Story Archives 2002

by Alexandra Cuff/PNN Media Intern

The somber, porcelain sky seemed appropriate and welcoming on the year anniversary of the death of Idriss Stelley. Last Thursday at 5:30pm, I joined scores of people who gathered at 4th and Mission for the healing and celebratory funeral procession which mourned the loss of the recent victims of police violence and celebrated the small victories being won by raising consciousness around this issue. The brightly lit Metreon with itís artificiality and consume! motif proved a contrast to the theme of truth, pain, and revolution of the people gathering outside. In the half hour before 6pm, people from a wide breadth of backgrounds came together to protest the wrongful murder of Idriss Stelly and several other victims of police brutality.

On June 13th 2001, Idriss Stelley, who had a history of mental illness, was shot 26 times inside a Metreon theater. His girlfriend, Summer, had called in a 5150, the police code for someone in psychiatric distress, and the ìhelpî she received was reactionary and unprofessional. The ìhelpî was the murder of her fiance. Since that day, we have seen other examples of unwarranted police violence. Gregory Hooper, Richard Tims, and Richard Rosenberg are other subjects of the epidemic of racial profiling and brutality against the poor and people sufferring from mental illness.

Although it was real that the friends and families of these men were in mourning, the struggle and solidarity of those who showed up on this raw evening seemed the beginning of a victory to me. Among the procession of strollers, bikes, wheelchairs, and walkers were members of the community present to support the resistance of the criminalization of poverty, race, and mental illness. Some of the marchers were silent and crying, others were unfaltering as they chanted demands of justice. During the march to city hall, I met Latino and African Descendant brothers and sisters as well as people from France and Russia. Children walked along drummers who walked among the beautiful paper-mache puppets that were brought along by Art and Revolution.

In the midst of Idriss's family and friends were several folk from the Senior Action Network, PoorNewsNetwork/POOR Magazine, Coalition on Homelessness, SF Indymedia, the October 22 Coalition, Police Watch, and the Police Watch/ Ella Baker Center, the organizer of the event. Sixty to eighty of us marched down Mission, up 5th and then down Market inspired along the way by the voice of Jakada Imani of the Ella Baker Center, by the drummers, and I believe by the common knowledge that justice comes not from the court but from the noise in the streets. From the Metreon to the steps of city hall, the SFPD stood by close and powerless. When I asked one of the officers why they were there, he responded: To protect you, the marchers. I found this ironic and was embarrassed for him considering that the protest was about the role of the cops as controllers, not protectors.

Once on the steps of city hall, a number of impassioned folk addressed us, the listeners. The most touching to me was listening to Mesha, Idriss' mother, who shared her experience of seeing Idriss after the shooting with ìhis incredible smile frozen in death.î I was amazed at her strength. There was no indignation in her voice when she told us of a dream where Idriss came to her and said, "Ma, you see, we're on a rampage for healing, you and me." She thanked the community for coming together for healing and to advocate for police accountability.

As we stood there together in the cold, some of us hopping from one foot to the other keeping warm and children half listening, half dancing to the occasional song or drum beat, I felt what I didnít expect to feel, with so much injustice in this city. I felt hope. Marie, columnist for the San Francisco Bayview, a friend of Mesha and the godmother of Idriss, told the indifferent-seeming police who were standing at their posts surrounding the ceremony: I will not go quietly into the dark today. She forgave the police. She told us that she was absolving us of the responsibility and forgiving them for us! As Marie was doing this, some of us turned around to see the reaction of the cops - I saw them sink into themselves, into their tough, black armor. They did not acknowledge us.

Mary people carried signs which read: Their deaths were not in vain. Through community support, media organizing and solidarity over the past year, and by acting on what Marie said so gracefully about not going into the dark quietly, the police are going to start receiving mandatory Psychiatric Crisis Intervention (PCI)  training. Over the next 4 years, all 1st responders (of 911 calls) will receive PCI. Each year, 25% of officers will be trained 40-hours over a week which is supposed to enable them to handle any crisis where someone is in mental distress. We are hoping this will end the ìshoot first, ask questions later policy that exists now and continues to cause the senceless crimes against beautiful young men of color in crisis like Idriss Stelly and Joseph Tims

by Richard Midget/PNN Media Intern

I remember the trip to San Francisco on the bus leaving a city that had trampled on my civil rights and heading for someplace better…

The first few days where a bit rough but the city and some other organizations helped me settle in my new home. One of these groups had helped me to get some long-term shelter out on Folsom Ave near the water. This is when I encountered the other side if San Francisco. The rude and disrespectful City Employee.

Now this is not all city employees but a certain percentage of them and the them are the ones not believing in or held to any standards of accountability professional or otherwise.

One of my advocates had suggested I take The "66 Quintara" (bus) to my destination. I got on MUNI and showed the driver a transfer, the same time I asked him about the 66 line. He began to yell at me about my transfer being expired and how should I know this already. Being he was a bus driver and every other stop for the 66 line was missing(from what?) I thought he might have some grasp on the concept of bus stops and destinations.

Obviously I could have been wrong.

I went on to advise him that I in fact had the fare but he was the one in fifteen billion who had asked to see it since my return to the city by the bay. He continued to yell at me in both English and what I thought to be Tagalog. I stated to this gentleman he had no reason to be rude as I was paying my fare but he continued to yell at

He drove another block and a half and turned on to second street and yelled out "last stop!" I asked again where was the 66 line and again he yelled out, "last stop! You need to get off the bus!" So I looked at this man oddly and exited the bus.

After I exited, I noticed another bus parked in front of his so I walked up to the door and asked the driver if he could call a supervisor as I was treated disrespectfully by the driver of the bus that just left. I was told by this driver, "I don’t have a number" I said what about using the phone in your bus he replied, "cant do it"

I attempted to appeal to this mans sense of reasoning as a professional and stated, "You have the ability to call a supervisor and I am requesting you call one as I wish to make a complaint regarding your driver and I know someone is in the field"

Again he towed the party line, "cant do it". So being a worldly man I stated to the driver "next time you S.O.B's ask for a raise don’t consider my vote!!". As I was walking away from the door I heard a voice from behind call out "who you calling a b…." and the sound of something snap. When I turned around I had a uniformed muni driver standing in front of me with a 5 inch hunting knife opened, he was holding it in a position to strike me.

I began to state calmly at first and then more loudly to draw the attention of the passengers on the bus seated, "Are you going to stab me?!!" I repeated this line a few times till the driver noticed passengers beginning to raise and move toward the door . I got back onto the bus, we argued a bit more as I was afraid to take my eyes off of him, he looked as if he was going to get out of his seat again and charge the door. Eventually he started the bus and I stood outside the door till he pulled away.

by The Purple Berets,PNN staff and Andrew DellaRocca/PoorNewsNetwork intern

The Triumph

by The Purple Berets

In the first ever monetary award by law enforcement for their failure to
protect a domestic violence victim leading up to her homicide, the
Sonoma County Sheriff's Department agreed to pay a million dollar
settlement in the landmark civil rights lawsuit "Maria Teresa Macias vs.
Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Ihde."

The announcement came mid-trial at the close of dramatic testimony by
Sara Rubio Hernandez detailing more than 20 attempts by her daughter,
Maria Teresa Macias to get help with her violent, estranged husband,
Avelino.

Hernandez outlined her daughter's repeated reports to the Sheriff Dept.
of Avelino's multiple felony crimes including his sexual assaults of
Teresa and her children, his constant obsessive stalking, repeated
threats to kill, and restraining order violations. The Sheriff's Dept.
never once arrested or cited Avelino. After deputies ignored more than
twenty reports in just the last few months of her life, Avelino fatally
shot Teresa, then shot and seriously wounded her mother, Sara on April
15, 1996.

This landmark federal civil rights lawsuit, filed in October, 1996
claimed that Sonoma County Sheriffs Dept. violated Teresa's
constitutional right to Equal Protection of the law. A July 2000 9th
Circuit Appellate Court decision in the Macias case established for the
first time and in the most unambiguous language to date women's right to
sue law enforcement when they fail to act.

With today's testimony and the historic damages award, Sara Hernandez
said, "I have fulfilled my daughter's wish." Shortly before her death,
Teresa told her mother, "If I die I want you to tell the world what
happened to me. I don't want other women to suffer as I have suffered; I
want them to be listened to."

The settlement sends a resounding message to law enforcement around the
country that they can no longer ignore domestic violence victims with
impunity, and sends an equally forceful message to women everywhere that
they have a constitutional right to hold law enforcement accountable
when they refuse to act.

PURPLE BERETS

Women Defending Women

PO Box 3064

Santa Rosa, CA 95402

707.887.0262; fax
707.887.0865

http://www.purpleberets.org

The Trial by PNN staff, Andy Dellarocca/PNN media intern;

My blue t-shirt, jeans, and white sneakers were by no
means a camouflage amidst the sea of business attire around me in the federal courtroom of the Macias trial. A court-like woman walked around the room, asking who was press, and blew by me without a pause, assuming I wasn't. It was as if I were invisible, however I know I was ignored because I was exactly the opposite. I was here from PoorNewsNetwork to report and "support" on the landmark trial of a poor woman of color, Maria Teresa Macias, who was murdered by her abusive husband due to the neglect of the Sonoma County Police Department

Macias v. Ihde has become a landmark civil rights lawsuit that challenges
law enforcement's right to ignore domestic violence. Maria Teresa Macias,
a Latina housecleaner in the town of Sonoma, was shot dead by her
husband, Avelino, on April 15, 1996, who afterward turned the gun on himself
and took his own life. The couple were separated at the time of the murder, due to the violent behavior and ongoing abuse by Avelino of
both Maria and their three children. The civil lawsuit is being brought
against the Sonoma County Sheriffís department by Mariaís mother, Sara
Hernandez, and the estate of Maria Macias, which includes Mariaís three
children. They accuse the Sheriff's department of neglecting to provide
Maria with her rightful equal protection under the law, as is outlined in
the 14th amendment of the United States constitution, and seek damages. The
case is being viewed by the press and many social justice groups as a
breakthrough in the advancement of the rights and protections of women and
victims of domestic violence.

When the proceedings began at 8:30, Judge Susan Illston entered the room
and, after having a brief discussion with the attorneys, called a half hour
recess that lasted until ten oíclock. "Hurry up and wait" was how one woman
described it to me. She was a journalist reporting for a newspaper in
the North Bay, and was familiar with the proceedings of the Federal judicial
system.

Forty observers had shown up by ten oíclock. The day's proceedings
consisted of the opening statements by both the prosecutors and the defense,
and an initial round of witnesses called to the stand by the prosecuting
attorney, Rick Seltzer. Seltzer painted a picture of a complacent Sheriffís
department that was hesitant to intervene in cases of domestic violence. He
called to the stand a group of witnesses that included an employer, friends,
and the mother of Maria Macias, Sara Hernandez. Seltzer told the jury that the Sonoma
County Sheriffís department had two policies concerning domestic violence
responses, one written and one ìunderstoodî. The ìunderstoodî policy of the
department rendered the use of restraining orders, which Maria had on
Avelino, useless, and thus emboldened Avelino to continue and augment his
abuse.

There is a system already established that is effective in preventing
domestic abusers from escalating their violence to the point of severe harm
or murder. That system includes fines, jail, and counseling. " The Sheriffís
department are the gatekeepers to this system," argued Seltzer, and, "they
kept the gate closed here".

The defense countered Seltzerís arguments by painting a picture of
extensive civic bureaucracy, diverting the blame from the sheriffís
department into multiple civic institutions that included the District
Attorney's office, the Juvenile Court, and Child Protective Services. Taken
separately, none, including the sheriffís department, could be held
accountable for Mariaís death. The sheriffís department, argued the defense
attorney Mike Senneff, tried multiple times to bring Avelino under the
umbrella of the criminal system, but were often derailed at the District
Attorneyís office. Senneff also mentioned a love letter that was written by
Maria for another man, and that was intercepted by Avelino a few days before
the shooting. The letter was written after Maria's final contact with the
sheriff's department, and the defense plans to argue that it wasnít until
Avelino read this letter that he began to display the psychotic tendencies
that led to the murder. How, therefore, could the sheriffís department have
acted to prevent the tragedy?

The Triumph...

The trial was expected to last three to four weeks, but instead, on day two of the case at the close of a dramatic testimony by Sara Rubio Hernandez detailing more than 20 attempts by her daughter, Maria Teresa Macias to get help with her violent, estranged husband, Avelino, a landmark settlement was reached to award
the first ever monetary settlement to the Macias Family by law enforcement for their failure to protect a domestic violence victim. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Department agreed to pay a million dollar settlement to the Macias Family.

With this testimony and the historic damages award, Sara Hernandez said,
"I have fulfilled my daughter's wish." Shortly before her death, Teresa
told her mother, "If I die I want you to tell the world what happened to me.
I don't want other women to suffer as I have suffered; I want them to be
listened to."

The settlement sends a resounding message to law enforcement around the
country that they can no longer ignore domestic violence victims with
impunity, and sends an equally forceful message to women everywhere that
they have a constitutional right to hold law enforcement accountable when
they refuse to act.

As well as a triumph for the memory of a crime against a poor woman of color, this trial could not have been a success without the tireless efforts of several grassroots women's organizations like The Purple Berets who are dedicated to bringing justice to oppressed women like Maria Macias, all over the world.

by Leroy Moore

Frida Kahlo & June Jordan

Together teaching through

Realism art & Poetry

Paints, Paintbrushes, pens and paper

Weapons of the truth

Both telling stories of the people

And their pain

Frida Kahlo in the garden with her students

June Jordan tearing down Ivory Walls with Poetry for the People

Both had a unique style of teaching

That was rooted in community

One stroke of the paintbrush opened a wound

For dark and bright colors so we can see & feel, heal & learn

Influence by their fathers

He was determine to see his daughters strive

Father & mother planted a seed in their youthful garden

Grew up poor and middle-class in New York & Mexico

Kept their individuality

That attracted many

And confused their enemies

Art n Activism

Frida join the Communist Party

June, a Black radical

She wrote, poetry is a political action!

Took their art and views to their community

Wrenching control from Mexico’s military dictator and college administrators

To deliver Power to the People

You cannot write lies and write good poetry!

Yeah, she wrote the raw truth as June puts it

because poetry is the medium for

Telling the truth

June said to speak the truth cause

We have work to do!

Frida painted her pain

Determined to face the truth squarely

With courage & honesty

Creating an open avenue of learning

Building what June calls A Community of Trust

This trust opened black hidden shame

That has been scratching to get out

To be replaced with pride & inner fame

A report card full of As

A in Art, blasting revolutionary words into the market

A in Activism, blowing up the system from in and outside

A in Academia, rolling dead white history

With Poetry for the People, a rainbow at UC Berkeley

Now they are masterminding

Creating a haven for activists\artists

A resting place, palace of vibrant colors on imaginary walls

Razor sharp words producing shock and a calm atmosphere

I can’t wait to get there

June & Frida taught the young

To wear their art & heart on their sleeves

A new generation armed with pens, pencils, paintbrushes, paints & paper

Spoken, written and painted

Following their teacher, June & Frida

On their own paths to the truth

Dedicated to June Jordan who passed last week and will always be remembered

DAMO and POOR Magazine will miss you

By Leroy F. Moore Jr.

by Joe B.

I’ve thought of this Bush, Ashcroft, and the rest of the Justless Freedom League.

As American citizens are denied lawyers while suspicion, becomes strong a proof these days.

I the Soviet Union is reborn deleting a letter, exchanging star and scythe for star and stripes.

Mr. Art Bell’s boiling frogs is an accurate analogy of how American’s can slowly, subtly, imperceptibly lose their hard-earned freedoms.

The fire is under the pot, water is simmering not yet boiling.

If we keep our mouths shut, ears closed, brains numbed by boob vision, like a proverbial frog we’ll collectively boil and all our rights will be forever gone!

I’ve had my say on that and hope more people WAKE THE FUCK UP… NOW!!!

Excuse the offensive language but I feel that this Evangelical Right Wing, Ministry like Theocracy is reaching more and more into more than for protecting its citizens but expanding into ideological thought police.

The domestic, national, and international quasi legal law enforcement agencies expansion is really a waking nightmare for me because when they [to protect it citizens from terrorist threats] or have already linked television, radio, land-cell phone technology along with micro miniature tracking devices.

I wonder if we’ll ever be able to be along, isolated because we want it a that moment.

When introducing my column I said didn’t want PC’s, tv, and phones hooked up together because too much interconnectedness can be a bad thing. I DETEST BEING RIGHT.

The way to combat this gov./fed/corp/state/wrong or W-media is for decent thinking hackers to take their brilliant tech minds and ferret out teach others to do same without detection.

Though the Carnivore program was discovered which I believe was a test so that other even more intrusive programs can get by without detection.

"I know, Joe you fool, our government’s not that devious or corrupt.
"I guess I’ll be a fool and think different and keep my odd ball thoughts to myself and let others come to other conclusions.

Gifts From Earth.

We need more room, more worlds, but we must safeguard our first one before generations unborn forget, even though many will never see or visit.

Genetic memory ensures an abiding respect, curiosity to return, and for a place to settle.

That’s the last installment of Gifts From Earth.

Hope it got your interest. I must clean my paper covered room. Bye.

by Joe B.

It was Saturday, June, 22, 2002. I’m suppose to be at Coalition On Homelessness on 468 Turk Street by 10 or 10:30am, the laundry and shower took longer than anticipated.

I arrive 10:45am with a camera missing whatever meeting for brainstorming and a ride to 24th and Church Street to hand out flyers about Supervisor Gavin Newsome.

Newsome’s plan taking 85% of General Assistance monies from houseless and working poor leaving $59 with no guarantee that the monies taken will go to non profits and services for houseless or working poor people.

Noe Valley [pronounced No-E]

Two of Poor’s Interns are there then I realized I didn’t have the anti-home displacement sign.

It’s decided I’ll meet the two folks at 24th and Church near or on Poe which was fine except I don’t use Muni much it seemed another way to get lost yet again.

After rushing home, get the sign, ride muni to Castro street and exit to catch a 24 or 48 bus.

Luckily a nice lady took pity on me and tells me when to leave the transit system.

A 24 Noe bus is here like clockwork and I’m on it.

Its a down cast gray cloudless sky matched gray of federal and government buildings and I do not really want to do this today.

If the sun does break out because of the weather ealier a lot of people will not want to come out ‘kinda just stay in and enjoy the air conditioning, look at tv, dvd’s, listen to cd’s, radio, or under cover with loved ones or alone and stuff like that.

Small dribbles of drizzles are falling so on goes my hooded sweat shirt.

I look, walk, while breathing in the vibrancy of Castro and Noe Valley area; even though the sky is gray the mood, people, stores, cafe’s made the those clouds seem to have a backlight glow.

I went into a Starbucks, bought a White Chocolate with cream and in the mix of feeling lost, assignment not begun and not a picture taken it felt good to just sit, have a warm sweet drink in this little area I’ve rarely visit but will make a special effort for longs ones next time.

This Newsome Plan is an updated to cut general assistance cash payments to $59 dollars or less its call a “Care Not Cash Plan”
which is really
“Creating Crisis Program” for working poor and houseless.

No safety net nothing but hard, broken glass and rusty steel to fall on make becoming homeless easier to fall into and harder to get out of.

It is not known where the houseless, working poor’s money will be slotted for non profits helping those suffering or services that were created specifically for that need but it is known where these monies are taken from:

The very persons who are in the most dire need of it.

So, Newsome is at it again with his how many point plan which seems not to help but further burden those with less placing them in jail.

This Kennedyesqe helmet haired, youthfull exterior hides a shadowy interior.

I don’t want to give this guy any publicity good or bad it should be a balanced portrait.

That what Kapond would advise in his investigative reporter’s wisdom.

Kaponda would say “Don’t judge the man, find out about him from policies of his past, talk to frienes and acquaintances of his before judgement.

I’d like to do that only in the past we know what happens when a powerfull charismatic speaker or group comes together.

Before we know it laws are passed some marking others for slow or lingering death I’d rather be wrong now than than right later for not saying what I think; here is my personal opinion.

I could be wrong but I think Mr. G. Newsome is using distress over the homeless, working poor, to be the next Mayor.

Kapond would say “Gather the evidence, make sure of your facts, look through the transcripts of his political history, how he voted on which issues, then he can be judged fairly.”

That makes logical sense to me but all the time I’m seeing this guy and its always something negative.

I don’t want to jump the gun but I this guy seems too perfect for his own good and up to no good, he has a one dimentional mindset where homeless people are concerned.
If I’m wrong pull my coat if I’m right say “Joe you hit the nail on the head.” Right now the shit is hitting the fan in slow motion and I don’t want to be manure splattered. If this guy Newsome is gonna do what I think he’ll do... he should be out of office, not be Mayor, cool his heels, and not have any chance of even being head dog catcher because he might not like certain kinds of dogs.

Dark Mark, Darth Vader, without a mask, or whatever Dark Star he’s from he should not be rewarded for riding on the backs of houseless and working poor.

Good guy or bad you readers have all kinds of proof watching him.

I’m apolitical myself but email me stuff or tell me things.

Gotta go, hope things work out for us. Bye.

PS sorry, no literary work for now.

HouseCare-Pro Price range:
$25 per day or 100 a week for
1 bdrm. Apt, small House.
4 to 3 bedrooms, $50 to $100 a week,
$5,000 a week for 20 to 40 rm. Homes.
$25,000 by the week or $100,000 for
50 to 100 rm Mansions
Prices are negotiable.
Non drinker, smoker, drugs (unless its aspirin & vitamins)
Not a party animal, Boredom, works me.

For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #645
Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102
Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe. B

Read any steamy or technical books lately?

The Anarchist’s Cook Book may set off alarms and I’m wondering if Tom Clancy’s Techno-thrillers are off limits now?

This morning something on KPFA radio was talking about our trusted, beloved, ultimately honest and true FBI.

F.B.I.[Federal Bureau Of Investigation]

You know, the ones that pegged Martin Luther King as "One Of The Most Dangerous Men Alive."

He preached, taught, marched, and died so all people have an equal say and chance in life.

Since September, 11, 2001 America has changed, we’re weary, watchful, some people abroad or in America would say... Scared.

Nearly everything about
an interview with Debra C. Stone, Deputy Director Of The American Library Association Office Of Intellectual Freedom gave me a scary piece of reality.

Its insidious in what Our Friendly Law Enforcement can and will do.

I dread going on line or borrowing books from my local library.

Here is a bit what Ms. Stone said.

"The guidelines are not new, there has been a long history where the FBI has sought information from libraries in pursuit of foreign agents.

Its called the library awareness program and it existed for over 30 year.

Where they would approach libraries and seek information and discover whether that they suspected of being foreign agents (suspicious person(s)

And it came to light in the late 80’s."

Almost forgot folks, some literary flux.

Nostalgia

Men must be gone by sunrise, children stay with their mothers.

I stay for ten months!

Black males were a rare sight then.

They call him beauty.

He impregnates many women.

"Will I ever see any of those children again?"

She said a lot more important things then I tripped over the electrical cord knocking it out of cutting off the current.

Part of what I hear is Secret Courts, stealthy home investigations, Secret Courts, expanded monitoring of homes, phones, internet, probably credit card use too.

[If they break into mine I hope they leave a few thousand dollars]

Plugging it quickly the last piece I words I hear is the FBI does not need to show that its target of investigation is actually involved in terrorism or spying targets can include US citizens.

I press the off switch feeling slightly depressed.

Did I need to know the MW’s IG’s [Men-Women In Gray]

Section 215 Old/New Guide Lines of the Department of Justice for the FBI Words of the Statute.

"The agents can seize any tangible thing.
Anyone want to check these and other laws out look for. Bye.
www.viterbo.edu/library/libinternal.htm , www.search.org/policy o

HouseCare-Pro Price range:
$25 per day or 100 a week for
1 bdrm. Apt, small House.
4 to 3 bedrooms, $50 to $100 a week,
$5,000 a week for 20 to 40 rm. Homes.
$25,000 by the week or $100,000 for
50 to 100 rm Mansions
Prices are negotiable.
Non drinker, smoker, drugs (unless its aspirin & vitamins)
Not a party animal, Boredom, works me.

For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #645
Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102
Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

PS I say confuse ‘em get bunches of books, different subjects
you don’t have to read then just have a bunch say 10 or more a week.
Does one really need credit cards?

Speak in very slow or quickly maybe leave the phone off the hook a lot.

Alternate/Parallel Universes by real
Physicists and other sci tech related research may make a few MIG’s ill.

Just be aware of our friendly neighborhood superpower.

No laws need be broken but show law folks we’re not sheeple to be herded or made to stampede when a few intrusive laws come down the pike.

Its time we learned from our South and Midwest folks common sense survival ways.

What do you think East, South, North, and Westerner’s?

You don’t have to agree with me but think about what’s going on.

by Joe B.

I sent Coalition On Homelessness my thoughts in a letter on The Homeless Court (AB 2899) Ms.C. Migden's office is offering amendments to get the COH to withdraw their opposition... They did not.

I read the COH's email sent to PM now its me for what my thoughts. Here it is.

I tend to get to get right to so here goes.

1) The Separate But Equal Homeless Court. Does this sound vaguely familiar?

2) Three places to set up said Court is another layer of bureaucracy and possibly a drain on a "War On Terrorism" economy.

3)There are few Bargaining Chips working poor and houseless people have as we’ve seen with "Quality Of Life " $100 or $200 infractions become meaner as citations turn into warrants and warrants to jail time for weeks, months, or years.

Thereby creating a near free "Work your time off" labor force in "For Profit Prisons."

4) Alternative Sentencing seems a good idea if job vocational training, retraining, education or trade schools were part of the mix it the person(s) had more choices and not sent back to the same dead-end job/careers they had before.

5) No priority works both ways ‘po folks are on the bottom of society precious time working, saving, money, building families, careers are stalled while they wait in jail.

Some better job can be delayed while a person(s) is waiting using the time to learn a new skill, trade.

A job could also happen. Its just so luck of the draw and iffy.

Joe B.

PS. Please contact C.O.H. and or C. Migden's office.
C.O.H may have Ms. M's phone, email, phone, office, and or fax.

Here is COH's email.

civilrights@sf-homeless-coalition.org

by Joe B.

I saw the 1942 movie "The Magnificent Amberson" staring Joseph Cotton, Tom Holt, Dolores Costello, Agnes Moorhead, and Ann Baxter.

It was right after Citizen Kane, a Mercury Theater Production, and Directed by Orson Welles, Freddie Fleck, Robert Wise and Written by Orson Welles also Producer.

The Magnificent Ambersons takes place in the 19th early 20th century.

A tale of two then young people’s love lives thwarted by unrequited by the spinster elder sister (Moorhead) of Isabel (Costello) who’s loves Eugene.

(Cotton) A wild, impetuous, fresh, upstart who’s work on a new fangled contraption called a horse-less carriage make him the joke of the town.

But her love never dimmed even after she married competent, conservative, safe Wilbur Minafer.

(D. Dillaway) She bare him a son by Wilbur.

The long suffering Fanny (Moorhead) secretly loves Eugene but dare not express it openly.

With planted innuendoes, double messages confusing, frustrating, and angering the son who’s main worry is what neighbors and town folk think and gossip about especially about his sainted and lively still living mother.

The son keeps the two lovers away from each other even going as far as trip to Europe. This college Educated, but provincial and unsophisticated son as his mother lays dying in bed refuses to let Eugene to his only love one last time.

Only as reality intrudes as economic pressures forces him to take a dangerous job driving a dynamite wagon. After a tragic accident he see the errors of his way asking Eugene to forgive his shallow treatment of him and his deceased mother.

To bad old Sam the butler (J. Louis Johnson) couldn’t pull Eugene’s coat to Fannie and George’s work behind the scenes and
tell both of them to elope but then it wouldn’t be a doomed love story, though flaunting some of societies rules and customs could have saved them wrenching heartache and loss.

This has a parallel to real life only in that the lessons learned by the young man comes too late for the older generation but help him with his own love life. Did I mention that Lucy Morgan, Eugene’s daughter (Baxter) loves the now repentant son?

After the movie I thought about Supervisor Gavin Newsome running for office with his 21 or more points and "Cash Not Care" program of General Assistance money grab. Supposedly to help nudge houseless and working poor into housing as the money from these folks are ear marked to help them with job, career, health and other kinds of services. Yet there is no solid written-in-stone guarantee they will go to support services needed.

His "most of ‘em are on drugs, alchie’s, thinking shows someone who see houseless, working poor single people or families in a one lump, one dimensional setting. He may have one or two roots when going to or coming from work and having a relatively stable economic life style sees only one type of people and has yet to experience other kinds of people in different settings then what he’s conditioned to see.

Problem is being a young man he cannot see, or has blinders on to how the houseless, working poor populations has changed over the years from alcohol, drug, pill popping to people who are non drug and drinker, joint smoker’s.

More and more people are the hard working men and women with families whose incomes have not kept pace with the cost of living.
"Get a job-any-job is and was the cry of those who had cushy careers, jobs but now when they themselves have also fallen down know the truth. There are jobs but minimum to sub-minimum wages is not enough to feed individuals let alone whole families. Quality Of Life infractions place citizens in jails for nearly free built in labor market. I don’t believe Newsome is a card carrying member of The Brother’s and Sister’s of Draconian Dread but his "lets take their money, give ‘em $59 or less to tough love ‘em on their feet admits him into charter membership of the B. A. S. D.D.

I feel that until he meets more of the real people he says he’s trying to help, the quickie into-the-mayor’s-chair must be delayed as long as possible until he learns a bit of history like past pogroms, massacres, racist, sexist, homophobic, and other diseases still afflicting humanity.

Nostalgia

"Fred Julian, you trashed your life down the bowl, had it made, escaped clean, must see The City again-now I’m gone!" Should’ve listened to my old man "Get educated ‘Tommy, then see the world, do I listen, noooo." Sure, my old dad's a college-uni man, can rest easy, land development deals but its not me.
Left Oakland high school. I'm leery of college.

Until he can see all human beings whether they are homeless, working poor, mentally ill, drug, overweight and or alcohol addicted as people with equal rights as he.

I really think he has no calling to ask or demand to make life damaging Initiatives then use them and poor folks as his "Bridge to being the 2nd 21st Mayor of San Francisco.

While there is time all of us must dig as deep and as far into why does this guy does not see jobless, houseless, working poor folks as
not as good as other folks, what is his mindset, has it changed, has it gotten worse? Study this guy, find out about his political views and I mean his real views of his heart not just his video, radio, and crowd pleasing persona.

Is this guy really going to help people in need or be yet another albatross, weighing people down with added penalizing points further drowning people in red tape, circle jerk, low-sub, wage jobs
and no multiple choices of updating work - vocational skills, higher technologies, education to constant cost of living adjusted jobs/careers.

All I’m asking is, if Supervisor Newsome is worth teaching lessons to while he’s elected with on-the-job training.

He wants a better position as Mayor just as houseless, working poor too want to move up to better work and pay but if it don’t work out we’re looking or another job, shelter, SRO, or corner to sleep in.

If Newsome isn’t good at knew his job as Mayor what happen?

Not much because his new job will last a few years and all voters with and without homes or jobs will be stuck and shit out of luck.

Think carefully about this guy, platform, program, rhetoric, and actions.

Hope there’s enough foods for thought. Bye.


HouseCare-Pro Price range:
$25 per day or 100 a week for
1 bdrm. Apt, small House.
4 to 3 bedrooms, $50 to $100 a week,
$5,000 a week for 20 to 40 rm. Homes.
$25,000 by the week or $100,000 for
50 to 100 rm Mansions
Prices are negotiable.
Non drinker, smoker, drugs (unless its aspirin & vitamins)
Not a party animal, Boredom, works me.

For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #645
Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102
Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Lynda Carson

Oakland, Ca-In a shocking revelation during last
nights (Tue-June-25) packed City Council Meeting, it
became apparent that $100,000 (one hundred thousand
dollars) to feed the poor got lost in the shuffle of
budget cuts being voted upon.

Near the begining of June 2002, the Oakland
Independant Support Center which is affiliated with
the Food Bank, was notified that they were not to
receive this years budget allocation of one hundred
thousand dollars to feed the poor in Oakland. No
explanation was offered by City Officials as to where
the money went.

During last nights council meeting several staff and
board members of the non-profit group stepped up to
the podium to address council members and ask what
happened to the money.

Council members proceeded to vote for the proposed
budget cuts despite knowing full well that the money
to feed the poor was missing from the budget
proposals.

Sydny Loggins an Assistant Director of the Oakland
Independant Support Center directly asked the council
members, "wheres the money"; and went on to explain
the hardship to come for the poor if the funding were
not replaced immediately. Council President Ignacio de
la Fuente and the other council members had no idea
why the money was gone, but requested that the staff
look into the matter and get back to them during the
next two weeks with an explanation as to where the
money went.

The Oakland Independant Support Center has been around
for the last 12 years and hands out over 2000 meals
per month to the poor in Oakland. Located downtown
Oakland, they serve the poor two meals per day five
days a week, offer showers and food packages to the
needy. Many of their clients are the mentally ill, and
homeless.

From James Sweeny the Executive Director to Sadie
Anderson a volunteer coordinator and Board Member of
OISC, they expressed alarm about the harm being done
to the poor if the money was not replaced. When I
asked Eva Green a procurement specialist with OISC to
describe the outcome of this fiasco if the money was
not replaced, in a word she said; HUNGRY! We can not
afford to lose that money she says, and that the two
meals a day for the poor are extremely important to
all who have no where else to go to be fed.

Ms. Green went on to say that she earlier spoke to
Libby Schaff a staffer for Council President de la
Fuente, and wants to believe that the money will come.

During a call to Sadie Anderson of OISC, she believes
that it will be a total disaster if the money is not
replaced. Our clients need food before taking
medications she says, and many of their clients are
mentally disabled. She also expressed concern that
their clients will be forced to steal to make up for
the loss.

In a call to Councilman Dick Spees office, staffer
Shawn O'shea says; this somehow slipped under the
radar screen, and that the money was a part of a
general pool of money lost in the budget cuts. It was
not something that the council members focused on he
went on to say, and that only official quotes from
this office can be offered by Councilman Dick Spees.

According to Councilmember Jane Brunner, she says; she
was surprised by this, and tells me that the city
manager is looking into it. Councilwoman Brunner goes
on to say that she believes there will not be an
interruption in service, and that they will
investigate to find out where the money went. It's
possible that it is grant money coming to an end, she
went on to say.

Nearly half of Oakland city service budgets come from
grant money, and cannot be touched by city officials
who may want to redirect funding to other projects.

Councilwoman Nancy Nadel tells me that it appears to
be a mistake. If so, they do not know how to rectify
it she says. Presently, their not really certain that
the money is gone or where it will come from to
replace the missing money if thats the case, Ms. Nadel
states.Councilwoman Nadel went on to tell me that
there are some serious discussions taking place to
shift money into new programs for community gardens in
an effort to teach people how to grow their own food
in the city parks of Oakland.

In a boost to supporters of the Just Cause Initiative,
Councilmember Nadel also stated that the initiative is
for certain heading to the November ballot, and that
it is merely a formality for the council to vote on it
beforehand. She says; the councils options are limited
to being for the initiative or against it. If they are
concerned enough about it to take action, they may
place a competing initiative upon the ballot that may
be weaker than the one offered by the people of
Oakland. At this point, Councilwoman Nadel went on to
state that she would not be surprised if other
councilmembers come up with their own version of a
"Just Cause Measure", but has not heard of any in the
works.

Whether it's incompetence, negligence, or just a
mistake; wherever the money went to feed the hungry
lets hope that the City of Oakland gets to the bottom
of this mystery as soon as possible before it's a
total disaster.