This Non Column brought Its A Housing Issue, 'Nuff Said.
you by... Who Cares.
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by Joe. B. On a grey, near sunless Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2001 a few fledgling reporters from Poor Magazine are invited to observe, participate, and report on a: San Francisco Housing Reality Tour. First problem - the small mauve or purple-red paper invitation for the march said Civic Center Plaza better known as the United Nations Plaza. All is quiet in the United Nations Plaza. By 4:45 pm. the crowd of merchants, customers, homeless people, and low income working folk are less as the bright white tents pack up to drive away in trucks, cars, or walk away gaps are left in their wake as bits of vegetable matter, plastic, paperbags, and foods are left on red brick walkways. The waterfall still flows, grey-white seagulls sit, walk, eating near or flying about looking for food left by transients, homeless people, and tourists strolling the area. Its less crowded because in the daytime a thriving Fresh Food Market. Though bland, uniformed white tent housed merchants selling all kinds of fruits, vegetables, jars of natural bee honey and other types of food in the plaza square. At 4:55 pm. I've gone through Civic Center's United Nations Plaza all the way to the end of the Simon Buliva, Man-on-horseback statue whether made from bronze, steel, or an amalgamation of other metals I do not know. "He killed Native American's" is Mari's angry answer knowing the dead guy's history. She's one the 18 to 23 year old Youth Commissioner's in City Hall. Its the Mayor's input on youth involvement in government. Anyway I'm thinking "What happened, where's everybody. There's a police car on the sidewalk going through the plaza, lots of police cars, cops on foot, cycles, station wagon, van, lots of cops are converging I have no idea where - I'm not sure I 'wanna know. Right-To-A-Roof with Mr. James Tracy is using a mini bullhorn to gather and inspire the crowd for a legal police escorted march through areas affected or being affected by the honorable Mayor W. Brown. In support of the National Day Of Housing Action. It begins at 5:00 pm. Is it too late for drugs as an alternative way to deal with real life? 'Yep, too late, have to see this through - its called 'paying your dues so when one gets to their good life [while alive and breathing] no one can say she/he had it cushy all their lives. Unknown to me and Mari the S.F. Housing Reality Tour's last minute change from U.N. Plaza in Civic Center has moved to the steps outside City Hall. "Its a last minute change" was James Tracy casual reply. I'm thinking [this is no way to garner popular support if stability is a stumbling block, at least the organizers should be 'um... organized.] Many other organizations have joined plus fourteen cities are having similar demonstrations - Don't 'cha love globalizing the masses to participate in a great and noble cause like housing for low income working poor, homeless and people in shelters? Some of the signs I read were: Housing's a human right, San Francisco needs more housing now! Families need housing not shelter. There are many sighs in Spanish or Spanglish [Spanish and English combined, Filipino, Chinese, and other languages. La Raza Community, After more inspired speeches from many organizer's and regular working folk the organized march and protest rally began from the steps of City Hall growing as many struggling, folks joined in our march. Escorted by police on cycles, walking along side us as a protecting or arresting arm probably a little of both if things turn sour. We must be really dangerous for all these blues watching over us. Our first of many stops is at 450 Golden Gate Avenue outside The Philip Burton Federal Building and United States Court House the State building is across the street. There are two police guards inside, some workers, and regular folks wandering about. We surge on to the Page Hotel a concerned citizen tells me. At the Page, as people walk carry in sighs, in their hands, children on shoulders I believe it's Ms. Gretchen another Poor Magazine student/contributor who informs me of other cities doing what we're doing now. New York, Baltimore, Seattle, and others. I'd sure like the other 10 cities and more to hook up, maybe we can help each other. All Of Our Cities!, not needing our help could help us so the shit now rolling on us from on high can be backed up and lots of dirt or worse lands on those folks in Washingtoon Deplorable Compost, OOP's I mean Washington DC Hey, you other cities? Going through similar cow chip housing crisis with possible solutions not looked or listened to because the fire hasn't reached their flushed-with-cash comfy asses yet. Who knows after 6 or more of most of the citizens in every city, small town, or hamlet protest everyday maybe the powers that be will finally get a clue to why everything is slowly grinding to a halt they still may not care but by The Eternal they'll have to start earning their keep instead of sitting on their rumps like updated high tech robber barons. Lets light 'em up-laser those tender poop buts until, the trapped methane gas blows heated flame from all their stuffed up holes or is it orifice's. Join up, brain storm, lets stop leaking green blood and heal or housing problems once and for all. From the Burton Fed Building, The Page, across the street at 146 at Golden Gate is the Hospitality House besides shelter it serves lunches and has instructors in the arts of painting, sculpture, drawing, and pottery all free. Item: Painted American Flag on the window is realistically done I like the stripes. Then to the former Empress that was vacant for 20 years as its tenants and working folk looked for housing and slept or died in the streets then it reopened as The West Cort, where a finger salute was clearly given by either a manger or owner but he seemed a bit peeved at the crowd milling around the building this night. Passing the Tenderloin Police Station with its many cars, station wagon, empty. I don't like that they are empty-it does not make me feel all that good because they're here ready and waiting to be filled and as I said before lots of cops. On to the Family owned Fang Building where the San Francisco Chronicle now resides sold to the Fang Family by the Hearst Family. Its nice to know some family traditions still hold true, there are a few traditional family values we must get rid of like the corporate monopolies. Its 6:30pm, really dark, I'm tired, losing my voice from chanting, my feet are on automatic, but I'm in the march because its a good thing to do, and somewhere down this road generations of young adults, single, married, and working poor with better pay, and children, yet unborn will benefit. On 7th Street, around the corner, I'm still tired..." Oh-Joe, stop" Mari does not understand my reporting style thinking every I say on tape will be reported as dictated. She thinks I'm a rotten reporter. She's half right I am not a reporter, but I am rotten as a reporter. Where was I... "I'm tired, the protesters are heading in my direction. I'm going home." Last stop for me is the Warfield Building owned by the Fang Family at 988 on Market and Taylor Streets. I go home weary, sleepy meanwhile the protest heads across the street to the building with art hanging off the building but the ploy is waring thin as its a building that can be renovated for low income people, not suddenly turned into another high priced tourist hotel. Some pasta 'n potatoes, bread and water and my night is over. |