Mr. Burger, Relentless, Informed, Working for Justice #2

The second time that I met up with Donald Wayne Burger was in early

November, 2007. He and others had organized a protest near Frankfort, Kentucky at a USDA regional meeting of sorts. There were several of us, Harry Young, for whom we were protesting, whose land had been stolen from him; my wife, Charla; Monica Davis, free lance writer; and Melissa Seaver, farmer from Indiana. There is a broader set of reflections of that event on this site, Let Justice Roll. It is called "Not an Ordinary Day."  The team had been mistreated for several days as the powers that be told us first that we could protest in one location and then several other options were posted, all of which were farther and farther from people. These places were chronicled also in Let Justice Roll.   

Burger and his team persisted.  We persisted such that we got ourselves into the meetings.  First, there were informative meetings inside the big tent and then there was lunch. Burger was still there, filming the proceedings. I can see him now.  During the lunch window, as we stood in line with the farmers, something happened, but I do not recall. Whatever happened was such that Mr. Burger, Mr. Young, Monica, and Melissa were ordered to leave. They did not recognize Charla and me. We lingered and chatted. I recall asking a farmer or two how they were treated by the USDA, how things were working for them. 

After lunch, we made our way out to the place of protest, at the end of the entrance to the property.  So, there we stood in the bitter cold, until the event inside was over and done with.  We were not a large crowd, but we were obviously there for some purpose with signs and all, in a very visible place. 

We stood there with our signs with information about how Harry Young had been mistreated by the USDA. All of us were there in solidarity for this gentleman who had his land taken away despite being paid up, with documents to prove it, because somebody wanted his land and the rich mineral deposits beneath it. After the protesting was over, we gathered at a restaurant in town, and for the next two or three hours rehearsed the events of the day and the plight of Harry Young.  

That event taught me several things about Mr. Burger.  He was relentless, unafraid of starting a fuss, was not intimated by the powers that be, and made his plans accordingly.  He had a wealth of knowledge about how the USDA and DOJ worked.  He has an incredible ability to retain information. He knew and could recite information about Mr. Young and other Black farmers and how their treatment was illegal and unethical. I also learned that he was willing to go to any lengths to be in a place where he could participate. I never knew of him flying to a place, but rather that he always drove.  For sure he drove to Kentucky and to East Texas, the third of my most memorable occasions with him.