By Joel Thurtell
Here is Matty Moroun’s answer to my letter to him. He had his minion Dan Stamper send it to Deb Sumner, a leader in Southwest Detroit and frequent critic of Moroun.
The letter:
September 30, 2008
Ms. Sumner,
I cannot and will not engage in criticisms, personal attacks or a war of words with someone who is clearly biased against our company. I respect your opinion and your right to voice that opinion no matter what it may be. However, I must do my part to make sure that you, along with those within our community, are aware of the facts relating to the Ambassador Bridge and its operations.
For far too long, a small contingent of antagonists around the state has engaged in “Ambassador Bridge bashing†to the delight of those who relish such negative activity. This consistent, but unnecessary vilification of the Bridge Company and its officials has been filled with many untruths and in some instances flat out lies, all in efforts to launch political careers for some of our most outspoken critics and mislead thousands of others within the community we serve.
Since you took it upon yourself to be so vociferous about what you think of the Bridge Company, I would hope that you would care to learn the facts about us. Let me take a moment to address some of the most recent misinformation and baseless attacks on the Ambassador Bridge and our operations within Southwest Detroit (SWD).
The horrific events of 9/11 created a coming together of government agencies, along with public and private corporations that own and operate critical infrastructures, in our country. The changes that have happened at airports, tunnels, seaports, power plants and bridges are staggering, but necessary. Our participation with all the federal agencies in a coordinated effort to better protect infrastructure and the traveling public is a daily endeavor, and yes, our participation did require creating a buffer zone around the bridge.
For some time now our efforts to secure the bridge have come under fire from a select few who have asserted we are operating outside of our boundaries. Let me be clear. Our efforts to secure one of the nation’s busiest border crossings and one of Michigan’s most valuable economic assets is well within the obligation of the Bridge Company. All of our enhanced security efforts have been implemented in coordination and partnership with all federal agencies who have responsibility to secure our nation’s borders.
Here’s some language directly from a report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding its Strategic Plan, Fiscal Years 2008 – 2013. As it relates to the DHS’s efforts to preventing “external threats from coming to fruition,†they wrote:
“Building an effective national emergency response system will entail continuing efforts to develop and sustain national partnerships across all levels of government, voluntary organizations, and the private sector…â€
In addition, the DHS wrote:
“Homeland security also requires a robust vertical integration of the federal, state, local, and tribal governments, the private and non-profit sectors, and the American citizen to build a secure, safe, and resilient Nation.â€
To effectively do this, we have worked with all the security agencies to implement the appropriate measures to adequately secure one of our nation’s critical infrastructures. All operations and efforts to do so are in direct coordination with those agencies.
Despite your cynical sentiments about the intent of the Ambassador Bridge and its employees, the reality of our post-9/11 world dictates that increased security measures are prudent. This effort to secure travelers and infrastructure against threats known and unknown continues today and will continue long into the future.
Ms. Sumner, it is my sincere hope that you, along with others who have unnecessarily criticized this company, will take a more prudent approach to determining what’s best for SWD and the rest of the state. Your criticisms against the Ambassador Bridge and its staff dismiss or ignore the importance of securing critical infrastructure in our nation and the potential threat to its citizens and way of life. It is apparent your criticisms are only personal in nature.
Assuming that you are truly committed to what’s best for SWD, I think that you should agree that it is past time for all of us to begin working together to determine the best course of action for the future benefit of SWD and the state, rather than tear each other down in an attempt to create further conflict which stifles progress.
If we can set aside individual agendas for one minute, I believe we can build on the success of the Ambassador Bridge Gateway Project and continue to improve the community and this international corridor without negative impacts to Southwest Detroit.
The Ambassador Bridge is, and will continue to be, a vital part of the SWD community with a vested interest in helping to assure its future economic growth and prosperity. We care deeply about the SWD community and will continue to do our part to be a strong and involved corporate citizen.
Sincerely,
Dan Stamper
Dear Mr. Stamper,
Never have I read so much hypocritical blather all in one place. It’s bad enough that the citizens of this unfortunate city have to endure your company’s thefts and depredations. At least you could spare us your pious lectures.
All the bridges in New York City, where terrorist activities have actually occurred, manage to function without taking over nearby public parks. Is it your impression that the commerce flowing over the George Washington Bridge is less important to the Nation’s welfare than the comparatively small amount using the Ambassador Bridge? I doubt it. You are simply preying on the weakness and corruptibility of our downtrodden City government for your own gain and that of the civic monster you work for.
You claim to have the interests of Southwest Detroit at heart. How about showing your concern by releasing your grip on Riverside park and cleaning up the Michigan Central Station? These two actions, which are entirely within your control or that of Mr. Moroun, would go a long way toward changing local opinion about him and the bridge company. In the meantime he may go on being the richest man in town but he’ll just have to bear with the low opinion which his fellow citizens have learned to have of him.
Sincerely, Jim Edwards jme1405@aol.com
Oh god, more flippant mentions of “9/11” as the reason they’ve done this. When will 9/11 stop being a catch-all excuse to take away people’s freedoms?
Dear Dan & Manuel Moroun @ DIBC,
The SWD Community was so looking forward to the DIBC’s transparency and turning a new leaf by being able to reveal all present and future construction and elevation drawings on the eve of Thursday Oct. 2, 2008 Public Meeting hosted by State Rep. Steve Tobocman regarding the status update of the Gateway Project. Our SWD community and business leaders, our State MDOT officials, our City Mayor’s Representative were there and hoping to see DIBC reveal substantial and substantive phases of YOUR construction activity that is presently going on your property and future construction phases. The public wants to see and know what your end-results will be, how your land will be used, what can the SWD Community, City, State and our International Visitors expect to see on DIBC’s land, how will bridge-related traffic flow on your property, how will your private trucking operations flow on your property, what visual end-results will be seen by our Historic Hubbard Farms District Homeowners and residents, by our neighboring Bagley Housing Associations Housing Developments, by our Southwest Detroit Housing Developments, by our Mexicantown Community Development Corporation Developments, by our Mexicantown Business District, by our West Riverfront and Riverside Park redevelopment efforts, etc.,… Your DIBC Representatives, Mickie Blashfield and Sally Rendon, who were present at Thursday night’s Public Meeting unfortunately, could only say “things are always changing and so therefore, DIBC’s has no concrete construction and elevation plans to share with the public”. Presumably, DIBC believes the SWD Community, the State, the City, the Feds, etc.,…just dropped off the pumpkin truck and therefore will believe whatever DIBC spews. Officials say “we have asked DIBC and will continue to ask DIBC to reveal their plans”. I think it is way overdue, that the public stop asking and start demanding, and maybe we the public, must ask a team of legal minds, how can the public demand what we have been “asking” for years. Dan, if and when you really want to play softball with the public then I suggest you come to the game with all of your balls to share with all of the players. We, the public look forward to DIBC’s transparency and desire to “work” with everyone. We look forward to meeting Manny also and we look forward to helping DIBC utilize your land in the best asthetic ways as possible. We look forward to DIBC removing your fencing from our public Riverside Park, removing all gates that DIBC erected to keep out the public from launching their boats at Riverside Park, and removing all threatening fake “homeland security” signs that DIBC installed on our public-right-away of our public’s Riverside Park. Our Mayor, Mayor Cockrel has publically stated via Channel 4 News, that all fencing and gate obstructions on our public Riverside Park must be REMOVED. I would suggest DIBC listen to our City’s newest Mayor Cockrel who operates with complete transparency and integrity!!! Sincerely, Deb Sumner
Hey, here’s a thought…
Check this out with a lawyer first, but I think you might just be able to perform a citizens arrest on these guys.
First, the major felony to assist in the arrest. Impersonation of a Federal Official. If the DHS states openly that the “Homeland Security” signs are not theirs, then someone has gone impersonating.
Hey, it likely won’t pass muster, but…it’s probably worth checking into, if you know a lawyer…
Barring that, hold a sit-in. Well…actually…it’s a park, so…hold a picnic! Advise whoever it is that they keep calling (Border Guards etc)…that you will be holding a picnic on city property and due to all the confusion surrounding the area, you just wanted to ‘let them know’. Tell them exactly what time as well. Two things will come out of this. First is…if the hired goons come around, you can state that you’ve already cleared this with (name your bureau here). Second, if the goons are ALREADY there…you know there is something else going on. Plus, bring no cameras. Or maybe ‘hire’ a professional photographer to ‘document’ the day. Have a theme or something for the picnic…a ‘company’ outing. The downside to all of this is you couldn’t use anyone who’s already been there and may have been seen by one of the goons. If they see someone they’ve already seen, they would get suspicious and all hell might break loose.
Security theatre is stupid, and only makes us moreso…