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Mr. Gardner speaks at "Power Breakfast," with Clarence Wood listening (Photo: COAL)

The mayor of Chicago has not only diss CTU's Karen Lewis, but now he has shown his true colors in terms of having very little respect for a legend and icon like Mr. Ed Gardner. The mayor has blatantly refused to sit down with a man who has done more for this city than he has. He continues to ignore requests for a face to face meet and greet to discuss issues blanketing the Black community and making headlines in most papers across the country.

He, rahm emanuel, says he don't have time and that his make believe schedule has him jammed up. But he goes on WVON radio, his friendly place to settle and his safe haven from the so-called wolves who's hounding him for some answers. But he can't meet with Mr. Gardner to discuss one of Chicago's and Black's most pressing issue. The meeting has been requested for weeks.

And when he appeared on WVON this past week, unfortunately, rahm mentioned nothing relevant about the protest by Gardner, nor did he even want to answer questions poised to him by WVON's personality. He'll talk to the folks on WVON, but he'll send his special home-girl, Felicia Davis, to meet with Edward Gardner.

Mr. Gardner told Mrs. Davis politely, and with no disrespect, but I didn't ask to see you. I want rahm to sit with me and give some rational answers to why this city keeps doing the things it's doing. And rahm promised transparency when he courted the Black vote. Now he's hiding behind the skirt of one of his employees. That's unacceptable and will not be tolerated. And anyone who tries to express to me again how rahm is good for 'US', I will personally give them a verbal smack down!

Mr. Gardner ask emanuel to attend C.O.A.L.'s monthly Power Breakfast, where Mr. Gardner was the key note speaker this past Saturday at B.J.'s Market on south Stony Island, where over 200 people piled into the restaurant. rahm didn't refuse the invitation early during the week, but on Friday, he sent word that he had to leave town due to an emergency. How convenient mr. mayor! And Mr. Gardner made reference that when rahm granted him a ten minute chat during the week, Gardner says that rahm sounded either distracted or unconcerned with what he was expressing to him about the unfair practices of Blacks on construction sites all around Chicago.

Mr. Gardner said even the mayor of Evergreen Park, which is the home to a major project that lacks Black participation, and was protected against several weeks ago, met with Gardner and made certain promises and showed great compassion for the issues presented. The most shameful piece is for the City of Chicago to claim they met the minority requirement, giving several white women contracts. That's the minority set-aside the city explained.

Mr. Gardner attempted to explain to rahm that white women ain't digging no ditches at these construction sites! What about Black contracts and workers? The law is on the books, all mr. emanuel has to do is enforce laws already in place. Gardner felt put-off and disrespected during the phone conversation. Mr. Gardner invited the mayor to travel to a few sites to see the disparities with prime contractors who refuse to hire qualified Blacks to work, nor invite them to the bidding process on the front end.

This is an outrage and every Black and white media outlet, every blogger and email blast company in this city should be bashing the mayor for his lack of understanding and his disrespect to a man who could be mayor of Chicago. And any so-called media entity within the community that's not using their space to confront the mayor and this issue should not call themselves a community paper. And any website or email blast company not using their customer base to spread the word, unsubscribe me TODAY!

There are readers and people who don't like what I'm saying within TBTNews. Some have unsubscribed because they feel that the mayor is good people and TBTNews should give him a chance. Poor, lost and confused people! What kool-aid have you drank over the last year? You must have gotten a turkey last Thanksgiving, therefore, you're pleased with his job as mayor - hell you ate good for a few days! This is a serious matter and it should be dealt with seriously outside of turkey give-a-aways!

I'm glad someone like Ed Gardner has stepped up and brought this overdue atrocity to the forefront. And I don't care who comes to the table to support - all is needed. I know people are upset with certain people from past indiscretions. But like Mr. Gardner said, "that's old news, this is new news and we need to act now!" So, someone wronged you, kiss and make up and get to work on this issue facing not just Chicago, but Blacks all across the country.

Personally, without embarrassing anyone, heck these brothers do enough of that on their own. I do not always agree with Mark Carter and his crew, but I think he is super smart and he has the guts to stand toe-to-toe with people who attempt to oppress him. But I want him to know that the people in that room this past Saturday ain't your enemy. You might think they are, and there may have been a few in that room from your past. But this issue we riding on presently, ain't no enemies allowed!

Now Mark, you good people, and we the people who support Mr. Gardner want and needs your hustle. So brother, show Mr. Gardner what you got and stop acting like you're the only Negro been hurt by the past! Peace and one love.