March 25, 2024
prev: March 18, 2024Public Commenters (33 min)
Reverend Pamela M. Pinkney Butts Muna Asraf Adam Bresnahan Chance Zurub Melaak Rashid Ruby Darwish Jenna Muhieddine James Lamb Atef Zurub Chairman Fahiem
Muna Asraf
So what has our city done to prevent all these atrocities that Israel is committing and our country supporting? They have chose to not pass a ceasefire resolution. Instead they chose to waste over $44, 371-plus dollars of our taxpayer money to kill Palestinians. Shame.
I would like to remind you all that you are messing up with the wrong people. Our fight has been going on for over 75 years, and still to this day we are resisting the Zionist occupation, as we will continue in the future, for the remainder of our lives. And I would like to say that we will be teaching the upcoming generation about what happened to our grandparents, to our parents, to us, and how we resisted this Zionist occupation. They said the old will die and the young will forget. I would like you all to take a look at these chambers. Do we look like we forgot? No one can defeat these people that believe that death is not the end. Free Palestine.
2:56 Permalink
Adam Bresnahan
When I'm walking in crosswalks with a green light, motorists regularly violate my right of way. Right- turning motorists often fail to stop at the red light, and either continue driving, or park on top of the crosswalk. Left-turning motorists often only pay attention to oncoming traffic and speed into the crosswalk when I and other pedestrians are walking in it. This law- breaking activity is facilitated by bad traffic engineering and infrastructure. Here are just a few of the problem crosswalk intersections in the city, and again, I want to emphasize I'm talking about when the pedestrian has the green light, is in the crosswalk, and has the right of way: ward 3, East 9th at St Clair and at Superior. Just between the time when I registered for this public comment and today, I was almost hit by a car at East 9th and St. Clair because they ran through the red light while making a right turn. Ward 6, Buckeye and East 116th. Ward 8, Waterloo and East 156. I almost got run over by a speeding left- turning car here. Ward 12, Broadway and Etna. Ward 14, Denison and Ridge. Denison and Ridge might be the most dangerous intersection on the entire west side, and thinking about the fact that children have to cross Ridge here on Denison makes me want to cry because it's so dangerous. Ward 15, the Lake Shoreway West intersection which is insane. It has so many problems that there's no way we could talk about them here today. But the council member from that ward that I don't live in, at least responded to my message about it. Finally my home ward, ward 11, both segments of the West- Detroit intersection in particular. Southbound cars turning right on Detroit regularly ignore the red light and thus the crosswalk across West. Moreover, West Boulevard is effectively a highway off-ramp on-ramp during the rush hour, making crossing at Clifton incredibly dangerous, because right-turners in the morning ignore the red light and drive over the crosswalk while left- turners in the evening ignore pedestrians.
I have written my council member detailed descriptions of these problems in our ward and have suggested some low-cost [inaudible] solutions, including shorter crosswalk wait times, no extended crosswalk wait times at rush hour, no right turn on red signs, reduce speed limits, and dedicated pedestrian green lights while all traffic lights are red. But did I get a response? No. But during the election last November, I did get a lot of campaign literature from the councilman proclaiming that public safety is his top concern. Does public safety include pedestrian safety? Pedestrians are members of the public, and well, safety is safety, but maybe words have different meanings in Cleveland, ward 11.
So I just want to emphasize, please, I know you know that this is a problem. I know that you inherited a city with terrible car- centric infrastructure, but please start taking some action to improve the experience of pedestrians because the crosswalks are very dangerous here. Thanks.
3:04 Permalink
Chance Zurub
However, despite the feigned ignorance, today offers an opportunity with the United Nations Security Council passing a ceasefire resolution. This Council has the opportunity to do the same for the Palestinians of Gaza and for the Palestinian and Arab community of Cleveland that has been suffering for the past 6 months while our families friends and loved ones undergo a genocide. So for the past 17 weeks we have called, but City Council is not the only one that hasn't answered. We have called on all of our elected officials to echo the call for a ceasefire, and while that includes Council, that also includes our Congress people. It includes our senators, and lastly, it includes the city of Cleveland's mayor, Justin Bibb, a man that issued his own support of genocide. Justin Bibb, who was flown on a free trip to Israel prior to his mayoral race, which was accompanied with briefcases of money according to someone on his campaign team. Justin Bibb, who at any point during these past 17 weeks could have introduced a resolution himself standing with the will of his constituents of Cleveland. And lastly, the Justin Bibb who during his time at Key Bank, secured an investment of $9- million in Israeli bonds. So while we pursue divestment from Israeli bonds and occupation, let this be your heads up, we are coming for you, Justin. With that, we'll see you next week.
2:55 Permalink
Melaak Rashid
3:24 Permalink
Ruby Darwish
1:40 Permalink
Jenna Muhieddine
3:01 Permalink
James Lamb
3:45 Permalink
Atef Zurub
3:03 Permalink
Chairman Fahiem
3:15 Permalink
Yes, we are concerned about Africa, Afghanistan, Palestine, Israel. We're concerned about Ukraine. We're concerned about all national issues and catastrophes and violence and murder, but the answer is not violence on top of violence. So let's bridge the gaps between us, everybody. Let's bridge these gaps, these racial barriers, these gender barriers, this murder mindedness, let's bridge the gaps. The one thing that we must do is focus on what we have in common, not where we differ. The one thing we must do is focus on the fact that each of us has a desire and a need for food, shelter, clothing, health care, and education. The other thing that we have in common is that we all want to have a safe community to live in. So let's bridge the gaps, everybody. Let's not come down here, anybody, I don't care who it is, whether it's on that side of the bench or this one, and tear up anything else or allow it to be torn up in the city of Cleveland. Let's bridge the gaps. Let's bridge the gaps and have some main conversation at the table to see what we have in common. Let's bridge the gaps, everybody. It's time to move forward.
Yes, we are concerned. Yes, we do care. We have the same issues in America that are in Palestine and Israel and Africa and Afghanistan and around the world, but let's not bring that mindset here to Cleveland, Ohio, and the United States of America. Let's bridge those gaps, everybody.