2 $ AUGUST 23, 2024 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 18 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. A book review: You are found guilty of all accounts, as charged. Page 5 SEAN + TABITHA ALMOND congrats to the newly-weds! ASK YOUR VENDOR: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE OUTDOOR ACTIVITY? GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. Justice InDeed is uncovering hidden histories of housing discrimination. page 6 THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor #
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER AUGUST 23, 2024 A letter of appreciation to our home, Bethlehem United Church of Christ GROUNDCOVER NEWS To all at Bethlehem United Church of Christ, Groundcover News says thank you for being a gracious and honorable host. In 1833, German immigrants started Bethlehem Church in a log cabin, making it the longest standing church in Ann Arbor. On August 26, 1833, Pastor Schmid preached his first sermon to 33 families who gathered in the woods west of Ann Arbor. Thus began something great that would stand the test of time through worship and community service — 190 plus years of physical and spiritual endurance that would not only benefit its members but also the most vulnerable in our community, the unhoused and those facing financial hardship. In 2011, Bethlehem United Church of Christ opened its doors to Groundcover News. Groundcover is a street newspaper that is produced, purchased and resold by homeless people and those facing poverty. These newspapers provide a source of income and platform to interact and build relationships in the community. People from all walks of life have come through these church doors seeking physical, emotional and spiritual refuge: Bethlehem United Church of Christ has become a home away from home for hundreds who struggle in this community. We at Groundcover know holding space for those in unfortunate situations such as being unhoused presents its fair share of challenges, and we especially appreciate your spiritually-based compassion and understanding during turbulent moments with vendors and participants.Thanks to all who serve at Bethlehem United Church of Christ, past, present and going into the future.Thank you for sharing your space with us! Sincerely, Groundcover News PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DETERMINED INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POVERTY, PRODUCING A STREET NEWSPAPER THAT GIVES A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, PROMOTING AN ACTION TO BUILD A JUST, CARING AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes towards production costs. Vendors work selling the paper on the street for $2, keeping all income and tips from each sale. Street papers like Groundcover News exist in cities all over the United States, as well as in more than 40 other countries, in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and combat the increase in poverty. Our paper is a proud member of the International Network of Street Papers. STAFF Lindsay Calka — publisher Cynthia Price — editor ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bauman Teresa Basham Pedro Campos Ramon Roberto Isla Caballero Dezz Clark Jim Clark David KE Dodge Markona Love Ken Parks Earl Pullen Wayne Sparks Buk'e Woyrm PROOFREADERS Kendall Artz Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit Zachary Dortzbach Anabel Sicko VOLUNTEERS Jessi Averill Sim Bose Luiza Duarte Caetano Jacob Fallman Glenn Gates Alexandra Granberg Robert Klingler Simone Masing Anthony McCormick Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof CONTACT US Story and photo submissions: submissions@groundcovernews.com Advertising and partnerships: contact@groundcovernews.com Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO OLD ISSUES + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org GROUNDCOVER NEWS ADVERTISING RATES PACKAGE PRICING Size 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/2 full page Black/White $110.00 $145.00 $200.00 $375.00 $650.00 Color $150.00 $200.00 $265.00 $500.00 $900.00 Dimensions (W x H in inches) 5 X 3 or 2.5 X 6.5 5 X 4 5 X 6.25 5 X 13 or 10.25 X 6.5 10.25 X 13 Three Months/Six Issues: 15% off Six Months/Twelve Issues: 25% off Full Year/Twenty-four Issues: 35% off Only run for two weeks/one issue: 40% off Additional 20% discount for money saving coupons
AUGUST 23, 2024 ON MY CORNER ASK YOUR VENDOR What's your favorite outdoor activity? I'm not a big outdoor person ... but if I had to pick I would say fishing and swimming. — Tabitha Almond, #360 Hiding under the blankets. — Sean Almond, #561 When I was little, it was climbing trees. It's been awhile since I've done that ... In my old age, my favorite thing is lying on the ground under a tree looking at the sky. — Ken Parks, #490 Horseback riding. — Cindy Gere, #279 Working. — Roberto Isla Caballero, #347 Watching Detroit Tigers baseball, or playing baseball and football! — Tony Schohl, #9 Playing softball. — Wayne Sparks, #615 Giving people useful information. — LaShawn Courtwright, #56 Barbecuing. — Stephanie Dent, #84 I love swimming and camping. I like serenity. — Terri Demar, #322 Go to a BBQ. — Denise Shearer, #485 Cycling. — James Manning, #16 Football and barbecuing. — Joe Woods, #103 Long walks in the park. — Mike Jones, #113 Are you listening? A new day is arising and it’s sending chills down through my body. It can’t be stopped, no way! I look around me and I know you feel it too. I walk the streets every day. I see it in your faces just like you see it in mine. Is it a glimmer of hope I see? Well, I hope you see it in me. I want a world where putting people down is not so funny. A new day is coming and I want to be part of it. The message is clear: reject the hate, stop blaming each other, let's just fix this mess. I have ideas, I hope you do too. Let's figure out what to do, yes me and you. Aren’t you tired of listening to the self-serving? Yes, you and I, that’s right, us, what a novel idea — we can actually think for ourselves! We know what’s wrong, we don’t need someone to tell us. We need someone who knows how to fix it. The answers are all around us if we just listen to each other. A new day is coming, I tell you louder. Are the birds singing a little? I hope so! I hope it’s not just me because that WAYNE S. Groundcover vendor No. 615 means they feel it too. We need all the help we can get! There’s something going on. I can feel my ancestors looking down, and I’m trying to interpret their meaning. So far all I’m getting from them is to stop listening to clowns. It’s all about timing, they tell me. Do yours tell you the same thing? Don’t you think we should be listening? The time is now! Opportunities are opening! Let’s walk through them, I say. And not look back. Let’s not be afraid of the future and reject those who think we can’t ourselves. Either we resolve our differences and walk hand in hand and meet the think for future together: man woman and child, black-skinned white-skinned, brown and yellow-skinned too. Let’s take the word hate out of the English language. Let’s just have one race, the human race. Haven’t we had enough! What has the blame gotten us? What has picking sides gotten us? It’s the 21st century, folks, wow I never thought I’d make it but here I am just like the rest of you! The window is open and our chance is here. Let’s keep pushing on it. Let’s see what happens, let’s find the truth, we can’t go on like we have. It just won’t work — let’s bring in our future fearless and brave together as one. We can do it my friends, I know we can remember. I see it every day! Let’s take this opportunity — what I call a pause. If we reject this fear that engulfs us, we will find out that we now have the opportunity to reject hate, reject fear. And it’s time for us to govern ourselves too! Put this fear mongering in its place by going forward with love. Take the hate and destroy it! POWER TO THE PEOPLE! GROUNDCOVER NEWS 3 Enough is enough! DEZZ CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 643 When the world says enough is enough, when the world says stop killing me, when politicians are killing the people’s dreams, stop; when trash in the sea is killing the fish, stop; when trees are being burnt up, stop — when the wildlife stop reproducing wildlife, stop; when the people of this world keep killing each other in the name of who, God? God didn’t say kill in my name, he said be fruitful, replenish the earth, keep your eyes on me, and all will be well. Stop the hunger, stop the hurt. ‘Cause if you keep on the earth will turn — on you, when she says stop, that hurt me. (‘Cause enough is enough!) We all have to play our part in this world. We have to do our part to come together as a people to live as a people ‘cause happiness is the way of life for our future children who have no idea what this world has for them! But that is our job as a people: to make sure we take care of our children ‘cause they are our future! Enough is enough!!!!! Buy the paper, read the paper! Discover more about the passage of life and the summary of life. There is nothing as objective as reading Groundcover. It’s like happiness in perfect conditions and positive thoughts. Let us analyze the conditions of the world, future, past, and present. Every time you read, you’re inspired to think — both positive and negative things. If you buy the paper, read the paper. Don’t put the paper in the trash! If you throw the paper out on the street, someone without a Groundcover badge might pick up the paper Descubra más sobre el repaso de la vida y el resúmen de la vida. No hay nada más objetivo que leer Groundcover. Es como la felicidad en condiRAMON ROBERTO ISLA CABALLERO Groundcover vendor No. 347 and try to sell it, and get themselves and me in trouble. ciones perfectas y los pensamientos positivos. Analicemos las condiciones del mundo, el futuro, el pasado, y el presente. Cada vez que lees, te inspiras a pensar — tanto en cosas positivas como negativas. Si compras el periódico, léelo. ¡No lo tires a la basura! Si tiras el periódico, alguien sin la credencial de Groundcover puede cogerlo e intentar venderlo. Eso puede meterlo en problemas, y también a mí.
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS POLITICS Move the Money “Money talks, bullshit walks” is a common expression in bars and on the street. It says something about the centrality of money in our life. It may be on your mind so much that you look forward to happy hour if you have a few bucks to spare. In the debates on the wording of the Declaration of Independence, “pursuit of wealth” was replaced by “pursuit of happiness” as the best expression. Happiness won the debate as capitalists knew the accumulation of wealth is happiness. Gold is god as the Spanish told indigenous peoples about their disease that only gold could cure. We see the rise of gold again as currencies explode in the war-based financialization and sanctions economy of the “rules based order,” also called the Washington consensus. Wall Street is the temple of global financial flows and “War Is A Racket” as Major General Smedley Butler taught us in 1935. When we realize that public money funds the war system at the expense of health care, education and infrastructure, the shock may be so great that we will be tempted by denial and scapegoating. Even the refugees at the border may not fully understand how their economies were destroyed, but they do know how to follow the money trail to the United States. Noam Chomsky and Michael Hudson teach us a lot about the global financialization in this epoch of neoliberal imperialism and the drive to turn conflicts into war. The money trail to war is astronomical. The waste is legendary. That is public money. What is our responsibility? If we succumb to fatalism we will face apocalypse together. I was fortunate to get a ride to the Hamtramck Library for the first meeting of the Move The Money Coalition. It began from conversations with Veterans For Peace, Michigan Peace Council and Peace Action. Some 30 persons responded to the invitation and committed to a new level of struggle. It’s time to stand up and organize for responsible use of public money. Imagine if the military budget was used to clean up the toxins that result from bases and operations. Many reparations have not been paid as the war plays out in other ways. Think of all the agent orange and more that was dumped on southeast Asia. The number of unexploded devices on the ground in all war zones is incalculable. Imagine if America began to clean up the mess. When we are ready to understand money and take responsibility for its creation and use, we will begin to Move the Money from war to peace. The Youtube channel “Untold KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 Histories” with historian Dr. Jeff Rich is a good summary of the Cold War and its aftermath. Diplomacy and negotiation are important skills. They begin with listening which may mean walking a mile in someone else's shoes. I listened to Lavrov’s presentation at the UN Security Council. It was an insightful look at how Russia understands the multilateral world as it emerges from Western hegemony and American exceptionalism. The NATOdriven war in Ukraine has the expressed purpose of regime change in Russia and the domination of the Eurasian landmass by Western investors. The CIA-backed Maidan coup in 2014 began the war that leapt forward in 2022 as Russia began military action to support the Russian-populated areas and its only naval base on the Black Sea. NATO covets this base in Crimea. So we have another forever war as the American military financial complex increases its declared full-spectrum dominance which begins with information control and the compliance narrative of good versus evil. We are now in the apocalyptic imagination which tempted President Reagan. His declaration of Star Wars was supported by many apocalyptic Christians, some of whom welcome nuclear war and the rapture of true believers into heaven. I wrote “People’s Peace Bank” in the May 17 issue of Groundcover. Political economy is the most obvious context of our lives. I focused on the work of Richard Werner who did the experiment showing how loans create money out of nothing. I also reccommend his video on the deep state. The main point is whether the loan promotes useful projects. There are many ways to waste money. The war system specializes in spectacular waste. “Vietnam War, The Last Secrets” is a YouTube video that chronicles the devastation of that war and the ongoing work to repair the damage. International Day of Peace will be commemorated on September 21 on the commons next to the downtown Ann Arbor library. “End the whole war system” is the theme which will focus on the move to peace. We support Move the Money Coalition, a new AUGUST 23, 2024 Cartoon by Izzy Hedin-Urrutia formation of existing peace groups and activists who feel the urgency of the world at risk. It is said that cockroaches will be the last survivors of nuclear war. “On The Beach” is a great movie about the last humans after a nuclear war. The belief that we can learn to take responsibility for our actions and change our behavior and to mature, faces the fatalism and habitual patterns of submission to the masters of violence. The power of the central planners and especially their bosses comes from the power we give them. If we use our power in more creative ways we can support a peaceful society. Our defense would be based in educated awareness of health and the mindful awareness of what needs to be done. In order to be reality-centered we need training in mindful mind and to give birth to calm and clear as our basic state of mind — the Olympic training to be who you really are. A happy inner child and mature inner adult mentor. Everyone is smiling. When the student is ready the teacher will appear. This belief that we can learn and change is the core of Move the Money Coalition. Veterans for Peace, Peace Action and Michigan Peace Council (part of the U.S. and World Peace Councils) are together in this new formation that you can join. The next meeting is Saturday August 24 at noon, at the Hamtramck Library. We will report on plans for a public event. International Day of Peace will have updates. The Ann Arbor Coalition Against War has been active since the Vietnam War. We do regular vigils at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays at Liberty and Fifth. We support International Day of Peace and Move the Money Coalition. We will work together for an October forum with candidates and movement leaders as we all learn to be fully engaged in living for peace. No more genocide. No more mass shootings. No more beating of honor students to teach them a lesson. Love can flow from our hearts as a habit for every situation. Righteous anger can be an expression of great love. It’s good to remember the peace sign which was created in 1958 using semaphore symbols for N and D, Nuclear Disarmament. South Africa and Israel were both provided assistance to develop nuclear weapons. One of the U.S. conditions for majority rule in South Africa was that they give up nuclear weapons. Everyone knows that Israel has nuclear weapons. Israel views Iran as their main enemy and wants to drag the United States into a war with Iran. The doomsday clock is seconds from midnight. Now is the time to BAN THE BOMB and MOVE THE MONEY to peace. Let’s create beautiful peace signs as an expression of a peace culture. Politicians and candidates will be invited for Peace Day. Prepare for a Question and Answer session as we move the discussion to ceasefire and negotiations. Visualize Peace. Ongoing education is available. Noam Chomsky's “The State and Corporate Complex, A Threat To Freedom and Survival,” a podcast with the Hart Institute, is excellent place to start. As we learn to share our resources, we can start with our situation among ourselves and extend it to the public pot, whether it be personal taxes or sharing the wealth of production. There is much to learn and do. Let’s take one step together and celebrate with another one. The all good expanse of primordial purity, you may say Allah or God, the Clear Light of the Void, these are like fingers pointing at the moon. Let’s breathe together for a life well lived.
AUGUST 23, 2024 POLITICS A book review: You are found guilty of all counts, as charged DAVID KE DODGE Groundcover contributor Political Repression in Modern America: from 1870 to 1976 a graduate school thesis by Robert Justin Goldstein, PhD, Political Science, U of Chicago Pub. by University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago c. 1978, 2001 To the reader: “You are found guilty of all counts, as charged.” “What!?” you protest, affronted; “Of what charges? Based on what evidence? In what court?” Such questions merit answers. The crimes you committed, and currently are committing, are copious — they include complicity in: loitering; disturbing the peace; vagrancy; impeding pedestrian traffic; peddling without a license; being a public nuisance; solicitation; disorderly conduct ... And the evidence against you is manifest: clearly, it is a crime to possess a “street paper,” and clearly, you are in possession of one. “WHAT?” you say. “This is the United States! There’s such a thing as Freedom of the Press in this country. And since when is it illegal to possess a street paper? There’s not a court in this country that would entertain such bogus charges, much less enter a finding of ‘guilty.’ Good luck finding a District Attorney who would even touch such prosecution!” In response, I refer you to page 518 of Goldstein’s graduate school thesis. Goldstein recounts the plight of the workers and vendors of “underground” newspapers, starting at least as early as October, 1968. In at least 13 cities across the nation, local police raided underground newspaper offices, sometimes without a warrant, seized “evidence” necessary to the functioning of the papers and damaged the offices, leaving behind gratuitous destruction. The papers’ staffs and vendors were arrested on a potpourri of charges — the police would go shopping for a charge which the courts would buy. If a charge wasn’t deemed “legit” by a judge, the police would try something else: vagrancy, littering, obstructing the sidewalk, possession of pornographic material, obscenity, instigating a riot, possession of marijuana; peddling without a license, possession of a copy of an underground newspaper … You’re right; such arrests and prosecutions are unconstitutional. And, though the Supreme Court of the United States has a spotty record as ultimate defender of Constitutional Rights, it at least sometimes comes through. But the point is that these are the tools of political repression. As unjust and wrong as they may seem, these are the instruments The State may use to avoid change in the overall system. And before you persist in your lawless possession of an underground newspaper you might ask yourself some questions and come up with candid answers: “Is time behind bars, awaiting justice, daunting?” “Is a criminal record daunting?” “Are your pockets deep enough?” and perhaps most telling, “Are you feeling lucky?” (Justice is a fickle mistress.) Your answers to the last two questions are the most important, if you recognize the Truth that in the U.S. justice is a roulette wheel, and that the “house” has deep pockets, and is near-infinitely patient. This means that, when it comes to resistance to or deviance from the status quo, the “system” generally wins. The system, at worst, risks the draw of a court proceeding unfavorable to itself (oftentimes, a mere temporary inconvenience, with the precedent always being subject to eventual reversal). But win or lose at the wheel, the system — the house — will score a victory against you: you’ll think twice before you again let Groundcover News filter its way into your life. At a number of points in his book, Goldstein cites evidence that a mere atmosphere of endless harassment and litigation, however legally bogus, can decimate dissent among activists. The status quo will be a small bit safer. Over the years of innumerable such victories, the status quo (as I call it) has become near-infinitely secure. An overriding theme of Goldstein’s book is that U.S. institutions, long accustomed to legal, tax, regulatory, property, protection and subsidization contexts “friendly” to their customary operations, are quite zealous that those contexts remain unchallenged and unchanged, Any proposal for reform which might truncate those contexts, or expand their benevolence to new institutions or methods of operation deemed uncomfortable or inconvenient to those already legitimized, can expect severe resistance. A reality of life in the United States of America is that nearly everything about the Constitution makes the status quo difficult to change. Slavery was abolished; what made it possible is that the nation was at war, and abolition of slavery made the North’s task easier. Labor unions were legitimized when the choice posed to the already legitimized business community was that of life under Communism, or that of life with labor unions in their plants. The status quo can be changed, and in the past, when the status quo has been changed, I personally regard the outcomes to be a blessing. Thus, the emancipation of the slaves. Thus the Wagner Act and its legitimization of labor unions. The “legitimized” institutions can count on a veneer of due protection of the law not available to the “illegitimate” outsiders. The actual offense of Richard Nixon’s “plumbers” in entering the Democratic Party Headquarters during the Watergate scandal in the 1970s was one offense, and mild compared to a longstanding program of routine invasion and destruction of property and records in the Socialist Party Headquarters by the FBI. But Richard Nixon was guilty of something unthinkable, and unacceptable, even to his fellow Republicans — he had violated an unwritten code of what is right to do to an institution which has the blessings of being part of the status quo. Between page 10 and page 15 of PRMA, Goldstein gives proper names of six companies serving as profit mechanisms which used at least two of those three components to fight workers: Pullman; US Steel Corporation; Republic Steel; General Motors; Pinkerton Detective Agency (which does not belong in a list of proper names of companies which served as a profit mechanism, it was listed as a company which illustrated the magnitude of the private police phenomenon); Pittsburgh Coal Company; Pennsylvania Coal and Iron Police (again, a tool of tycoons, rather than a profit mechanism); and see REPRESSION page 11 GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS RACIAL JUSTICE AUGUST 23, 2024 Justice InDeed is uncovering the hidden histories of housing discrimination in Washtenaw County ANONYMOUS Justice InDeed is a collaborative project dedicated to exposing the deeds of thousands of homes in Washtenaw County which contain "racially restrictive covenants" — or provisions prohibiting Black people and other minorities from living there. As a group of researchers, students, residents and community activists, they are working to: • educate the community about the role these covenants and other racist housing policies played in causing segregation and economic inequality; • repeal the covenants; • and encourage the adoption of policies to repair the damage caused by systemic housing discrimination in Washtenaw County. Here are some frequently asked questions (from the Justice InDeed website): What are racially restrictive covenants? A racially restrictive covenant is part of a home's deed that prohibits people of certain races from buying and occupying property. Why were racially restrictive covenants written into deeds? Racially restrictive covenants were one of many racist tools used by white homeowners and developers to ensure that neighborhoods remained segregated. While racial covenants were written into deeds of homes in Washtenaw County as early as 1912, their use became particularly widespread both in Washtenaw County and nationally beginning in the 1920s. Institutions and individuals who wanted to enforce racial segregation saw racial covenants as an alternative to racially restrictive zoning, which the United States Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional in 1917. Unlike racially restrictive zoning ordinances, which were enacted by the government, covenants were seen as private agreements. Both the U.S. Supreme (1926) and the Michigan Supreme Court (1922 and 1947) initially held that private individuals could enforce racial covenants in court to prevent people of color from living in their neighborhoods. Are racially restrictive covenants legal? Not anymore. In 1948, the United States Supreme Court ruled that courts, as government bodies, could no longer enforce racially restrictive covenants — although the Court did not say they were illegal (Shelley v. Kraemer). Finally in 1968, Congress passed the Fair Housing Act, outlawing housing discrimination by private parties and making racially restrictive covenants patently illegal. Although racially restrictive covenants are now illegal, they still exist as part of the deeds to thousands of homes in Washtenaw County. Restrictive covenants "run with the land," remaining on the title in perpetuity absent legal, legislative or other action. In other words, a change in ownership of the land of property does not alter existing covenants for the property. If racially restrictive covenants are unenforceable and illegal, why should we care about them? Despite the fact that they are not enforceable today, racially restrictive covenants remain on home deeds as repugnant reminders of the blatant racism that characterizes American housing practices and continues into the present day. Justice InDeed believes that it is critical to take action to address racially restrictive covenants because: 1. The covenants cause real harm in now. Whenever homebuyers Wash-tenaw County read their closing packets, they read that people of color – and sometimes non-Christians — are unwelcome in the neighborhood. It can be jarring and cause stigmatized injury. One local real estate agent told us that she knew of one would-be homebuyer who was so offended by a covenant that, even though it was unenforceable, he refused to close and decided to buy elsewhere. We see these covenants as similar to a "White Christians Only" sign at the entrance to a subdivision today; while such a sign is unenforceable, it would be — and should be — distressing to all who see it. 2. Education about racism begins at home. Justice InDeed thinks that there is no better way to teach the residents of Washtenaw County of the pervasiveness of white supremacy than to show them the house they live in has a racially restrictive covenant. This knowledge would then serve as an entree to education about, for example, (a) how covenants denied people of color the opportunity to attain wealth through homeownership, (b) how they deprived people of color the opportunity to live in neighborhoods where their children would go to integrated schools, (c) the role of the federal, state and local government see INDEED next page
AUGUST 23, 2024 RACIAL JUSTICE INDEED from last page played encouraging racially restrictive covenants and denying mortgages to individuals who lived in areas without the covenants, and (d) the many other racist housing policies that contributed to segregation in Washtenaw County. 3. Education about restrictive covenants should impact current housing policy debates. When setting housing policy today, it is critical to know the history of housing discrimination in Ann Arbor. For example, there are those in Ann Arbor who wish to (1) stop development of new housing projects, (2) maintain one-family housing zoning throughout large parts of the city, and (3) prevent a dedicated source of funding for affordable housing. Policymakers need to understand that racially restrictive covenants and other racist housing policies caused current segregation in the city and how some of these proposals would effectively freeze discrimination in place. What should be done about them? Currently, the process of repealing covenants on a home is complex, expensive and time-consuming. However, with guidance from our Advisory Board, Justice InDeed is in conversation with community partners about ways to repeal racially restrictive covenants through neighborhood/community organizing, litigation and/or legislation. Justice InDeed is committed to finding ways to amend the deed and repeal the racial covenants without erasing or "whitewashing" history. Would repealing the racially restrictive covenant in my neighborhood, or on my house erase or "whitewash" history? Absolutely not. Justice InDeed is strongly against erasing the history of discrimination. Under this project, Washtenaw County homeowners do not redact the racially restrictive covenants or physically remove the document from Register or Deeds files. Rather, we file a new amendment document that (1) explains the harm done by racially restrictive covenants, (2) repudiates and reveals the racist restriction, and (3) replaces it with a covenant prohibiting discrimination. So historians researching the chain of title on the property would both see the original language of the racial covenant and the amendment repealing the racially restrictive covenant. Plus, Justice InDeed is mapping all neighborhoods and homes in Washtenaw where racially restrictive covenants existed as a reminder of the pervasive and ugly history of housing discrimination in our county. Author's experience Now I want to add some personal views that involve rental properties that reflect racial and economic inequality and discrimination. The rule that a renter's income must be three times the rental rate is another way to say if you are not wealthy, then we don't want you to occupy our rental property. There are also a lot of landlords who won't consider low-income people at all who have Section 8 or a Housing Choice Voucher, and will not cooperate with this program. Then there are landlords who won't keep the rental properties up to standard knowing that most renters will tolerate substandard living conditions because they don't want to become homeless. A lot of the leasing managers are not honest about some of their billing policies or practices. For example, I live in housing that did not make it clear that the property owner divides the water bill from a fourunit rental property into what is supposed to be your water bill payment each month. There are eight other renters from two other building units who use the laundry room washer. Who pays for that water? They expect you to pay the utility in full the same GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7 day they give you a bill that is simply a printout they make — not from an official utility company. This is surely illegal! The rental payment portal has no way to designate what your payments are for. If I don't pay the utility in full, they take the money and say I did not pay my rent. I feel inequities like this will always exist because money is more important than human life nowadays. Justice InDeed was featured on Centering Justice Webcast. Listen to the conversation and hear how you can make an impact in unearthing our racialized history. If interested, reach out to justiceindeed@futureroot.com. Join Justice InDeed on Monday, August 26, 7-8 p.m. for a virtual work session (on Zoom) to further document racially restrictive covenants on property deeds. Register on the Events page on their website, ceindeedmi.org justiMENTAL HEALTH IS health. TALK ABOUT YOURS TODAY! 24/7 mental health and substance use support 734-544-3050 LEARN MORE about programs funded by the community mental health and public safety preservation millage
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS ENTREPRENEURSHIP Ypsi entrepreneur shines: Esthetician expands business to men’s cologne and candles AMARI HAYES Groundcover contributor A local businesswoman is making waves with her unique blend of skincare and fragrance products. Amari Hayes, a licensed esthetician, has been building a successful business for the past six years, offering not only topnotch skin and hair services but also a range of men’s cologne and candles. Amari’s journey began with a passion for skincare and a desire to help people feel their best. Her spa, Enchanted Radiance Spa, quickly gained a loyal clientele thanks to her expertise and personalized approach. However, Amari's entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop there. Recognizing a growing market for high-quality men’s grooming products and elegant home fragrances, she expanded her business to include a line of men’s cologne and candles. Expanding horizons The decision to branch out into fragrance and candles was driven by Amari’s commitment to enhancing her clients’ overall experience. “I wanted to offer something that complements the spa experience,” she explained. “Men’s cologne and candles are not just products; they are part of a lifestyle that supports relaxation and self-care.” Amari’s cologne line is carefully curated to meet the diverse tastes of her male clients, while her candles are designed to create a soothing atmosphere at home. Her dual focus on esthetics and fragrance has proven successful, as her products are gaining popularity in Ypsilanti and beyond. Community and growth Local residents and visitors alike have embraced Amari's business. Her spa is known for its welcoming atmosphere and exceptional service, while her fragrance and candle products have become popular gifts and personal indulgences. “The products are a hit with everyone who values quality and craftsmanship,” said local customer Mike Smith. “Her colognes and candles make excellent gifts and add a touch of luxury to everyday life.” Over the years, Amari has navigated the challenges of expanding her business, from managing increased inventory to marketing her new product lines. However, her dedication and innovative approach have enabled her to thrive. Her success story is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Ypsilanti and the power of combining passion with business acumen. As she looks to the future, Amari plans to continue growing her business and exploring new opportunities. “I’m excited about the possibilities ahead,” she said. “There’s always room for innovation and improvement, and I’m committed to delivering exceptional products and services to my clients.” For now, Amari continues to serve her community with her skills and products, proving that with creativity and determination, a successful business can be built on a foundation of passion and hard work. Advice for Groundcover vendors "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe AUGUST 23, 2024 Contact: For more information about Amari’s esthetician services or her range of men’s cologne and candles contact Enchanted Radiance Spa directly via phone, (810) 689-9849, email, enchantedradiancespa@gmail. com, or website enchantedradiancespa.com Spa location: 3850 2nd Street Wayne, MI 48174.
AUGUST 23, 2024 PUZZLES 1 14 17 20 23 24 25 26 29 31 38 42 45 49 50 51 54 56 64 67 57 58 65 68 52 53 55 59 66 69 60 61 62 63 39 40 43 46 47 48 44 32 33 34 21 27 28 30 35 36 37 41 2 3 4 5 6 7 15 18 19 22 8 9 GROUNDCOVER NEWS LEGAL OBSERVATION Victor Fleming 10 11 12 13 16 9 Groundcover Vendor Code While Groundcover is a non-profit, and paper vendors are self-employed contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. The following is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads and signs before receiving a badge and papers. We request that if you discover a vendor violating any tenets of the Code, please contact us and provide as many details as possible. Our paper and our vendors should be positively impacting our County. • Groundcover will be a voluntary purchase. I agree not to ask for more than the cover price or solicit donations by any other means. • When selling Groundcover, I will always have the current biweekly issue of Groundcover available for customer purchase. • I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling the paper or to panhandle, including panhandling with only one paper or selling past monthly issues. • I will wear and display my badge when selling papers and refrain from wearing it or other Groundcover gear when engaged in other activities. • I will only purchase the paper from Groundcover Staff and will not sell to or buy papers from other Groundcover vendors, especially vendors who have been suspended or terminated. • I agree to treat all customers, staff, and other vendors respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten, harass or pressure customers, staff, or other vendors verbally or physically. • I will not sell Groundcover under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • I understand that I am not a legal employee of Groundcover but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I understand that my badge is property of Groundcover and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Groundcover. • I understand to refrain from selling on public buses, federal property or stores unless there is permission from the owner. • I agree to stay at least one block away from another vendor in downtown areas. I will also abide by the Vendor Corner Policy. • I understand that Groundcover strives to be a paper that covers topics of homelessness and poverty while providing sources of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. If you would like to report a violation of the Vendor Code please email contact@groundcovernews. com or fill out the contact form on our website. ACROSS 1. 2005 World Series losers 7. Mil. plane used on short runways 11. Firms on the NYSE 14. "Not a ___ too soon" 15. Israel's Barak 16. Prone 17. See 23-Across 18. LAX arrival 20. Apply juice, as to a turkey 22. Affectionate attention 23. Start of a quotation by 17-/39-/59Across, Jr. 29. Item on a cowboy's belt 30. 20-volume ref. 31. Give off 32. Like some synchronistic experiences 35. Half a dance? 38. Vietnamese holiday 39. See 23-Across 41. "Frasier" character 42. Suffix for lemon or lime 43. "Don't get any funny ___!" 44. With 53-Down, "The Hustler" protagonist Felson 45. "Joyful Girl" singer DiFranco 46. Catchphrase 49. End of the quotation 54. "Free Willy" animal 55. Build an extension on 56. Maine city 59. See 23-Across 64. Bon Jovi's "Livin' ___ Prayer" 65. German car manufacturer 66. Computer messages 67. Autumn air quality 68. "Say Anything ..." actress Ione 69. "Oh ___!" (cry of surprise) DOWN 1. Start of a Latin trio 2. Costa del ___ 3. "I don't want to know any more!" 4. Accelerate sharply 5. Half of a quarter? 6. Attack from the air 7. "From ___ shining ..." 8. Stealing sort 9. Your and my 10. "Bad" cholesterol letters 11. Passage with locks 12. Musical drama 13. Scatter (about) 19. Added frosting to 21. Anxiety-free 23. Letter on fraternity row 24. Proceeded toward a target 25. "Who's Who" group 26. "Saving Private Ryan" craft: Abbr. 27. Drudgery 28. Pump part 33. Author LeShan 34. Ceased to 27-Down 35. Diet guru Jenny 36. Egypt's Mubarak 37. Cortez's victim 39. Skid row tippler 40. Work on, as a manuscript 44. "Alice" spin-off 45. Gray subj. 47. "Please stand for the national ___" 48. Pessimistic 49. "___ Pop" (Dr. Seuss classic) 50. Rice-___ 51. Dump 52. Exchange, as words 53. See 44-Across 57. "Leaving ___ Vegas" 58. Arctic bird 60. Fall back 61. "O Sole ___" 62. Chi-town trains 63. Librarian's directive
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS POETRY Peace of mind Yes, I might not have A house A car Money Credit A bank account Shares A bridge card A bathroom An address A mirror Respect PEDRO CAMPOS Groundcover vendor No. 652 But I neither have A record A woman Children of mine Bills Rent Dues To fit Enemies To gamble Shames Pills to take A doctor To die or betray my beliefs A label Strings attached whatsoever A mistress Viciousness of any kind I never lie A dead line A manager superior to take shit from Arrows to run I don't have to I just do A shift To follow orders Or a company policy A bottle to keep me hanging My milk makes me strong Yes, I may have skipped dinner last week But I had Sonic Lunch Yes, I may not have My family around Got my feet on the ground Sure that they’re proud The way I get around The good people in this town Got my back Yes I might be homeless But I'll never be A bum A thief A coward A criminal I am honest to myself I have the church I don't have a provider I am my one and only provider God above me I have purpose Ideas, plenty Propositions I got a plan There is so little time And so much to do I need help We all do Try profiling me You’ll see that I hope I do have a home In my heart For my friends I keep my dignity All these rules make me feel free Freely, I think Wonders take me away To the river Spring water Yes, I might Have foreseen the future As I listened to the birds Filling my lungs with pure air Yes, I might say This town is so beautiful Almost heaven But sometimes I just wish I could see the stars Hugging the tree MARKONA LOVE Groundcover vendor No. 531 In the fading light of this coming night Darkness breaks for stars to pierce the void Sparkles shining truth to those who hid From a previous day’s sun. Now with the sun down, and the Moon up A glow shows a diminished Love needed To shine truth to the Light We of a true Love are assembling an army To guard our guiding light Shining for all Humanity, a message is brought By Our Conduit of Another Earthly Species … Kona Love Yet, as a simple man, but a complicated Human I experience Life at an immense intensity That abounds in my soul, a great Joy. Love and pain, like rain Are felt in union within a congregation of them And I. Now a radiant sun shining, Pours golden liquidity soaking my skin, Overflowing my grail With Love of Life’s Light Buds beneath my feet, spring from beneath My toes Burgeoning youth breaks thru a tucked nature Am I the facilitator of the Incubator My Heart layering blankets of A gifted Love, indiscriminately, Coddling friend and foe Only The Creator and Love of Life Cradle the knowledge of who was to be Conduit or Messenger Kona speaks directly to my majestic Heart Once gifted by an impatient Creator I stand in awe of under measured Love Flowing thru myself ... As I shimmer, Shine and suffer its glory. This at times becoming a tragic wrestling Between my heart and its imperfect Mind of good intent Within the weakness of a man’s egg Dark contrasts cut deep in hidden fathoms Whipping myself at my post Starry twinkles emanate my obligatory Chore until this Mortal coils. - Here though, in the tall grasses of paradise I hear flowers singing in a chorus of Daffodils led by towering sunflowers Finally, our Mother tree reconnects us Skin to her bark, feet to her roots See Kona then perch, reaching my gifted heart Her message flow from across the Cosmos As my heart gently weeps, seconds pound til my Earthly departure. AUGUST 23, 2024
AUGUST 23, 2024 POETRY Love BUK'E WYRM Sometimes the way things seem the truth we escalate happens to temperate this dismay refrain happens to occlude us as is so fits the format framing. The culture God is our surface to allow this generation some such decorations sort of happens these developments sort augment stasis quote, “wasting” and this has got to stations remove to replacing has God sent into place on love we creating? GROUNDCOVER NEWS Drowning heart (part 2) TERESA BASHAM Groundcover vendor No. 570 Some such savings BUK'E WYRM These these breed heart stings growing our dreams. The same same much hac come of this lately has happened. Enough just to come of and can self-correct their mechanism subtle suggest our message fix this life lessons has happened as can happen. How this happens some such basic sanity soul contracting fractions above the reference so some happens just to give this back with you. All we ever do not to fit the promotion wanting the most Oceans motions has this pertains to what it is obvious these things happen of their own accord God works in mysterious ways to divine miracles to perform wonders we get our truth to happen to. Only if I knew, For sure that you, Were completely mine, Not only part time, You treat any other bitch, Better than me, Thatz just one more stitch, Ta my drownin heart, Only if you could see, How itz tearin me apart, Through thee last year, I’ve cried those tears. The way life goes EARL PULLEN Groundcover contributor No one knows the way Life goes when life is young And you are old thus I can Say on that very day I have lived life in a Special way wondering what a special Life holds when life is young And you are old when dreams Come true and all you can say I have lived my life in a Special way when day turns Night and night turns day I open my eyes and then I can Say oh how I lived life In a simple special way when Day turns night and Night turns day 11 REPRESSION from page 5 Tennessee Coal Mine Company. Each of these six companies were given as illustrative of a large number of events in U.S. labor history. It is inconceivable that, in view of the prevalence of private police, company towns, and deputization of private police, as well as reliance on state militias as strikebreakers, that my “composite,” as a literary device, is far off from actual events in U.S. history. In the other 573 pages of the main body of Goldstein, he describes in exquisite detail the “recent” history of political repression in the United States, from 1870 to 1976. Political repression in the United States has gone through a number of transformations since 1870. In many ways, U.S. political repression is now more “polite” — no longer, to my knowledge, do corporate tycoons (who own company towns) hire thugs to “keep order” in their towns, especially if threatened by the disorder of striking workers. And then, after the same thugs are safely implanted at the plant gates, no longer do the same tycoons enlist the aid of the County Sheriff by deputizing the thugs, thereby augmenting the thugs’ informally recognized power (to beat on the said workers’ heads with clubs, without provocation) and arrest the workers and turn them over to the formal justice system of The State, for “processing.” (See author's note.) Such processing as done in the past would probably now, in 2024, alarm all but the most rabid Cro-magnons of the Mitch McConnells of the United States. It doesn’t really matter; such processing has been supplanted by more polite — and therefore more dangerous (because less offensive to the sensitivities of the general public) — political repression. The Ann Arbor District Library has no copies of “PRMA”. The book remains in print, from University of Illinois Press, for $40.00. Online book sellers also offer both new and used copies. Buy it. Read it. Keep it. Your favorite local bricks-andmortar bookstore needs support. your Author's note: The scenario described in this paragraph, of what happened before repression became “polite,” as far as how tycoons exploited the status quo, is a composite of a number of events described by Goldstein. Here is a partial list of Goldstein’s terms: “company towns,” see page 10; “thugs” (private police), see page 11; “deputization,” see page 13. I briefly and unsuccessfully searched PRMA for a description of a specific event in which, explicitly, 1), private police 2) entered a company town and not only assaulted striking workers, but 3) used public police powers to arrest the same workers and turn them over to the community’s criminal justice system for prosecution. But in view of the plethora of occasions when at least two of the three elements of political repression were present in the response of corporations to union activism, the likelihood that there have been occasions when all three occurred seems great. exp. 01/31/2025
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Summer couscous salad ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingriedients: 1 c. Moroccan couscous 1 1/2 t. kosher salt, divided 1/4 cup, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided 2 T. lemon juice 1 T. dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 pint multi-colored cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 cucumber, sliced and quartered (about 1 1/2 cups) 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley 1 T. chopped fresh dill In a large bowl, whisk together the Directions: In a small pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Stir in the couscous and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for five minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and fluff with a fork. Let this cool completely. remaining 1/4 cup of oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, feta, walnuts, green onion, and cooled couscous to the dressing and toss to coat. Stir in the parsley and dill. Serve chilled. PUZZLE SOLUTIONS A S T R O S M O M E N T AUGUST 23, 2024 S T O L C O S E H U D A P T O L I V E R A I R L I N E R B A S T E C A R E T H E L I F E O F T H E L A W H O L S T E R E M I T O E D E E R I E C H A T E T W E N D E L L R O Z A D E I D E A S A N I A D D T O F A S T T A G L I N E H A S N O T B E E N L O G I C O R C A P O R T L A N D H O L M E S O N A N I P A U D I E M A I L S S K Y E M Y G O S H
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