With the city’s racial rift growing wider following the demotion of Fire Chief Sherman George, the divide-and-conquer tactics of the Slay administration might have been put into play last Friday.
With a rally in support for George planned for Sunday at City Hall, on Friday some firefighters were personally handed a memo detailing Civil Service policy on attending political rallies.
Abe Pruitt – a member FIRE, which represents African-American firefighters – said he thinks the memo’s timing “is in direct correlation to the planned rally.”
“I guess there is no way to know for sure,” he said. “But, let’s be real. That is quite a coincidence.”
Kim Bacon, fire department spokesperson, said the memo was dated October 9 and that it was being distributed through Friday.
Pruitt also said he was “counseled” for attending a meeting at the Gateway Classic Sports Foundation building two weeks ago after he was captured on video by KSDK Newschannel 5.
“It’s a form of discipline,” Pruitt said.
“And I think that memo was a form of intimidation.”
As a result, black firefighters and other supporters of George who work for the City met by the Firefighter’s Memorial statue in the park north of City Hall on Market Street. About 100 people were there.
At one point, the American hand-counted more than 300 people in the crowd facing City Hall and about 100 people behind where speakers stood in defiance of Mayor Francis G. Slay for his role in the demotion of George.
KSDK reported that “a few dozen” people were there. Jeff Rainford, Slay’s chief of staff, called the turnout “anemic.”
The undercount is the least of what the black community and its allies can expect from the Slay administration as an effort to recall him from office continues to develop.
In an impassioned speech, Harold Crumpton, president of the city branch of the NAACP, said, “These are not amateurs we are fighting.”
He reminded the crowd of the attempts to smear the reputation of the city’s first black mayor, Freeman Bosley Jr.
“We cannot afford to have another black leader attacked like this. We’ve got to stand together. We’ve got to defend each other,” Crumpton shouted.
“The next target is here. I don’t know who it is, but they will attack.”
As for Slay, Crumpton said, “If one man thinks he can turn the clock back 30 years, how can we allow that?”
State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed voiced the words of an American editorial when she told the rally, “Mayor Slay’s actions show he is not fit to be the mayor.”
She also had stern words for the black elected officials who did not attend the rally.
“You might not support the recall effort, which is fine. But why were they not there to support Chief George?” Nasheed told the American.
“I truly believe one of the reasons we are in the position we are as a community is because black leadership is afraid to challenge the establishment. That is why we don’t have as much power as we could – because the fear is overwhelming.”
‘Where were the aldermen?’
Lewis Reed, Board of Aldermen president, did not attend the rally – nor did one single black alderman.
Comptroller Darlene Green was in the crowd, though. She told the American, “My presence at the rally shows that I adamantly support Sherman George.”
“The city’s leader, the mayor, passed on a golden opportunity to bring our city together,” Green said.
“The demotion of Sherman George has divided St. Louis more than anything I can remember. Instead of coming together as a city, we are drifting further apart.”
She stopped short of endorsing the recall effort, saying, “I support the people’s right to hold their elected leaders accountable and leave this recall issue in their hands.”
Reed later told the American, “It is the right of the people to engage in recall actions when they do not feel they have been deserved,” but said involving himself in such a divisive issue would diminish his abilities to lead the Board of Aldermen.
“We are working on some minority business development initiatives, some crime-safety issues and additional funding for development north of Delmar,” Reed said.
“We’ll need support from all across the city to do these things.”
The city has 16 white and 12 black aldermen.
Nasheed in particular called out the North Side aldermen for not attending the rally, saying, “Where were the aldermen who represent wards that are 99 percent black? Why are they cautious? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Alderman Terry Kennedy, president of the African-American Aldermanic Caucus, said nothing should be read into the absence of aldermen. He also used the word “coincidence.”
“Aldermen have been at other rallies and will most likely be at future ones,” Kennedy said.
“There is no compromise – we want Chief George reinstated unconditionally.”
Kennedy said the black caucus is not taking an official position on the recall, but added, “That could change.”
Siding with Slay
One prominent black clergy member said the recall effort is a waste of time.
The Rev. Sammie E. Jones, pastor of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church and a former president of the Clergy Coalition of Metropolitan St. Louis, said, “I’m not with the recall.”
“I’m concerned about the Chief George saga, but I don’t feel that there should be a recall. Francis Slay has to deal with other issues,” Jones said.
“The racial divide goes way beyond George.”
When asked what he thought the black community should do in response to George’s demotion and other instances of racial indifference by the Slay administration, Jones said, “I’m not sure how to resolve the situation.”
He said St. Louis’ black community should “go beyond an emotional response.”
“We should pick some battles we can win, and have some victories,” Jones said.
When asked to name a possible battle that could be won, Jones said he did not know of any.
‘Organize, organize, organize’
The Rev. James T. Morris, pastor of Lane Tabernacle CME Church and a candidate for the state Legislature, spoke defiantly at the rally.
“We can’t let business be status quo,” Morris said.
“We hurt for the city of St. Louis. No just black St. Louis, not just white St. Louis, not north and not south – all of St. Louis.”
Morris, who had told the Post-Dispatch that his church was split 50/50 on the recall issue, stood solidly behind the recall effort during his speech.
“Chief George was given the job because of his outstanding ability. Let him do his job,” Morris said.
“We come from different backgrounds today. But we all seek justice and fairness now. We seek justice for all!”
In an effort to reach the total number of signatures needed to recall the mayor (from two-thirds of the city’s wards), several factions that differ with the administration’s politics have been enlisted in the recall effort.
Peter Downs, president of the elected SLPS school board, Bill Ramsey of the Human Rights Action Service, and Jamala Rogers of the Coalition Against Police Crimes and brutality, also spoke during the rally.
“We’re not just here for fiery speeches,” Rogers said.
“We’re here because there is work to be done. We must send a message to Slay.”
Activist Zaki Baruti said Citizens to Recall Francis Slay has been established and must collect 43,456 signatures in at least 18 wards.
“Faith without works is dead. If we really feel that Slay must go, we have to organize, organize, organize,” Baruti said.
Baruti is joined by the Rev. Douglas Parham of the Clergy Coalition, the Rev. Tommie Pierson of Metropolitan Congregations United, Nasheed, Ramsey and others in organizing the recall effort.
The committee has broken the city’s wards down demographically and will be appointing ward captains to lead the recall effort. A key early organizing meeting is scheduled for Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at Lexington School, located at 3130 Norwood Ave., at the corner of Norwood and Lexington, near the intersection of Kingshighway and Natural Bridge.
Veterans of petition drives to save Forest Park and audit the City’s lead program will be on hand to give activists guidance in how to correctly and legally sign up city voters to recall the mayor.
Baruti said the committee seeks 300 volunteers to canvass the city for the recall effort, which has set a tentative timetable of 16 weeks to meet its goal.
For questions about volunteering in the recall effort, call Parham at (314) 852-2336.
