Water Mismanagement At Its Finest
March 31, 2010
I live in a bungalow in the ghetto on the sad side of I 20 in Atlanta. This afternoon I was puttering about repairing parts that are falling off the house. I noticed a block away a white truck beside a fire plug gushing brown water. The flowing water was draining beautifully down one side of the street; however, the drain on the other side of the street one long block from the plug was clogged. Several inches of water stood across the entire width of the street. I told the gentleman, trying to be helpful that water was beginning to stand in the intersection. He looked at me as though I was the village idiot.
He helped me by saying I could call sewage; he was only water mismanagement. I thought right; I’ll get right on it. Since my December water bill from those thieves in water missmanagement was $297 and $293 in January and $97 in February, I believe I’ll pass.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 31, 2010
Debi Starnes Accused of Ethics Violations — Seven Counts
March 31, 2010
History was made on Tuesday, March 29, 2010, when Atlanta citizens cited seven ethics codes accusing Debi Mae
Starnes of ethical violations. Several of the alledged violations go back to when she was member of City Council under Mayor Bill Campbell. Following her stint on City Council, she has served as Mayor Shirley Franklin’s Senior Advisor on Homelessness since 2007. She was paid by the city for a time; however, budget retraints forced her to be paid by United Way via ADID via Central Atlanta Progress. Her failure to disclose the $100,000 salary paid by CAP and a downtown “hotel” has created a minor problem under the umbrella of “ethics.” Other problems with her auditings have arisen as her company, EMSTAR is paid as a consultant by agencies contracted by the city. Some of these same agencies are funded by city and state money which Starnes controls absolutely.
I asked an Atlanta attorney what are the chances of Starnes being punished, yea investigate, by this City Council committee called The Community Development/Human Resources ommittee. He laughed out loud. He asked me to remember that this is Atlanta City Council and that Atlanta City Council is a club. And club members don’t do anything to each other, other than scratch each other’s whatever. “Ethics” he cried, “not on your life!” And Debi Mae Starnes is an honorary member of that club.
HOWEVER, this so-called “committee” oversees CDBG money and that’s HUD money. Who knows, HUD might want to come calling to take a look at the charges when they look at other questionable accountant issues, involving multimillions of dollars for a decade or so. My little ones, the plot thickens. Asking a City Council Committee to investigate ethics charges against one of its own would be like asking Sam Williams’ Chamber Pot to investigate A. J. Robinson’s Central Atlanta Progress. The hand doesn’t investigate the glove that warms it. Visit me tomorrow for my April 1 Tribute to Public Servant Man of the Year, Horace “Sinon” Sibley.
Note: Please read my March 26, 2010 blog entitled, “Please Read Matthew Cardinale’s…Starnes.”
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 31, 2010
April 1st Is Horace “Sinon” Sibley* Day — And It Should Be.
March 30, 2010
Horace Sibley* is Public Servant Man of the Year according to Georgia State University’s College of Law. This award goes to the lawyer that lawyers believe to be greater Atlanta’s most outstanding PUBLIC SERVANT. The selection committee said it was Sinon hands down. No one came close as Horace single handedly has ended homelessness in downtown Atlanta. Since his computer “got busted” and could not be located when subpoenaed, some of us are praying that those GSU crack lawyers will present him with a new one.
There’s just one snag. It’s Sinon’s definition of homelessness that’s the rub. Downtown crawls with homeless men, women and children. Panhandlers drive us all bananas, but don’t you worry United Way with its new $1,000,000 and the young mayor’s muscle will evaporate panhandling and public urination and drug dealing in a flash. Why tourists at the Hilton will be able to take a leak in the hedges without being asked for a little change.
Horace Sibley* like Mark McGuire must have an (*) asterisk by his name forever because Sinon under oath recently said, “I know about chronic homelessness.” Sibley* has removed “chronic homelessness”; that’s what he knows about. I’m studying closely Sibley’s seven hours of answers. I will blog for April 1 what I’m calling “The Best of Sibley.” Dozens have asked about Horace’s middle name, “Sinon.” I’m not commenting on it until I know that “The Bully” knows his namesake.
Surely the wine and cheese crowd at Vandy taught Sib Sinon.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 28, 2010
Pastor Martin Niemoller wrote the following that makes me remember this great man when I fail to speak up against the criminal leadership that surrounds most of us:
“In Germany they first came for the communists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me — and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
In 2010 Atlanta leadership has come for the homeless throngs at Peachtree Pine, and who will come to speak up for them? Will anyone speak up for them? Will the Protestants? Will the Catholics? Will the Labor Unions? Will the Jews? Will the mayor elected to protect all his subjects? Will a city council sworn in to represent every one? Will United Way who just received $1,000,000 on the back of Peachtree Pine? Will the Chamber Pot? Will CAP or RAP or SAP or TAP or PAP or FLAP or TRAP or ARC or BARK or PARK or HARK or MARK or LARK or GOG or MAGOG? Will the 1st Churpch or the 2nd churpch or 3rd to surface? Will I?
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 29, 2010
Goliath versus David; A. J. Robinson versus Steve Hall
March 29, 2010
Chapter 17 of I Samuel in the Hebrew Bible tells the story of Goliath versus David. Verse 4 relates that Goliath was over nine feet tall. John Addington Symonds’ biography of Michaelangelo reports that his masterpiece of David stands nine feet tall. Therefore one day young David stood as tall the Philistine giant.
Since my early blogs in April of 2009, I have called the conspirators dedicated to putting the Task Force out of business, TEAM GOLIATH. The tiny Task force is little David. These symbols are obvious: no boy could ever kill a giant. Giants kill little boys.
Another allusion I use to describe this tribe of doers of all good who parade as champions of the poor is “the principalities and powers.” This allusion comes from Paul in Colossians 2.15 when he refers to a particular enemy of God as “the principalities and powers” (King James Version). Colossians 2.14b and 15 reads, “…and he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to his cross. When he had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, triumphing over them through his cross (translation mine).
In my deposition in February of 2010, City Attorney Laura Sauriol asked if I believed the city attorneys to be members of Team Goliath. Her next question asked if I believed Dave “Great news!” Wardell was a member of the “principalities and powers.” Interesting questions! Why would a city barrister care?
A. J. Robinson, the president of Central Atlanta Progress, was deposed on February 23, 2010. For years he has loathed the presence of the Peachtree Pine shelter. He oozes hatred of the staff who operate it and the 700 Black men who are fed and sheltered there. Robinson personifies the powerful Goliath; Paul had to be looking at him when he wrote, “principalities and powers.”
Steve Hall is an attorney with Baker Donelson who represents the Task Force in its lawsuit against the City of Atlanta, CAP and CAP’s barnacle, ADID. Hall’s ability to cross examine a witness belies his youth. He is a master. And he smells a lie as far away as the left field bleachers. In Horace Sibley’s deposition in January, Hall askede the witness the very same question seven times. Sibley’s attorney was screaming, “FORM, FORM!” Hall asked right on, and Sibley, finally, after much “sound and fury signifying nothing” told the truth.
People want to read these depositions. One comment to me from an unknown reader said that the surface has not been scratched. Just wait until the truth outs on the “wretched souls.” But I promise I will give more from the Starnes, Sibley, Robinson and Orr depositions.
The following shows Robinson (Goliath) and Hall (David) in the Valley of Elah. The questions begin on page 99 of A. J. “a piece of the pie” Robinson deposition.
Hall: My question is what — either tell me that as you sit here right now you can’t think of any possible good it would do for the neighborhood for the Task Force not to have enough finances to continue their services, either tell me that or tell me what good it would do for the neighborhood for the Task Force to have less of a budget?
Mr. Riddell: (Robinson’s attorney) Object to form. Go ahead.
Robinson: I think I’ve answered the question.
Hall: Sir, answer the question.
Mr. Riddell: Same objection. Go ahead.
Robinson: Just — if you want me to link that the — if there’s less resources from Mr. Cathy giving it less money to operate, then that is correct.
Hall: Okay. And what good would that do for the neighborhood?
Robinson: Well, one may be it would cut the size down on the Task Force and it would have less capability to take care of so many people.
Hall: Okay. So —
Robinson: And that would actually be a good thing for the neighborhood.
Hall: And why, because that would drive homeless people out of the neighborhood?
Robinson: No, it would drive homeless people out of the shelter.
Hall: To where?
Robinson: Hopefully over to this other program.
Hall: Okay. So what you are telling me is your goal was that by cutting off the Task Force’s funding from Mr. Cathy might reduce the size of it; is that what you are saying?
Mr. Riddell: Object to the form.
Robinson: First of all, I didn’t go to cut off Mr. Cathy’s funding. I had no specific knowledge of his funding. I heard perhaps he had funding perhaps. I don’t know. I knew he had volunteered in the shelter.
Hall: Your testimony is you had no idea that Mr. Cathy was providing a significant amount of funding for the Task Force; is that your testimony under oath?
Robinson: My testimony is that I was informed by Mr. Sibley to have a discussion. He thought it would be a good idea with Mr. Cathy about his relationship with the shelter.
Hall: So you’re saying that Mr. Sibley caused this to happen?
Robinson: Yes.
Hall: At the time was Mr. Sibley the mayor’s, affiliated with the mayor’s commission on homelessness?
Robinson: I believe so.
Hall: So you’re saying it was the city that caused CAP to organize its efforts to go out to Mr. Cathy?
Ms. Sauriol: (City attorney) Object to the form.
Mr. Riddell: Object to the form.
Robinson: First of all, I don’t believe Mr. Sibley was a city employee.
Hall: He’s just the head of the mayor’s commission, correct. So it was in your mind then, your testimony would be that it was the head of the mayor’s commission on homelessness who was the driving factor that caused us to go out and meet with Mr. Cathy?
Robinson: He suggested it to me, yes.
Hall: So he caused it to happen?
Robinson: Okay. I caused it to happen. I made the appointment and we went to see him.
Hall: So you made the appointment?
Robinson: Yes.
Hall: And you are — are we at the point where you’re going to acknowledge that one of your goals was to get him to stop funding the Task Force or not?
Mr. Riddell: Object to the form. I’m actually thinking about calling the judge at this point.
Hall: Please do. We can hash out the subpoena issues too.
Mr. Riddell: You’ve gone half an hour on the same issue. He’s answered the same question 20 times.
Hall: He has not.
Mr. Riddell: You obviously don’t like the answer, but you can’t keep badgering him for 20 minutes on the same question.
Hall: You know you went through this soliloquy yesterday again and again and again, and each time it was because your witness wasn’t answering the question.
Mr. Riddell: No. He’s answered the question.
Hall: He has not.
Mr. Riddell: Yes, he has, and the record is going to show that.
Hall: I’ll be glad to look at the record. I’ll be glad to look at the record.
Hall: Now, Sir, tell me —
Hall: And I’ll be glad to talk to the judge about the definition of intent and see what the judge says.
Hall: My question to you, sir, is this: You went to educate Mr. Cathy with a goal towards him no longer funding the Task Force?
Robinson: No.
Mr. Riddell: Object to the form. Object. Asked and answered.
Hall: What was the purpose of educating him?
Robinson: It was to — it was for the, for folks in the neighborhood to explain to Mr. Cathy the effect it had to their businesses —
Hall: Toward?
Robinson: — and their neighborhood.
Hall: Towards what end?
Mr. Riddell: Same objections.
Hall: Did you feel that Mr. Cathy, a nonresident, just was lacking in some knowledge and you would benevolently and altruistically give him some knowledge in this area that he didn’t know about; was that your goal?
Mr. Riddell: Same objection.
Robinson: Our goal — Mr. Cathy is not a resident of our downtown community. I don’t think he owns much downtown property, I think maybe a few stores. I don’t think he understood the effect, the ongoing effect from these property owners around the shelter and I don’t think he had full knowledge of other efforts ongoing in the community.
Hall: And what was your purpose in advising him of that information?
Mr. Riddell: Same objections.
Robinson: It was, is to explain that there were other avenues that could deal with this issue and that he — you know, and his judgement, it was my hope that he could see these other avenues and I’d made no plead to him please stop funding this. I did not — we didn’t say that.
Hall: But that was what you wanted to happen?
Robinson: I hoped that he would see other alternatives in affecting the neighborhood, and if he chose to cut his funding or make more funding, that was his choice.
Hall: And that’s what you wanted him to do?
Robinson: Hope, yes.
Hall: What’s the difference between hope and want in this context?
Robinson: Probably.
Hall: So why won’t you just say that’s what you wanted him to do?
Mr. Riddell: Object. Asked and answered.
Robinson: You asked me why I — this is why we would.
Hall: Yeah?
Robinson: I’ve answered the question.
Hall: And what I’m trying to figure out now is if you don’t discern a difference between the word want and hope, you are rejecting it when I asked you the word that’s what you wanted to happen in using hpoe instead; why is that?
Robinson: Well, to me there’s a difference between hope and intent. When we went, when we scheduled the meeting the intent wasn’t to cut off funding for the Task Force. The intent was to show the effect on the neighborhood and to educate him about others. Did I hope that perhaps he would either, one, fund other things or take into consideration the neighborhood and its effect, yes.
Hall: What’s the difference that you perceive in hope and intent specifically?
Robinson: Well, I think hope is an aspiration. Intent is a deliberate strategy to do something.
Hall: Okay. So you aspired then to borrow the other term to have him not pay money to the Task Force, correct?
Mr. Riddell: Object. Asked and answered.
Robinson: Aspired.
Hall: It’s your word for the same as hope, correct?
Robinson: Okay. Correct.
Mr. Riddell: Same objections.
Hall: So you brought a group of people out there with that as your aspiration, and then you talked to him about their concerns about the Task Force.
Mr. Riddell: Same objection.
Robinson: Correct.
Hall: Now you are testifying under oath that as you sit here today until preparation for your deposition, you had no knowledge that Mr. Cathy had stopped funding the Task Force?
Robinson: I have — there’s rumors that he’s funded the Task Force on some level and some, over some certain periods of time. I’m not aware that since that conversation that he has stopped or started working.
Hall: So —
Robinson: He didn’t call me and tell me he’s stopping or starting.
Hall: You have never spoken with anybody at all about Mr. Cathy’s stopping his funding of the Task Force after you left that meeting with him? You have never learned that he stopped?
Robinson: No. I have never learned.
Hall: And if people said that they have told you and reported that to you, would be inaccurate?
Robinson: That he has — inaccurate that I knew or inaccurate that he or had not?
Hall: No. If people testified that they reported to you that Mr. Cathy had stopped funding the Task Force after the meeting when you went up and visited with him, those people would be lying because you didn’t know that?
Robinson: I don’t recall people telling me that.
Hall: Now, is your testimony that it just didn’t happen? For instance, I know I’ve never been to Antarctica or you just don’t recall and it might have happened?
Robinson: It’s the latter. Someone may have told me that, but I have no direct knowledge that that happened.
Note: Some days young David stands as tall as Goliath, even as TEAM GOLIATH.
April 1, 2010 will be Horace Sibley Day on my blog. His deposition will be featured. I’ll post what he said under oath concerning this visit to Chic-fil-a tycoon, Dan Cathy, whose history as a donor repeats itself from time to time. There are thousands of pages of depositions and emails and letters and memos that I can share. And we have not scratched the surface. The records from the Tri-Jurisdictional Continuum of Care that denied funding illegally under the coaching of Starnes and Richard Orr and others have not yet reached my desk. But like ZEUS those records are public and loom just over the horizon. My Lord what a morning. Good night, Rufus. Good night Peggy. Good night Bruce.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 29, 2010
INJUSTICE — "a deathblow to existence"
March 27, 2010
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heshel in his volume, THE PROPHETS, writes,
“Indeed, the sort of crimes and even the amount of delinquency that fills the prophets of Israel with dismay do not go beyond that which we regard as normal, as typical ingredients of social dynamics. To us a single act of injustice — cheating in business, exploitation of the poor — is slight; to the prophets, a disaster. To us injustice is injurious to the welfare of the people; to the prophets it is a deathblow to existence: to us, an episode; to them, a catastrophe, a threat to the world.” (p. 4)
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 27, 2010
Read Matthew Cardinale On Czar Debi Starnes
March 26, 2010
Atlanta Progressive News (atlantaprogressivenews.com) has just published on line an article: EXCLUSIVE: Starnes Failed to Disclose CAP Payment– Shelter Sabotage Part 2. You want to read this article posted on line March 25, 2010. The Atlanta Progressive News has thousands of readers every day. Since NO other Atlanta newspaper, daily or weekly, will print a word against TEAM GOLIATH’s conspiracy to remove the Task Force, THE ATLANTA PROGRESSIVE NEWS renders a genuine service for people who want to read the truth.
If Debi Starnes carried only the burden of unethical conduct, I would vote with Jack Harden and Horace Sibley and Bruce Gunter to proceed with making her a saint. “Saint Debi” has a rather strange ring. It rankles as much as “Bishop Bobby” or something. The most onerous albatross that she and her fellow conspirators carry is good old unabashed hypocrisy. She and her gang parade as champions of homeless people while at the same time are being rewarded to rid downtown Atlanta of them.
I cannot imagine an ethical violation troubling a czar. That’s what czars do. I see misery every day in the faces of broken, men, women and children. Those “marks of weakness, marks of woe;” those “silent sighs of agony” seal Debi Starnes’ sure condemnation.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 26, 2010
Starnes Silence or Silenced?
March 26, 2010
The first blog that I posted was in April of 2009. My frustration reading lies damaging my homeless friends at Peachtree Pine prompted that blog. I wrote it for my own sanity. Since then I have posted over 100. When City of Atlanta lawyers deposed me in February, I was shocked to see that they had a copy there on the table of every one of my blogs. After a few introductory questions Attorney Laura Sauriol asked me queries ONLY about my ninety-some blogs. She asked if I ever had called Debi Starnes a HAG. She asked had I ever called her a fly. I was elated that City of Atlanta lawyers were being paid by tax payer dollars to read my blogs that I had written solely for therapy.
I was flattered. Baker Donelson Attorney Steve Hall told me following my deposition that he did not understand why the city had nothing to ask an executive director of the Task Force except questions defending “your blog.” He said that he knew then that the city was grasping for straws in their defense of the conspiracy against the Task Force.
Several calls from my readers came today asking me why I have not “blogged” since March 15. Frankly, I’m reading four depositions: Starnes, Sibley, Richard Orr and A. J. Robinson. I am not a lawyer and no training on earth could make me think like one. I know that law schools do not teach “the law”; they teach their scholars to think like lawyers, whatever in Hades that might mean.
But let me in spite of my comments above say that I want to be a lawyer for a moment. If I were Laura or Jeff (nice people, in spite of where they work), defending these conspirators at the city and at CAP, I do not know where I would turn. And what they face may very well turn out to be the greatest challenge in or out of court that the City of Atlanta has ever encountered. Before it’s over many, many other members of TEAM GOLIATH will face the scrutiny of the lineup. The Tri-Jurisdictional Continuum of Care will stand there. Some government officials in Washington wonder if that bastard conglomerate is even legal.
The Chamber Pot of Commerce will stand there. Their looking at Baker Donelson clients may invite a look at The Pot. Debi Starnes may stand there again and again. Who pays her? Does she work for the City? Does she work for CAP? Does she work for EMSTAR? How much income and from whence does she get her money? Has she disclosed accurately? Is her conduct a matter of ethics in addition to civil wrongs she has committed in and out of office? Has she slipped over into criminal acts that could bring bars into the picture? What was her real reason for leaving office when Bill Campbell went away?
Perhaps our strong City Council will join the lineup? Have they carefully watched to check if Atlanta has been totally honest in their reporting their millions of dollars from the feds, say HUD on homelessness? Has our crack council had public hearings providing “ears and eyes” for the community to voice their “silent sighs of anguish”? When the council was rubber stamping an illegal position for Czar Starnes, did anyone of those worthies ever think that a day of reckoning lay ahead? Did the council bowing to CAP ever dream that those principalities and powers would be deposed to lie under oath; they sang like confused canaries.
Could a privy like Peachtree Pine have ever gained the attention of these who could care less?
United Way may stand in that lineup close to The Chamber Pot. Milton Little, the half million dollar head of the Way has promised beds for the 700 men when they are thrown out of the Pine. A few eyebrows at the federal level have lifted at the prospects of a United Way helping a conspirator like Central Atlanta Progress to shut down a homeless shelter. One voice asked me, “Why is United Way against homeless people?”
Will philanthropist, developer, family man Manny Fialkow have to face the lineup? He is a member of Central Atlanta Progress, a buddy of its president and scheduled to foreclose on the Peachtree Pine property on April 6. He backed off a foreclosure set for early March when threatened by a personal lawsuit. Whenever I think of Manny I prayerfully quote Micah 2:1-2. He knows it by heart, “Disaster for those who plot evil, who lie in bed plotting mischief! No sooner is it dawn than they do it. Seizing the fields that they covet, they take over houses as well, owner and house they seize alike, as well as the man himself.” May God bless the Manny Fialkows of TEAM GOLIATH. And we pray that A. J. Robinson gets “a piece of the pie.”
I could go on with the lineup. It’s late. That will come later.
Where’s Debi? A wise man who knows downtown told me today, “If Debi Starnes is quiet, that’s dangerous.” Since her deposition in September, she has been silent, remarkably hushed. But that means nothing. The new mayor may have shut her down. The CAP boys or even Horace “”Sinon” Sibley could have thrown her under the bus. Incidentally, you should read what these beauties say about each other in their depositions. You would think they would never see each other in this world again. Debi may work for the mayor. She may work for United Way. She may work for Orr at CAP? She may work for the hotel that pays her. She may work for Sam Williams’ Chamber Pot. She may work for EMSTAR. Someone may have shut her up, but no one will shut her down. Like Rumor she lives.
Such heaviness is coming, I cannot begin to say. Starnes may disappear. A lawsuit against TEAM GOLIATH is laughable from the standpo[nt of these doers of all good. They are untouchable. They cannot be rattled by a court because the courts are local, and CAP and City Hall control EVERYTHING local. However, they do not control the universe. STAY TUNED!!! What’s coming will make the lawsuit against the City of Atlanta look like a Buckhead bridge party.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 25, 2010
"Race also factored into CAP's thinking, Orr noted."
March 13, 2010
The entire following quote is lifted from Matthew Cardinale’s article, “City, CAP Conspired to Sabotage Homeless Shelter — Part 1”. Mr. Cardinale is reachable at matthew@atlantprogressivenews.com. The entire article can be read at http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/extras/syndicate.html.
DEFAMATION
Despite the numerous negative statements Orr and Robinson have made about the Task Force, including calling it “Anita’s dysfunctional shelter,” when asked to back them up with facts, they were both unable to do so.
“It’s my understanding that the … Gateway as conceived is a Gateway that folks … are encouraged with all the services that are provided there from different folks and from 25 different entities, that it’s a chance to get out of being homeless and that there is a path that you have to commit to in order to receive those services. It’s my undersstanding that that’s not how the shelter at Peachtree-Pine operates,” Robinson said.
But when asked what services the Gateway provides that Peachtree-Pine does not, Robinson said, “I don’t know. I can speculate, but I don’t know for sure.”
Are you aware the Task Force has people available onsite that offer housing services?” the Task Force attorney asked. “I’m not aware,” Robinson said.
“People onsite that assist in medical issues?” “That I’m not aware of.”
“People on site that assist in reunification services?” “I’m not aware of that.”
“Are you aware that the Task force has onsite job training services?” “I’m not aware of that.”
“So whenyou say that the Gateway Center is different from the Task Force because it has folks [services] onsite, you’re just making an assumption, correct? “Correct.”
And you have no basis, no factual basis for that opinion?” “Correct.”
Robinson also admitted he had never visited the Task Force.
Robinson testified he believed Gateway was better than Task Force because it set requirements for homeless people to stay there. However, he said he did not know what those criteria should be, and nor did he know what should happen to homeless people who do not meet the unknown criteria.
Nor did Robinson have any data to back up his assertion there was criminal activity occurring in or around the Task Force.
“Does that seem a little irresponsible?” “Not irresponsible. Perhaps in the future we ought to be more specific about where this information — if this information is true.
Orr said CAP supported the Gateway Center’s model as opposed to the Task Force’s model. I’m not deeply familiar with it but as I understand it’s more aware from warehousing and moving people up and out other than keeping them there,” Orr said.
However, when questioned Orr couldn’t define or explain how the Task Force is different than Gateway, or to define the term warehousing, except to say a little bit bigger.
“So what you’re saying is you don’t have any idea what the particulars are of either one, but because you perceive community sentiment of supporting the Gateway and not the Task Force, you’re willing to throw your lot in with the Gateway; is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s pretty close to it.”
One of CAP’s talking points is that the Task Force contributes to crime in the area; however, CAP’s own internal crime statistics show Pine Street has the lowest arrest rates among all streets intersecting with Peachtree.
Race also factored into CAP’s thinking, Orr noted.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 13, 2010
“Race also factored into CAP’s thinking, Orr noted.”
March 13, 2010
The entire following quote is lifted from Matthew Cardinale’s article, “City, CAP Conspired to Sabotage Homeless Shelter — Part 1”. Mr. Cardinale is reachable at matthew@atlantprogressivenews.com. The entire article can be read at http://www.atlantaprogressivenews.com/extras/syndicate.html.
DEFAMATION
Despite the numerous negative statements Orr and Robinson have made about the Task Force, including calling it “Anita’s dysfunctional shelter,” when asked to back them up with facts, they were both unable to do so.
“It’s my understanding that the … Gateway as conceived is a Gateway that folks … are encouraged with all the services that are provided there from different folks and from 25 different entities, that it’s a chance to get out of being homeless and that there is a path that you have to commit to in order to receive those services. It’s my undersstanding that that’s not how the shelter at Peachtree-Pine operates,” Robinson said.
But when asked what services the Gateway provides that Peachtree-Pine does not, Robinson said, “I don’t know. I can speculate, but I don’t know for sure.”
Are you aware the Task Force has people available onsite that offer housing services?” the Task Force attorney asked. “I’m not aware,” Robinson said.
“People onsite that assist in medical issues?” “That I’m not aware of.”
“People on site that assist in reunification services?” “I’m not aware of that.”
“Are you aware that the Task force has onsite job training services?” “I’m not aware of that.”
“So whenyou say that the Gateway Center is different from the Task Force because it has folks [services] onsite, you’re just making an assumption, correct? “Correct.”
And you have no basis, no factual basis for that opinion?” “Correct.”
Robinson also admitted he had never visited the Task Force.
Robinson testified he believed Gateway was better than Task Force because it set requirements for homeless people to stay there. However, he said he did not know what those criteria should be, and nor did he know what should happen to homeless people who do not meet the unknown criteria.
Nor did Robinson have any data to back up his assertion there was criminal activity occurring in or around the Task Force.
“Does that seem a little irresponsible?” “Not irresponsible. Perhaps in the future we ought to be more specific about where this information — if this information is true.
Orr said CAP supported the Gateway Center’s model as opposed to the Task Force’s model. I’m not deeply familiar with it but as I understand it’s more aware from warehousing and moving people up and out other than keeping them there,” Orr said.
However, when questioned Orr couldn’t define or explain how the Task Force is different than Gateway, or to define the term warehousing, except to say a little bit bigger.
“So what you’re saying is you don’t have any idea what the particulars are of either one, but because you perceive community sentiment of supporting the Gateway and not the Task Force, you’re willing to throw your lot in with the Gateway; is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s pretty close to it.”
One of CAP’s talking points is that the Task Force contributes to crime in the area; however, CAP’s own internal crime statistics show Pine Street has the lowest arrest rates among all streets intersecting with Peachtree.
Race also factored into CAP’s thinking, Orr noted.
James Wilson Beaty, PhD
Jeremiah 22.16
March 13, 2010
Dr. Jim Beaty 