2000

by Joe B.

Blunted Wind Chimes

As new life arrives people and things change, gifts are bought, returned,or exchanged for other more needed items.

At Poor Magazine Inc.
its no different

As Office manager, staff writer,columnist, rare sometime,reporter, and reluctant ‘Po Poet some of these changes cause slight problems for example:

When an infant is in a workspace the normal clatter of keyboards, radio sounds,and talking is muted so as to not disturb said infants rest and feeding routine.

I’ve worked for PM Inc. for five or six years I have learned what to be good at and what I’m bad at like answering phones especially when phones have technical problems where I have to repeat what’s said because of a few second delays on the receiver’s of the phone.

The latest crimp is wind chimes. Wind chimes usually are outside of homes or businesses large and small to sound as customer enter.

In this organization or door is inside,on the second floor of a duo business/living space and cannot be hung from outside screened windows.

One set of chimes are hung on the front door near me another on a door behind me leading into another office.

Beside making a racket every time people enter when an infant visits as I said their must be quiet these chimes add not the tingling tinkle of happy sound but noisy thuds inside an enclosed space festive looking they may look but the application fails when an infant’s sleep is disturbed.

Myself,knew this is going to be a problem for me as well as I have already suggested to both bosses "Those chimes are just more noise to me but since I’m an employee it doesn’t matter at least they know my opinion.

A way to combat excess noise pollution in my personal workplace is the use of tape any tape from duck,electric to scotch tape wrapping it around chimes muffling the sound to dull thuds.

Of course the tape is taken off after a few days when bosses don’t here happy tinkle noise.

I replace it wraping more and more tape around it.

I really think it silly having wind chimes placed where there’s no wind unless it where children, adults use them to signal breakfast,lunch,dinner, rest,playtime,or special events as in birthdays, births,or various kinds of anniversaries.

I know it’s a small niggling thing but like vacuuming,sweeping, mopping floors wiping brass doorknobs is a bit too much.

I also so don’t clean venetian blinds or clean windows, and if ever I begin babysitting that’s the end of my working at Poor M.

I do lots of stuff not strictly part of office management – copying whole or part of newsprint, magazine articles,other people’s work,or transcribe voices to text.
[This probably won’t be seen publicly so I’ll print this reminding me of my agenda of becoming an author of fiction with an independent life finally and forever achieved.

I wonder can City Lights help me in this as they see my work radically differs from Poor ’s.]

Anyone who has struggled to be where they are and finally make know of what I speak, can snail mail or email me also.

1000 Market Street #418

San Francisco, Ca. 94103

1-510-533-0469


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco,CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Dee Gray and Lisa Garcia-Gray/PNN

How do you speak about the death and suffering of thousands of Bay Area homeless children, adults and elders while there is death and suffering and forced houselessness of thousands of other children, youth and adults from the Gulf coast?

"Let's look at the real root of poverty, racism and the theft of resources from our communities, from our educational systems, its called Plantation Capitalism" as words of scholarship floated from the mouth of Reverend James Lawson , elder statesmen of resistance and faith and one of the original organizers of Students Non-Violent organizing committee (SNIC) I got the answer. The truly amazing Reverend Lawson was speaking to a crowd of educators at a recent conference on education that I attended. And with his pointed scholarship which brought the holistic picture of historic and present oppression of poor folks and folks of color in full view I was finally able to answer the troublesome question POOR Magazine staff were asking ourselves since Hurricane Katrina and her cousins Hurricane Bush and Hurricane Cheney hit the Gulf coast.

"1,993 people have died homeless on San Francisco's streets over the past 18 years when we started counting" Said Sr. Bernie, tire-less homeless advocate and director of Religious Witness with Homeless people in front of a memorial wall containing all 1,993 names of the deceased that was installed for three days in City Hall Plaza last week.

Who needs natural disasters when you have rich-white-man-made, rich-white-man-built and rich-white-man-profited ongoing disasters. Disasters, like police brutality, eviction, rape and incarceration. Disasters like 84 year-old elders being evicted form their apartments in Oakland and San Francisco, because there is a profit to be made by turning their apartments into condos and young African descendent males being shot by police everyday in Amerikka and houseless babies one day old and houseless elders dying on Bay Area streets And in fact, this "disaster" if it did anything was just to bring these crimes against the poor to the forefront faster and harder.

Quoting Religious Witness with Homeless People, " Homeless deaths are not always identifiable as such, hence the figure of 1,993 represent an undercounting of the real numbers of folks that die on San Francisco's streets."

And even to get these numbers has been an ongoing struggle waged by Sr Bernie and other advocates. Finally, in June of 2005 Religious Witness succeeded in bringing about the reinstatement of San Francisco's 14 year practice of identifying and reporting the deaths of folks who died homeless in the City.

"Many of these deaths were preventable. The basic human right to decent, affordable housing and healthcare must be reflected as a highest priority in the annual budget of the City of San Francisco and vigorously pursued at the State and federal levels." Stated Religious Witness.

"1,993 is not a mere statistic; these individuals were someone's mother or father, daughter or son, aunt or uncle, spouse, partner, friend, neighbor, lover. They were sisters and brothers to all of us." Concluded Religious Witness with Homeless People

" There were already thousands of houseless folks in New Orleans before the hurricane hit, many of them mentally disabled, folks that no-one was keeping track of, and subsequently no-one seems to no where they are now. “Clive Whistle on a call to POOR from New Orleans, where he still in search of his Grandmamma who before the hurricane was housed in extremely substandard housing in New Orleans Ninth Ward and is now still missing has been doing research on the never-mentioned-in-corporate-media homeless population of New Orleans who is as of yet still un-accounted for in the aftermath.

"No-one is talking about the homeless that died in New Orleans and no-one wants to" Clive concluded

As POOR Magazine poverty scholars focus on connecting the dots of poverty, racism and homelessness from the Gulf coast to the Pacific Coast, from Bangladesh to Bay view, From Oakland to the "inmates" many of them homeless men incarcerated for poverty crimes and left to die in Orleans Parish Prison in Louisiana, we reflected on Reverend Lawson's point of Plantation Capitalism and its ongoing decimation of the least visible of our nation, the people who are perceived as being without power; the poor.

Reverend Lawson,"To resist these abuses, we must have convergence, of self, of belief, of action, of movements. The 21st century movement must put millions and millions on the streets"

"Because we know, that there are more of us than them, and we DO have power!" Clive Whistle, formerly homeless poverty scholar.

For more information on Religious Witness with Homeless People go on-line to www.religiouswitnesshome.org.

by Joseph Bolden

Immortals,We

While sweating out General Assistance known to most po' folk as G.A.

I know, when do poor people have time to think of eternal while working in the now?

Its not I think of it all the time but it's the darn applied science of the everyday that draws me to it.

Knowing that if it were a few centuries past or even five decades I'd be long dead of pneumonia, kidney, or lung disease without todays medical science.

Every country has myths, legends of long lived and eternal women, men, boys, and girls.

I've been thinking of this war begun by we-know-who.

Monies made by international corporations and individuals.

That this person will leave office with the country a debtor nation instead of formally ending it before a new President takes office.

Humans have always had wars the very first one and the other against other humans.

Death stalks us, has won mostly, though were making inroads from heart, brain, death, and cell death on the molecular level (remember that word molecular).

Humanity has woken up from its death’s only dream to the awakened reality that we a species can if not defeat it all at once can at least create inroads all over its domain.

I have thought we're great at devising ingenious ways of killing ourselves in ever larger mass numbers. Why not be as ingenious in saving ourselves equally?

Let's challenge the unknown and I don't mean peace the undiscovered country of peace--I mean that other unexplored, undiscovered country of life extension, immortality, and eternal life!

If researchers, scientists, student undergrads, and graduate students from around the globe could work placing their theories, data, hard sciences, all the old and constantly updated new findings patching all the complex mechanisms of aging, reversal, rejuvenation,
slowing, retarding, stopping of the aging processes of-in human.

That would be the greatest all out war on the one enemy all humans face every second of our lives.
Recently I saw a show in the wee hours of the morning about Nanotechnology: The Science Of Small and the ways which the science could be used or abused.

If there are stringent safeguards and nanotech improves it would still scare those who still have vested interest in death for example churches, funeral bus, or people still death oriented.
A nanometer is one billionth of a meter, roughly the width of three or four atoms. The average human hair is about 25,000 nanometers wide
From www.crnano.org/basic.htm#questions
Along with genomics, cloning, cyberneitcs, and stem cell sciences could possibly coble up the first steps of shoe string immortality for all humans.

We've proved we can die for many causes dear to us now let us show how we can live for far causes we cannot as yet conceptualize.

Let us redesign ourselves for the better. And as for our Gods and Goddessses; they too may continue or not--it is up to our strivings, mental abilities--be the species that can live anywhere, travel, far, and eventually meet other travelers or make different independent species from us seeding the cosmos if we are truly alone.

It is up to us to take on this last battle and though we may never be deathless--we that chose to--can live, love, learn, and be whatever we chose as time permits.

And for those thinking this is total gonzo whacko just sit back, watch, age, and die don't worry about being part of the ongoing uplift improving of humanity.

Everyone has the choice of being a part or sitting back and letting things ride.

Send comments to telljoe@poormagazine.org or jsph_bldn@yahoo.com. Also, listen to Joe play those "Bolden Oldies"
on www.liberationradio.net

by Joe B.

King’s Living Legacy

Martin Luther King’s birthday is Monday its also a Federal Holiday.

King’s dream of character over color still isn’t realized but we the spiritual son’s and daughter’s the King Legacy won’t give up or into this fall into the past by Selected President B Jr.

King’s own son’s and daughter’s thrive with children of their own so both legacies continue strong into the early 21st century.

Christ like honorable, courageous,bold,and insightful his assassination only creates more people who will not let go the struggle, teaching siblings,and their progeny to remember why our leaders died in the first place.

There’s not much more to say only remember why Mr. M.L. King and others died and continue to die for the free will and freedom of all.

Speaking of death, supreme sacrifice,isn’t it time we try to live our lives as best we can studying how to further the human life span.

President Bush’s return and moon base speech is less Kennedy than "thousand light thing" of his former President Bush Sr.

It sounded like a desperate grasping at straws for a legitimate re-election bid.

Instead of the Turkey surprise troop visit to Baghdad photo op why take many or all of those hard working, GI’s home to families and friends.

He could’ve used his presidential cache to go out on the limb saying "There’s been too much destruction,death, of soldier’s,and innocent women,men,and children; Let’s challenge our best thinkers not only in America but around the globe to go after the worst super predator stalking Mankind – Death."

Starting now in late 2003 and 2004 and beyond a non stop effort to eliminate sickness, disease,and conquer death once and for all and in its place life extension, cryonics and eventual immortality to everyone."

Ok,its probably a political ploy for re-election and in his heart he's not 'feelin it but you know what happens in spite of his doubts?

Scientists young,old, their students from college,high and middle school from all over the world will be galvanized to the near impossible to set the goal earlier than humanity would believe!

It would make discovery of the double helix, Moon shot,Russian-America handshake in space,and even manned voyage to Mars pale in comparison.

The announcement does not have to be made by a sitting President but from Senator,to Congress men/ women can do the same, others can begin speaking out until the idea becomes popular and widespread.

Hey,it’s a thought.

Myself silently fuming as one of the older less cash folk and closet cryonics and immoralist I cannot wait for the have folks to "get it" then not leave ‘po folks out of the equation.

Guess my way will be to scramble,make money different all legal (mostly)and being an organization that’s non political dedicated to the proposition "Immortality belongs to all,those not wanting it can live their lives but don’t prevent, or otherwise interfere with life extension/ immoralist efforts of friends,families or strangers."

Yes,it would be an open secret organization crossing all political, religious,racial, cultural,and sexual orientation lines.

From liquid gels,drugs, pills, cocktails,to genetic manipulation of DNA and deeper into the molecular strands and germ lines.

Until life extended individuals, Aging) people and immortals-by-genetic birthright are more of the population than Norm-A (Normal Aging) humans.

Because like mutants humans and normal there could be a literal killing war of ideas about what natural life and death is and the deathward-ly mobile will fight to keep their beliefs though antiquated alive trying to reconvert confused on-the-fence x-tension folks from taking that pill,drug,or gene therapy that will add centuries or render them immortal and a member in the fraternity of eternal or E-Women and Men.

I might have to fake a death and move on as others take charge of immortal making world wide and only return when 99% of humanity true birthright is automatic immortality at certain age-stops from 24 to 90 of course because of age slowing,retarding, and regenerative regiments a 90 year old could look 25, have disease resistance of 12,and sexual energies of 14,18,20 year olds and their health will remain fit and high.

The new vampires are us,immortals walking in day light sucking on life itself not on others life’s blood.

Who knows I or others with more money,time,and imagination might succeed but someone has to get life extension to eventual immortality going.

It’s the only way go off world living on other planetary bodies,space habitats,or time travel forward or back.

Now that’s something I’d like to do if immortality is earned by me. I’d have to be circumspect,be invisible, and observe without changing history which involves falling in live with famous or soon to be famous or infamous women, avoiding certain men, groups,wars,or other situations.

Not being on the ‘Mary Celeste'-1884, Titanic- 1912, Lusitania-1915,or Andrea Doria-1956,also on planes,trains,cars, busses,for example I wouldn’t want to accidentally trade places with Mr. Wally Post or Will Rogers fateful plane trip of 1935 but not being able to keep all those tragedies in my head means one or more of those fatal accidents will get me.

What I’m saying is I’d rather wait for life eternal than be a time traveling mortal.

First immortality then time travel because barring accident, homicide,or being in an non survivable event or war immortality comes handy if I avoided all the pitfalls including a jilted wife or former girl friend who’d want to kill me for simply living, staying,young,dating, marrying,and raising children while she aged.
(its from an old Twilight Zone episode staring Kevin McCarthy as a quiet professor,who was given the gift of eternal life.)

Its just a few of my ramblings,what would you do man or woman given the gift of perfect health mentally,physically and never age,get sick. A grade A true immortal!

What would you folks do with it?

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Laure McElroy and Tiny/poverty and race scholars, Vincent Bevins/race, poverty and media justice intern; introduction by Jeff Adachi

Introduction

On Sept. 21, 2005, at 11:00 in the morning, Tyrelle Taylor, then 18, was shot at least three times, twice in the back and once in the hand, while running away from the SFPD near his home on Northridge Road. Police are claiming that Tyrelle pointed a weapon at them. At the time of the incident, several witnesses said that Tyrelle was running from the police at the time the shots were fired.

Although no shots were fired by Tyrelle, he was arrested and then charged with assaulting three police officers who shot at him. Initially charged with attempted murder, he was later charged with assaulting a police officer, brandishing a weapon, resisting arrest and being a member of a gang.

Tyrelle, who is now in custody in the San Francisco County Jail, recently had his preliminary hearing before a judge to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to support the charges. Judge Marla Miller dismissed several key charges, including charges that Tyrelle was a gang member, rejecting the prosecutor’s claim that the alleged assault on police officers was done for a gang related purpose.

The judge heard the evidence at the hearing, which lasted for five days, and found that the gang charges were not true. It was a significant setback for the prosecution.

A trial date was set, but instead of proceeding, the prosecution dismissed the case and then brought the case to a grand jury – a secret grand jury – where the case is presented without the presence or involvement of a defense attorney. Tyrelle is now charged with eight counts of assaulting police officers – even though only three officers were named as supposed victims – and the prosecution added a sentencing enhancement that would add 10 years to each charge.

This is a clear case of overcharging, where the prosecutor has made charges just to increase the time in prison this young man faces. Before going to a grand jury, there were only three charges of assault – now there are eight.

Something is wrong with this picture. I plan to ask District Attorney Kamala Harris to personally review the case.

Tyrelle’s situation worsened when he was re-arrested one year after the initial incident for weapons possession and additional charges were added to his case, which is set for trial in June. Although this complicates the case, I still firmly believe that the punishment called for by the charges is completely out of line with what actually happened.

Tyrelle Taylor was shot three times – no officer or anyone else was injured in either incident – yet he is the one who faces 20 years in prison.

Tyrelle was one of the five children who were attacked by police on Martin Luther King Day 2002, as their parents and neighbors crowded around. The case resulted in a settlement for some of the children who were injured.

Although I haven’t seen any evidence that the earlier incident was connected to the 2005 incident, I know that Tyrelle grew up in an environment where he was fearful of police. Running from the police may seem unwise to someone who has never had negative dealings with police, but Tyrelle’s experiences have been very different.

Tyrelle grew up in Hunters Point, where he lived at the Northridge housing projects with his mother. He grew up very poor, and had to fend for himself, living in a dangerous neighborhood. His father has been incarcerated since he was a little boy, so he had little support.

Tyrelle did well in school but then began receiving poor grades in his early teens and later dropped out. He was attending the Life Learning Academy at Treasure Island at the time of the September 2005 incident.

According to the police report, police say that they received a call of two young men in a car with a gun. Several San Francisco police officers, known as “specialists,” a version of SWAT team, responded and began pursuing the vehicle. They then claim the vehicle stopped and Tyrelle came out and pointed a gun at them.

The police did not have to discharge their weapons

'I don’t believe that it was necessary to discharge their weapons, and I do question their claim that Tyrelle actually pointed a gun at them.' These words from San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi give validity and official support to the most fundamental conclusions of witnesses who watched in horror the morning of Sept. 21, 2005, as 18-year-old Tyrelle Taylor ran from police sharpshooters emptying their guns into his back.

Adachi, who is personally representing Tyrelle, sat down with Poor Magazine and poverty scholars Laure McElroy and Tiny to talk about Tyrelle’s case. It was after our interview that the prosecutor heaped the new charges on Tyrelle, and Adachi graciously offered to update our story by writing the foregoing introduction.

'He’s running from the police. There are about three to six police officers behind him. They’re everywhere. I yell out his name; he yells back and says, ‘Sister, I can’t run no more. They’re trying to kill me,’' Lata Price, Tyrelle’s neighbor, recounted in a story she wrote for the San Francisco Bay View newspaper. 'And police – damn near all of them – shooting at him as if he had a grenade launcher pointed at them.'

'They never once said freeze or stop,' said Ebony, another neighbor and witness.

Now, ironically, it is Tyrelle who faces 16 charges from this and his subsequent arrest last year. Yet Adachi sees hope in the young man’s future.

'Tyrelle is a good hearted person. It’s just that he has not had the opportunity to really know himself, and he hasn’t had the kind of mentorship he needed at crucial times in his life,' Adachi said. 'He loves to read – and has been reading a new book every week since he’s been in jail.'

After Adachi remarked, in reference to Tyrelle’s voracious appetite for books, that 'some people don’t get an opportunity for an education until they’re in jail,' Tiny began to silently cry, recalling her own awakening while incarcerated.

It is extremely rare that a public defender – Adachi’s responsibilities include supervising the 93 attorneys who work for his office – actually takes a case himself, let alone such a controversial one. In response to Laure’s question as to how he feels about the fact that some San Franciscans might think he is doing it for public relations value, he simply responds that his job is to lead and he chooses to lead by example.

Adachi has made a reputation for himself as a smart and fiery defender of the people of San Francisco, and he does not hesitate to define the larger context in which the incident took place and its implications for the community – in his words, 'laws that institutionally oppress people of color, courts or law enforcement that target them,' and “gentrification.”

By way of examples, he offers a statistic and an anecdote. Only 15 percent of drug users are of African American descent, but 70 percent of people incarcerated for drug offenses are of African American descent. The poor, of course, are also disproportionately targeted.

In a recent case, a Rite Aid executive who embezzled $1.3 billion received a sentence of five years. A mother of two who was a small-time “drug mule” received a sentence of 20 years.

If Tyrelle Taylor is convicted, he could receive a similar sentence. This resonates deeply with Tiny and Laure’s poverty and race scholarship that informs their work in the welfare queens play and media project, addressing the rise in the incarceration of poor mothers.

Adachi has come to know young Taylor well since his shooting and visits him often. “I don’t think he’s somebody that would have pointed a gun at police,” Adachi says.

This is what Adachi argued at Taylor’s recent preliminary hearing. The evidence showed that there was no bullet in the chamber of the gun allegedly possessed by Taylor.

“Who would do that? What’s there to gain by simply pointing a gun at some cops, not firing and then running away?” These are some of the question that will be raised at Tyrelle’s upcoming trial.

With his trial likely to begin in June, Adachi said that Taylor receives occasional visits from family members and friends, many of whom have sent him books to read. “He enjoys reading,” Jeff Adachi repeats.

Upon hearing this, Tiny jumps ups from her chair. “Well, let’s see if he would be down to start reporting for PNN, start writing, that is.”

Jeff nods emphatically. Laure and Tiny register excitement – a new poverty and race scholar is born.

Listen to the interview with San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi on KPFA’s Morning Show broadcast Monday, March 12, at 7:30 a.m. in the archives at www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=19133. Read more about issues of poverty and race written by the people who face them daily at www.poormagazine.org. The interviewer, Laure, a woman of African descent like Tyrelle, has written extensively about her experiences with race and class oppression. Tiny, a mixed race poverty scholar, recounts her experiences in and out of jails due to her poverty and homelessness in her new book, “Criminal of Poverty: Growing up Homeless in America.”

by Staff Writer

To all the tenants that reside,
Inside a C.H.P. dwelling;
I wrote this to let you know,
Of something quite compelling.
You've known me as an advocate,
Defender of homeless and poor;
But now I'm informing you,
Of problems an the front Door.
It seems as though a house rule,
Has changed the face of residence;
Involving a security issue,
as though we are ex-presidents.
Front door traffic has increased,
And runs like water from hoses;
Tenants want guests respected,
C.H.P. smell the roses.

In times of financial shortage,
all types of assets are used;
Tenants are aware of policies,
And try to keep them unbruised.
Friends and relatives come by,
When tenants budgets are weak;
Gifts and arrangements blend,
For entertainment guests seek.
Recently an obstacle surfaced,
Interfering with traffic flow;
No one can enter the building,
With no Desk Clerk in the show.
But if a tenant is waiting,
And aware they're not Moses;
They expect to be let in,
C.H.P. smell the roses.

If there is someone leaving,
This building that tenants rent;
The tenant should be let in,
If it's a guest that's waiting,
They know that the only choice;
Is let the Clerk make contact,
Okay from the tenant voice.
But if the Clerk is not there,
The guest is still stuck outside;
Street atmosphere changes fast,
Challenging patience and pride.
Upon the Desk Clerk's return,
Confrontation imposes;
C.H.P. smell the roses.

when the visitor is let in,
Conversations are heated;
The tenant comes questioning,
The way their guest was treated.
The Clerk-on-duty is alone,
While keeping House Rules on track:
On the Swing and Graveyard Shift,
And wonders, who has their "back".
There is a dark history,
Of incidents that weren't cool;
Of Desk Clerks risking safety,
On an unfriendly house rule.
Each resulted in an attack,
Under some managers noses;
Injuries were inflicted,
C.H.P. smell the roses.

During 1998,
Two attacks in a Clerk space;
Inside the San Cristina,
Injuries in the same place.
Hit hard in his head while tired;
Defended himself from harm,
He was wrongfully fired.
Next was an On-Call Floater,
A tenant who did his best;
Tolerated a face punch,
From an "altered-minded" guest.
Did all proper procedures,
And followed all supposes;
Not long afterwards he quit,
C.H.P. smell the roses

by Staff Writer

Carmi Johnson's second book with POOR Press is written from the point of view of abandoned children addressing their mothers.

INTRODUCTION by Carmi Johnson

You Have To Learn To Follow…Before You Can Lead

Mothers come under the most criticism for abandoning their Children. Others complain that having children does not come with a "Set of Instructions". Fears caused by a parent leaving or abandoning the Child(ren) with one parent, can have a mental or physical effect on a child(ren) advancing in daily life. The primary concern for the Child(ren) are at risk. The importance of having a Mother in their lives is as vital as water is to our bodies. As mothers, we should focus more on preparing our child for College, Graduating from High School, Finance (Saving money in particular), Love, Relationships, and Survival itself. Why some Mothers leave their Child(ren) in Cars, with Strangers, Neighbors, in Malls, Hospitals, on Door Steps, in Dumpsters, in Garbage Bags, under the Direction of Child Protective Services (CPS), Orphanages, or with Relatives is yet to be determined. There is a "Series of Steps" a Mother can achieve in order to have "Custody" of their child(ren) if Drugs are a factor in the Mother’s life. By many accounts, the Child(ren) have been deliberately overlooked. If writing this book is helpful in anyway to a Child(ren) or Young Adult in communicating with their parent, I am grateful. Whatever what we are experiencing in life as adults, nothing prepares us for having children. Hear what is being said.

by Jocelyn Y. Steward/LA Times Staff Writer

In her fight for the dignity of homeless people in downtown Los Angeles, Donna Valiente chose two methods: direct confrontation and prayer.

By day she was a firebrand, speaking out at City Hall, and during demonstrations, making her voice heard to officialdom. At night she made her voice heard to God.

At an office on Main Street, between 4th and 5th streets, she and other skid row residents gathered each Wednesday to pray for their community, for the day when those who are now homeless will be able to stand at an apartment window and say, "I used to sleep on those streets."

"Donna had that vision," said Brother James Upshaw, a friend and downtown resident, and she believed both methods would help her achieve it.

On Feb. 13, Valiente was found dead in a skid row hotel of what is believed to be natural causes. Her death comes at a time when the 48-year-old had increased her presence at City Hall and the Los Angeles Police Commission.

"She would come wheeling up the aisle in her wheelchair, I'm sure they were expecting some very quiet voice," said Pete White, executive director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, a nonprofit group that works on behalf of the homeless and poor in downtown Los Angeles, of which Valiente was a member. Instead "you have this lioness roaring from her wheelchair."

As an activist she joined an anti-domestic violence campaign for downtown women. She also pushed to keep downtown hotels — such as the one she lived in — as affordable housing.

An artist and a poet, Valiente sometimes used her art to express her concerns about the homeless. Earlier this month at a meeting of the Los Angeles Police Commission she "denounced police abuse and mistreatment of downtown residents," White said. She read her poem "The Shackles Must Come Off":

What if by some odd chance it was all happening to you?

Would you not stand up for what you know is right and true?"

Born July 8, 1958, in Santa Barbara, Valiente grew up in Ventura and graduated from Santa Paula High School. An entrepreneur, she operated several businesses, including T. Liberty Rose Maid Service, said her daughter, Barbra Marquez. In addition to Marquez, Valiente is survived by her mother, Carolynn Klouse, of Bend, Ore.; a son, Christopher Rader; a daughter, Liberty Rader, and five grandchildren, all of Los Angeles.

About 15 years ago she was driving on the freeway when she collided with a jackknifed truck, leaving her seriously injured. A surgery years later didn't alleviate the problem and "finally she had to be put in the wheelchair because she couldn't walk without being in excruciating pain," Marquez said.

Unable to work, Valiente lost her apartment and ended up in a skid row hotel. Faith had always been important in her life, but sometimes she would fall into drug use, her daughter said. While living downtown she gained sobriety and stayed in the community.

"She felt that's where her calling was, she needed to help people downtown," Marquez said.

On the streets she handed out her poetry or handmade crosses. And when people marveled at her work, she would say, "If I can do it, then others can do it also," said Montgomery Garnett, a friend and resident of downtown Los Angeles. "She would have made a great motivational speaker."

Speaking up on behalf of the homeless was not a matter of radicalism but a by-product of Valiente's simple belief that things could be better. The weekly prayer meeting that she organized at the L.A. Community Action Network office on Main Street stemmed from that belief as well.

"There's a lot of blessed people on skid row," Upshaw said. "Where there is darkness, light that much more abides. It was proven in the life of Donna."

*

jocelyn.stewart@latimes.com

by Staff Writer

* Illin-N-Chillin Editors note
Last year filmmaker, Anthony Lover, of Liberty Inc. in New York gave the public the first film with two African American actors with developmental disabilities in leading roles, "My Brother". I had a chance to visit his studios in New York and conducted an interview about My Brother with one of the actors who had a small part in the movie and was chosen for Lover's new film "The Promise". Lover was also looking toward the sequel of "My Brother". Last week I received this shocking email.

email from Anthony Lover;
Dear friends and supporters,

Number of reversals has beset me since we last talked to each other, both personally and professionally. Marlene, my wife, had to have major spinal surgery (10 plus hours). She was hung and cut, both through the stomach and the back to accomplish a difficult but seemingly successful operation. It takes up to 9 to 12 months to fully heal to really know.

I went out to purchase food for my wife's dinner and took the opportunity to buy lunch for three of the kids at the studio who had been helping me. Returning after lunch we were on the sidewalk at 26th and Second Avenue when all of a sudden, one of the kids cried out- "Oh, my God!" I turned quickly to see what he was looking at. Everything happened so super-fast while at the same time in ultra slow motion it's hard to describe. I saw this van coming straight towards and I instinctively shoved two of the kids out of the way saving their lives. They were in front of me. I shoved them so hard, one had to be checked out of at Bellevue. A second later I received the full blow of the van's bumper crashing into my legs. I later learned the driver was speeding, struck a cargo van and careened off and was out of control.

The bumper shattered my legs and knee. The blow sent me flying in the air, my head (with my glasses on) crashing into his windshield. Luckily the destroyed lenses didn't go into my eyes. The forward motion of van or his braking then sent me flying backwards through the air onto my back with my head hitting the sidewalk. The driver jumped out of the van abandoning it (Later to find out he had no insurance as well as his complete disappearance to police).

Amazingly I never lost consciousness from being hit. I was very calm. Maybe I was in shock. I don't know, but I seemed to be in total control of my facilities. One of the kids, kneeling over me, kept putting his hand on my heart and saying- "Don't diez'. It was very surreal; I kept thinking why should I die? Why does he think I'm going to die?

An EMS ambulance with techs arrived and immediately cut the clothes off of me. I guess to look at my physical wounds. When they put me on a wooden stretcher board I felt my first shock of pain. They asked me- "From one to ten, how severe is the pain?" I remember telling him I had a high tolerance for pain and saying- "I guess it was a five."

The EMS tech laughed and that seemed strange to me. Over his protest, I pulled my self up onto my elbows and looked down and saw that my legs where busted up and my feet where in the wrong direction. It was clear visual to the seriousness of my plight and I began think what was going to happen to me.

Everything seemed surreal about the event. They took my blood pressure and it wasn't far from being very normal (130 over 80). While they were doing this I was giving instructions to one of the kids to tell my Marlene calmly that I was in an accident and not to panic her; then to get my medical records out of my computer and give it to Bellevue.
The police arrived and asked questions as the EMS techs strapped me in to take me to Bellevue's trauma center.

It was God's will or I was lucky to be alive and taken to Bellevue. It's "the place" to go if you are in a serious or in a life threatening accident. I found out later that it's a standing order for the police, firemen, the President (If he's in New York) or dignitaries that they are to be taken to Bellevue for any serious trauma.

Bellevue didn't operate on my legs for days because my bust up legs produced blood clots and they found one in my lung. The surgeons felt there would be more embolisms and if they went to my brain, it would kill me. They operated and put a net inside to catch other blood clots along with thinning my blood.

They put me on Morphine for the pain. I suffered severe physical side effects from the Morphine drip, being delusional was the least of it.
When I could talk to my surgeons (I had eight of them) I said- "Take me off Morphine, I'd rather deal with the pain then be on it." They did, but the withdrawal with its side effects took five days before it dissipated.

I have been in the hospital and rehab since March 4th having survived death a number of times. Been in my apartment for a little over a week. I just started emotionally being able to e-mail people who probably didn�t know what took place (although a number saw it on the news). I'm still a long way from walking and being normal again, if ever. I move around in a wheelchair with pain. I have been very depressed about my physical condition and the financial circumstances I find myself in now. I most likely am facing the loss of Liberty and being forced to sell the building under duress. My doing that, dashes the dream of making change (over seven years of work) creating Liberty product (like "My Brother") and to be "a place" for young people to be given the opportunity to reach and change perceptions and forge new understandings. I fight the depression with trying to be positive and to look to the future with new eyes.

Leroy, I hope you and your family are well. I look forward to hearing and seeing you again.

Love always
Tony

240 East 27th Street
Apt 4J
New York City, NY 10016
anthonylover@gmail.com
Cell: 1-917-403-1650

P.S.

I finally got past much of my depressed state to work on the rewrite of "The Promise" screenplay (which I think I told you about). I think it's going well (I'm a little past half way now). A few months before the accident I met with a financier/producer person for a company that produces and distributes feature films and TV shows (they have a deal with Time Warner). He really liked the extended treatment (60 pages) and is awaiting the script rewrite for us to have another meeting. Among other elements, I down played much of the Iraq war, focusing on the main characters and the battle as just the catalyst to extracting the promise. It seems to be working well.

by Joe B.

Words,Women,And Men

Last time I explained what metrosexual meant and how to me its like an elaborate economic scam.

Before KPFA's radio show in Berkeley I had cleaned,bathed myself in a comfortable shower get properly spruced up for the outside.

The first order of business is withdrawing money from the bank for travel to Berkeley.

While the radio script I hear a young females voice say "I hope they don’t shoot him."

My reaction was to ignoring it because most times except for a few women in my life I’m not praised much then it occurs to me maybe they were talking and loudly about me!

For what? Being clean, intent on something other than leering a young girls and older women? I know the woman speaking is a young black woman.

Women in general don’t praise men it takes time and getting to know them before they say anything positive or negative.

I’ve been on sixth street for a long time going about by business, minding my own business and many people congregate so I like they are like fixtures here.

They must have seen me so many times say a polite though respectful no to those selling weed,crack, or other drugs on the street no use making enemies its like a game they ask I say no and its alright.

Do women know how powerful their voices of praise and derision are?

Some time ago I was with a woman in Berkeley before I had become homeless I tried keeping it from her but eventually told her even before that she offered me the key to her house but I didn’t take it I wasn’t raised that way my mother warned me to always have your own space.

I didn’t know the slang words for what we were doing except "shacking up and booty call" and later from a "Girlfriend’s", a t.v. sit-comedy another not so nice term ending in "friends or buddies"

Men are called lumbering slow witted ox’s,dogs,dumb sticks, generic,and excess fleshly with mostly small weapons attached.

If our ego’s were all that fragile men would’ve stayed hermits or turned mostly gay.

We may laugh publicly and things said to us, water,wine,hot soup,meat, and fish dishes in our faces,heads,on our shirts, and pants but it’s a public display hiding inner turmoil just as you do.

Women have taken a lot of stuff off men and visa versa but women have support system of friends men are diametrically opposite having no such support few men see others as shoulder’s to cry on, sounding boards,but as potential rivals for girlfriends or spouses affections.

What you say to us do impacts us greatly we try not letting it show bottling it up inside us.

We cry differently where as women shed tears, throw objects,scream and really let their emotions range out in healthy bursts – men rage with fists,go in bars, pick fights,or leave for days on end until anger subsides to a hoarse roar.

Personally for me if I’m praised I keep it close inside because there so many more negatives aspects are pointed out that good aspects are kept like brilliant diamond drops of gold.

Now for a friend who suffered much,given more to help others let those who can help you in their capacities.

Its Payback time from them to you,you are beloved by many,never forget that!

I cannot say love but extremely well liked but they you are a very likeable person I hope you are flooded with love –love bombed by those near and dear to you.

Rest,be calm,regroup, relax,deep dreamy sleep, and eat healthy troubles may still lay ahead but for now take time out and reassess where you are and pause before getting up and running; you don’t want fall scrape knees, hands,or head.

Take time for grief, cry,bawl,wail,don’t be dammed up whatever is there no matter how small or insignificant
identify it,see it,face it,and then let it go.

In the past year lots of obstacles have been placed in my way many of them from being stubborn, not listening,talking when mouth shut should’ve been tacit and understood.

Men’s saving grace is we keep striving to understand but sometimes act like dumb hulks when we’re really not.

Women deep down know why men are slow to change its not cowardice or limited one-track brains its when we finally do some of us go to far in either being sensitive, hard core with nothing in-between.

We’ve changed many times over the decades but the basic nature of males is to love the opposite sex at least that’s how I see it.

But after hearing so many negative portrayals no matter what we do many of us who are not homosexual,BI,trans- gendered or having sex changes and are biologically,if not socially conditioned to like,love,and marry women from other countries or emigrate to other countries for that express purpose.

Some if not most women say good riddance however I believe they are a loud minority hurting their sister’s who are as biologically,if not socially conditioned to like and love,and marry men.

It’s the same sin of men crippling their girlfriend’s,wives lives to feel empowered themselves.

Women,like men must close ranks,fight their sister if their sister’s mild or deep seated hatred not only blinds them to female/male relationships but goes to the radical step of fatherless daughter’s,son’s because its technically feasible.

Worlds without Women or Men are possible and people do adopt but would really be living or a long,slow,dreary half life limbo.

If most men wanted to live without women it would be a living hell I’d rather not live to survive in and I am sure most women giving true answers would agree and for those who wish it so let them build their woman-less/ anti male only starship separating themselves from we who like and love women and men don’t want to join their crusade.

What do you think reader’s think?


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

Trying to find a way readers can write(talk back)with comments (please no nude photo's,video or DVD clips here. When I get a postbox then load it up.

kidding ladies (yes,women only-not that I'll find any in said box only wishful thinkin on my part. But readers please continue to write I need all your input.

Tell Joe:

Tell Joe:

by Joseph Bolden

OH,Noooo,Fandom?

For Six or more I’ve written my Ask/Tell Joe Columns in the humble knowledge that even though supposedly online that no one’s really reading.

I think the same on radio in the Castro District and Noe Valley.

Haven’t been on air for awhile and have forgotten call letters, numbers I’m bad remembering names, dates, address, and areas on maps.

So,in Poor Magazine’s early days I got lost a lot lucky the women interns didn’t mind my gross sense of direction especially when

I’d say "I know where we are I’ve been lost here before."

Now Alexander Book Co. on 50 Second Street good luck to me finding a place I’ve never been to before.

I’ve been known to get lost at places that I have visited before how Darwin Award Winning is that!

What will I read, say, something short and to the point then listen to others while I eat.

As for pornographic work I only did stuff on my experience in dance bars, strip joints or and if I expressed an impossible dream of being in a porn film or a few.

That doesn’t hurt anyone but me or the female actress under me or I’m under.

As most dreams go its something I can at least accomplish because one has to have either a great face or banging body.

I don’t have either but endurance for the act itself while ignoring camera and people around me seems doable.

Some of those guys on film look awfulall I need is an eye patch and few months as a gym rat and concentrated bodywork.

It may never happen so what it’s a worthwhile goal and being writer could also help me write scripts, direct, produce, or have a distribution/marketing company and don’t forget the many friends (mostly women) especially director/ producer, actress-writer ones.

So what to say to my readers.

First my apologies to you all for my atrocious written works of bad syntax, spellings, and sentence structure but hope you understood a few of the applied science delved into.

Why should the very rich have extended lives when all our lives are equally if not as important.

Once in a while there are neuron misfires in my brain and it turns to life, sex, the eternal not necessarily in that order.

My dislike of technology isn’t fear its seeing it bundle up remember the clock/radio? Well, that’s what going on now.

Texting in cell phones, pics on pc’s is not person is virtual and virtual isn’t real.

It's why I love sex skin to skin not screen to screen one is undeniably real while the other always pails in comparison.

No porn alone, have fems and men and share it.

Send mail to deeandtiny@poormagazine.org and or to

jsph_bldn@yahoo.com for feed back (I might get some this time).

by Marlon Crump/PNNFriday, October 3, 2008;

From the literature given out by the FCC

FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET READY FOR THE DTV TRANSITION:

1. GET YOUR COUPON! GET IT NOW

2. TELL OTHERS! KEEP YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY & NEIGHBORS CONNECTED.

3. SPREAD THE WORD! BE A RESOURCE TO YOUR COMMUNITY......................"

In response and interruption to that ad that was posted on www.civilrights.org/DTV, regarding the upcoming television transition;

POOR Magazine/POOR News Network has this to say:

"DIGITAL RESISTANCE AGAINST DIGITAL DIVIDE!"

Technology has arrived to a new age: The age of DTV. DTV stands for "digital television" and/or the broadcasting of digital television by local TV broadcasters. These signals are sent from local transmitters, over the air, to homes, by modern digital techniques, rather than the use of older "analog" methods, which are deemed as ineffective.

Since the mother and daughter team of the late great "Mama" Dee Gray, and her daughter, "Tiny" Lisa Gray-Garcia formed POOR Magazine/POOR News Network, in 1996; one of POOR's ultra-primary mission(s) is DIGITAL RESISTANCE against local, global, and media oppression who target people prone to poverty, every single day.

On February 17th, 2009, anyone in possession of a T.V set nationwide will be forced to watch all of their television broadcasting shows, by means of a digital converter box, as is the edict by U.S Congress. Without a DTV converter box, people will be unable to watch T.V, at all.

This digital "divide and conquer" quest is literally just around the corner. Every T.V station in the U.S is expected to switch their transmissions from analog T.V signals to digital signals. Wilmington, North Carolina became one of the first cities in the U.S to establish this digital transition, on September 8th, 2008,

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the nation's most foremost regulating authority on broadcast channels, and media toured three major neighborhood districts here in San Francisco, CA on September 11th, 2008: Chinatown, Mission, and Bayview District.

I attended the two of the hearings, starting with the one in the Mission District, since it was literally right up my alley of where I currently reside, on 16th/ Folsom St. As a digital resistor, I had a duty to "digitally resist" this action, by re-porting this news of a tremendous universal change to those who would be the most impacted!

I awoke in the very early morning of 4:45 a.m, and realized it was September 11th. (National Patriots Day) Many people here in the U.S. were going to be mourning the loss, and hold memorial services for the loss of the many casualties and loved ones of the tragic 9/11 Terror Attacks, back in 2001. As my heart went out to all of those families, back then, I got ready to re-port and su-pport in my usual POOR fashion..............right now.

The F.C.C/ DTV presentation in the Mission District, took place at the Mission Neighborhood Centers, at 3:00 p.m. The DTV reps were Jonathan Adelstein, a commissioner of F.C.C, Roger Goldblatt, also from F.C.C, Rachelle Chong, from the California Public Utilities Commission, Marcella Medina, Johnnie Giles of Comcast (cable television company), and San Francisco Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, of District 11.

Among the near-large capacity of people in attendance, were primarily Latino families, community members of the Mission, numerous media broadcasters, Eloise Lee and Tracy Rosenberg from Media Alliance, and myself from POOR Magazine. The DTV presentation was opened up by Maria Bermudez, Director of Operations for Mission Neighborhood Centers, welcoming everyone for their attendance.

"We are trying to spread the word of this transition to the communities that are going to be the most impacted." explained Rachelle Chong, of the California Public Utlities Commission. "The minorities, the elderly, and the disabled."

Jonathan Adelstein, of F.C.C presented a detailed summary of the offer of "coupons" by the U.S Government to its citizens for a discount of the DTV Box. (Despite the ailing economy's great financial losses, at the hands of the Bush Administration.)

"To help you with this program, the government is offering two coupons." Adelstein addressed. "However, they will expire in 90 days." He also pointed out that, "The converter boxes are costing from $50-$70 each. With these coupons, you can receive these boxes cheap." (The coupons look just like a credit card, even bearing the same shape.)

.

GET THE COUPON!

.

GET THE RIGHT BOX!

KEEP YOUR TV!

The DTV converter is similarly structured to a cable box. Un-coincidentally, Comcast has advertised for the F.C.C to the public, regarding the DTV transition. Adelstein also hopes that the DTV will allow Spanish language.

As he and the other DTV reps continued their presentation, Sofia Avala of Comcast, translated for the non-English speaking Latino community members, throughout the entire presentation.

The greatest concern(s) by communities struggling in poverty, low-income, and disabled folks at POOR Magazine is how this will ultimately affect them, since many of them barely have access to T.V in the first place?

"DIGITAL RESISTANCE AGAINST DIGITAL DIVIDE!"

"My point of view is that they (U.S Government) want to have control," a concerned community member had argued. "The manufacturers are profiting off of the coupons. The coupons are $40 for everyone in the U.S. The boxes are $48, so the $8 are coming out of pocket."

"The commissioners are basically saying "tough" they're just going to come out of pocket. Its not fair, I work with the community, and they're saying that they shouldn't have to give out of pocket." (The actual price for the DTV converter is $70.)

"I understand that that there will be some hardship, but that is just how its going to be." Adelstein stated, in relation to that concern. "Congress set up these rules, a couple of years ago."

"DIGITAL RESISTANCE AGAINST DIGITAL DIVIDE!"

In a website located online at http://www.ceretailers.org/dtv-flyer2006.pdf, the site informs "consumers" that the digital broadcasts on February 17th, 2009 for the consumers, will be free (or advertiser-supported) to people who receive them via antennas are expected to remain free.

"Come on, let's be realistic. There are some people who still use clothes hangers for an antenna." I explained to them, regarding the affordablity of the DTV converter box, regardless of the offer of any coupons.

I even wondered what the boomerang effect would be against Corporate TV and mainstream media.This site also indicated, that it was possible of additional "pay" services might be launched in the future, but these are not expected to replace the free services offered today.

I asked Adelstein an alluded question, regarding DTV and the U.S Government's issue of control to many people here in the U.S: The use of spy devices and wiretapping into U.S American citizen's lives, allegedly for "terrorism purposes."

"My concern, which I'm sure is a concern by some, is that with everything going on nowadays with wiretapping from the U.S since 9/11 into people's phones, do you think that some are wondering what the government's true intention from wanting everyone's T.V to be switched to digital broadcast?"

Adelstein was somewhat evasive of that question, and didn't seem to answer much to the concern, other than an "I understand the concerns by many community members of this transition" speech. I noticed a slight smirk on the right side of his mouth, following my "wire tapping" question.

In the DTV presentation that occurred at the Bayview Opera House, in the Bayview Hunter's Point; I was joined by my fellow POOR comrades, Tony Robles, and POOR co-founder "Tiny" Lisa Gray-Garcia. Upon our arrival, there was a display demonstration taking place in the back, between a portable T.V, and another attached to a DTV converter.

The DTV reps were demonstrating to the Bayview community members just how better the picture quality, and reception would be once this transition comes into effect, on February 17th, 2009. Just like the presentation in the Mission, everyone was urged to register quickly for the DTV Discount Coupons, before the offer expired in 90 days.

Adelstein also mentioned that there was a shortage of these coupons, during the presentation. Malkia A. Cyril, from the Center for Media Justice, in Oakland opened up the presentation. Jonathan Adelstein, and Rachelle Chong were the only two DTV representatives on the panel.

"The government wants everyone to transition its 1950 model into DTV." Rachelle Chong explained to community members of Bayview Hunter's Point. "Wireless companies will have a part in the transition. Beneficial to the transition will be law enforcement and emergency E.M.Ts." ("Beneficial to to law enforcement?")

"DIGITAL RESISTANCE AGAINST DIGITAL DIVIDE!"

Chong infomed everyone the amount of money that Congress would be putting into the DTV program:1.5 Billion Dollars!

Someone raised an important question of "What if people have really old television sets?" Adelstein replied, "You don't have to have a brand new T.V to have a converter box.

The dialogue then took to a heated temperamental turn (for the better) when questions were raised to Adelstein, about F.C.C, and Congress's outreach to the communities (especially those in poverty), nationwide.

Adelstein and Chong suggested to members of the Bayviewcommunity that THEY should be the ones to take up this responsibility. "We hope that everyone who are here on behalf of the community, who have concerns can help."

“This is digital Aparthieid, certain people will get access and thousands won’t,” Tiny aka Lisa Gray-Garcia form POOR Magazine/PNN spoke directly to the small group of commissioners, “there are literally thousands of elders, disabled folks, adults living in Single Room Occupancy Hotels and incarcerated folks who will lose access to a life-line and not be able to go through the hoops of technology, resources and information to get these boxes or afford cable, not to mention thousands of incarcerated folks who aren’t going to get access for years at best.”

Gray-Garcia concluded by turning to the Comcast representatives in the room, “What are you doing here? Why is your literature all over the chairs? Are you going to help the thousands of poor folks cut out of channels of access to get access?”

The mood shifted to a heated 360 degree angle, from both Adelstein and Chong, after Tiny began her near-expletive address to Adelstein, Chong, U.S Congress, and Comcast's"inablity" to outreach more thoroughly into poor communities of color, nationwide.

"DIGITAL RESISTANCE versus The DIGITAL DIVIDE!"

"Outreaching to people with disabilities, seniors, non-English speakers, fixed income households and low-income families is a concern we share with the Federal Communications Commission." said Eloise Lee, of Media Alliance, following the DTV presentation.

Eloise concluded, "But we must also educate communities and each other about what can happen, once the digital transition takes place. A tiered system of communication and access to information is being set up right before our eyes. We must safeguard our airwaves and our right to information from corporations and broadcasters that seek to make a profit out of this transition."

"And that no one may buy or sell except he who has the mark or name of the Beast, or the number of his name" (Rev:13:16-17)

by Joe B.

Sacred Bonds/Long Lives

Looks like Conservatives have their hackles up about same sex marriage,New Mayor Newsom Didn’t brake laws getting folks married it just seem way to radical but then again we’re in San Francisco to the tune of $50,000 which is not bad for one day and this week that record can easily be broken.

But this is serious being Roman Catholic taught in New York I’d to have qualms about the same sex issue except it came to me:If the institution of marriage is so strong why would two men,women joined in the holiest of binding ties weaken the institution? Doesn’t the fact that two people deciding to love,cherish,protect in sickness and health prove that marriage is still strong?

To the very though of President Bush’s bull for a constitutional amendment restricting or banning same sex unions while making Man/Woman unions the only legal standing in America tell me more about his personal view than the countries.

Face it people Same sex marriages will take place it may be slowed for year but it will happen and this country will be better for it.

There was a time not so long past that Blacks could not marry Whites, Chinese,and were not respected as couples themselves.

Imagine a country where because of myths,tales, and tragic events happen not because of one race choosing to honor clandestine back alley torrid emotions by finding a minister to be honorably married in the creator’s eyes.

As a child I though don’t white folks get enough lovin’ everywhere they go they have women of other races when I learned of consensual sex it made me wonder,if I found a plain Jane white girl or women of any race and we loved each other the very thought of our not sneaking around but being open could get us(mainly me) killed for something as private and intimate as peck on a woman’s cheek.

It still goes on this insidious sexual jealousy, projection onto victims.

Now one the last taboos gay men and women in committed relationships demanding equality of marriage.

The Bible says its wrong but its wrong thinking impure thoughts, Civilization didn’t begin with marriage but children had to know who their mother’s and father’s were and for the longest time women we’re child baring chattel.

Like it or not you cannot stop a determined people and for a President to carve in stone and enshrine that only man and woman constitutes a family is arrogance of one man in a high office whose personal preference, bigotry,belittled the office makes him not the office small.

Between birth and abortion two of the most powerful engines of creation and destruction literally rests in the hands of and wombs of women and men may believe they have power over them as President B’ think using religion and his own belief system on how women should behave means nothing to girls with too many children,girls too young having them or those wanting to keep their child.

And of mature young women knowing what they want getting abortions-on -demand silently suffering emotional,psychological turmoil punishing themselves long after they’ve achieved their career goals even marrying and having children.

Most men don’t acknowledge this power of life and death and as friend said to me once: There’s A Reason Why Men Can Not Give Birth!

99% cannot take the physical,emotion, pain of it constitutionally.

In South Korea cloning of embryo breakthrough shows too that therapeutic is not in some dim future but here as for whole body cloning – that’s up to people who can afford the failures until either or both therapeutic and whole cloning is here.

Lost body parts, nerve regeneration,even brain cell replacement alleviating the lonely curse of Alzheimer.

Could it be that by the time 2020 or 2030 rolls around America may not only have same sex marriages legalized and be normal as like so called traditional family raising children of their own but therapeutic cloning and nanotechnology in our clothes and in us keeping us alive,youthful, healthy,and free of disease and minor ills aches and pains?

This coming election is about which way America will go.

Will the big-A lead the world into a new dawn of a bright future or will it falter,fall back like a preverbal ostrich its long neck in the sand while new countries take the bold steps into the glittering, shining future with all the perils,pitfalls,joys, and agonies it takes to stay Phoenix like renewing themselves as America stagnates behind?

Its not up to politico’s but we the people to elect bold leaders from our ranks to herald us past the dawn into a new day.


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Bruce Allison/PNN; Writer Facilitator: Lola Bean

For the last 40-Years Jose Morales lived at 572 San Jose Ave. For a decade he has been fighting his landlord. Ten years ago, the landlord took Jose’s backyard access away. Jose filed a petition with the rent board and they told the landlord to cut his rent by 50%. The landlord and the company that owns the building, ABT, LLC, retaliated against Jose by trying to use the Ellis Act to kick him out of the apartment entirely.

The Ellis Act gives the landlord the right to get out of the renting business without selling his property. The landlord just has to go to court and say they want to stop renting. The judge OKs it and the landlord is then allowed to bypass the tenants lease agreements and give out eviction papers. This is how Jose Morales ended up in a battle for the home he has lived in for 40 years.

At 9:13am on Aug 22 of this year Jose stood his 78 year old body outside the San Francisco Courthouse. He was dressed neatly in a green and blue jacket and wore a blue baseball cap. Behind him was a small shopping cart filled with fliers. He gave a flier to anyone and everyone that would take one. I took one of the fliers and read the horrible story they told. Printed in black ink was a brief history of Jose’s battle to save his home and a brief history about my friend Jose. It was sad for me to see him in that position outside the courtroom.

At 9:30 we made our way into the courtroom. Jose, a fine gentleman, took his place in the front row. 20 supporters and friends from St. Peter’s Housing and the Bernal Heights Senior Community Center and this reporter from POOR Magazine were there to bear witness to the proceeding.

At 10:45 the battle began with the judge hitting the gavel. Each party had 15 minutes to state their cases in front judge.

The advocate for the evil landlord opened the debate by saying that the Ellis Act gives him the right to evict people I don’t like.

The judge decided to let the jury decide his fate.

His jury case is scheduled to end this week. Please come out to show your support for a cherished community elder.

After five years your soul enters your house. After 10 years it enters the neighborhood. 15 years you become an Icon of the neighborhood, after 40 years, they ask you to leave.

Currently the Ellis Act is one vote away from being eliminated by State Assembly Members. Please stay tuned to PNN for more reports on the Ellis Act.

by Tony Robles/PNN

I was riding Muni the other day. An African descendent sister sat nearby. Suddenly she said aloud, "God don't like ugly". I thought about those words. I wondered who first uttered them. Perhaps a poor person, a person removed from their land or perhaps it was a person wrongly incarcerated. I glanced at the other passengers. They stared straight ahead. It was as if the woman's words met deaf ears. I heard them. They touched my heart and mind.

Senior Action Network (www.senioractionnetwork.org) recently honored Mission District elder Jose Morales for his long fight against displacement and gentrification. Jose was evicted from his Mission District home courtesy the Ellis Act--a place he had called home for over 40 years. Jose fought for more than a decade to keep his home while his landlord fought to take it off the market for the purpose of converting it into a condominium. Folks from the community sat in Jose's kitchen listening to this elder describe his long struggle--the clock ticking in the background. Jose talked about the harassment of his landlord. The weight of the fight and the struggle and the harassment could be seen in Jose's bent back. We waited for the sheriff.

And what of the countless numbers of tenants, elders, people with mental and/or physical disabilities who have suffered from the physical and emotional stress of landlord harassment? Cases of harassment are well-documented--residential burglary, severed phone lines, sawing holes in floors, stalking, mysterious fires, etc.

San Francisco currently has no laws protecting tenants from harassment. The rent board does not involve itself in such cases. Presently the only thing tenants can do to fight is to document harassment, which might be over a period of months or years. Once the abuse has been documented as being so egregious as to cause physical, mental or financial damages--can the tenant then file a lawsuit.

Proposition M will add an important section to San Francisco's rent control law a section that will define and ban harassment. Prop M would give tenants a rent reduction when harassed. It will also give tenants attorney's fees to fight eviction attempts. Longtime tenant advocate Tommi Avicolli Mecca of the Housing Rights Committee (www.hrcsf.org) sees prop M as necessary. "Prop M gives tenants a tool for fighting landlord harassment. Currently, we don't have much that we can do when a landlord is tring to pressure us into leaving our apartment or is making it extremely uncomfortable for us to live there. Putting this in the rent ordinance makes perfect sense, its where most of our rights as rent-controlled tenants are already stored. This is a very important proposition--particularly for elders on fixed incomes who should be honored and cared for,not harassed. As the sister on Muni said, "God don't like ugly".

Author's note: To see a video of Senior Action Network's 17th annual convention, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuuIA-MMUSI

by Tiny/PoorNewsNEtwork

POOR MAgazine's ReViEw cru had the pleasure of attending the SNAG (Seventh Native American Generation) release party at Oaklands Black Box last Friday night.

"in this issue we explore rites of passage - life changing experiences that have made us who we are today. Whether it be a coming of age ceremony, a rough year in high school or a moment shared with grandfather... we have all lived through times that have shaped us as people...excerpt from SNAG's 3rd issue

I first met Ross Cunningham, who is Pomo and African and Shadi Rahimi who is Bahrani and Kurdish , founders and editors of SNAG in 2002 when they approached POOR to help them get their first issue of SNAG published through our publishing arm, POOR Press - which sponsors work of poor youth and adults of color. We were thrilled to be part of the project and many months of slaving over a hot computer by everyone involved- SNAG volume 1 was borne.

A year and a half later Volume 3 of a glossy and very beautiful SNAG entitled "rites of Passage" which also includes a very phat CD has officially hit the streets. SNAG, based in Oakland is the only native youth magazine in the whole US and is totally self-sustaining. They make the money to publish by selling the magazine for $5.00 and they have contributors from native youth all over the US

I went to the release party with my 5 month old son and my friend and fellow POOR staffer Jennifer Navarro and her young son (2). I had some reservations about going to a "show" that purported to have hip hop, dance and art with my baby only because the volume can be too loud for him, but when i asked Ross about it he said, "NAw,,, this is an all ages show" Well the interesting part of that statement is it in fact was an all ages show, there were elders, grandmothers and grandfathers, babies ( even younger than mine) and children ranging from 4 to 18. and they weren't just there - all these folk from all these different generations performed, spoke out, danced and chanted.

The evening began with a traditional dance including Ross' grandmother leading a traditional song with Ross and several other men and boys dressed in traditional Pomo gear dancing to bless the event and launch the resistance. After that Ross spoke to the crowd bout SNAGs humble ( hella ghetto aka POOR PRess) beginnings, the mission statement of SNAG and what would happen that night.

We were blessed with traditional dance performances by children and adult Pomo dancers accompanied by the famous drum sounds of The All Nations Drums, B-Boys from New Mexico and the Dine Nation; The FOFcru and Hound Dog Truckers, Oakland Rapper Tico , spoken words and B-girls from TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More- a youth group that spoke truth about the criminal Unjustice System and the necessity to resist through raising our voices together.

The next part of the night was framed as an "open mike" which was truly an open mike - ie folk of all ages and colors came to the mike and spoke, sung and chanted on all issues ranging from the incarcerations of native brothers to the haunting sounds of a native man playing an electric bass guitar as though it was a sitar .

Finally, much later in the evening the night became about some deep sounds of Native Hip hop including Ras K'Dee, PRophet, PRofound, Blessed I, Foreign Legion and Casper Lomayesva- it was at this point that we and the mama/baby cru from POOR had to make our exit feeling full of cross cultural and multi-generational knowledge and positivity.

The SNAG folks are working on developing a website which would allow them to publish weekly. TO do this they need to raise some funds - to make a donation or get a copy of their current Issue contact Ross at (510) 535-4492- x 157 or email them at snagmagazine@yahoo.com

by By Brother Y /Poverty and Race Scholar/PNN ReVIewsFOr The REvoLution

I, Brother Y, poverty scholar, casualty of the war on drugs, and career criminal of the crime of being a black male in Amerikkka, recently saw Transformers, the movie, and give it two black power fists up!

Right on! Right on! Finally the truth about the Ameriklan criminals dispensing the unJustice system, the military industrial complex and the mass media onto its citizens. Although this movie is science fiction, there is much truth told in it about big business, the war on drugs and the war on the poor in Amerikkka.

Usually the way things go in marketing movies made for children is the movie comes first and if it is successful then come a plethora of paraphernalia related to the movie including action figures, comic books, games and any other children’s items one might imagine; not so with Transformers.

Transformers is a movie based on a comic book that is based on a cartoon that is based on a popular children’s action figure. The Transformer’s movie gives the basic history of where the Transformers came from what divided them into separate camps and what item of importance they are both trying to gain control of. I do not like giving away movie plots but as my friend Josh Zeide the big successful entertainment lawyer in Atlanta would say there are only three universal stories. Even I must admit this is one of them. Suffice it to say this war is of power like all wars in human history regardless of the lies or excuses given.

Just as the Autobots and their archenemies, the Decepticons, rapidly change shape to go into battle as robots, they also rapidly change from robots to non-threatening vehicles to blend into their surroundings. Actually the Decepticons rapidly change into robots and threatening vehicles, such as police cars, tanks and other vehicles of state condoned violence to blend in.

One of the first instances of a dramatic transformation is shortly after the Autobot Bumble Bee is purchased by the father of the main human character as a graduation present from a used car lot. Bumble Bee appears to be just another beat up old hoopty, but after a chase scene and subsequent battle the boy is told who and what Bumble Bee really is. The response of course is one of disbelief and questioning, if he truly is as claimed, why does he masquerade as a beat up old piece of crap? Bumble Bee’s feelings are hurt so he pimps himself out. (No, not like a hooker, like a car!).

In the ironic way that children often make innocent yet profound statements that appear to be wise beyond their years, The Transformers movie does the same.

For anyone willing to look at life, as it truly is not just the way they want it to be, such an example is the ironic way that art can imitate life. “Transformers” metaphorically exemplifies the fact that big business and big government is the established enemy of the poor and working class masquerading as a friend or helper.

The writing on the wall can be no clearer than the motto inscribed on the side of the
Decepticons “police car” - “To punish and enslave.”

This brings the harsh reality of life as those of us victimized by big business and big government know the” war on drugs,” ”the war on terror” and” the war on the poor”
(so called “quality of life violations”) are all one and the same. Big business and big government fit together like hand and glove.

The mainstream media, of course, are their willing co-conspirators and propaganda machine. Revolutionary media, guerrilla vendors and anti-establishment activist
are of course on the other side of the line drawn in the sand. To completely
clarify things, mainstream America is the proverbial war-like Decepticons,
whereas the counter culture is the peace loving proverbial Autobots.

Down with the establishment! Join the revolution; transform your life and the world around you!

‘nuff said.

Brother Y

by Bruce Allison/PNN Elder and Poverty Scholar

The increased criminalization of poor folk in San Francisco and across the nation is alarming. San Francisco has called for and will be implementing a community court in the Tenderloin at the behest of Mayor Newsom. There are reports of citizens, poor folk, houseless folks--ie, human beings being hosed by high power water hoses by DPW (Department of Public Works) trucks performing the noble job of cleaning the sidewalk. Hygenic metaphors such as dirt, blight, and "cleaning up the neighborhood" when referring to poor and houseless folks are dangerous because they ultimately cease to be just metaphors--they manifest into brutal attitudes that say that incarceration is the answer.

DPW has been driving down the streets with water canons, hosing people without warning. Those being hosed are elders, undocumented people, and people whose work is unrecognized--such as recyclers and street sheet vendors who can't afford a home. This is a direct result of limited beds due to Newsom's Care Not Cash policy. I personally talked to a DPW worker who said of the hosees, "These are just crackheads".

The Coalition on Homelessness plans to expose this ridiculous scenario to the public. They have cameras and are collecting more information. For the safety of the coalition, I cannot disclose the location of the cameras.

Using water hoses on human beings will cost the city money in medical costs as a direct result of illness such as pneumonia brought on by being hosed. This is not helping the city's economy--it's actually hurting the reputation of San Francisco. The city and DPW should be ashamed of their gestapo tactics-- hurting people whose only crime is not having any money in their pockets.

Mayor Newsom, I am tired of you using these cruel tactics on people who cannot fight back. And to the Chief of Police, you should be ashamed of yourself. You are hurting innocent people who are just trying to get a little rest.

by Joe B.

Race To The Stars

Folks,you know my views by now.

Primarily my non-profit work with POOR Magazine is to help find solutions to this one way drain-money- from-poor folk, which I am, still a part.

PM with other organizations and individuals believe bottom-up from families and persons struggling through these situation are the ultimate experts because they’ve lived or are living through still.

You know going from student to,full time worker,being laid off, fired,houseless,in shelters,G.A.(General Assistance),from odd jobs, case management,to work fare – and have I forgotten being ill with little or no medicines?

Seeing how one becomes a cipher in the eyes fellow citizen’s think "stop drinking,drugs,being lazy, begging,unprotected sex.

(yeah, like young women really look to pick up penniless guys to screw cause they have nothing better to do than to raise fallen men turning them in prospective husbands.)

But Monday, July, 22, 2004 Pilot,Mr. Mike Melvill 63 and his topflight team helped him get his private funded rocket plane.

62.2 miles straight up eating atmosphere until Melvill saw the blue blackness of airless space.

He safely lands with a few glitches to be worked out that he and the team must solve before repeating the feat twice more with 3 more people.

I’d like to train, go up and experience seeing earth, see the moon if visible.

But I’m so far below the economic scale.

The only way I could pay back Mike Melvill and his team is if I became a celebrity hero.

I could be a spoke’s person for products, guess spots on public radio or Steve Harvey’s Big Time.

I something goes wrong and I survive it Maxx Extreme would be the show to be on.

I’m so far down on the economic latter that it would be a stunt for me a non profit low wage worker to be one of three to ride a rocket up through the stratosphere for a few minutes returning as a bona fide astronaut.

That’s fine even if I never go up again I’d be forever in history books as a footnote.

My one great contribution would be not as a POOR M staff writing reporter but as regular average guy using my skill as columnist with a personal viewpoint.

Even If I was picked for this by Poor Magazine for this once in a lifetime unique story.

I’d have to write a separate version(1)what PM wanted as its theme.

Version(2)My private, real deep down soul feeling that could not ever be part of PM being too private an experience that would be for public consumption other than PM’s political view.

I’ll say this now if by some miracle I am picked to go for free.

I would be honored, gleeful,simultaneously terrified and awestruck at being chosen.

All I have is the balance presence that the holy trinity gave humankind free will,evolved us to imagine,explore possibilities undreamed of.

We are not the paragon of animals,we are feeling, thinking,beings, with a belief in a divine spark.(soul)

Maybe this can help fuel becoming a success beyond mere money so I can be one of the few to break the bonds of earth and sky if only for a moment.

(of course my personal bias is immortality first along with space travel.)

This is but a small step but will lead others and as they are built on with hard won knowledge,sacrifice, science,and technology we as a species will be in space, turning asteroids into homes, landing sites for personal space ships.

Artificial homes floating in space, moon bases, seed-ships on generation long journeys, resorts, robot factories, make ships-to-order for those able to afford them.

Finally,more people will be among the stars terra forming worlds, or as restless (spacers), asteroid miners looking for room to grow.

We might find other beings or that we are truly alone which ever is true our first best destiny is the immensity of space and stars.

In a few decades,if life extension into immortality becomes reality and I’m still alive,in better health than I thought possible…

Then I too will be either a spacer (flying, landing of worlds,flitting across galactic maybe intergalactic space) or a ground-ling settled on a world to live but not necessarily die on.

(That’s what immortality is for more time and choices).

Hey! Reader’s what do you think about our Government and Private Sector unofficial space race?

More importantly do you really "Wanna Take A Ride?"

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by Sam Drew/ReVieWsForTHeReVoLutioN

As a staff writer at POOR Magazine, I proudly claim the title of poverty scholar since I’ve suffered through low wage and no wage security jobs at some of the most prestigious buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area. This life experience informs and infuses my journalism. Not only do I report the news, but I use media to support the community. At POOR Magazine we are not just media voyeurs but media makers.

Sitting in a half empty movie theatre suffering through trailer after trailer of bombastic summer blockbuster films, my senses were suddenly awakened as I saw Don Cheadle on the screen decked out in polyester and plaid with his 1970’s style butterfly collar shirt open to his navel. "Oh, no” I thought to myself, “not another movie about a street smart Black man who says outrageous things and wiggles out of difficult situations by fooling uptight whites and saves the day by spreading peace, love and SOUL to America.”

If you’ve seen one of these movies you've seen them all. Eddie Murphy, Eddie Griffin, Chris Rock, Chris Tucker and the Wayans Brothers excel in this type of standard Hollywood fare. I almost gave up on this movie just by viewing the trailer. But something said give this movie a chance. Don Cheadle’s body of work has been stellar and Director Kasi Lemmons has shown a sensitive and powerful touch in movies like “Eve’s Bayou.” This is one of the few times the small voice in my head was right.

Don Cheadle portrays Ralph “Petey” Green an ex-con who becomes a mainstay on Washington D.C. radio during the turbulent 60’s. His tell it like it is disc jockey style makes him a hero to the average joe in chocolate city. He has no fear calling Motown’s head honcho Berry Gordy a pimp because of his exploitive contracts with young people. He routinely undresses crooked politicians over the radio without fear. It is his relationship with the community that turns him into a folk hero.

A watershed moment in the movie occurs when Petey gets his chance to perform on “The Tonight Show” in New York City. For Petey’s former radio director and now career advisor, The Tonight Show is a slice of assimilated heaven; a crossover dream realized.
Sitting across from Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon as a black man was almost entirely unheard of before than and to many signaled that the entire race had risen.

When Petey is about to perform his comedy routine he is hit with an epiphany. These well heeled white folks have come to laugh at me not with me. As he walks out on the Tonight Show, Petey also walks out on his career as a disc jockey. His personal demons catch up with him and his career comes to a grinding halt. There are ramifications for not falling in line with societies pressure to conform.

But what made Petey a hero to the average person was his willingness to take on power and privilege, yet remain true to his roots. For him to become mainstream would require him to turn his back on what made him popular to begin with.

I can totally identify with Petey’s dilemma. At POOR Magazine what separates us from the mainstream is the fact we embrace our disabilities and poverty and incorporate them in our journalism, poetry and books. To turn your back on this would be like turning your back on what makes you unique. This would be turning your back on your community. The motto at POOR Magazine is that not only do we report the news but we sup-port too. Through his unwillingness to change and conform to society’s wishes, Petey did just the same.