DAY 8 (11-27-12) OF HUNGER STRIKE BY 70-YEAR OLD SIKH-AMERICAN.
DID COUNCILMAN & CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT MARTIN J. SWEENEY, WHO RIGGED THE 5 TO 4 VOTE TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC JOHN MARSHALL HIGH AT THE JANUARY 12, 2012 CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION MEETING, LIE IN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE SCHOOL IN CLEVELAND, OHIO?
                             
CONCILMAN SWEENEY’S HONESTY:
WE ALL KNOW POLITICIANS LIE TO US!
 

MAYOR JACKSON HAS SAID: I HAVE “NEVER LIED TO YOU”!
 

WHAT ABOUT COUNCILMAN SWEENEY?
 

WHAT IS HIS POSITION ON HONESTY?
 

THE COUNCILMAN HAS NOT ANSWERED QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO HIS
HONESTY & TRUTHFULNESS ON THE $50 MILLION JOHN
MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT!
 

THE COUNCILMAN ALSO USES PHILADELPHIA LAWYERS TO DODGE
 

REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC DOCUMENTS DEALING WITH HIS HONESTY!
DOES AN HONEST POLITICIAN NEED PHILADELPHIA LAWYERS?
 

How honest were Mayor Jackson, Councilman Sweeney & others in City Hall & the
School District in their dealings with the SAVE JOHN MARSHALL campaign in the $50 million John Marshall High School Construction Project?
 

Gross Irregularities were committed: Collusive Inaction, Vote Rigging, & Denial of Due Process. Also, the School District did not act in good faith with over 2,400 petitioners who want to SAVE JOHN MARSHALL by renovating the High School including the Auditorium, Underground Running Tracks, and Swimming Pool.
 

Over 400 pages of correspondence show that Mayor Jackson, Councilman Sweeney, Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Gordon, and others have not been honest, trustworthy, accountable, clear, and transparent on the $50 million John Marshall High School Construction Project.
 

VOTE RIGGING:
COUNCILMAN SWEENEY RIGGED THE 5 TO 4 VOTE TO DEMOLISH HISTORIC 80-YEAR OLD JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL AT THE JANUARY 12, 2012 MEETING OF THE CLEVELAND LANDMARKS COMMISSION.
 

*The Chief Architect of the City of Cleveland (with the title of Manager of Architecture) who should be preserving and protecting our landmarks -- voted to demolish our architectural gem.
Mayor Jackson took no action when the vote rigging and other irregularities were brought to his honor’s attention.
For example, at the January 12, 2012 Cleveland Landmarks Commission meeting, despite repeated requests, the Chair refused to let me respond to inaccuracies in the financial numbers, on behalf of petitioners, while the School District, their Architect, and Councilman Sweeney were free to get up and interject at any time.
Also, City Hall has not submitted any requested public documents pertaining to vote rigging and irregularities
 

*A member (Allan Dryer) was absent at the subject meeting.. While quorum was still satisfied, Councilman Sweeney nevertheless brought in Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland as a one-day replacement  -- not clear under what rules of the Commission -- and she also voted for demolition. City Hall has not submitted any document citing the CLC rule to justify temporary replacement of CLC member Allan Dryer by Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland at the January 12, 2012 CLC meeting even when quorum did not require a replacement.
 

*According to the CLC’s website: The mission statement of the CLC is listed as follows: “To encourage the preservation of historically and architecturally significant buildings and historic districts within the City of Cleveland.” In addition, the website lists the following statement: “The Landmarks Commission is an eleven-member board of preservation-minded individuals consisting of architects, historians, property owners, attorneys, Cleveland City Council representatives, the Director of City Planning, and the Commissioner of Architecture.”
At the CLC meeting, Councilwoman Cleveland stated that she liked new things and was not a preservationist. City Hall has not submitted any document confirming whether the Councilwoman met the requirements for membership in the CLC.
City Hall has not submitted any document confirming whether Councilwoman Phyliss Cleveland toured the 80-year old historic JMHS facility before the January 12, 2012 CLC meeting,
According to the minutes of the January 12, 2012 CLC meeting -- Councilwoman Cleveland approved the minutes of the previous CLC meeting held on December 8, 2011 – a meeting which Ms. Cleveland did not attend.
 

*Despite requests, the Chair (Jennifer Coleman) of CLC refused to let me respond to inaccuracies in the financial numbers, on behalf of petitioners, while the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), their Architect, and Councilman Sweeney were free to get up and interject at any time. Councilman Sweeney, also Council President, very aware of protecting basic rights of individuals, demonstrated no outrage when my right to speak in City Hall was denied.
 

*The Chair was aware “there were lots of questions about the financial numbers.”
In the January 19, 2012 article by Ken Prendergast posted on Cleveland.Com:
“Cleveland Landmarks Commission clears way for John Marshall High school demolition”, Jennifer Coleman, Chair of CLC stated:
“It’s important to have a connection to the past,” she added. “I understand the (school) district’s economic argument, but I think there were lots of questions about the financial numbers. In 20 or 30 years, we’re going to look back and realize how much we’ve lost. The question is, how can we go forward?” 
City Hall has not submitted any document confirming the CLC rule under which the
Chair of CLC permitted a vote (at the January 12, 2012 CLC meeting) on whether
landmarked 80-year old JMHS should be demolished when the Chair was aware that
“there were lots of questions about the financial numbers.”
 

*At the CLC meeting, the Chair (Jennifer Coleman) stated that speakers in public sessions were limited to 2 minutes. I spoke, within the allotted time on behalf of over 2,400 petitioners. However, Councilman Sweeney was allowed to speak for 18 minutes without any objection from the Chair. City Hall has not submitted any document confirming exception to the 2-minute rule and why Councilman Sweeney was allowed to speak for 18 minutes without any objection from the Chair.
 

*The Chief Architect (Robert Vilkas) of the City of Cleveland (with the title of Manager of Architecture) who should be preserving and protecting our landmarks -- voted to demolish our architectural gem at the January 12, 2012 CLC (Cleveland Landmarks Commission) meeting. Mr. Vilkas is a member of the CLC and at the January 12, 2012 . meeting, Mr. Vilkas did not provide any explanation for demolishing the landmark.
 

*At the January 12, 2012 CLC (Cleveland Landmarks Commission.) meeting, CLC member, Councilman Brancatelli, who also voted for demolition of landmarked historic 80-year old John Marshall High School, stated that renovation is more expensive than new construction.
On the contrary, for John Marshall High School, the renovation cost is nearly $150 per square foot and the cost of new construction is nearly $220 per square foot.
For both 83-year old John Hay High School (renovation completed in 2006) and 80-year old Rhodes High School (renovation completed in 2009) – renovation was cheaper than new construction.
City Hall has not submitted any actual data confirming Councilman Brancatelli’s statement.
 

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS:
SO FAR I HAVE I HAVE LOST 12 POUNDS. AT THE START, I WEIGHED 138 POUNDS. I DRINK FLENTY OF WATER. I AM TAKING VITAMIN PILLS. I SLEPT A LOT ON THE SECOND DAY – BECAUSE I WAS VERY TIRED ON THE FIRST DAY. ON THE THIRD & 4TH DAY – I DID NOT SLEEP THAT MUCH. WHILE I FEEL WEAK – I AM ABLE TO DO CHORES AROUND THE HOUSE AND TAKE CARE OF OUR PETS. I WORK SLOWLY – SO AS NOT TO WASTE ENERGY.
GOING ON A HUNGER STRIKE CAN BE BORING – SO I SPEND AS MUCH OF MY WAKING TIME POSTING ON FACEBOOK (SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL GROUP) AND MY BLOG AT REALNEO. USUALLY THE POSTS ARE FAIRLY DETAILED AND REQUIRE MULTIPLE DRAFTS.
 
I CONTINUE TO BE IN HIGH SPIRITS. I HAVE ALSO BEEN OUT ON THREE OF THE EIGHT DAYS – I WALK SLOWLY AND SIT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ON THE 3RD AND 4TH DAYS WHEN I WENT OUT – I LEFT MY TRAVELING CART & ALL THE SIGNS I USE IN MY DEMONSTRATIONS BEHIND – FOR THE FIRST TIME – IN NEARLY 18 MONTHS. IT FELT SO STRANGE -- THE CART HAS BEEN MY CONSTANT COMPANION – AND I MISSED IT. BUT NOW I HAVE TO CONSERVE ENERGY – AND I CANNOT AFFORD HAULING A HEAVY CART.
 

PRIOR TO START OF THE HUNGER STRIKE ON 11-20-12, I HAD FASTED  – 12 TO 18 HOURS EVERY DAY SINCE MAY 1, 2012. SO FAR – I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY HUNGER PANGS.
PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POSTS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE HUNGER STRIKE!
 

INTERVIEWS TO THE PRESS:
SO FAR I HAVE GIVEN TWO INTERVIEWS.

THE FIRST INTERVIEW WAS GIVEN TO INDIA ABROAD ON 11-21-12 – THE SECOND DAY OF THE HUNGER STRIKE,
HERE IS THE PREVIOUS POST THAT HAS A COPY OF THE ARTICLE:
11-24-12
INDIA ABROAD FIRST NEWSPAPER TO WRITE ABOUT HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE HISTORIC 80-YEAR OLD JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL IN CLEVELAND,
 

THE SECOND TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WAS GIVEN ON  11-26-12. DETAILS WILL BE PROVIDED ONCE THE ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED.
 

BROADCAST MEDIA:
SO FAR NEWS ABOUT THE HUNGER STRIKE HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED TWICE  ON ONE INDIAN NETWORK.
HERE ARE THE PREVIOUS POSTS THAT HAVE THE DETAILS:
 

11-27-12
INDIAN TV FOR 2ND TIME PUTS CLEVELAND, OHIO MEDIA TO SHAME ON ZERO COVERAGE OF HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL!
 

11-25-12
INDIAN TV PUTS CLEVELAND, OHIO MEDIA TO SHAME ON ZERO COVERAGE OF HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL!
 

ZERO COVERAGE ON LOCAL (CLEVELAND MEDIA):
HERE ARE THE PREVIOUS POSTS PERTAINING TO THE TOPIC OF ZERO COVERAGE:
 

11-27-12
INDIAN TV FOR 2ND TIME PUTS CLEVELAND, OHIO MEDIA TO SHAME ON ZERO COVERAGE OF HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL!
 

11-26-12
ZERO COVERAGE BY CLEVELAND’S PLAIN DEALER TO 70-YEAR OLD MAN’S FIGHT IN 7th DAY OF HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE JOHN MARSHALL SCHOOL!
 

11-25-12
INDIAN TV PUTS CLEVELAND, OHIO MEDIA TO SHAME ON ZERO COVERAGE OF HUNGER STRIKE TO SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL!
 

FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE:
Follow the SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/160386844035662/
 

Also, see the following three YouTube clips:
1. Save John Marshall High School, Cleveland, Ohio
http://youtu.be/S6Shgwi5cuU
2. Save John Marshall High School Pt. 2: Demonstration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdTaCQrwoF4
3. Save John Marshall High School Part 3: Call for a Hunger Strike
http://youtu.be/nyoL5sFBjeA