The movement of poor people in the United States is fighting for the realization of their socio-economic rights: housing, health, water, decent-paying jobs, and access to primary, secondary and higher fn education.
The movement unites whites and blacks, fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, unemployed, working poor, the homeless, those who have lost the free trade agreements such as NAFTA, social workers, church leaders, trade unionists, artists, lawyers, young and old, rural residents, their work and townspeople.
The aim is to unite in a movement to fight against poverty and the achievement of Articles fn 23, 25 and 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Poor people This declaration was signed by the U.S. in 1948. However, the U.S. has never ratified the International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. fn The realization of these rights would be an entirely different U.S. do occur.
The movement was founded in 1998, the "Poor People's Summit" and invokes the legacy of Fannie Lou Hammer, Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, Gandhi, Malmcom X and Martin Luther King.
When they talk about "the poor" they have not only they have officially below the poverty fn line, but all those who have to choose daily: between food or medicines, between housing and health, between heating or water. 'More fn options' is represented by some as evidence of 'development', but for these people it is a hard everyday reality which indicates that this development is not at all what they need. It is the diaspora of Katrina and the thousands of workers their jobs in the crisis have lost. They are the 46 million U.S. citizens without health insurance and many millions who are formally called one but never be compensated when they are seriously ill.
The association organizes demonstrations fn and "direct actions" political education and cultural work. Confiscated houses are cracked. During every presidential election, the association makes itself heard loudly.
Last month was Jennifer Cox in Brussels. She is an activist who is always present at the World Social Forums and join the U.S. Social Forum in Detroit organized in June 2010. The PPEHRC fn will go with a march from New Orleans (Katrina) to Detroit.
However, as stated above, we are working on a number of socio-economic fn rights, the right to education, to health care, employment, water, etc. We are now some 125 organizations. These are the victims of Katrina (a hurricane that swept the U.S. in 2005, editor's fn note), people from the poorest parts of the country, people whose house was seized in Minnesota, women whose children fn were placed because they are too poor people Detroit whose water was closed, people in California and Florida who are homeless and are now living in tent camps. Many of them are 'new poor' as a result of the crisis.
In the U.S., the situation is more difficult every day. There is a high unemployment rate, up to 15% on average. But in some regions or communities, unemployment can reach 50 or even 90%, especially now with the crisis. Especially in Detroit, the situation is distressing. Thousands of people have no water, no hot water or heating. That happens in most of the country. Every winter get killed by fires because people are trying to stir in their home or mobile home a fire. People have no other option.
Many children are placed in institutions or with other families, because their parents are too poor. But often those children abused. There are even children slain by their foster families. Some children enter the sex industry rightly. Most have very big problems.
Nearly five years after Katrina, many people are still unable fn to return to their homes. They live in trailers, some far away, and their living circumstances are sometimes downright dangerous. Sometimes they are victims of all kinds of chemicals that are in there.
Usually, there is talk of New Orleans, but the worst of the storm came through Mississippi. This is the region where they want to build. Great resorts for tourism Blacks and whites are now fighting to preserve their community. A sergeant who had just returned from Iraq was elected by the people to help them; they trust because he wears a uniform. And he is now one of the main leaders of that community. And that is really a sign of the times. fn People who are on the left, are now almost mandatory to be in social movements active.
There are many cities, real slums are emerging all over the country, but especially in California
