Too Big To Fail – by Brittney N. Gault

(TBTNewsservice) – In the movie, Too Big to Fail, the top executives from America’s largest banks were loaned American taxpayer dollars to bail out their failing banks. The following year, the top five banks and their executives (below) noted record profits and salary increases, while lending to consumers and small businesses fell to last priority. Some of you were direct beneficiaries to this bail out. You were handsomely compensated to keep your mouths shut. While your friends and families suffered layoffs, the loss of their life savings, children college funds, or even worst, the loss of their homes.

Yet, in the ignorant bliss many call “reality,” the game is almost over. Us little people encourage you to be prepared for the biggest regime change in history. You see, while those top executives and their heartless soldiers are working “so hard” for their $800k salaries, and upward $50k expense accounts, the people’s champs are beginning to flex their muscles where it matters most—policy.

Late last week, Attorney General Martha Coakley urged Congress to investigate the foreclosure practices of the following banks immediately: Wells Fargo, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, Ally Financial, and the infamous Bank of America. In the LoanSafe.org article that details the extent of the lawsuit, the most upsetting of the allegations is that banks used technology to undermine the public land record system which allowed these entities to fabricate documents used to seize homes.

AG Coakley isn’t the only one. As early as August 2011, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman indicted Bank of New York Mellon for its participation in mortgage securities fraud that could have sparked this widespread displacement of people from their homes. In the August 4 edition of the Huffington Post article, Schneiderman alleges that the fabrication of missing documents expedited the process of foreclosure.

Thankfully, I know these are not just allegations. My participation with the Occupy Movement put me in touch with SiSTAR Pat Hill. She is a retired 20 year vet of the Chicago Police Department and CPS Teacher, but she also faced foreclosure by Bank of New York Mellon in September. After her beautiful Bronzeville greystone was sold for half its assessed value during her quest for loan modification, Pat Hill did not let up. We marched, we protested, and we forced Lisa Madigan into investigating the deceptive foreclosure practices of Bank of New York Mellon and found several irregularities in the modification. This citation resulted in a letter from B of NYM requesting Sister Hill make them an OFFER to buy her home to avoid media frenzy. In my Stephanie Tanner voice (Full House baby), HOW RUDE! Why has Lisa Madigan left other State Attorney Generals in the deep sea when she has this information?

These banks may be too big to fail, but like spoiled children, we made them this way. We made them believe we can be quieted with a five figure check. We made them believe that we support deceptive business practices to get ahead. It is time to stop sparing the rod because we are going to hurt this child and our great grandchildren in the process. Imagine how many homeowners may have fallen victim to these deceptive practices? How many were on your block? In your neighborhood? In your community? Because we are so quick to judge, a family is homeless and banks are laughing all the way to the vault. Where is our humanity? When will we stop enjoying our ignorant bliss and face the reality we have all created?

How do you feel when they drive down once thriving Chicago corridors and see homeless people, peopleless homes and empty commercial space? This should speak volumes to your heart. The answer isn’t leaving the neighborhood. The answer should be to stop being so damn selfish and start investing in YOUR people and YOUR communities like the wealthy and affluent are doing. Truth be Told, we all know you enjoy your “only” status and your nice corner offices with spectacular views of the lake and the loop. In a way, you think the bankers did good business. In your reality, those people who lost everything were not smart investors. In this game, there is no mercy for the less fortunate.

I don’t know about you but I want revenge. So as a true ‘Robin Hood,’ I have joined with Chicago Anti Eviction Campaign and occupiers across the country to reclaim these foreclosed and abandoned properties. Our goal is to reclaim 10k vacant properties (only 10% of the number of vacant properties in Chicago alone) by the end of 2012 and replace these eye sores with families and homeless people. The game is over. As long as we turn our heads to fraud, cheats, and the army that protects them, we will become slaves and house negros to a system.

And when the police walk up and harass me and tell me I’m a thief or trespasser, I simply walk them around the property to show them when and where they were needed. Like when robbers came to strip the house of copper piping, hot water tanks, and appliances. They were needed when gangsters came to vandalize properties and crackheads screwed for hits. Just know Mr. Officer, it ain’t no fun when the rabbit’s got the gun.