Dear Mr. President

Written below is a letter to President Bush about one specific farmer/family situation. This letter is co-written with Mr. Grant and is posted here with his permission.

While it is about one farmer family, it is representative of others across the country. Please consider cutting and pasting this document into letter form, craft it from your own perspective, and fax it to the White House. Time is wasting for this family and for others as foreclosures continue to happen around the country. The fax # is 202-456-2461. Or, you can email the White House at comments@whitehouse.gov. Long shot? Yes, worthy of the effort? Absolutely.

November 12, 2007

President George Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I have recently heard of the Writ of Execution on the heirs of Matthew and Florenza Moore Grant in the New Deal Resettlement Community of Tillery, NC. From what I have been able to ascertain, this family has been in a struggle with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for more than 20 years. That alone is a signal that something has gone awry in the process for citizens to settle Civil Rights Complaints with the department.

I further understand that USDA in 1996 failed to live up to a Final Judgment that covered four years of USDA discrimination against Mr. and Mrs. Grant. This is especially troubling because the document was signed by all parties, including the USDA’s Office of Civil Rights. Perhaps if this document had been lived up to, the Grant Children would not be facing this Writ of Execution at this time. The USDA reneged on this document of trust just as it has with many such signed agreements involving others. Such an obvious disregard for the well-being of potentially successful small family farmers is shameful for the government offices President Lincoln originally called "the people's department."

I did not get to know the late Mr. and Mrs. Grant, but I do know their heirs. I know that this family is hard working, tax paying, and citizens loving justice and equality, and that our government has already dragged them through much torture. Mr. President, you have the power and influence to cause these actions and any other action against this family to cease and desist. This family's Civil Rights complaints against the USDA and its former agency Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) have been proven time and time again. Mr. Grant, who was a successful farmer when he came to the former FmHA at USDA for loans, was placed on supervised loans; made loans at higher interest rates than white farmers all around him; and he, like other Black farmers, received his loans late. According to what I have discovered, even this Writ is the result of discriminatory practices by the USDA and its agent(s) on loans made to the Grants.

As President of the United States of America, you have the power and influence to address this situation and others. Now at a time when the Senate is debating the 2007 Farm Bill which will provide a modest sum of money for the cause of the “Socially Disadvantaged” farmer, your hand in these matters related to the Grant family will send a clear and present signal to the USDA and the FSA that you will not tolerate the mistreatment of our citizens.

Your immediate attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated.I would appreciate any opportunity to discuss these matters with you and your office staff.

Respectfully,

Waymon R. Hinson, Ph.D.
PO Box 29444
Abilene, Texas 79699
325-674-3722