding for MARTA.
5. Establish and operate a centralized MASS TRANSIT
SYSTEM.
6. Prevention against illegal drug trafficking in Georgia by
increasing beds and/or facilities for substance abuse recovery.
7. Do a comprehensive reform of laws concerning juvenile
justice.
8. Broaden the prisoner “re-entry program” with total
Rehabilitation.
9. Strengthen Georgia Predatory Lending Laws by implementing a Review
Board for mortgage loans and/or loans that have negative affects upon
personal and/or real property of Georgia Citizens.