Mass appeal

As if Dennis Archer doesn’t have enough worries (see "Stein's Nine"), Detroit-area lefties are planning to provide the mayor with yet another headache come June when the U.S. Conference of Mayors convenes in Detroit.

According to an e-mail from Scott Heinzman of the group Alliance for Democracy, plans are in the works to provide the nation’s mayors with a so-called People’s Congress. The event, writes Heinzman, will be a “massive citizen presence to communicate to urban and national political leaders around the country the priorities of people.”

Activist David Sole adds: “Archer is talking about hosting this conference as part of the city’s 300th birthday and this being a real celebration, but we don’t think there’s that much to celebrate. A lot of our cities are like Third World countries. We want to put a real people’s agenda forward, not just a demonstration (although that may happen also) but something that is concrete and proactive.”

News Hits can’t say for certain, but we doubt that publicly subsidized stadiums for millionaires and casinos that suck hundreds of millions of dollars out of communities are going to be cited as a priority among the masses that gather.

And we all know how much our mayor loves public demonstrations such as this. Just think back to the overwhelming police presence and the emergency ordinances passed last summer when the Organization of American States met across the river in Windsor.

With Peace Action and the International Action Center taking the lead, a host of groups plans to participate. This could get really good, especially if George W. Bush accepts his invitation (from the mayors, not the masses) and decides to attend.

All those interested in making sure the mayors get something more than a dog and pony show while in Motown are encouraged to attend an organizing meeting this Saturday, March 24, from 2-5 p.m. at the International Action Center office, 5920 Second Ave., Detroit. For more info, phone 313-831-0750.