2003

by Christina Heatherton/Community Journalist

Dividing lines come in all sizes: long as a baton, wide as a man, lean enough to sign on, or brief as a breath. Saturday the line stood thin and blue and seven officers long. It stretched across a vacant Pacific Heights house that 30 people have called home for the past six months. Thirty demonstrators from the Autonomous Collective, Homes Not Jails (HNJ), Right To A Roof, Coalition on Homelessness, Food Not Bombs, and POOR Magazine convened in front of the house to protest the recent eviction by United Dominion Realty Trust, the agency that owns the property. Clenching banners and signs, and chanting into bullhorns, we threatened to stretch the thin blue line to its limits. As one protester declared, “If you think we’ll run out of people then you are wrong! There are thousands of us who would rather risk arrest than sleep on the street.”

The building at 2161 Sutter Street had sat empty in the affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood for one year before squatters made it into a cooperative self-managed home. After six months the building was occupied, converted into a fully functioning home with plumbing and heating that sheltered thirty people, and then emptied again. On Monday, January 27th, the squatters were forcibly evicted by the police. Later that week, two of the squatters were arrested for defying the eviction and re-entering the building. United Dominion Realty plans to redevelop the space into a pricy apartment complex that would be inaccessible for San Francisco’s poor. The move is consistent with the ongoing gentrification and displacement trends in the city.

The scene Saturday was symbolic of the city’s housing crisis. As police guarded a starkly vacant building, the people demanding housing were detained in the streets. The building is one of many in the city that remains unoccupied in face of an ever growing homeless population. As Sam, an HNJ activist described it to me, the situation is disgusting since “there’s enough there to share”.

Before the police barricade, protesters took turns giving speeches and leading chants. Some enraged demonstrators roared into bullhorn about their lack of options between the dangerous SROs, the unsafe prison-like conditions of the shelter systems, and the streets. “Housing is a right!” they declared. “We shouldn’t have to be out here doing this in order to live like human beings!”

We soon left the house and took off into the streets of Pacific Heights chanting “Homes Not Jails! Food Not Bombs!” Saturday afternoon shoppers browsing the blocks of upscale boutiques and bistros were thoroughly confused with the march. We headed up the hill to the busy intersection of Sacramento and Fillmore. There, three demonstrators locked arms through specially rigged PVC piping while others unfurled signs saying “People Over Profit” and “End the War Against the Poor”. Fifteen demonstrators occupied the middle of the intersection stopping all kinds of traffic and attracting a lot of attention. After 20 minutes, there were around 150 people poking their heads out of coffee shops and standing on the corners, watching in curious disbelief.

Those of us present for Saturday’s action presented an ultimatum to the city. We will continue protesting and demonstrating until the price of guarding outweighs the cost of giving the housing. As one protester announced, “They are either going to have to give us housing or they’ll have to guard every vacant house in the city! Give it or Guard it!”

How you can help:
Tell United Dominion Realty Trust not to prioritize profits over housing for the poor. Phone: 925/224.8670 Fax: 925/225.8657 http://www.udrt.com
Contact:

Homes Not Jails 415/346.3740

Autonomous Collective autonomouscollective@mutualaid.org

by John X -Indigent Litigant /Poor News Network

"There is no food available for the children and it's hard, the economy and all,.. with no work available", stated Daniel King, 29 standing with his 2 year old daughter Carolyn and partner, Evette Blankenship in front of The Sunnydale housing Projects with several other homeless families and a coalition of community based organizations to confront the Housing Authority and HUD on their atrocities against low income families with dependent children who are being kept homeless because of HUD/ Housing Authority holding vacant units hostage from the people who need it most.

Mr. King and his family were removed from the Hamilton Shelter on Friday due to a severe bug infestation problem. He and his family were sent to another facility on a lottery basis. This has been his nightmare since Friday

Mr. King has been on General Assistance for 5 months attempting to make his way through the system. His wife however planned ahead and applied for H.U.D Housing in 2000 around the time she became pregnant. To date Miss Blankenship has not heard one word from any body at the Housing Authority regarding the status of her case. Mr. King hoping the law of averages would be on their side also applied for housing 2 months ago as a fall back.

The days and nights of moving his family around, sleeping on cots and no food for his child has worn thin on both Mr. King and Ms. Blankenship but they persevere for the sake of their child.

I spoke with Mr. Jim Williams Director of Administrative Services and Security about the allegations made against the Housing Authority and was referred to a Mike Roetzer, press person for the Housing Authority who was scheduled to appear. After about a half hour I approached a representative from Housing who would not give her name but stated she had made contact with Mr. Roetzer and I was to call him directly as he would not be present today. So, I went back to Mr. William to ask a few questions about this housing development and the mismanagement it is currently under.

His only reply was "that they were moving forward and the leased-up units are ready to
be occupied".

When I asked him about the supposed lease up faire meeting for 3,000 waiting list registrants as described in the information provided to the Coalition On Homelessness by The Housing authority he agreed with my assertion that their was no actual fair to speak of. I had also asked Mr. Williams if any information on leasing as it was completed, would be made to the public on a regular basis, I was again referred to the Executive Director.

This community gathering was designed to count how many units in the Sunnydale Housing Project were vacant. So we set out in-groups to count each section. In my group I met a young lady named Chont'e Williams who was visiting her mother. Mrs. Corrina Rosa's.

" The biggest problem here is the mold" she stated quickly. "We have a big problem with the mold and the dust entering the property". I had asked her if "she felt it was because none of the units had screens on the door?" She stated "yes"," we also get mold on the ceiling." She was of the opinion when asked about what happens when people move out of the units that " they just board em up!" The unit next to her mothers has been boarded up for over a year and half. The one across the way that her friend had live in was boarded up because maintenance would not or could not do much needed electrical work that was needed even before she moved but was put on hold. So, they just moved her to another unit and boarded up the damaged one.

When the total number of units were counted that were boarded up we came to 126 as stated from Jennifer Frienenbach of the Coalition on Homelessness.

In the sea of housing shortages San Francisco Housing Authority reported 1,604 units vacant, 4,992 are occupied (23% vacancy) 223 units could be moved into immediately, and 164 units are ready or recently vacated.

There are hundreds of homeless families in San Francisco. Combined, there are 784 families either in shelters or on the waiting list for shelter. In addition there are approximately 450 families living in Single Room Occupancy hotels at any one time, who are considered homeless by San Francisco. Many homeless families have small children, and are living without bathrooms or cooking facilities.

As we ended the count, Bianca Henry, of the Family rights and dignity project of The Coalition on Homelessness stated, "We have families who are homeless, and others living in cramped substandard housing. Some have been waiting for housing for years. It is outrageous they are forced to be without a place to call home this holiday season"

by Leroy F. Moore Jr.

The Black Race

The Black Race is a promotional commercial for a yearly event in the
Black community

Characters - The Host – Tom, Dick and the Referee

Place: Washington, DC i.e. The Chocolate City

Narrated by Leroy Moore

Tom: Hello Dick!

Tom: It's about that time of year again

Dick: Yes it's Tom and we're expecting more people than last year.
Let’s going to the video of last years BLACK RACE

VIDEO - Yes, where are here today in Washington, DC what
those people call the Chocolate City.

Tom – I can see why Dick that's all I see are niggers oops
I mean Black people for miles

Dick - The Black Race happens every year all over
the country. For twenty-eight days the whole
country can see, hear read and buy Black American
history, culture, art and literature.

Tom - I love hosting this race Dick! Seeing and promoting
capitalism and exploitation of Black Americans!

Dick - But isn't that America?!

Tom - Oh yes it is Dick. But today the race is more diverse!
I mean you've Black women, gays and lesbians and
Black disabled people are putting in their two cents.

Dick - Tom, I hope they have more than two cents. You got to
have money for this race!

Tom – But isn't it amazing how those people come out
every year to exploit themselves on our behalf and
to fit their culture and history into the shortest month of the year! It is just amazing!

Dick - We're about to begin the race. Lets go down to the starting Line.

The Referee: Listen up! Listen up! Welcome to the 2004
Black Race. Here are the rules:

1) Like every year, the Black Race is only for twenty-eight days. After
the 28th we don't wont to see or hear from you until next year!

2) This race is about how much you can give to the market and that
means nothing is free. Sell, charge it, just get that money

3) The Race must be diverse.

4) Always remember rule number one and two

ON YOUR MARK GET SET GO!!

Dick - Look at them run.

Tom –“It's going to be an exciting but short month
Well we're you host Dick and Tom

Dick You've twenty-eight days to watch The Black Race.

Tom - Yeah, don't miss it cause there will not be any reruns

This is Tom and Dick in the Chocolate City, Washington, DC.
We'd like to thank our official sponsor of the Black Race,
Kentucky Fried Chicken and Nike.

END OF VIDEO BACK TO TOM AND DICK

Well that was a clip from last years Black Race. Join us in Oakland, CA.
for the Black Race of 2004.

Think about it!!!!

Leroy F. Moore Jr.
Sfdamo@Yahoo.com

*****************************************************************************

HEADS OR TAILS

By Leroy Moore

Flip it

Floating in the air

Anticipation is everywhere

Huddled over

What is it, what is it?

Its heads!

Tossed in the air

I hit the ground

But nobody is around

Is this a game

Is there a referee

Its life in America

One side or the other side

Black or disabled

Disabled or Black

Can’t be both

Take the oath

And you’re American first

Hot in this melting pot

Boiling away our culture

Our brains are mash potatoes

Identities wrapped in

Red, white and blue boxes

Traded in at the Salvation Army

1 +1 = 1

Can’t have two

You must chose only one

In court cause I’ve been raped

But the Jury can’t look at me

The judge, jury and my lawyer are all guilty

Two identities two personalities

Flipping back and forth back and forth

No wonder I’m schizophrenic

Halloween is every day

I’m the masksman

Can’t reveal the real me

Walking to the Million Man March

Wearing my Black skin but

Hiding my disability

Sitting on a picket fence

Always the last one to be chosen

Black and disabled my coin has no value

Black or disabled

My Black brothers and sisters see only one identity

Racism running rapid in the disabled community

Black History Month

Black Entertainment T.V.

Black Caucus

Black gays & lesbians

Black feminists

Black, black black black black black..

James Bryd, Black AND disabled

Margaret L. Mitchell, Black AND disabled

Marcus Hug, Black AND disabled

My people are 20 feet under and can’t come back

Black studies don’t teach my history

White disabled scholars trying to write my story

Heads or tails

Hey, get real

I’m Black AND disabled

So put away that coin

I’m flipping your mind

With my dual identities

By Leroy F. Moore Jr. 10\14\2000

by Joe B.

Hate Club I Won’t Join.

You know over the years I’ve run from blazing hot to ice cold on women, men, and our constant battle of the sexes.

Problem is when fighting each other time is wasted on softer, warmer, more friendly pursuits.

I myself have poured some oil, gas, on the fire too by suggesting straight guys really watch female erotica to learn what lesbians really do for/to each other.

I realize anyone could’ve thought that up.

Yeah, as a young boy I was constantly the but of open or silent jokes, by girls and being waif like and not the bullying type only adds to my problem.

Sure I fought other boys too but girls can be relentless when picking on their favorite targets.

Mama said "They like you or they wouldn’t pick on you."

It sounded good but when your on a late night A train in New York and rough looking older and younger girls.

Some grown women chase you like a mouse and beat ‘til you bleed from nose and lips! Let’s say at the time I couldn’t quite feel the love.

It took time for to figure its just the reverse of boys punching girls instead of kissing them which I did one time as a desperate act I never saw big, strapping, or small petite girls run so fast the other way and for a second thought of giving chase but just sighed and walked to my grandmother’s apartment.

Long ago but those trauma’s run through me still to this day. As I strolled through web sites I accidentally found "Fools or dykesworld.de/Fools for bigots everywhere.

I looked at the site and found it to be full acid, evil tongued men who’ve also had problems with the opposite sex. Vile and vitriolic and misogynistic in tone and attitude it made me wonder how humankind remains viable?

There may have been animosity towards individual and the groups that made fun of me but it didn’t turn me against "woman as a species" separate and singled out.

It could be the very girls and women that gave me so much trouble were replaced by their smarter, gentler understanding sisters.

Anyway their must be lodes of sites of men bashing women, women bashing men and I refuse to be part of that and I’ll sit on the sidelines with guys and women who are not so gung ho hateful.

If anything given the brutal history of men on the her-story of women it that males should pray to the Goddesses and GAIA most males at some point in their lives aren’t poisoned the first time they step out of line when mistreating women.

Besides war there many ways men can be gotten rid of. Not giving ideas to anyone because as with women bigots they might want to end all males lives from birth to old age and start all over again with a new batch or have all males purged from the planet.

I’m creating that in a graphic novel who’s combination of wild sword swinging woman biologically give birth to weaker men in fact after birth the women gain greater strength.

Men are bred, enslaved, raped, as a normal part of their lives. Of course a hero emerges but not before going through the same brutalizing process.

What makes it worse for this hero is he has other hidden unresolved trauma heaped on him.
It seems familiar ground but other outside forces unknown to everyone is also working simultaneously.

The problem is graphic sex, violence, utter helpless and powerlessness of men, males, young boys in this land of ultimate female power.

There is a slight emotive shift in that boys, men, are allowed their tears and some women, a small determined minority are determined to equalize the situation or the possible ruination of their civilization can be the result. Sound slightly familiar?

I’d need an illustrator or two working in color and I know girls and would love how guys and boys are constantly under the sword, foot, of naturally strong women or a woman, girl. End of Pt. 1

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 255 9th St. Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #645

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine & Polk St.,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #645

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Tiny/Po’ Poet and Co-editor of POOR Magazine

"Children don’t listen to their parents no-how, but to read my story, to read about my resistance to poverty, through the Word – that’s when my son started resistin’ , started healin’ started listenin to me, his mama’" Rising from half-eaten crackers, a pile of steaming bagels, and a mist of coffee steam was the light emanating from Ms. A. Faye Hicks, Po Poet Laureate of POOR Magazine. The mini-mess hall at POOR headquarters with its harsh florescence could hardly contain the spirit, the power and the glory that was A. Faye. As she spoke, illustrating each consanant with a pinch of southern salt, she used several long limbs of her tall, slim body to underline the crucial points.

Ms. Alice Faye Hicks, an aspiring dress designer, was sporting black skin tight knickers, white tights and low platforms in the current vaguely 17th century send-ups that are all the rage on the runways of Paris and in the streets of Beverly Hills. But A. Faye did not waste her time in such elitist spaces, her fashion ensembles grace the hallways of one of the largest shelters in San Francisco. Ms. A. Faye is currently houseless.

My name is A Faye

I am a Lady of the Shelters.

I am a student and teacher of Life

In Indoor shelter living and Outdoor cardboard shelter living

I have met Hundreds of People

Most with Tragic Stories.

Jailhouse, Sickness..........Mental and Physical

I am all alone

Yet not alone!

Sheltered in the Wings of Heaven!!!!

(from A. fayes "slam bio" a tradition of The Po Poets Project)

"My son was in jail, not doing well, then he read some of my poetry that I wrote in the Po Poets, that’s when he started changing his life, studying for his GED, getting a good job across the Bay, you know healin, cause I think that’s when he started to understand my life – he said, ‘mama you the strongest woman I ever met’, now that’s the power of The Word, that’s the power of resistance"

As I listened to A. Faye recall her son’s catharsis, who grew up with Faye, "in a Section 8 apartment in the only Oakland neighborhood that would rent to us that felt like death row thanks to all the harassment by police of the youth", I was reminded of my own life with my mother, our poverty together and my ability to work through my issues with our life through my own writing. As a formerly houseless, currently at-risk poverty survivor, the first time I was able to write my story and have someone read it – have someone "see" me as something other than a bum, lazy, stupid or "useless" was the first time I felt alive, like there was a reason to go on living….

I asked A. Faye how she first got into the Raising Our Voices (ROV) Program of Media Alliance, which then led to her membership in The Po Poets Project of POOR Magazine,
"I saw a flyer on the wall at St Anthony’s Dining Room while I was eating lunch, and of course I had already met up with Ben (Ben Clarke and myself co-teach creative writing through the ROV Program) when he taught a workshop at Tenderloin reflection Center, so I had some idea of what that poetry writing would be like, but you know, I never did like poetry in high school – poetry was all about flowers, hearts and shakespeare, those things didn’t speak to me…

"How did you feel when POOR nominated you to be the first Po Poet Laureate"

"Well you know I didn’t even know what that word meant til I was nominated so getting that title opened my eyes to a whole new world – I started reading about other writers like Amiri Baraka and Quincey troupe and their experiences with poetry and society…"
I smiled cause POOR launched the Po’ Poet laureate project to seize that lofty literary canon and bestow it on the folk who we consider poverty scholars, and in my mind there was no larger, more deserving poverty scholar than A. Faye

I asked A. Faye about her other dreams, "What about this rumour of you being interested in being a chef "

" Yea I pursued that, " she spit out each word of this curt reply and then after a long pause continued, "but the food industry in San Francisco doesn’t hire older Black women to be Chefs- so I said the hell with you…..but all I wanted to do is something for people and now instead of feeding their stomachs I am feeding their minds…..

"I have always faced obstacles to my dreams – whether it was a dress designer or a chef – writing and publishing my book of poetry is the first dream I have had that came true… a dream that is possible … we should all have our dreams realized… knowing that people read my work ..knowing that I affect people with my words…. Gave me a purpose to being alive…."

The POOR Nation – selected works by A. Faye Hicks published by POOR Press will be on sale at the POOR Press Book Release party and Benefit on Sunday, Febuary 23rd @ 6:00pm at 255 9th street in SF (bet Folsom and Howard) at the ILWU union hall. As well you can access her recent work as a Po Poet Laureate on topics ranging from Police Brutality of youth of color to Proposition N on www.poormagazine.org by clicking on the Po Poets Project Column on the front page- see below for more information on the POOR Press release party!!!

by Damante Williams/PNN Youth in the Media Intern

Stayin' Away
Nite and all tha dayz
Livin where I can
But alwayz hidin from the man

It all started seven months ago. I was stayin with my auntie in Double Rock houzin Project, where I had been stayin for the last three years.It was my home.

One day in March, while the fog clung to the razor sharp cliffs behind our building, she got “the letter”. It came in one of those clean white envelopes with a little plastic window - only the worst things like tickets and court dates and eviction notices come in those kind of envelopes. 30 day notice to quit or remedy - it said , or something like that, I am not sure everything, including my eyes, filled with fear and anger and I just wanted to hurt someone.

My aunt and I both knew what it was about - we had talked about it several times. It was HUDs one-strike policy takin effect. You see HUD/ Housing Authority has a policy which states that people who have a relative or even a caregiver who has had any kind of criminal record will be evicted - just cause they have that person living with them, working for them or even visiting them. I was that person.

Now this law strikes me as kind of strange considering that poor folks who have lived in projects they whole life and have come from other poor folks who have lived in poverty they whole life inevitably have some kind of past - it’s a part of the struggle to survive - but I guess that’s the point - the "man" gets you from all sides.

So here’s me, I got into trouble when I as living with my moms and her boyfriend - cause he was sellin’ - I was only 14 - I really didn’t know there was another way - I was definitely caught up in "the life" one day it almost killed me

I was sent to Youth guidance Center - I caught a breath . My auntie offered to take me in, it was a chance in a lifetime, I had a home. For three years I was safe…I stayed in school I held down a boring slave wage job. Things were going smooth Until one strike hit - or as I call it "one deathv" -

My auntie had nowhere else to go - she is on a fixed income - she is po’ and she is disabled - there is no chance of her movin’ and I can’t put her on the street. She cried for two days when I told her my decision - but there was nothing else I could do - I been livin in my car ever since. I aint gonna lie - I got back into "the life" I guess I wasn’t that strong. Now my job is to look like I aint sleepin in my car - when I have a girlfriend I stay with her - the rest of the time I hide. I turned 18 last week.

by Joe B.

While waiting to perform some poetry I’m told about the banning of St.

Valentine’s Day by an uptight guy named Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell, born in Huntingdon in 1599, was a strict Puritan with a Cambridge education when he went to London to represent his family in Parliament.

Clothed conservatively, he possessed a Puritan fervor and a commanding voice, he quickly made a name for himself by serving in both the Short Parliament (April 1640) (information supplied by www.britannia. com/history/monarchs.

Because this guy was both smart and such a Puritan.
that: [italics mine]

In the early 1600s: Oliver Cromwell's government bans St. Valentine's celebrations in England.

Oliver Cromwell came to power, declared valentines immoral, and had them banned.

Being a Puritan with strict ethics he saw the holiday and pagan and people just having all kinds of devilish fun at his God’s expense.

The holiday and its customs are restored in 1660 when Charles II defeats the Roundheads and assumes the British throne Oliver Cromwell (1649-1658 AD)

I’m thinking that Mr. G W B if not genetically is (dare I say spiritually of same stripe) and nothing sways him when he believes he’s in the right.

Lord, deliver me from the righteous who may think they’re doing your will but haven’t a clue to why you lived, died are opened heaven for us all.

As for all the women, young girls, and/or mature wymyn going through their own personal hell.

May you meet your equal half whatever sexual orientation you and they may be and finally find your slice of personal heaven(s).

It’s a horror story some lives are going through and if one survives it might get even worse as some of our so called idiot leader rush foolishly into a bloody, stupid war.

An you lover’s, hold each other tight, don’t break apart unless it cannot be helped.

My love life is floating and hasn’t drifted to ground yet.

The best thing for me is checking out the new "Good Vibrations" that had an open house last Saturday and Sunday.

While I’m not with a current "friend."

I might as well by books, video, dvd’s and pleasurable massage equipment so the next "friend" met will have a much relaxed and better time than either our last folks did.

Tell me, folks-when you‘re single still are what does one do on Saint Valentine’s Day?

Be anonymous if you want. After a break up, or
when lovers leave what does the one left do?

Well, that’s my Valentine for anyone by their lonesome but lonesome doesn’t necessarily mean alone sometimes people need their spaces that separate space.

Got places to go, people to confuse. Bye.

by Leroy Moore/PNN - DAMO

One of Dr. King’s quotes hits home for me in his letter from a Birmingham jail "I have heard
the word "wait!’ It rings in ears of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait!’ has almost always meant Never!" As we celebrate Martin Luther King’s Birthday I like to ask you why are we waiting with my poem ...Why

Why

Why are we waiting?

Are we waiting because we’re scared?

Why are we scared?

We’ve been through so much!

Why do we keep quite?

Do we fear visibility?

Is isolation that comfortable?

Why are we waiting?

Can you answer me?

Things are already bad!

We’ve work to do but we wait

for somebody else to do the work!

We keep our anger bottle up!

Waiting for the anger to pass.

Why are we waiting?

Finally the truth is out in the open

but we still wait to see if the truth is safe and popular.

Why do we fear the truth?

Why tomorrow or later?

We can’t afford to wait!

Why do we play along with the game?

Are we looking out for only ourselves?

Is that raise more important than our brothers and sisters?

We wait for the New Year, birthdays and holidays

to change our ways, but in reality we are waiting for a change.

Thinking time will change things without lifting a finger.

Why we do not take action?

Are we waiting for politicians, organizations?

or the media to give us the answers?

I don’t understand and you don’t understand

why I’m not waiting.

We’ve work to do, so lets do it!

Intimidation, fear and competition keep us from action!

MLK Jr. wrote, Why We Can’t Wait

He gave the reasons

Why? Why? Why? Why?

Today we know why!

No more waiting and no more whys!

by Joe B.

Well, Ms. M. Villaluna told me she loved what I had written about her even though I made a few errors it was fine by her.

Her friends do read some of my off color stuff
which I have been taking off of POOR Magazine’s Web Site
at a furious pace because of certain funding rules of a charitable organization.

After writing, creating, astounding color and Black & White graphics for the books all of its almost in place except for the ‘PO Poet’s Play on the ‘Houzin Project (not the name play).

We have a POOR PRESS CATALOGUE Vol. 1
Hands & Lester (The Po Cat’s Adventure Series)by Dee Grey

Po’ Poet Laureate A. Faye Hicks, Through The Eyes Of A Child by Brian Gafford, Black Disabled Man: With Big Mouth And High I.Q. by Leroy Morre Jr.

CD and Book A POOR Press Publication.

Ask Joe, Holding Up The Sky
New World Raped, Gifts From Earth & Other Stories by Joseph Bolden A POOR Press Publication.

SNAG Seventh Native American Generation:
INDIGENOUS SURVIVAL IN THE INFORMATION AGE Vol.1


Life as an Urban Indian – Torn by the Casino Debate
Surviving Domestic Abuse.

www.nativehealth.org

Much more info but my micron of a column cannot contain it all for that one see us at POOR Magazine’s Book Release Event on Sunday, 6pm. Feb. 23, 2003 in the Historic I.L.W.U.[International Local Warehouse Union]. at 255 9th Street between Folsom and Howard Streets in San Francisco.

(As an added treat I’ve invited people's from both of my classes at S.F. City College where I’m learning Beginning Latin American Folk Dance and relearning Yoga.

My plan:A dance blow out near the end of celebrations, anyone who can (me)included to dance our asses off!

I’m usually not this assertive or subversive but we only live once right.

One more thing, All Bay Area Literary Agents who can spare time from their busy schedules may find literary gold & platinum here with these new authors and help us plug into a distribution networking with others that might want more of our works.

That’s all I can say now besides thinking positive thoughts on the sale of our limited though professional published works.

I’m a little nervous.

Its one thing writing a column where thousands of unseen eyes see my work but being part of a play, publicly spoken word, or talking about the little book POOR Magazine helped me with is more terrifying because I feel more exposed than when writing my Ask Joe Column’s.

Enjoy POOR’s Book Release Party on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003, 6 pm at 255 9th Street between Folsom and Howard Streets in San Francisco.

Whew! I’m wiped, think fast, live slow, and have few regrets. That’s it for me folks.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 Market St.

PO Box #645

San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Alex Cuff/PNN News Brief Editor

By Davey D

As I'm penning this newsletter the local TV stations in LA have interrupted their programming
to talk about Tha Row Records [formerly Death Row Records]. The LA sheriff department
has blocked off the streets surrounding the record company and brought in a swat team to the
labels offices and kicked down the doors. The spokesperson said they have 17 warrants for
folks throughout Southern California who are accused of committing homicide or ‘conspiracy
to commit homicide.’

Thus far they have made a number of arrests around LA including one over at the Tha Row
Records.

The sheriff department spokesperson said Suge Knight was NOT one of the
individuals wanted by police in this round of arrests nor was he a suspect, however they were
still conducting their investigations. However, the sheriff spokesperson did say that there's a
possibility that some of the arrests could be connected to killings of rap stars 2Pac and
Notorious BIG.

When asked why they brought a SWAT team to his downtown offices, the sheriff
spokesperson said that the building is large and because of the nature of the warrants they
needed the police manpower to secure the building and make sure it was clear. Other details
were still a bit sketchy at the time of this writing so we'll keep you posted as we learn more.

Send comments to misterdaveyd@earthlink.net

www.daveyd.com

www.rapstation.com

by Joe B.

Valentine’s Day. February, 14, 2003.

I’m having a bad time of it since the one I most want to be with is across the Bay with someone else.

Trying to avoid love songs on the radio, TV, inside my memories.

At my work in POOR Magazine there are three lovely women working along side me one on graphics, another putting books together by hand, and one more emailing other people at other web sites.

While looking for a place to eat lunch I stroll into the Good Vibrations Store on Polk and Sacramento street.
I bought a Karma Sutra mini book.

I know why most ugly guys are better lovers its because when they find someone will to gives 'em some they better be good or they get no second chance.

So, I might as well read, learn how to better please my lover(s) properly or spend next V-Day alone again.

To folks going through the same sad business not to worry everyone has days like these and for those who don’t count yourself as lucky.

Everybody, despite personal agony, all of you with your other half have a great Valentines Day.

But remember treat them with respect, kindness, and patience because if you don’t its gonna be a lonely Christmas and New Years. Bye Folks, for now.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94109 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 PO Box

#645

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Bao Xiong

Who would have thought

This is how we would be

This is what has become

Of what was once you and me

I pour out my heart

But you don't say a word

But every soft whisper

In your heart I know is heard

When I do hear your voice

Calling out to me

I turn to run to you

Then know it cannot be

I reach out to touch you

To hold you once again

But you don't reach back

Leaving an emptiness within

My hand sweeps across the ground

Where you now peacefully sleep

Longing for you to reach up

And rise from the grave, so deep

I gently kiss your name

Engraved upon the stone

And am left to cry at your graveside

Left to cry alone

I long to know so many answers

As to why you left me without saying good-bye

And what caused you to hurt so badly

That you felt you must die

I wish I could have been there for you

And often think of taking your same route

But then I think of all life's blessings

All the blessings you did without

I will face all of life's battles

Without you by my side

I can't help but think if I had fought them with you

Would it be you who would have died?

I'm sorry I wasn't there for you

But I will never leave you now

I will see you once again

But for now must go on... somehow

Tears drop from my grieving eyes

by Alex Cuff/PNN Community Journalist

During a time where the funding of education, healthcare and non-profit organizations are being cut drastically
and the prison and military industries are grossly receiving money from our “family values-oriented” administration,
there are organizations that are actually standing behind the saying that is thrown around and draped in irony so
much in our country: Our children are our future. In the Youth Services program at the Oakland based Native Health
Center, youth are being empowered. During one of POOR Magazine’s recent newsrooms, we were privileged with the
presence of Ross Cunningham who works as a facilitator in a variety of youth workshops at the Native Health Center.
Ross who attended the California Recording Institute - which closed 3 weeks before graduation – is also working on a
hip hop curriculum he teaches in the Oakland Unified School District.

The Center’s mission is to build strong and resilient Native youth and families with the goal to empower young
people from the community through education, skill building and community organizing activities. The Center treats
the family as a whole in order to provide for the youth – it provides family services, medical, dental, and there’s
a $2 million project under way now towards building a youth center. The program that Ross works with is the
Indigenous Media Group where the participating youth both create media as well as become informed around different
issues of media: the history of corporate media, radio, print and TV. All of this happens in an environment that
focuses on cultural awareness which isn’t included in the euro-centric curriculum of schools today. The media
program was actually born from asking the youth what they really wanted: “we want to do graphic design, computers,
video editing, etc.”

The result of the year long program is the publication SNAG Magazine (Seventh Native American Generation), a
literary, visual arts magazine - which uses expression as a form of social change - by Native American Youth. The
front of the magazine exclaims, “Indigenous Survival In the Information Age”…to me another way to say what we
practice at POOR which is Digital Resistance, poor people and persons who are usually the subject of the news
creating the news and get their voices heard. In SNAG, the Native youth voice their concerns, visions and
perceptions of their community. The concept of SNAG is built around the Native American prophecy that the youth are
the 7th Generation who will bring significant change, will change the way of thinking and the current ideologies.

This year Youth Services will be offering two new programs – one that is open to all youth in the Bay Area and another
which could be a continuation of SNAG which will focus on Native youth issues. Ross talked about the difficulty in finding
Native youth, “There are 6 million people in the Bay Area and as for Native people there are 30,000 so we’re like one big
family and we got to support each other. It’s hard to recruit Native youth – hard to find Natives and youth and harder to find
Native youth. We want to get Native Americans into media.”

SNAG magazine and representatives from the SNAG project will be present at the upcoming POOR Press release party and benefit this Sunday (2/23) at 6:00 pm at 255 9th street SF Bet Folsom and Howard in San Francisco at the ILWU Union Hall.See below For more info on the event.

You can also reach SNAG directly at www.nativehealth.com

by Bao Xiong

The way I feel inside.

For I have no one to talk to,

No one by my side.

I cry all the time

Yet no one seems to hear.

I yell out so many names

But no one is ever near.

You wouldn't understand,

So, don't even begin to try.

You don't know what it's like

When sometimes you want to die.

I fit in down here,

But it just doesn't seem right.

Things change too much up there

Every day and every night.

I cry my self to sleep at night

Sometimes for no reason at all.

My heart is being broken in two

And taking a crumbling fall.

I want to go back

To the way it uses to be.

When I was always happy

And could always be free.

by Alex Cuff and Dee Gray

“Dance was the topping on the cake of satisfaction at that time, mm…hmm…” JR let out a laugh the began as a knowing
murmur resembling skekSil the Chamberlain from the Dark Crystal and trailed off like a slowing metronome…huh huh
huh. “I’ll never forget going to a place on 47th street in Chicago called Peps where I grabbed a young lady and started dancing
with her and it was as if we danced into another dimension - that's how well I remember dancing…” When JR tells you
something, his stare has a way probing which suggests he’s just reminding you of something your already know – as if
subtly revealing to you something you’ve forgotten. “…and as a matter of fact I never found someone that I danced
with that was that wonderful again.” I switched the surprisingly heavy microphone into my left hand and rubbed my
shoulder, smiling, as I imagined JR - wearing the same chestnut Tyrolean hat he now had on – dancing himself off
into his own convoluted melodic cosmos. I sat as close to JR as I could without pulling the cord to the DAT out of
the electric socket that we were temporarily borrowing from the coffee pot. The din of voices rose and fell
throughout the art filled space of the Hospitality House where I caught up with JR this past Monday to talk about
dancing.

I met JR a week or two ago at Poor Magazine where he was invited to newsroom as a special guest who’s interpretive
dance was the grand finale to a performance art piece by Dee Gray, which sought to cure a couple of us interns from
our travel habits. At Poor, travel is seen as one of the modes in which capitalism exploits indigenous people in
other countries – a sort of ethnographist voyeurism. After his dance, JR revealed that he’d been quite active in the
Chicago dance scene decades ago. This aroused Dee’s curiosity which led to my interview with JR as a story for Poor.
Before we settled down among the sculptures and clay-throwers that were getting ready to leave for the day, I was
shown around the gallery where JR showed me a few of his eccentric/erotic pieces, some of which he’d worked on for
years.

The extent of my Chicago dance scene knowledge of any era comes from the 2 hours I sat in the Metreon watching
Chicago, the film, which admittedly says nothing, so I wanted JR to give me a snapshot of the scene he was involved
with. For twenty minutes he let me into his world of “Billy Eckstine shirts, Stacy Adams and Hickey Freeman shoes,
and Borsalino hats…”

“When I discovered dancing I was perhaps 12 …late 50s early 60s…there was a place called the 5th Avenue Ballroom
where it all really began to take place. At the 5th Avenue Ballroom you had bopping and you had walking that were
very important methods of dance at the time. And happily I was able to have a friend who's sister taught me how to
bop and then it was later on that I began to develop my own steps and unique …”

”It was basically a teen/young adult thing and later on after I got married me and my wife used to go out dancing
maybe once a week - we would go on the far south side. We'd go places like the Dating Game - well there were just so
many things out there, well there was always someplace new to go. One of the break through periods in terms of
dancing is what we all knew as disco era. During the disco era, I remember going to a place on Madison street in
Chicago in about the 5400 block and I heard this different kind of music where as previously the music was basically
dedicated to bop - this was different, this was geared towards personal improvisation, and I think that is actually
the kind of dance that I can scope - I can still realize the glee at being able to dance without any fetters. That
era lasted for quite a long time; it took in the period of skating even, even in roller skates - if you go to
Chicago right now, the south side of Chicago, you will still have people skating with the rhythm of the disco as the
beat, okay?”

After years of tap dance lessons which only seemed to lead to nerve racking recitals where I always seemed forget
the routine as soon as I saw the serried blurred faces out in the auditorium, my fondest memories of dance are still
of my dad waiting for my mother to finish dressing…Lucky Strikes and after shave flavored the air as my dad waltzed
me around reminding me the secret is to be light on foot….

The interpretive dance that JR performed at Poor last week seemed to me far from disco or waltzing... I asked him when
he discovered his own style or as what today might be called interpretive dance…

”It was difficult for me to learn how to bop, if someone hadn't taught me how to bop, I think....well I probably would
have overcome it eventually, but that fact that she was able to show me the exact steps I was able to teach a couple people,
in particular my sister, how to dance, okay. So there's definitely a purpose behind the seeming madness. On the other hand,
through the interpretive dance you are able to, well the spirit is different so you're able to do more things - not only that but
you're probably able to interpret and express on issues and items that you may not have thought it was possible before. “

”Whatever issue is being dealt with on a record is the stuff for unique expression - its no different than the music
itself - depending on the music that is going to establish the mood and the mood is gonna be the stimulant that which you
find a way of expressing it. To some degree I think you can express great joy or even great sadness in dance as well as you
can in some lyrical form.”

The first conversation I had with JR took place in the few minutes before newsroom began the day our travel bugs were
quelled by Dee’s collage of cats, fake fur and Elvis’s head which served as part of the ceremonial anecdote to our capitalist
ways. The Venetian blinds clacked restlessly against the windows behind us - the light outside was flat, inside corrosively
fluorescent. I was having a bad week and not looking forward to the seemingly endless night of waitressing that lay before
me.”

Now sitting across from him in a much contrasted state of mind at the Hospitality House which offers free work space and
materials to artists, I asked JR if he saw dance as a resistance to poverty. “No, on the contrary, poverty is a kind of a
construct. In other words, it’s not poverty you must deal with but its apathy, and indifference and loss of faith. Actually, if you
can dance, you can overcome to a degree some of these bad vibes so to speak. Poverty has so many causes in a sense - I
don't think poverty is a thing that is all the fault of the individual, but each one of us have special tributes and these tributes
are crafted - that's the extent of the person's life. It’s no different than a piece of clay, one person take that clay and turn it
into a magnificent vessel. Another person take that piece of clay and think of it as no use whatsoever. The reason that I
don't make the comparison because I don't even believe there is an ‘I’ - I think there is only a ‘we’. I think the fact that we
have ‘I’ in this advanced age is because of our richness, because of our leisure - because at a much earlier stage people
didn't have the luxury in thinking of themselves as being special at something like that. So I think today with the
entertainers, I think what they do is actually give us an example of what our possibilities are, they in no way shape what your
own true potentials are.”

Do you still dance today? If so what does it represent today as opposed to as when you just started out when you were
15 years old?

”Well I got news for you, okay?” JR paused for about 20 seconds looking at me like he had just asked me a
question. “I found out much earlier that dance is therapeutic, okay. Because I used to be an insurance agent, when I was
an insurance agent, after pouring over books, for 10 hours, I would almost explode if I didn't have a place to go dance…you
need some means to express yourself and there was place on Delaware and Rush street and this is a time when integration
was at its zenith in Chicago and I used to go there and they used to have the best disco in the city and I would be able to
get down and we would boogie until the night was through.”

So you are still dancing now then?

”As a matter of fact, I was out dancing last night” JR chuckled, “hmm...I can't tell you where or who I was with. I’ll just
tell you that it was a very dynamite session. It was people in sequined outfits, okay, it was ladies of higher nights you might
say yeah, I was really thrilled okay and I was able to ....” Amused at my curiosity, it took JR at least a minute of my asking
“able to what?” to answer…”hahah...I was able to put down some of my better moves...”

Since JR wouldn’t reveal the location of where the people in sequins hang out and where JR was putting down some of
his best moves, (because unfortunately, it doesn’t describe any of the clubs I know in SF where there are usually hipsters
standing around nodding to indie rock) I moved on to my next question and asked him how often he went out nowadays….

”It doesn't happen as often as I would like you know. I find San Francisco is just a fledgling in understanding its
benefits, I’m sure that with more dancing that a person can be more sure of a better state of mind, I think they would have
better repoir with those they interact with on a daily basis. I think there's a high that comes from dancing that you can't get
from anywhere else cause you know we live in a city where everything is classified in terms of what kind of money you got.
When actually your happiness isn't based on how much money you got - its based on what kind of joy can you give
someone; it's like being rich, how can you be rich if you're keeping everything to yourself? Your riches comes in terms of
what you are able to give cause if you give, you gonna receive, it's automatic - hm hm uh huh.”

I finally asked JR what his thoughts were on the effect his interpretive dance could have had on us that day in
newsroom…

”The fact that you're having a lot of travel and your having this thing where by people go in and out without any kind of
responsibilities, any kind of payment due to those who are involved. It makes them into seeming objects and I think what
Dee and Tiny project is the fact hat we've got to find a way to demonstrate some reciprocity in our lives. And in a certain kind
of way I think that this is becoming a world issue because to a large degree unless we find an alternative to our selfishness
we will no have a future because our past, even though we like to think of what we have as something we have done, it's all
an illusion. This is taking place because of the contributions of all the people and only so long can you take the contributions
of all the people and continue to use them just for yourself. Because in essence what happens is that well, you have a
polarity in effect that just will not last so I think again that just being able to return the corner on lets say the destructive
aspects of life, and move to a new period of rapprochement…where the differences that we have can be hashed out and
compromised in some sort. I think that will stamp what our future will hold.”

Like after the first time I met JR, I left with a bit of glow…could’ve been from his coquettish charm or from his collected,
intricate person...probably a combination of both.

by Joe B.

I use to dance way back when but as job, rent, homelessness, and my own inner demons fell upon me it seemed to have fallen away and then my body began to stiffen oh, there is exercise, some sex, weight lifting and swimming but still the ‘bod was not as limber and free as it once was.

A big reason is being part of an organization that is intensely political while I try staying away from swarms of issues that always pop up from Abortion to Xenophobia and all the find different in between side issues forever floating about.

Deciding after years of work home work home work with TV thrown in its time to have an afterlife; that is life after leaving the office of Poor Magazine.

Don’t get me wrong Poor has done much for improving my writing, reading, analytical, comprehension skills (which I’ve learned in analyzing movies or TV shows)

To do it deadens any pure entertainment value that was there in the first place or waiting for months to see the shows anew again.

This is exactly why I rarely do reports on events because I cannot enjoy it much when writing about it.

In City College I’ve enrolled in two classes Dance and Yoga.

The Yoga helps me to stay limber, supple after strenuous dancing.

Its curious that both classes are in the Women’s Gym area.

I don’t mind it at all the pungent aroma of estrogen is has better tingly smell than working out in a gym full of testosterone.

Not being the only guy in the class means less focus on me which is great since I’m there to learn not ogle, stare, or otherwise leer at women stretching.

Latin Dancing is different.

One has to hold another body firmly yet gently, listen to music, the instructor and their assistants helping students with difficulty dancing with partners or by themselves.

My second week I’m a little more confident but still have some trouble twirling or being twirled about by a female partner and just as we get use to each other we’re switched to another.

I’ve always felt self-conscious because of my lazy left eye wonder if I should where a patch for the woman’s sake so she’s not distracted focusing on my bad eye.

Most women don’t really care as long as they are held correctly and are not touched in inappropriate ways.
I do not and have enjoyed my two hours and end up floating home on the 10 p.m. Bart train.

At one or two bars a friend generously taught me how to move and flow with her movements I even had a beer which is rare since I do not drink but this is a special occasion.

One thing if I take a lady home or she me I won’t be drinking because I believe in total concentration on the woman I’m with and though I’m told a little alcohol loosens you up but too much a man can… go limb or wilt at the moment he needs to be straight up, slightly bent, or semi hemi.

Thing is, I forgo the whole risk by staying sober, focused plus the anxiety, stray nervous energy I always seem to have actually helps me be ready enough without wilting.

The funny thing is fear gives me the extra push.
I wish I could be completely relaxed, but that only happens when we are melded and moving about making mistakes, bumping heads, lips, loins.

I’d be a nervous wreck if I drank before consummation
of the act. An I have to like something about them it can be anything they way the look, laugh, talk, walk, it’s tenuous at best but that tether in my connection to her.

Yeah, what’s this emotive bull most guys won’t admit they need some small measure of connecting as women do but that’s been me since my first lover and what was that?
Absolute, paralyzing fear that I wouldn’t please her and fail miserably.

Besides all that it began to rain first light then heavier until it’s a full blown thunderstorm. It only made it worse for me I thought because I could feel the rains reaction running through me. God! I’m with a lovely female, we’re in bed and the damn rain is making me go hot and cold, then I felt real strong and able to complete the passage to manhood.

As I said fear froze me but the paralyzed part was more personally embarrassing to me it seemed to make my first lover very happy. I’m crying, she’s tearing up, both of us laughing-it’s strange, comforting even to this day my body still reacts this way.

My rooms always a mess because of too many science fiction, women’s, or biography books, papers from assignments or incomplete works of my own.

There was a full length mirror in the basement no one was using and now its mine so now I can see how my feet move when practicing dance steps.

The best thing that can happen if after a dance a woman is in my home or I’m in hers is a torrential rain storm then again if my nervous energy kicks in I just might have a repeat date and not a one-night-stand.

Can any of recommend a safe bar/club for me because
I’ve no idea which are safe in or out of the Bay Area and
I need some expert advice especially from women who’ve been through these flesh wars. . . . Bye.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94109 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 PO Box

#645

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

On Sunday, February 17, 2003.

Select ‘Prez B Jr. used his office to thwart the power of truth by telling a judge in New York…

Let me start with Protester’s and Mr. Michael R. Bloomberg 108th Mayor of New York, A media Conglomerate Owner now New York Mayor Bloomberg.

I hear Mayor Bloomberg tried preventing the protestors for their march even though it was planned weeks in advance by an injunction.

When this didn’t work the "Main Man" in that starkly white house tried to convene by suggesting the march should not take place because of safety reason.

Imagine, a President taking in upon himself to personally try and stop an independent protest which is supposed to part of our bill of rights!

This guy in that house is having hissy fits because New Yorker’s are speaking out on a massive scale and he's trying to blunt their messages.

Remember this is the place that was bombed and the people and country came together.

Now the whole country is together to stop a war
on another people about dead dinosaurs under sand in a another foreign land.

How is this guy going to stop others from telling the truth.

Other peoples like American’s are going against their governments in civil disobedience.

People of the world, different, languages, cultures, creeds, know this cannot stand, we cannot have this crap because one man and his father have a falling out with other leaders.

I was in the march Sunday and it was a multitude of bodies walking, laughing, crying, talking, and determined to prevent the juggernaut of Nuclear War.

There are times when one must disobey so right can be served and this is one of those times. Bye.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 Market St.

PO Box #645

San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by TJ Johnston for Weird Services

A multimillionaire, until recently a poor mountaineer who barely kept his family fed, is taking shots at a network for staging a reality show based loosely on his life.

J.D. "Jed" Clampett lambasted CBS about their attempts to relocate a poor, rural family to a Hollywood mansion and put them on televised display. "All that trouble lookin' for country folk," opines Clampett in a press conference at his Beverly Hills estate, "and they don't know the Clampetts live right here."

CBS had put out a call for a nationwide "hick hunt" with the stipulation that the auditionees have limited education and travel experience. With an estimated 56 million in America's boonies to choose from, it seems the Tiffany Network already has their work cut out for them. Their search has already taken them through the Deep South, Midwest and Appalachian regions.

Having discovered oil while hunting in his property outside Bugtussel, Clampett made a deal with OK Oil and now lives off the proceeds. Despite the plush surroundings of swimming pools and movie stars, his family, comprised of his mother-in-law "Granny" Daisy Moses, daughter Ellie Mae, and nephew Jethro Bodine, live frugally. In fact, they still drive the same truck which they took to California and employ no servants.

Clampett challenged CBS to bring their cameras to his manor. "We got some things that the folks in TV land would find mighty interestin'." In a tour of his house, he showed reporters the "critters" Ellie Mae cares for and the pool (or "cement pond") where Granny makes her soap. Jethro, who was not present, engages in a multifaceted career including being a Hollywood agent, a "double-naught" spy and a Robin Hood-style outlaw. Emphasizing Jethro's sixth-grade education, Clamped wryly said, "Anyone who believes an education isn't worth the money ought to hear the boy speak."

Clampett thought deliberately when posed a question about the image of rural America such a program might portray. "I hope everybody has a sense of humor about it." He seemed baffled by one network exec's musing about "the episode where they have to interview maids." Again, Clampett stressed his clan's ethos of self-sufficiency, thrift and 'neighborliness' to their fellow man.

At that moment, neighbor Milburn Drysdale (who is also president of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills) blustered into the house, apparently unaware his largest depositor arranged for the press conference. Drysdale immediately detracted disparaging statements about "trash TV" and pledged to support Clampett's campaign.

by Staff Writer

Who is considered a great scholar? How is scholarship attained? How is greatness honored? One of the ways literary greatness has been honored for many years is in a tradition borne from the greco-roman word Laureate or Wreath, which was, literally, a wreath given to great "men" of science, literature and art.

Traditionally, the title of Poet Laureate was bestowed on people who were considered literary scholars, who due to their prolific literary works, awards and formal scholarship were considered "worthy" or "deserving" of the Laureate. Only recently have the awards been given to anyone who is not linked to an old-school literary canon, ie, Ivy league schools and their presses such as: Harvard, Yale, Wellesley and Brown to name a few. Which means until recently the majority of poet laureates were priveleged men of European Descent

At POOR we have a very different notion of scholarship, who deserves it, how it is attained and how it is used. We have established a new kind of scholarship, The Scholarship of Poverty. This scholarship has a new canon with new designations for greatness. Survival itself, through extreme poverty and crisis, houselessness, racism, disability and welfare to name a few are what you need to qualify for poverty scholarship. Conversely, a person who is formally educated with a Masters Degree and no poverty scholarship would be considered inexperienced and therefore should not be writing, lecturing or legislating on issues that impact communities in poverty. With this new canon in mind POOR has established the Po Poet Laureate title which we will bestow on very low-income, youth and adult, literary scholars every six months and publish their work as a monthly column on PNN.

Like other Poet Laureate’s nominated by Formal Educational Institutions and City Governments, The Po’ Poet Laureates will use their poetry to comment on issues. Unlike other poet Laureates though, The Po Poet Laureates will comment on issues specifically impacting communities struggling with poverty and racism. Through this new project, POOR’s hope is to offer up this new scholarship to ALL communities in an attempt to shatter the lies and myths, while also redefine the solutions for poor folk locally and globally.

by Alex Cuff/PNN Community Journalist

Business at usual at City Hall when I stopped by on Friday to pick up the audio tape of the January 21 st Board of Supervisor’s weekly meeting. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” the receptionist asked me as she wrote out the receipt for the $5 tape. Well at least we are still able to access public records…on this level. Walking through the cavernous halls of our stately capital building I am thinking about the Patriot Act - so much talk about the Patriot Act - but for me it’s just gotten clumped up with all the injustices I’m feeling are being imposed on us here in the old US of A, as well as on folks we’re affecting all over the world with our egomaniacal foreign policy. As I walk down the long intimating hallway toward the offices of all the supervisors, I’m reminded of bits of news from the radio and
paper headlines – the unjust detaining of immigrants and citizens of color alike, words of the actors behind the Bush Administration who strive to instill fear in all of us while defending their own hate crimes. After a while I become numb and ask myself, how is the USA Patriot Act affecting me personally?

I still wake up and roll out of bed. Click power on the stereo catching the end of

94.1’s morning show. Walk around the clothes strewn all over the floor into the

kitchen towards the kettle. Cup of earl grey, maybe a shower, check the mouse traps,

maybe skim the paper or a book if I have time. Eventually off to work. For the

most part, this is my morning. The USA Patriot Act hasn’t altered my day to day

experience – yet. As I drift down the majestic corridor of city hall with the

intention of paying visits to Tony Hall and Jake McGoldrick, I wonder if I would still be on this assignment from Poor Magazine to report on the resolution the City of San Francisco passed opposing the act – if the Patriot Act was in full effect in SF.

When I ask acquaintances if they feel that they are affected by the Patriot

Act, the most common answer I’ve gotten is something like this: "I think it

sucks that the government uses terrorism as an excuse to invade our privacy." Of

course most of us wouldn’t know if FBI agents were sipping coffee and pouring

over our library history or reading about our hours of therapy, our abortions,

or any other information from our medical records because under the act, those who are being violated do not have a right to know about it! The Patriot Act limits disclosure of public documents and records under the Freedom of Information Act and also prevents let’s say the librarian, from telling you that she’s not the only one that knows what you’re borrowing.

On January 21st San Francisco joined 26 other US cities in resolving to oppose the crackdown on civil liberties, otherwise known as the USA Patriot Act. What does this mean? Well of course a city or state can’t repeal or overturn a federal act so the law hasn’t really changed but these cities are, in so many words, declaring that local law enforcement will refuse to enforce the Patriot Act when it refuses the rights of citizens under the Bill or Rights.

From the discussions I’ve been having with folks regarding the new authorization the government is seizing under the Homeland Security Act and the Patriot Act, there seems to be three tiers of folks when it comes to the degree people feel threatened by these powers: those who do not really understand the implications it has on their civil rights yet who support the ‘increased security’; those who, although don’t feel affected yet, do have an idea about the implications it has on our civil rights and are against it; and then there are those who have already been directly affected by it through racial profiling, violation of attorney/client privileges.

For those of us who aren’t fully aware of the awesome power the Patriot Act

affords the US government, let me share some of what I’ve learned: The USA Patriot Act is an acronym for The Uniting and Strengthening America by

Providing Appropriate Tools Requiring to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. (How convenient that this clear, straight forward title spells out USA Patriot.) The

act has amended over 15 federal statutes, and overrides all existing state and

federal privacy laws. Section 802 expands the definition of terrorism to cover

"domestic" as opposed to international terrorism. So according to the patriot

act, you, yes you are a domestic terrorist if you commit an act that appears to

be intended to: 1. intimidate or coerce a civilian population 2. influence the

policy of a government by intimidation or coercion 2. affect the conduct of a

government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.

These definitions are broad enough to include the activities of many non-profits, community based organizations, and elected officials that are active around everything the Patriot Act is designed to take away: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and privacy, protection from unreasonable searches and seizure, due process and equal protection to any person, equality before the law and the presumption of innocence, access to council in judicial proceedings, and a fair, speedy and public trial. You wouldn’t be reading this on PNN right now if the FBI decided to accuse Poor Magazine of "influencing the policy of government by intimidation or coercion” through its support of parents that file lawsuits against CPS, or it’s denunciation of police activity in Bay View Hunter’s Point.

Jake McGoldrick, the San Francisco supervisor who authored the resolution, spoke during the board meeting declaring “We can not live in that state of fear; we can not succumb to that fear because we will in fact be handing a victory to those who are the enemies to the kind of freedom we have.” Ten out of eleven of the supervisors joined with McGoldrick to pass the resolution.

Supervisor Tony Hall – who wouldn’t call me back for a comment – defended his position in voting against the resolution: “I’m not really interested in joining the ranks of protesters that have something negative to say about anything that relates to the federal government – I will defer to the law enforcement authorities when it comes to protecting our security.” He feels that “there’s more good about the Patriot Act then there is the bad that I’ve been told, I’ve been told, is wrong with it. So, that’s my feeling.” Um, if I could have gotten Hall on the phone I would have asked him if he’s ever even listened the “ranks of protesters” who have something negative to say about “anything that relates to the federal government.”

To my embarrassment for Hall, he said something that made me think he’s never even explored the provisions of the act: “What’s interesting here is the act itself deals mainly with immigration, now if there’s something wrong with the act where people are being detained – and I think this is what I’m hearing – being detained without a lawyer, and without the right to see a judge, then that’s wrong. I’m against that part of the act.” Well I’m glad that he’s against that part of the act.
If that’s all he’s opposed to, I guess he has no problem with the provision that allows law enforcement agencies to search homes and offices without notifying the owner for days or weeks after. Or the part of the Patriot Act that grants power to the Attorney General to subject citizens of other nations to indefinite detention or deportation even if they have not committed a crime.

I think that what freaks me out the most is section 806, Seizure of Assets. This section amended the civil asset forfeiture statute to authorize the government to seize and forfeit assets of an individual or organization on the mere assertion that “there is probable cause to believe that the assets were involved in domestic terrorism.” This grants the government power to bankrupt any political organizations they deem unpatriotic! The worst part is that at a civil hearing, a person is not entitled to an attorney at public expense – only well funded non-profits and persons would be able to successfully defend themselves against the forfeiture.

The resolution opposing the USA Patriot Act which was authored by McGoldrick and approved by all other supervisors, save Hall, states that “to the extent legally possible, no City employee or department shall officially assist or voluntarily cooperate with investigations, interrogations, or arrest procedures, public or clandestine, that are in violation of individuals’ civil rights or civil liberties…” It also declares “that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors calls upon all private citizens and organizations, including residents, employers, educators, and business owners, to demonstrate similar respect for civil rights and civil liberties, especially but not limited to conditions of employment and cooperation with investigations.”

A couple of weeks ago I attended a Police Commission meeting in which a ban on consent searches was proposed. The stories San Francisco citizens shared about witnessing, or being victimized by, police brutality due to racial and class profiling were unpardonable. Hopefully our local law enforcement will obey this resolution…not only in a stand of non-compliance with what’s being asked of them through the Patriot Act but because what the resolution is asking is for are basic human rights. Thank you to supervisors McGoldrick, Ammiano, Daly, Peskin, Ma, Sandoval, Gonzalez, Dufty, Maxwell, and Newsom for resolving that “any efforts to end terrorism not be waged at the expense of the fundamental civil rights and liberties of the people of San Francisco.”