Dear neighbors, Many people go to FOCP/SHCA elections terrified, but hopeful that if they give them money things might change! (Remember the dog park brought FOCP some 80 new frightened members.) But decade after decade, we see that things never change in these gangs. These, so called community leaders, serve themselves and are constantly ready to betray their neighbors and the community as a whole.
It's not the money that is important; Penn and the corporations can always buy them off with more money than membership dues. The problem is that by joining their group in terror, neighbors are giving them the membership numbers used for astroturfing! Joining these insular gangs only increases the damage to the community. I first saw this danger in 2000. Senator Williams accompanied the Woodland Ave Reunion to a mandatory meeting with the city. FOCP had the city make this mandatory threat to all permit holders in Clark Park. Because of the new, pay to play, soccer league; FOCP was trying to have all other permits prohibited so that all other events would be banned from the park. FOCP had just doubled their membership numbers, because little kids must be FOCP members to play soccer in Clark Park. In front of everyone, the little FOCP lawyer stated that FOCP was a "democratically elected community group with 300 members." In fact, the 300 people had given FOCP money, but had no idea that their leaders were trying to ban all other groups from the park! Neighbors should show up to these dog and pony shows to resist the treachery, but never add numbers to these gangs! SHCA is just as bad as FOCP! Their leaders are always the same people. The actual boards of these groups are normally irrelevant, as are the general members of these associations. If you have given them money this year, demand that your name be removed from their roles! Do not let their leaders appeal to fear! Once we force these groups to disband by refusing to join, the people of West Philly can regroup if anything the gangs did in the past was worthwhile. The best and brightest of West Philly stay away from volunteering with these groups! Never believe their fear mongering, that people won't join in actual efforts to serve the community. People stay away from these dishonest gangs, not their neighbors or community. I never had trouble with volunteers for Clark park festivals back when I showed up for FOCP work days. The turnout of supporters of the People's flea market showed the same resilience of neighbors. Let's stop the FOCP/SHCA, and then we can live peacefully with our neighbors in this great diverse community! UCD/Penn can't destroy our community without the collaboration/betrayal of these gangs!!! Power to the people of West Philly, Glenn ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
