October 6th 2013 Sunday….
From: Community Activist Brother Tracy Gibson— Founder, President and CEO OF: The Black
Millionaire’s Network; Post Office Box 42878; Philadelphia, Pa 19101-2878…
Note: Please put
``Lifting the Cuban Embargo and 52nd Str Development’’ in the
Subject bar when answering e-mails.
Future Philanthropist / Businessman / and Supporter of
Progressive Causes
Also Known as: The
Wisdom Seeker…..
RE: There is a two-pronged approach needed in fighting for
better and wider Black Business Development in West Philadelphia. One is Local
and the Other has international potential.
My Pledge:
``I will Help Open Tourism from
the U.S. to Cuba in What small Ways I can and or what BIG Ways I can. I Will
Write the U.S. State Department; the President of the United States and the
First Lady; My U.S. Senators; My Congressional Representatives and find out who
is working on setting Cuba free from the U.S. Led economic embargo in both
Houses of Congress and write them as
well… I will continue to work on this.’’
An Open Letter to Philadelphia’s City Council. Regarding the lifting of
the economic embargo Against Cuba and the development of ``AFRICA TOWN’’ in
Philadelphia.
Dear City Council of
Philadelphia and Other Friends:
As A Black Philadelphia
Progressive, an educator, an activist and an advocate, especially for Black
People, Black issues, Black children, Black families, and Black concerns, I’m
especially and specifically concerned with the rescinding and abolition of the
economic embargo against Cuba. The U.S.
led, world-wide economic embargo against Cuba—instituted by the Kennedy
Administration in the early 1960’s during the Cuban Missile Crisis—has been a
thorn in the side of Progress for international commerce and has plagued
international understanding, cross-cultural, and cross-ideological interplay
for generations. It has also confounded
and made it more difficult for countries and people with different ideas about
how people and countries are to be run politically and economically to sit down
and talk reasonably and peacefully…. This is the International aspect of this
two-pronged approach.
We as a nation of North
Americans, have full and thriving trade with Russia and China and other
socialist societies, yet when it comes to helping the Revolutionary Government
of Cuba get a better foothold on openness and democratic economic principals
through an open trade policy, we balk and refuse to face the music.
This racist, counter-productive,
reactionary, backwards, financially devastating and economically constricting
embargo MUST be lifted, and free trade, increased tourism, free travel and the
exchange of ideas must ensue even if it takes a Presidential Executive Order to
start the ball rolling in a Progressive Way.
I am requesting a special binding
proclamation from the City of Philadelphia requesting a National vote or
plebiscite on this issue from Philadelphia’s City Council. This proclamation MUST also list reasons why
it is a better policy to follow if we dismantle the Cuban economic embargo, and
mention that the City of Philadelphia can and Will benefit culturally and
economically from the lifting of the embargo as free trade, free travel and
other positive economic considerations will benefit our city which is presently
so economically strapped that we can’t meet budgets and are involved in
draconian cuts in the City’s School budget.
These budget cuts have stepped up the process of cutting back on
important and vital programs for our School Children and the actual closing of
several Public Schools including my alma Marta, The West Philadelphia
University City High School at 36th and Filbert Str.. .
A
current policy of lifting the Cuban Embargo and travel restrictions will have a
very positive impact on us getting along better with our Cuban neighbors and
dramatically increase both economic and cultural ties and exchanges with the
culturally rich country of Cuba as well as exchanges along the lines of medical
care, health care and create a more meaningful, open, honest and fair policy
towards the People of Cuba and the Revolutionary Government of Cuba. Cuba, by
the Way, sits right 70 miles off of the Florida Coast. Very near our own
country…
The
City of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Government Will
reap obvious benefits by being good friends with the country of Cuba as opposed
to being their sworn enemy for no reason.
Many
Philadelphians and other North Americans enjoy Cuban cooking, enjoy Cuban Salsa
Music and enjoy Cuban dancing, colorful clothing and other positive and
beautiful aspects of the Cuban People’s culture. The Cubans can also enjoy the more positive
aspects of our culture such as Rhythm and Blues music and traditional and the
newer and more innovative Jazz and healthy soul food. Our North American society can also benefit
from some of the scientific breakthroughs of the Cuban People as they can
benefit from our advanced technological study and breakthroughs.
Now
for the Other aspect of this letter, which is the foundation and acceptance of
52nd Street as Philadelphia’s ``AFRICA
TOWN’’—where African, Caribbean and African American Businesses can
flourish, thrive and find acceptance among African Centered and African Rooted
Black People and their Progressive allies here in Philadelphia are along the
East Coast . We need a place for African
Centered and African Rooted People to do business in a positive and on-going
Way. There is NO reason on Earth why 52nd
Str can’t be the place for such economic advances for Black People. The foundation of 52nd Str as ``AFRICA TOWN’’ Will help establish
self-respect, self-pride and self-esteem for African People throughout the
Philadelphia area and allow us to stop being wards of the state and do for
ourselves, like the Black Muslims have taught and trained us to do for the Last
50 years. I have written several people about this idea and have NOT received
ANY answers as yet. We need to look at
how the People of Detroit asked their City Council for an ``Africa Town’’ Designation and were denied. That City is now in Bankruptcy and the People
are not getting paid properly and have lost what little self-respect they once
had. Do you want this to happen to Black
Philadelphians?
These
two subjects are inter-related—the establishment of 52nd str as ``Africa Town’’ and the lifting of the
U.S. led Cuban Embargo. They are both
basically economic issues and they will help a great many people of African
descent as some 50 % of the Cuban People are of Black African descent. The two
events, taken in tandem, will allow for the economic expansion, economic
development and cultural expansion of a race of People—the African Diaspora—who
have been left out far too long. I need
your support.
Other
ethnic groups have been able to flourish in the Philadelphia area, but Black
businesses of any merit are hard to come by and are kept in the closets and shadows
for some reason. I want to see us come out of the closet and advance our
economic causes and establish ourselves as successful Black People
economically. Never again being fearful
to develop ourselves culturally and economically.
Please
follow up with me to make sure this project gets full consideration and
acceptance by our City Council. You can
reach me at: 1.215.471.64.94. or at BLockBoi75@Yahoo.Com;
or at BrotherTracy11@GMail.Com. You can
also reach me at the Black Millionaire’s Network at: Post Office Box 42878;
Philadelphia, Pa 19101-2878, of which I am the Founder, President and CEO…….
CC:
Doctor Keith Hunter and Mrs. Claudia Aziza Gibson Hunter; Senator Vincent
Hughes; Senator Shirley Kitchen; Members of the Philadelphia City Council
[Including Curtis Jones, Blondell Reynolds- Brown, City Council President
Darrell Clark and Mr. Kenney]; Congressman Chaka Fattah; Congressman Bob Brady;
U.S. Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey; The President of the United States and
the First lady; Seeing Black, Inc.; The Black World; The Philadelphia Tribune; The Head of the U.S. State Department,
Former U.S. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts ; The Friends Center of
Philadelphia; The National Congress of Black Women Inc.; and The International
Action Center Chair Former Attorney General Ramsey Clark; The Angolan Embassy;
The Embassy of South Africa; the Cuban Mission to the United Nations.
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