just to set the record straight: i have reviewed my notes from that week. it's good to have notes.
1. there was no agreement of confidentiality asked or given
2. we did not 'want... [George] to join the UTCC". the UTCC at that time did not have any formal structure or conditions for 'joining'. the kind of organizing that GL was talking about doing (unity meetings--meetings with other 'groups' of drivers) were what we were already doing at the time. any driver who had expressed an interest in organizing activity could have been invited to attend our meetings. the AUPD with Melissa Callahan had been going thru the same process just before steve and i resigned. george didn't have a problem with our meetings then, or his exclusion.
3. the reason for the meeting i wanted to call with george was not to 'stroke [him] by telling [him] how important [he] was to the cabdriver community'. it was simply out of respect for his position in that community, just like i said. in my history with george, i had heard him say all the right things about what he wants for the drivers--an organization that can fight for our rights, etc etc. and here i was, and we are, building EXACTLY the kind of org. that everyone says we want and need, and george now immediately has a problem with it.
4. we never said that prateek sampat called our meetings or decided who came. ever since the first meeting, we drivers have been calling all the shots. the process steve and i initiated (meetings every 2 weeks, attendance by invitation by one of us drivers after some kind of intake interview) was exactly the same process we had been carrying out in AUPD for 4 months previous. george didn't have a problem with it then. i have an idea why--because he had been getting reports on our activities, and felt he had some control over one of our members. and now that he didn't have that control and is not getting reports, he has a conniption fit.
5. as far as we are concerned, the person who has done more to sabotage unity than anyone else is george lutfallah. we have a very open, semi-formal process for joining in cabdriver organizing activities. any one who wants to really unite has merely to call us, read the UTCC Voice, or attend our monthly general meeting to find out how.
6. we have heard mention of many references to other cabdriver 'groups' lately. we are not sure what this term is in reference to. we do know of the ghanaian driver org. but no others who constitute any more than (possibly) 4 or 5 drivers. we officially welcome the formation of any and all kinds of cabdriver organizations (such as the newly formed CCDAC) which put into political motion the drivers who come together in their perceived common interests. as we said in our newsletter, the Voice, we look forward to working with any and all of them in the future to create a better life and working conditions for chicago cabdrivers. we will meet with any cabdriver groups that form and make an attempt to find common ground and unity around our issues, as befits a cabdriver organization formed around "community" and "council". (notice that 'community' hs the word 'unity' in it).
7. yes it is insulting for grown men to be called puppets. i've always considered myself pretty intelligent, with free will and my own agency. i also look upon my fellow drivers as having these character traits. there is such a fierce independence of will and genius among those in our cabdriver community here in chicago, and it is reflected in our steering committee of the UTCC. and in every cabdriver that we speak to in our organizing activities. this will and genius is reflected in the level of political discourse carried out in our meetings. no one could EVER assume that a committee of six or eight or twelve persons could be controlled by one person who wasnt even a driver, or had our experiences. the idea is ludicrous, and only a cretin could actually sincerely hold such an idea. we don't actually believe george is a cretin, nor do we believe he believes the things he says.
CABDRIVERS!--look for some other reason for georges positions and his activities. , you can figure it out yourselves, i dont' have to put ideas in your heads. you are all smart enough and informed enough about your own historical experiences to know what the term "material opportunism" means.
8. george did not "[throw us both]..out of [his] office]". we left after 2 hours of pointless arguments with a person who can't put 2 logical statements together to form a logical conclusion. we were the ones to leave in disgust, having wasted our time.
9. we call upon george to list the "various independent groups" he mentions, and to list the "important issues" they all discussed. this is the kind of thing you'd think would be important enough to report in the Dispatcher, don't you think? wouldn't YOU like to read an article about various independent groups of cabdrivers discussing important issues? i would!
10. i am tempted to challenge george lutfallah to a public debate about our respective political positions and vision for solving the problems of our workforce vis-a-vis the power structures here in chicago. it would be filmed and we could put it up on youtube for all the driver community to see, hear, and make up their own minds which vision they wish to support. how 'bout it, george? are you man enough to put your ideas before your imagined public? if not, please stop behaving as if you have all the answers for our beleaguered driver community, its just that you won't tell us what they are until it's some kind of done deal that you can impose on us. we won't take kindly to that, believe me.
peter ali enger
Peter, Why don't you quit being so negetive towards George? He was not insulting or offensive and you know that. You and Donald seem to have a problem so why don't you and Donald seek some psychiatric help?, the both of you need it because you and Donald have nothing better to do. When you left Melissa's group to start your own, George complimented you for moving forward and gave you credit.
Why don't you and Donald look for something better to do? or why don't you go to a church and talk to a minister. Seeking help from a minister is free!
I'm not the kind of person who calls people names, but you're an idiot! Grow up you moron!
Why you so much mean yourself without naming on your name in this forum? And with this attitutde, how can you criticise the person? Is that your personal behavior with related George L?
How so much difficult to find out the minimum human attitude with related George like you?
If you do not know what was happened by George, you should keep silence or come out with your own name which has been given by your father and mother? If your father is hornored man, you should also do like your father.
All of this section is so much important to expose who is George and what is a purpose for his all of activity. So you should know the truth first. Then you can blame other person.
George!
If you are the real man, you know who is the Guess who. If Guess who is a corward, you should help him who is because you are not a man to hide your name.
In your question, " Peter, why don't you quit being so negative towards George? He was not insulting or offensive and you know that" That's not true. Compeletely not true. You should know first that's not a true. With name of my father, with name of God, I will telling that you should know that's not a true.
Always George insult to all of the other person who are active in now.
I really sick and tired George's behavior and his speak to other person. And From now on, I will defend all of activist of taxi industry who sincerely volounteer work from the George's bad action.
Do you really think George gave Peter credit? For what? When you read the Dispatcher, don't you think why he did such like that? That is your problem which not open your eyes and not a using of your brain.
If you are Mike Foulks, you don't need to take all of my blame what I talk to you(Guess who) in this message. Because you do not know all of truth, you do not have a brain to understand what I talk to you. So I will pardon you because you don't know anything about what you did whether it is right thing or not. No knowledge is not a Guilty in the law. That's why I will always pardon you.
However, George is not like you. He knew it what is right, he knew what is doing, he knew how to hide the truth, he knew how to make a lie, he knew how to twist the fact thru Dispatcher, and he want to control the person as he want to do. That's why now I am big argue with him. I always welcome if George want to talk with me in the open place with all of taxi driver. And I can show you who is George.
If you want to argue with me, come out with your name, you corward.
Steve Kim
To: Steve Kim. This Guess Who person says he also was at the meeting between you, George, and Peter.
Guess who?
Date Posted: Jul 27, 08 - 4:42 PM
Message: Okay, I see what you mean. George Lutfullah is just an owner of a newspaper. Several months ago when George Lutfullah had a meeting in his Belmont Avenue office, he did invite Peter to his meeting, I was there too. George at his meeting said that he was in favor of cabdrivers organizing in small groups, and says that small groups should be working together.
If you and Peter don't agree with something George says and does, than you should go to his office and let him know how you feel. We are all grown men and we should try working together and be diplomatic.
As far as George's paper is concern, he's not
Thank you for understanding. George has a right to his opinions as well as everybody else does, and nobodies perfect.
I wasn't at the meeting, I heard about it. GUESS WHO? is my real name.
I do read the Chicago Dispatcher, and
I found nothing from George insulting anyone.
If you want insults, okay, I'll give you some. Peter dresses like a 1960's hippie, protesting war, but he's looking for war himself. Instead of Peter looking back in the 1960's era, he should look forward and dress civilized.
Now go jump in the lake, both of you.
http://pub6.bravenet.com/forum/499115540/fetch/975915/
This guy was at the meeting. The above link is his actual posting. I will ask Peter Enger the identity of the participants of this meeting. To my knowledge Steve Kim and Peter haven't spent time behind bars. Can George and Mike say the same thing? It seems that George has a recent arrest. Mike's felony conviction has already been discussed here.
When George was having what sounds like mental problems and was arrested, Steve kim helped him out. When Steve Kim was discussing issues with George, George attacked the guy that had helped him out in a time of need. Yes the same guy, Steve kim.
Here's the math: Steve helps George. In return George plasters Steve and rips him a new rear. What a great deal. George, with friends like you, who needs enemies.
Does this qualify me for banishment King?
Why don't all of you guys get together one day at George's office, and lay down your differences.
You're wasting your time writing on this site. This is George's site and he has it for a good purpose. This site is for drivers to share ideas, not critisize.
If you guys don't want to get together and face George like a man, than you're making George look good.
I wasn't at this meeting. As a matter of fact, I'm not even a cabdriver. Only cabdrivers were only allowed at that meeting. I'm only a friend of someone who attended that meeting. So, Guess Who?
To Guess who.
Are your liar or insane? How you can say, I was there in the meeting and I was not there in the meeting, in this forum.
Don't make to twist the fact. You did not there.What your purpose to say you was there is? What your purpose to say you was not there is?
Whoever you are,I knew you are not a proper person to argue with us. I do not want blame anyone. If you do not know about what George did wrong about me,Peter and all of UTCC, you have to keep silence.
If not, I have to expose more details what George did wrong one by one to make you understanding. So If you really want to support to George, you should not involve or balme to Peter and me.
As you said, if you do not know what George did wrong in his news paper, also I can bring all of his content what was wrong. Do you really want to this? And I recommend you you should study again what jounalism should do first.
Steve Kim.
Steve Kim,
You're a liar! Your mother dropped you on your head when you were born.
George was not offensive. You're just jealous because you can't be as smart as George. I had a wireless michrophone hooked up at George's office and heard everything George said at my house.
Why don't you lay down on the railroad tracks and stay there till a train runs over you.
Message: If you want to make allegations about somebody, you'll post under your real name.
George Lutfallah
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Replying to:
Steve Kim,
You're a liar! Your mother dropped you on your head when you were born.
George was not offensive. You're just jealous because you can't be as smart as George. I had a wireless michrophone hooked up at George's office and heard everything George said at my house.
Why don't you lay down on the railroad tracks and stay there till a train runs over you.
Its Ok for Mike to post like this. Remember he's George's home boy. We'll just leave orientation out for right now. We're just left to wonder.
I was wondering about those two myself.
