Ethnic Cleansing Berkeley style

by Leo Stegman/PNN staff writer

Neo-liberal and white homeowners in Berkeley have a new tool to ethnically cleanse the neighborhoods of their African American neighbors.

South Berkeley, an inner-city neighborhood plagued with the same social ills that run rampant throughout urban America, used to be a primarily African-American working class neighborhood. It suffers from illicit drugs and a high unemployment rate.

Yet, despite its ills, the community has much to be proud of. Many of Berkeley’s social institutions are located in South Berkeley, such as the Black Repertory Theater, the Ashby Flea Market and a number of Black churches.

Recently, because of the “hot” real estate market in the Bay Area, middle class white families who are priced out of Albany, North Berkeley and Kensington are finding South Berkeley attractive. So attractive, in fact, that a group of predominately white plaintiffs is using the threat of small claims court judgments to attempt to force grandmother and community activist Lenora Moore from her long-time family home in South Berkeley.

Lenora and her husband Ralph Moore raised seven children in that home. Thirty-two of her grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren have passed through those doors.

The evils facing the community, in combination with the recent influx of white homebuyers, have wreaked havoc on Mrs. Moore’s life. The group of primarily white neighbors trying to uproot her is led by Laura Menard, former conservative candidate for the Berkeley City Council, and Paul Rauber, senior editor for the Sierra Club Magazine.

They allege that the problems between the Moore family and their neighbors stem from substance abuse and criminal activity committed by Moore’s adult children. They also claim that Mrs. Moore is the cause of the criminal activity and that it has denied them the use of their homes and caused them emotional distress.

In their demand letter, the group insisted that Mrs. Moore hire a real estate broker to sell her home. They threatened to bring a lawsuit if she refused. Since then, 15 small claim suits – claiming a total of $75,000 – have been filed. However, money is not the issue in this case. The real goal is to force Lenora to sell her family home.

Mrs. Moore is a hard working, proud and caring mother, grandmother and wife, an upstanding resident who has never been arrested for any crime. At 75 years old, when most folks in this country are retired, Mrs. Moore has to hold down a job, care for a disabled husband and raise her teenage grandsons. Yet the neighbors are attempting to make her responsible for the actions of her adult children and grandchildren who don’t live in her house.

Mrs. Moore’s adversaries are attempting to paint her as modern day Ma Barker. But besides heartache, she’s has never gotten a thing from the drug trade and crime in South Berkeley. One of her children is serving a substantial prison sentence, some of her other children are suffering from substance issues and a grandson was murdered right in her own neighborhood. The drug epidemic has caused her and her family great pain. How can one not see how she has suffered?

Racism is when you fail to see the suffering of others because of their race and place your racial value or identity above them. Class and race play a big part in society and in this case. The depiction of Mrs. Moore is, at a minimum, culturally insensitive and borders on overt racism. Nevertheless, she’s continued to be a strong and compassionate matriarch, like those of many African American families who have family members with issues.

At the Oct. 13 small claims court hearing, a stream of all white witnesses talked about how the crime in the neighborhood has affected their lives. Their testimony was in that same Katrina-esque mold as, in New Orleans, white families searching for food and necessities were described as hardy survivors and African-American families performing similar tasks were condemned as looters.

Such stereotyping minimizes the suffering of African-American families like Mrs. Moore’s and, to add insult to injury, labels them as criminals. Any person with any sensitivity can see that Mrs. Moore is suffering. One with the slightest bit of common sense can see that Mrs. Moore is not a criminal and has not benefited from any unlawful activity.

Another aspect of racism is the exaggeration of another’s problems for your own benefit. Does Mrs. Moore’s family have problems? Yes. Is her family responsible for most of the criminal activity in South Berkeley? No.

The allegations of Mrs. Moore’s children being involved in criminal activity may be true, but many of the incidents are overstated. According to information found in arrest reports, most of her children’s troubles stem from smalltime drug dealing.

Lenora Moore’s only fault in this is being compassionate. In attempting to help her family, she hasn’t set clear boundaries. It is also, however, the job of government and the organizations it funds to provide mental, emotional and substance abuse services to those who need them. They have failed to do that in this case – and in many others. Is that a reason to sue a 75-year-old grandmother and her disabled husband?

This case may be the start of a disturbing trend of newcomers attempting to force longtime homeowners to sell their homes. Neighborhood Solutions Inc. is not a solution for the problems of South Berkeley. Run by Executive Director Grace Neufield, it provides legal support to neighbors who want to sue another neighbor.

These types of lawsuits originated in Berkeley with Lew v. Superior Court, a 1988 case in which 75 tenants living in a large apartment complex brought a small claims court action against the owner for drug and criminal activity, calling it a nuisance to the surrounding tenants. The plaintiffs prevailed on appeal.

Most people wouldn’t be against using nuisance claims as a tool to force big businesses and slumlords to curtail illegal activity. However, the use of mass small claims court lawsuits to force Lenora Moore from her home doesn’t make sense.

Lenora Moore needs our help. Her next court date is Thursday, Nov. 3, 9 a.m., at the Berkeley Courthouse, 2120 Martin Luther King Way. Also, a peaceful protest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2 p.m., at her family home at 1610 Oregon St. in Berkeley. We are asking that the community come out and show their support.

Leo Stegman is a Poor News Network staff writer and poverty scholar.. For further information about the Lenora Moore case, call Copwatch at (510) 548-0425.