[A-List] 5000 march in Detroit for Jobs, Justice and Peace

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http://www.freep.com/article/20100829/NEWS01/8290466




Posted: Aug. 29, 2010
5,000 march in downtown Detroit, urge rebuilding nation

BY NAOMI R. PATTON
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

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Thousands of people in downtown Detroit made their way from Jefferson
Avenue to Grand Circus Park in what was billed as a march to rebuild
America for jobs, justice and peace.

On the 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on
Washington, the event brought out many of state's Democratic
politicians -- many of whom were attending the party's convention at
Cobo Center. The march and rally were organized by the Rainbow PUSH
Coalition and the UAW.

Along the way, the march grew as convention goers and others joined
in. Among the marchers were the Rev. Jesse Jackson; Bob King, UAW
president; Detroit Mayor Dave Bing; U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D- Mich.;
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; state Sen. Hansen Clarke,
D-Detroit, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lansing Mayor Virg
Bernero and his running mate, Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence.

Workers from the UAW, Service Employees International Union, American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Michigan Council
25, American Federation of Teachers and Detroit Public Schools filled
Washington Boulevard and Grand Circus Park, advocating for jobs.

"We're not here to tear anybody down ... to divide anybody. ... We
care about all the unemployed in America," King said.

He also asked the crowd to return for the city's annual Labor Day
march next week and to vote in the November elections.

"We have to put Americans to work," he said.

"I care about jobs," said Tanya Ball, 44, who works at the Ford Wayne
Assembly Plant. She attended the march with her sister, Betty Ball,
55. Both are Inkster residents.

"I just came in the spirit of what was happening to our people 47
years ago. ... There's hardly any change," Betty Ball said.

Tom Hopp, 52, of Lake Orion said he has always been a fan of Jackson
and came to the march to support the call for jobs. He has worked for
General Motors Lake Orion for 32 years.

"It's never a waste of a day coming out to an event like this," he said.

Though political speeches and slogans nearly dominated the day's
event, it was Conyers who reminded the crowd of about 5,000 of the
historic significance of the day. It was Martin Luther King's march
down Woodward Avenue with then-UAW President Walter Reuther that
served as the precursor to the March on Washington, during which King
gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.

"We're celebrating jobs, foreclosure moratoriums, universal health
care -- cheer for that," Conyers said.

"Today's march commemorates one of the most important days in our
history," Bing said after the march. "Our greatest challenge is
creating jobs, and that's something I will continue to fight to bring
to Detroit."

Contact NAOMI R. PATTON: 313-223-4485 or npatton at freepress.com

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