I am giving you this information in order that you may work with us to make life better for blacks in Chicago. If you don’t know what is wrong, you won’t know what we need to do to get it right. One of the worst things happening at present in the black community is privatized parking meters. Many people do not know how the city is robbing the black community.
Did you know there are churches in Chicago where the city has a parking meter in front of them and anybody parking near the church will have to pay the meter or a $50 fine? If the church’s pastor parks in front of the building, he has to pay for all the time he is in his office. For almost all the services they have in the church, the members have to pay if they park near the church; or also pay the $50 fine. Here is the solution: nobody put any money in any meters near a church. Park on a side street, as close to the church as you can where there is no meter and walk to the church. If you have a car full of people, take them to the church and you take the car where there is no meter. If you go shopping, get as close to the place as you can and park the car where there is no meter. If you are going downtown, park the car as close to the bus line as you can and ride the bus.
People are all angry about parking meters being near churches. Some of them have gotten tickets while they’re in various services at church. Wherever a meter is near a church, you can get a ticket in that area if you are in the church attending a funeral, business meeting, prayer or choir meeting or any other kind of activity. If they don’t put money in the meter, they will have to pay that fine.
Our organization, United American Progress Association, hosted a meeting on Monday about this parking meter problem. All those in the meeting pledged not to use the parking meters anywhere, until they are moved from in front of religious institutions.
All the church leaders present have decided to conduct a citywide boycott against the meter company until this changes. Each church leader has decided to tell their members to avoid putting money in any meter near a church. We must make the meters lose money for those that are in front of churches. They say we must stop the city from robbing church people.
Getting angry alone will not solve our problems. The mayor and aldermen have made their decision, which is causing pastors to have to pay $10 per day for every day they are in their office working. It’s the same for the church secretary. Instead of just getting angry, meet with the United American Progress Association and let us see what problem we can cause the city. Then they may become interested in helping us to solve the problems they are causing us.
This is our boycott plan to stop the parking meter company and the city from robbing the black community.
