Story Archives 2003

by Joe B.

Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002.

The title of the column is
"RUTHLESS AGGRESSION"

Wednesday is a hectic day not only because of K P F A’s P N N radio show in Berkeley where I flubbed lines over and over.

Afterwards a Thi Chi class in San Francisco will not wait for me.

Being late for it is bad form though it couldn’t be helped this time.

It is a relaxing hour, relearning the forms from an instructor is much better than trying to learn from drawings in a book or video’s.

Relaxed, refreshed, and energized I began walking towards home.

Just as I’m at 7th street crossing over before stepping on the sidewalk I hear a loud "Move."

Still walking slow on the green light. "Get Out The Way!" Finally getting the message I look around saying "WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?"

"YOU’RE MY PROBLEM"
Gingerly I move aside saying to the ‘bro with nice but angry constricted face"YOU OWN THE STREETS, ITS ALL YOURS." While I’m thinking "what with this guy, whatever it is its not my fault."

I felt an old tingling of fight or flight butterflies in my belly I haven’t felt those feeling is years.
He is a handsome looking face that women like and this made me angry because he’s the kind of guy that has women or men falling all over him.

I wondered, if he does this to strangers when he’s angry as something else what does he do to women or male lover’s it that state?

That quip about him owning the street could’ve goaded him into a fight an I’m ready to snatch his ass off the bike and throw it across the street then bash his face in and break a few fingers for good measure.

All that anger as if he has some important life or death meeting and where is he headed?

To drop his bike on the street and meet up with a friend a few feet from me.

I am glad he had not gotten into my face because in my past anger management wasn’t my strong point it got me thinking back why I had taken up exercise and Martial Arts in the first place.

Years ago in New York City as many children did I rode in a yellow bus, had free milk which I asked and took home and repeating second grade didn’t help either.

As always there’s a kid harping on me riding on the bus, calling me retarded and making my life shit for weeks.

I had kept it in, not telling my parent’s holding it in until one time after school.

I decided that I’d rather get beaten up than go through the name calling and feeling my tummy churn in constant fear.

I still don’t know what made me do it but I hit this kid thin and skinny in the belly and as he held his belly I grab his neck, knock him down and began hitting his head against the steps.

It felt good to get all that fear out of me as his head thumped on the stone steps. Some adult or group of kids stopped me and by this time the kid is bleeding from his nose, lips, and was trying get his breath back. It felt good, I was still shaking, but he’d never bother me again.

Then I was chased all over my block, had to take secret way in and out until my mother told me to take a knife in a paper bag and my step father said

"You have to take them one at a time" I finally get fed up running away and did beat them up separately and I had no more ganging up me anymore.

Then I remember when another kid picked on me because of my eye and I had a wooden bat he ran and an adult said "don’t throw that bat!"

I didn’t throw it in the air but hard on the ground and I seemed to will the bat to follow the kid as he ran and as he turned away the bat hit a rock or something an it actually hit his back knocking him down.

I still don’t know how the bat could be thrown straight then slant catching the kid.

Some of the adults and other kids had this "What The Fuck" stricken look in their eyes but I didn’t understand it either but played if off like it was what I planned all along.

But when I move to Oakland, California in 1968
changing High School’s twice again doesn’t help one form lasting friendships.

In Frick High School some jerk guy pulled my gym shorts down in full view of everyone boys, girls, luckily I had underwear on but still embarrassing.

I didn’t care pulling my shorts and going off the field.

My brother and I were enrolled in a Martial Arts class for defense, self esteem and I think for me anger management.

I had without thinking rabbit punched the guy in the mouth and throat, I was trying to hit his mouth again and missed. He had been chewing gum and it was caught in his throat and he’s choking.

I didn’t care. Weeks later outside on Frick’s green lawn I running track or doing some group exercise and I’m tired so I didn’t see a shopping cart full of exercise equipment baring down on me.

At the last minute I see it someone yells "look out"! Its too late as I ran to avoid the cart that had yellow or red vaulting pole tied down like a spear.

And like a spear it got me when I tripped, and fell the end of the poll caught the left side of my throat just below the Adam’s apple.

I was bleeding feeling my throat leak. I’m helped up to the infirmary.

It wasn’t serious but that someone would go to that much trouble to get back at me is sobering.

I knew who it was and I had to heal before going after him but by that time girls, martial arts, weight training and swimming took over my time.

My mother hoped the Art Of The Empty Hand would help with self defense and self esteem and it has but that getting gored, speared, pierced in the throat tells me I hold this in and explode on the guy or let this go, give us both breathing room.

Letting it go is hard but I’ve learned control that inner rage.

Until this bike guy went ape at me being in his way.

I thought I the anger had gone but it was only dormant.

Why is it every time I learn better ways of relaxation someone else is hell bent on testing the limits?

The bad feeling I have is this guy and I will have another run in and I’ll play WWF’s/WWO’s [World Wrestling Federal/World Wrestling Organization].

"Ruthless Aggression" on him before he finishes his tirade, throw his bike somewhere beat his face or break fingers.

I’ve had control of my emotions for over 20 years but this guy seems to be the type that once they have a fit they’ll do it again if the same situation happens.

There could be a part 2 to his I hope not, Its been a long time since I went ape shit off on someone.

I might have to do so again just to teach him everyone doesn’t act the same way twice.

PS. POOR has recently moved and though we’re
still in a state of flux.

I will place email and private mail and phone numbers. (That reminds me, to get a automatic voice record machine so I can mail or talk to reader’s.

But this may take a few weeks. Please be patient folks.

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

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

415- 626-4405

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Joe B.

Time, we either have to little or too much on our hands.

Travels in time is an exciting concept many science fiction and the science of physics says the possibilities are there we just don’t have enough controlled energies for its control.

For those who’ve have lost loved ones in wars, by tragic accident, or through disease must daily haunt the living showing them the raw, bare, reality that death is real and nothing can withstand its shroud covering all humanity living eventually in a unified gray sheet of the lifeless.

But besides old Grim’s grip what if humankind became so technically, scientifically, enable humans to become pure energy an in this form as temporally incorporeal.

In this incorporeal form one can race back or forwards in time.

In this near invisible ghostly form one can enter just dead bodies of infants, older children, young teens, or adults.

The second body within the one taken over expands adding to strengthen this outer body of flesh that would’ve and did die in another timeline.

What if a suffering human that has lost his or her best friend, lover, husband, wife, or sibling was able to keep traveling over and over into various scenarios trying to prevent whatever cause the ceasing of life in the first place.

Imagine a grieving wife revisiting her husband and able to take up bodies for physical contact in his timeline.

A husband revisiting his wife learning everything about her he never could know when she was living and they were together.

Or an ex boy/girlfriend either good to help them throughout their lives or cause endless extreme pain not that they are ex lovers.

Imagine the hell ex friends can cause the other by systematically destroying their future at younger and younger ages.

Someone they never knew now has the power with the expertise "Ghosting" into many bodies possessing physical forms of then supposedly dead people literally and physically haunting them!

What could any man or woman do if the boy, girlfriends, or same sexed lovers do when they couldn’t know that every future lover they’ve been with is the same lover over and over again.

How many times can these "living ghosts" intersect with a past love?

To the traveler he or she has probably made physical love many times but to their unknowing loved it may always be the first, second, or seem like a new love they’ve run into.

I thought of that and fairness goes out the window, it wasn’t fair to have a loved one taken suddenly by accident or slow disease and aging.

If I could do those things without being caught there would be many lover’s I’d be keeping track of while possessing bodies about to die, stopping, reversing, necrosis of what was one a cadaver now a vehicle for a living ghost that haunts two or three lover’s in similar timelines.

The only problem is time returning whole from an energy form or being trapped unable to change.

It would be a form of accidental immortality but would it be really be alive, could one be called living when that can only be slightly sensed as a wraith of vapor or a breeze?

Its just hypothetical blue sky spit balling but it would be interesting to be able to do that and return without any adverse reactions.

Tell me reader’s, what would you do?"

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine


1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Dee Gray, M.S.W., M.F.T

I am the co-editor and co-director of a media organization, I am also a social worker and licensed psychotherapist in the state of California.

As a mental health professional I believe that Gavin Newsom's plan called Care Not Cash (Proposition N) is so very antithetical to help for mental illness, substance abuse, etc.

CARE, the word, implies empathy, help, reaching out. Gavin Newsome's use of the word CARE is cynical, cruel, distinctly the opposite of empathy, help, or reaching out.

To remove money from the San Francisco worker's paycheck (aka;the Cash Assistance Grant given to folks on General Assistance/Welfare who do Workfare) with the idea that mental health services and all needed services will be provided instead is cynical. These services do not exist and would require several years to develop. What really exists for poor people and homeless people is meager at best.

In my opinion instead of decreasing the amount of the paycheck to the (workfare) workers, (workfare, the work that people must perform to receive their monthly cash assistance grant) yes, workers, because that’s what they are – very low-wage workers (similar to indentured servants). Instead of decreasing the paychecks, these workers paycheck should be increased to $3,000 per month, at least.

The primary reason for the pay check increase would be to pay for mental health services which for "talk therapy" and "meds" would cost from $60 per 50 minute session to $300 per 50 minute session. 50 minutes being the usual length of time per session with mental health professionals.

The $150 to $300 per 50 minute rate is the cost that Gavin Newsome can pay for psychoanalysis or psychoanalytic pyschotherapy. This type of therapy usually takes from 2 to 5 days per week. Because there is a significant amount of mental illness and substance abuse in the worker population, that in some cases date back to early child hood experiences as well as abuse by the system that poor people live with every day, daily or almost daily therapy would be the most beneficial.

I personally believe a combination of psychotherapy, advocacy, and self help is the best way of helping folks in the population being discussed. Psychotherapy in the form of long term cognitive or "talk therapy" would be of great benefit in any treatment plan or, as I have stated, long term psychoanalysis. I also would recommend any therapy be based in cultural and ethnic awareness and not be based simply on eurocentric psychology that stresses the individual over the group. Eurocentric psychology - that is, the parallel of the economic system of capitalism –

At Poor we view all labor as work and all those that labor as workers – this includes unrecognized work such as recycling, panhandling, work fare, street cleaning, (etc.)

Workers in any system normally have, or try to have, work that includes health care, vacations, sick leave, etc. Yet in the eyes of San Francisco and under Proposition N (Care Not Cash), these workers performing unrecognized work, not only do not receive benefits but are now being told that they should receive a major cut in pay – thereby making it impossible for them to acquire the expensive psychotherapy that would benefit them immensely. Additionally they are scorned for the very work that they do by those with wealth and privilege (and higher paying jobs) such as Gavin Newsome.

If these scorned workers can’t have access to the type of work benefits that the wealthy folks like Gavin Newsome have access to because they do not receive high enough wages for their work or do not have inherited wealth, then it makes sense for their employer, the city of San Francisco, to provide benefits. One of which would be a really good health care plan that provides top-notch culturally aware mental health services – the expensive kind that Gavin Newsome has access to. I also recommend that each worker have a healthcare card that identifies them as an employee of San Francisco, similar to the cards that Kaiser and UC, etc. give to their clients.

These mental health care benefits combined with advocacy and self help programs already in existence, would be what I as a mental health professional, would recommend that these workers receive. And if the city of San Francisco refuses to provide the benefits for these workers like the rest of the city’s workers receive, than I would recommend a large increase, up to $3,000 per month, in monthly benefits for each worker so that they could buy their own private mental healthcare benefits.

Finally, This Care Not Cash plan put forth by Gavin Newsome, only perpetrates misery and poverty and most important, makes a mockery of the word CARE.

by Leroy Moore Jr./Illin and Chillin and DAMO

After five years of non-stop work to build Disability Advocates of Minorities Organization, DAMO into a non-profit advocacy organization plus lecturing, consulting and publishing, Leroy Moore Jr. and DAMO closed their doors during the whole month of September 2002. Angela Davis once wrote that revolutionaries have to take care of themselves or the revolution will die. I had to take care of me and re-energize myself for the battles ahead. This realization lead to the decision to take a vacation plus I could not miss the birth of my first nephew in Bloomfield, CT. However I did bring along my notebook and grant applications. Also I was going to see Michael Manning in Pennsylvania for an updated article for my column Illin-n-chillin on PoorNewsNetwork(PNN)

From the sunshine state to the big apple to the state of brotherly love, I traveled across the country to see and talk to my new found brother, Michael Manning and his family in Pennsylvania. I Walked down JFK's airport aisle toward the baggage claim with a sign that screamed "looking for the Manning Family!" "Leroy, Leroy.. over here," a strong voice breezed through the crowd and softly landed in my ears. I saw a Michael Manning look-a-like, his mother, Diana Manning. Instantly I was engulfed in the feeling of home. It's been almost ten years since I've been home to New York City and Hartford, CT. The car drove onto the Brooklyn Bridge leaving N.Y.C. behind and entering Pennsylvania. Conversation spilled out of the car on subjects like wrongful incarceration to familiar foods and favorite places in New York.

"Welcome to Pennsylvania" the green sign scanned my eyes. At the same time the black pages of history flipped in my mind from the Declaration of Independence in which Black people were seen as 3\5 of a person to the racist, corrupt Justice System that has swallowed up Mumia Abu-Jamal, Michael Manning and many more innocent brothers and sisters of color all have happened in the State of Brotherly Love! Diana broke my trance while pointing at the gasoline station, and the first family house in the county of Pocono, where Michael's attackers waited for Michael to come out and get into his car. The small town's center whipped by. Streetlights faded in the background as the car dipped and dived around sharp tunnel dark corners. Appearing out of the darkness, was a driveway that parted the thick trees and bushes and behind laid the Manning's new cottage like house. This Brooklyn family left the concrete, hustle-bustle of NYC for the lush green and quietness of a small town in Swiftwater, Penn.

The Manning's family greeted me as I sat down on the couch in their living room Diana and I continued our conversation about Michael's case and our visit at Mahanoy State Correctional Institution on the following day, August 30th, 2002. Michael informed the prison's administrators that I would be apart of his mother's weekly visit that day. All I needed was some type of a photo id.. After a long needed good night sleep, Diana, Bobby and Malik, Michael's brothers greeted me at my hotel door with hot McD's breakfast the next morning. We continued our conversation and my breakfast in the car. Since Michael's trail in 1988 he has been tossed around the state to four different facilities. However the Manning feels lucky that the facility he is in now is close to them, about an hour or two away.

We finally pulled up at Mahanoy State Correctional Institution and the first thing I noticed was the American flag blowing in the wind. My heart started to pound. For me police and prison guards share the same yellow stained, corrupt bed. At that moment my body was a freeway of raw emotions i.e. anger, rage, fear and a little bit of intimidation as we entered the main building. Pictures of White men stared at me from the wall. None of them I knew. We signed in and a husky White man with a black or a blue uniform on, took our ids. Diana and Michael's little brothers were familiar with the routine. We went over to a machine that turned our dollars into tokens for food in the visiting room.

Diana told me that many local prison activists and family members are fighting for improvement of the facilities and the food. She goes on to say that it costs a lot on her family to keep Michael well fed and equipped with his daily needs. Michael is a tall and big man but the small, cold portion of food he receives in the prison are not pleasing to his stomach.

While waiting for the door to open, I noticed that the sky was gloomy with the turf-like grass evenly cut that clashed with the white\blueish clouds in the gray sky. The doorbell broke my concentration and families started to walk down this long corridor with a flat green office like carpet. Along each side of the corridor were windows that expanded from the ceiling to the floor. We came up to a glass door. The visiting room looked like a cafeteria with a dozen tables and chairs. This room had a children play area, machine for all types of food, a little area to take pictures and a huge lifted judge- like desk for a prison's employee who reminded me of an overseer on a plantation. Sometimes the media can shape your mind on some places because I thought Michael would be behind some type of thick glass or steel bars for our visit. I was completely wrong as Malik and Bobby took off when Michael walked into the visiting room with his cane. Diana hugged her son and then finally after almost two years of writing and advocating about Michael's case our eyes met. We hugged for a long time. Michael's brothers went off to play in the children's room, his mother went to go get some food with the tokens and Michael and I was left alone to talk. As we talked I noticed all the inmates wore a brown jogging suit with slip-on white sneakers and over 95% of the men were African Americans.

Michael and I talked about everything, for example his family, his strong belief in God, his music career, life in New York, his case, the inaccessibility of the prison towards inmates with disabilities, his plans when he gets out etc.. As time ticked away, we all lined up for pictures and Michael talked to his brothers. Diana made sure that her son had enough to eat. "Fifteen more minutes!" The guards shouted. I felt a collective thought floating around the room as family members, wives, and children kissed and hugged their fathers, husbands and brothers etc "We want him to come home with us!" We finally said our last good-byes. I grabbed my camera from the car and took a couple of pictures of the outside as the Red, White and Blue continued to flop from side to side. The car was quiet on the way home. I asked Diana if we could stop at the courthouse where Michael was sentenced and the gasoline station where Michael was attacked so I can take some pictures for POOR Magazine. She said yes.

Ten minutes into our conversation about new elements in Michael's case the phone rang, it was Michael. He was very grateful of the work that DAMO, POOR Magazine and the Bay view Newspaper have done on his behalf. Armed with my notebook, pen, pictures and Michael's buttons, I boarded the bus to my final destination, Bloomfield, CT. where my sister was ready to give birth. From Michael Manning to my the birth of Sasha Max Bernstein, my first nephew confirmed my theme I live with daily and that is "life is too short for bullshit!"

The Road to Freedom & Justice
Update on Michael Manning

Read Fighting to Stay Alive & My Brother on Illin-n-Chillin at www.poormagazine.org for background info on Michael's case. My visit to the Manning's family home in Swiftwalter, Pennsylvania and Michael Manning, himself on August 29th & 30th 2002 gave me the opportunity to talk to Diana Manning, Michael's mother, to get some update info on Michael's case and to see Michael in person. I found out that there has been a lot going on since my last article. Here is the news and it is all looking like Michael will soon be home. Keep your fingers cross and write to the Mannings at their website www.michaelmanning.homestead.com They needed letters of support.

In 1999, a year after Michael was sentenced in self-defense case of murder of Harry Burley to 12 to 30 years the Mannings organized a benefit. This benefit's main goal was to spread awareness about the unjust treatment Michael was faced with during the attack and at the hands of a racist justice system with an all White jury and to organized the community around his first appeal. This benefit attracted a big handful of people but only a small portion of the benefit mad it on the local news. According to Diana Manning the authorities are use to getting away with things that are not just. The authorities thought that the Mannings would go away and Michael's case would be swept under the dirty carpet but Diana has turned Michael's case into a international campaign with letters coming in from all over the world as far as Africa. However some town's residents are scared to speak out plus there are no Black newspaper like San Francisco Bay View to get Michael's case in the media but the Mannings kept on pushing for justice and it has paid off.

In March of 1998 the Mannings and their lawyer filed an appeal in the county Superior Court of Swiftwalter, Penn. but it was denied. The Mannings lost his first appeal to the Superior Court when he claimed President Judge Ronald E. Vican "abused his discretion" and assumed a prosecutorial role" at the trial by asking 80 probing questions of the defendant. Judge Vican also made racist comments in cases involving self-defense of Black men and has spoke about Michael's case in other court cases. The second appeal cited misconduct by the prosecutor, and Monroe County District Attorney, Mark Pazuhanich exercised "poor judgement which prejudice before the jury." So after all of that Judge Vican had the last say on Michael's first appeal and of course it was denied.

The second appeal was filed on June 18th, 2001 with new lawyers, Thomas Sundmaker and Jeffrey Valander. The appeal was shipped out of Judge Vican courtroom and into the diverse city of Philadelphia Superior Court. Since that move, Michael's case has exploded in the media, Black organizations are now getting involved and the above elements of the first appeal, the influence of Judge Vican and Mark Pazuhanich over the jury especially the removal of Ms Rowe who was pro Michael Manning has been uncovered. A few weeks ago Michael's appeal was granted on the grounds of misconduct by the prosecutor and Pennsylvania Superior Court has reversed the 1998 appeal granting a new trail for Michael Manning. Now they have to wait to see if the county appeals the decision, if so, the Mannings and their lawyers are taking their case to the Supreme Court. In the mean time the lawyers are working towards bail for Michael.

STAY TUNE FOR MORE DETAILS or go to Michael's website at:

www.michaelmanning.homestead.com

by TJ Johnston/PNN

So a nun, some friars and a 20-foot St. Francis of Assisi walk onto the Civic Center Plaza…

Seriously, they all did on a sunny and windy Sunday afternoon as part of a rally organized by Religious Witness with Homeless People to oppose Proposition N.

Resistance against the measure, also known as Care Not Cash, attained religious significance by invoking San Francisco's namesake, St Francis, the patron of the poor and homeless. Before proceeding towards the gilded City Hall, I noticed a couple of wee ones shaking hands of giant St. Francis puppet.

Sister Bernie Galvin, the architect of this event, announced she would debate Supervisor Gavin Newsom, Prop N's author, at the Commonwealth Club on October 30, six days before the general election. I immediately envisioned the sister, out of habit and clad in a baby blue suit, running rhetorical rings around Newsom.

Dual purposes ran throughout this event. The rally doubled as a prayer service. Also, the peril of San Francisco's poor was connected to that of Iraq, whose infrastructure has been attacked by sanctions and the looming threat of US military assault.

The ceremony literally began on a solemn note, namely the beat of a drum. Each beat symbolized the heartbeat of a young woman in San Francisco's sister city of Assisi, of a homeless man in the Tenderloin, and of an American mother dreading her son's conscription to attack the child of an Iraqi mother. In addition, a bell was repeatedly sounded in a Buddhist rite, tolling for casualties in the war on poor people. I was reminded of the dual wars when Rev. Skyler Rhodes later exhorted, "Not in our name! The Gavin Newsoms of the world need to know their day is done."

Like the other interfaith congregants, I draped myself with a white peace ribbon as a gesture of support. I was reminded that I hadn't attended catechism since Confirmation and eschewed all religious instruction thereafter. When St. Boniface's pastor Louis Vitale began to entertain us with a history of St. Francis, it came as a surprise. It seems St. Francis was a trust-fund baby who loved to party. Without a thought, he spread money around while his father amassed wealth as a war profiteer. Then Francis himself went to war.

The resumption of his playboy lifestyle left Francis unfulfilled as a result of his post-traumatic stress. That heralded his spiritual conversion and Francis of Assisi was forever associated with birds and poor folk.

According to Father Vitale, the solution to homelessness couldn't be more obvious: "Give them housing!" Moreover, he stated that the $1 billion allotted daily to the US military machine could easily eliminate poverty.

After the history lesson, community members testified for a greater display of compassion. Among them was Lucky Jones, who worked on a DPW crew for his GA check while his colleagues earned $18 per hour for the same duties. Jones saw this as a sign. "We're still discriminated because of the dollar sign," Jones emphasized. "We're also human beings. The only difference is we care."

Other speakers illustrated the deleterious effects of slashing their welfare: scarcity of housing options, poverty pimping nonprofits siphoning survival money, economic profiling, perpetuation of double standards between individual and corporate welfare, as well as deterioration of one's mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Each speech was interspersed with prayer responses. The litanies from Religious Witness's Cornerstone Document affirmed our commitment to recognizing and advocating the rights and dignity of all poor people.

Guitarist Robert Grant concluded the service by leading a sing-along of "Prayer for St. Francis." At the close of the rally, I noticed feeling something that was absent when I previously fulfilled Holy Days of Obligation. It was one of hope. Hope that truth will actually speak to power at City Hall and the White House. If Francis of Assisi were here, he would be encouraged the by the same hope.

by Ace Tafoya/ PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

Chants like the one above were heard all over Market and 6th Streets on Thursday, September 26. Passengers in buses and taxi cabs, along with people on motorbikes, cars and trucks all looked in amazement as about 85-100 protesters from several different organizations and communities circled around the Fang Building, home of the San Francisco Examiner because of the Examiners lies and myths about houseless and poor San Franciscans.

"We’re making the San Francisco Examiner, Frank Gallagher (columnist) and people who are printing lies on homeless people and homelessness – we’re making them accountable, " Calvin Davis from POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights) said to me as a sudden brisk of cool air hit our faces. "We’re making them realize that we’re human beings and just because we stand up for our rights doesn’t make us liars or thugs and things like that, it makes us heroes!"

Davis was responding to printed articles written by Frank Gallagher of the San Francisco Examiner on August 26th – where he called members of POWER "thugs and brownshirts" a phrase used by Nazis.

"Newsom babozo
Tu eres un mentiroso", The chants rang out over Market Street

Julie Browne, POWER organizer called the protest a success and promised" More protest on this insane Proposition N will be happening in the future." "They say everybody on G.A. (General Assistance) are on drugs! How many people are on drugs? Are you on drugs?" Lucky from POWER shouts out while pointing at the SF Examiner. "We need our money!"

I took a step back from the circle of protesters for a few moments and realized that this was very real. The Poorest folk of our city will definitely be effected by this measure if it passes. I wondered in amazement of how the politicians in this city can just stand by and let this proposition pass, many without saying a word. How can we, as citizens of San Francisco and the Bay Area let these bureaucrats get away with this nonsense?!

"Extra, extra – read all the lies!

They’re lying for the rich
While we’re fighting to survive!"

As I was writing this story as the public library downtown, I looked out on to the streets and another protest about the war was taking place and critical mass has ended the night before. I realized this city is full of people who are political – people who are concerned about the world and/or the environment. We are making sure our voices are heard. Another protest is planned in the near future at another establishment which supports "Pretty Boy Newsom" (he’s not all that, anyway!) and his Proposition N. We as concerned residents must raise up our voices! Let’s all try to come out and defeat this measure.

"So
Up with the People (Yeah, Yeah)

The Homeless People ( Yeah, Yeah)

The Working People (Yeah, Yeah)

Because we Clean the houses (Yeah, Yeah)

And we make their money (Yeah, Yeah)

And
down with the Bosses (Boom , Boom)

Those Greedy Bosses (Boom, Boom)

And their lying papers (Boom, Boom)

Cause they fear the people (Boom, Boom)"

by Andrew DellaRocca/PNN Community Journalist

"I think it sounds like a good idea," said my friend Janet as I served her
another pint of Stella from behind the counter. "I mean, if they are going
to take away the money and instead guarantee the services, that's not a bad
idea." Her nose, flushed red from the alcohol, glared distinctly amidst the
oppressive dim lighting of the bar. I leaned toward her so that she could
hear me better, and tried to explain to her the reality of the legislation.
My forearm mistakenly banged against the tap for the Bass Ale keg.

"But there is no guarantee of services," I told her. Bass ale poured
aimlessly out of the spout, overflowing the drain and spilling over the side
of the keg fridge. I leaned further to make sure I was heard, not noticing
the beer which splashed against my pants. "That's the message that they
have been putting across, but the literature of the actual legislation does
not demand that the city guarantee anything."

"But I thought the services were definitely going to be provided."

"The care isn't there." I emphasized. "F#*!"

I slammed the tap back into its place and grabbed a towel. A dark, damp
horseshoe arched over my groin from one thigh to the next. I tried to dry
it as best I could. Nobody wants to be served by a bartender who looks like
he can't control himself.

I've been subjecting myself frequently to such absent minded behavior.
Gavin Newsome's "Care Not Cash" initiative, which will be on the ballot as
Proposition N, has been a pure source of anguish and urgency for me. Many
of my friends and colleagues have been quoting the misleading
advertisements, or the deceptive statements perpetrated by the proposal's
petitioners, which say that Proposition N will guarantee services for
homeless people. When I try to explain what those promises actually are,
that they are lies, that the legislation on the ballot does NOT guarantee
any services, that it only reduces assistance to homeless people, I get so
caught up that I forget about my surroundings and do idiotic things like
walk into oncoming traffic, or spill beer all over myself.

Those who are aware that they are being deceived have decided to bring a
lawsuit against the Department of Elections. Unfortunately, the Lawyer's
Committee on Civil Rights, together with Religious Witness with Homeless
People and a few registered voters, who filed the suit, were denied a
hearing by San Francisco Superior Court Judge A. James Robertson. The judge
ruled that regardless of whether voters may be misled by any statements in
the Voter Information Pamphlet, any changes to the language would be too
difficult and too expensive to make at this point.

The lawsuit alleges that both the original petition, circulated to place the
initiative on the ballot, and the Voter Pamphlet contain numerous false and
misleading statements about the operation of Proposition N. For example,
many people who signed the petition have since complained about being told
that the legislation would "guarantee services," when in fact the ordinance
says that the cash grants would be reduced to pay for services "already
available," services which are obviously insufficient. The ballot materials
also refer to "guaranteed services" and state that the city would be
required to provide housing and services for the homeless, despite there
being no such requirement included in the literature of the actual
legislation. In addition, the summary of the initiative prepared by the
Ballot Simplification Committee, which will appear on November's ballot,
incorrectly states that benefits would be reduced based on services
"provided" to homeless individuals. In fact, the ordinance would require
grant reductions based more broadly on the value of any services "available"
to homeless people, even if the services are never provided.

"Proposition N is not about that you will actually get the services,"
Jennifer Friendenbach of the Coalition on Homelessness told me over the
telephone. "The grant money will go toward the services already there. If
one person gets a bed, it's deducted from everyone's check, whether or not
the bed is for you.

"What the Court essentially said was that the truth is too expensive to
print. San Franciscans deserve a fair election. Proposition N does not
guarantee services, provide services, or even ensure services are provided
before the grant is cut. Proposition N simply strips poor people of the
income they need to get off the streets."

The suit was filed pro bono by the law firm of Munger, Tolles and Olson,
together with the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights. The petitioners are
considering an appeal of the judge's ruling.

"Because Proposition N is so broad in its impact, and since very few of the
voters on November 5th will have ever been homeless or worked in San
Francisco's homeless program, it is incredibly important that the language
about this proposition in our handbook is clear, neutral, and accurate,"
said Sister Bernie Galvin of Religious Witness with Homeless People.

Unfortunately for San Franciscans, unless an appeal is heard, the misleading
information included on the ballot materials will continue to obscure the
true nature of Proposition N, and voters may mistakenly vote for the
ordinance without knowing for what it is they are voting. And unfortunately
for me, if people continue to be officially deceived by the Department of
Elections, I might get hit by a car.

by Alexandra Cuff/PNN Community Journalist

Every time I step into a high school I am brushed with the nostalgia which loosens a vague emotional response. I think of silence and the sound of my feet on hard floors and that generic school smell which all schools seem to house. I was met with a different feeling when I rushed into McClymonds High School in West Oakland for the annual Upset the Setup conference. Rather than a sense of school pride and restlessness for the close of the day, I was met with a bustling of both high school students, organizers and other comrades that were there to teach and to learn about issues that just aren’t included in the standard high school curriculum.

After Joe and I dropped off the box of magazines and flyers with Tiny and Mari who were womaning the POOR Magazine table, I wandered into the auditorium where folks were gathered for the opening session of the conference. Following Raymundo, a talented youth rapper whose act I caught the tail of, Luis from United Playaz, climbed on stage wearing a "Who’s got your back?" tee shirt.

"The schools are set up. This whole thing is a set up" spoke Luis with a conviction that called us to look up and wait for more. He went on, "We’re losing the war. We’re dying. My father got murdered, my brothers are lifeless. If you don’t represent the real shit you are part of the set up. We’re losing the war! If you don’t believe that, go to prison. It’s an industry. Our schools are 45th in the country, our prisons are 1st. I’m not above being square, this is about survival."

The seeds for Upset the Setup, now in its 4th year, were sown in September 1998 at the Critical Resistance: Beyond the Prison Industrial Complex conference. During the youth strategy sessions over 250 young folk got together to discuss what type of movement would be possible to improve the lives and chances of young people. It was agreed upon that in a country with a growing prison industry, what youth needed was not more incarceration but more support in the form of education, community programs, and decent employment. Now the Youth Force Coalition (YFC) is comprised of over 20 youth organizations which are building youth leadership and mobilizing young people to create a collective strategy for social change.

While primarily focusing on the prison industrial complex, the YFC and the Upset the Setup conference also address the issues that are inter-related including: irrelevant education, racial profiling, lack of living wage jobs, police brutality, environmental injustice, inadequate healthcare and homelessness. When I checked out the agenda for the conference, I was overwhelmed. There were so many cool workshops to choose from. To name a few: Know Justice – How to advocate for yourself in the Juvenile Justice System; Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, Not In Our Name, The Beat Within, Poor Magazine, and the  Prison Activist Resource Center.

The second workshop I attended was called "Schools Not Jails - Education Is A Human Right" It was facilitated by four members of YOC (Youth from Youth Organizing Communities). Again we began by discussing what is wrong with high schools today and again I was impressed by the insight of the youth at the conference.  My response to the question of what problems there were in my high school (if asked at the time) would have been that I had to take 3 years of math or that winter break wasnít long enough. The list that compiled Saturday afternoon looked more like this: negative environment in schools, no critical thinking on studentís part in regards to the mediaís effect on youth or the peer pressure around gang violence, teachers and administrative staff having low expectations for some students, no ethnic studies, putting non-native English speakers into ESL and special ed classes, more police in school than counselors, books from 1973.

One woman who had gone to high school in Oakland talked about assumptions that were made about students based on their dress or race. Because of the presumption that all Latinas/Latinos were gang members, she wasnít permitted to wear red or blue belts to school (while other races could). She was also pulled aside freshman year in high school to have her tattoos photographed ñ she was 14 years old! A current high school student told us that a teacher of hers has said repeatedly, ìEven if you learn nothing, I still get paid.î Most of the students agreed that it wasnít chiefly a problem with the teachers but with the Setup - young people just aren't a priority in our country.

We then talked about the correlation between the defective education system and the high disappearance rate among inner city schools in California. Out of a class of 900 in a high school near LA, only 600 graduated and only 43 were eligible for University of California system schools. There is a 40-60% disappearance rate for California inner city schools. We didnít use the much used term "drop out rate" because it is misleading in that it doesn't acknowledge the youth that are shouldered out of the race.

What happens to the youth that are pushed out of school? Some get low wage jobs, some go to jail. Then there is the military. What we canít find in our hoods, the military offers: job training, $75,000 for college and believe it or not, help with papers for non-citizens. When we look at the lack of living wage work and the inadequate funding for education or human resources in general compared to the monstrous amount of tax money spent on the military, the rising incarceration rate begins to look less like an enigma. I was never very good at fathoming the worth of numbers in the billions so I was blown away with this fact: For each $1 of income tax 50 cents is spent on the military and 3 cents goes to schools. There are over 2 million people incarcerated in the United States. There are over 2 million people incarcerated in all of Europe, over 50 countries.

How do we challenge these facts and statistics and the state of the system affecting youth today? Towards the end of the "What's Going Down In Our Schools?" workshop, the youth present contributed ideas of their own which included students taking action to speak up about their needs, having counselors who know whatís up, recognition of students with different learning styles by administrators and teachers, and finally youth educating one another. I think that list is just a hint of what was happening on Saturday at McClymonds High School. This conference is part of a growing movement that is providing a space for youth to organize, to discuss issues negatively affecting the world, and the need for education that will inspire respect and knowledge of different histories and cultures.

Rocio, who has organized the conference for the past 3 years, got involved with youth advocating when she was 11 years old through friends who started an after school program. They later started UNITE, a youth component of BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency), with which Rocio was involved for 3 years and then became the program manager.  From there she became involved with YWUFO (Young Women United for Oakland) which was part of the Youth Force Coalition and was later recruited to YFC. "It's kind of ironic that weíre educating them on what they really should be educated about in school, but being able to get into the schools has helped us. There are a lot of teachers that aren't involved with anything but that have good politics so we started to pull them towards our side to help out with the conference as well as knowing about other schools that are progressive."

Under 5 feet tall, Rocio stood glowing, herself an example of the power, intelligence and self-respect that was demonstrated by all the youth at the conference. While we were driving back over the bridge I was thinking about what Luis was saying during the opening session: "We are losing the war."  I was in the car with Mari, a Youth in the Media - Poor Magazine community member. Once again in the presence of a beautiful, strong, young woman, I couldnít help to think we must be winning.

by TJ Johnston/PNN

Widely proclaimed as a "compassionate solution," Prop N exploits the profound
desire for solutions to homelessness in the heart of every San Franciscan.
The leadership of Religious Witness with Homeless People has thoroughly
studied Prop N and consulted with experts in the field. We have concluded
that Prop N is neither compassionate nor a solution.

Prop N is based on the media-promoted stereotypical image of all homeless
people as alcoholics or drug addicts who abuse taxpayers' money. The truth is
ONLY about one-third of the homeless population have substance abuse issues.
Like all stereotypes, this one appeals to our worst side, the side that
judges, condemns and rejects our sisters and brothers who have no homes.

Significantly, many of these individuals have already been begging the city
for treatment but are forced by the inadequate number of treatment slots to
wait for six to twelve months for help. Everyday in our city, 1,000 to 1,400
people are still addicted because they are on a waiting list.

The city's neglect in producing truly affordable housing over the years, even
in the years when the budget surplus exceeded $100 million, has resulted in
our current crises in housing and homelessness. We believe it is morally
wrong to force the burden of "fixing" these crises on the backs of the very
poorest members of our community. Prop N would do precisely that.

Through slick ads on TV, radio, huge billboards, mass phone calls, etc.,
Supervisor Gavin Newsom (Prop N's author) and the restaurant and hotel
industry promote Prop N as an effective solution to homelessness. The truth
is that Prop N will deduct all but "up to" $59 monthly from the very poorest
members of our community and sink it into a program that offers no hope of
alleviating San Francisco's homelessness crisis. Prop N is fraught with
promises and loopholes but holds no guarantees for housing and services.

Prop N does not guarantee housing.

Given the current crisis in housing, it seems a stretch of the imagination
that the city can quickly come up with "real" housing units for the 2,700 GA
recipients.

A clue to the possible direction of the city in providing housing lies in
Prop N's definition of "housing," which includes a cot or a two-inch mat on
the floor of a crowded shelter. It is more likely that the city will simply
focus on providing more of these shelter cots or mats as the fastest and
cheapest way of satisfying the promises of Prop N for "housing."

Shelters are not a solution to homelessness. There is unanimous agreement
among homeless people, advocates, service providers and other professionals
that exiting homelessness requires stable housing with supportive services,
addiction treatment, adequate mental and physical health care and jobs.

Prop N allows for diversion of cash-deducted "savings" from housing and
services

Prop N specifically allows the city to divert the cash-deducted "savings" to
many different areas, including the administration of the system: "The
funding may be used to support, but not limited to, some or all of the
following: hotel master lease programs, permanent supportive housing,
improvement of conditions in existing shelters, expansion of shelter
capacity, mental health and substance abuse treatment, outreach, a fund for rental deposits, SSI advocacy
programs, rep-payee services, case management and meals for the homeless
population through direct services and/or contracts." (Emphasis added.)

In fact, the majority of the estimated $6-9 million yearly "savings" could
simply be used on administration and personnel and not on actual services.

Again, Prop N promises but fails to ensure that expansion of housing or
services will occur.

Prop N makes vouchers for housing and meals available.

From the beginning, the complexities and costliness of the voucher system
equal added frustration and significant suffering for the homeless recipient.

Vouchers would mean increased administrative costs to business people, a
potential avalanche of city forms, even possible liability issues. Thus it
seems unlikely that a sufficient number of landlords and eating
establishments would participate in the voucher system, thereby making it
more difficult for homeless people to use them.

In addition, Prop N vouchers would not cover items like laundry soap,
toothpaste, socks, aspirin, haircuts, telephone calls, etc. All such
necessary items would have to be paid for by the homeless person from the
meager "up to" $59 a month GA cash grant.

GA recipients already work for that money.

The individuals who receive GA are already required to work for their money.
They are WORKERS who clean buses and streetcars, remove trash from parks, and
sweep streets. They work 8 hours a week (32 hours a month) for the city and
are "paid" $10.00 an hour in their $320 GA stipend.

It is unclear if recipients will be required to work these same hours for the
$59 they would receive in cash. If so, they would only be "guaranteed" $1.84
per hour.

Religious Witness with Homeless People urges rejection of Prop N.

Prop N is clearly not a solution to San Francisco's crisis in homelessness.
Furthermore, experts warn that the implementation of Prop N would require far
more of the city's money than the estimated $6-9 million withheld yearly from
GA recipients, perhaps 3-4 times as much. Shall San Francisco embark upon a
road which focuses a vast portion of our money, time, energy and trust in a
policy based on a stereotype and with no guarantees?

In 1993, our elected officials set our city on just such a road. We remember
all to well the great confidence with which this city adopted a
"police-approach" policy (Matrix) as a major response to homelessness. After
nine years and over 135,000 citations or arrests of poor and homeless people
for so-called "quality of life" violations, homelessness is of an even
greater magnitude than ever in this city. Multi-millions of taxpayers' money
was squandered on that futile and inhumane approach.

We are convinced that Prop N would set us on just such a road once again. San
Francisco voters should reject Prop N.

Religious Witness with Homeless People
P.O. Box 420486 San Francisco, CA 94142-0486
Phone: (415) 929-0781 Fax: (415) 929-0783 E-mail: RelWitHome@aol.com

by Joe B.

Real ‘Illin Pt 1

I am not feeling my usual chipper self these days.

Seems a flu bug is having its way with me giving me a head colds, aches, stuffed up nose, sore throat, and the various time dilation slow motion effects.

One positive side effect is finally able to do Tai Chi really slow except for a slight pant breathing through the mouth like a dog.

I didn't hurt myself when I had a slow uncontrolled fall to the floor.

Falling isn’t so terrible when everything slows to a crawl.

I stay on the floor take a quick nap.

This flu may have been in my system for a few days but last Friday it began to be felt.

Women say men are babies complaining when sick while women are always checking on themselves for the slightest twinge feeling about their bodies.

This makes them healthier in the long run.

Problem: men have been taught to suppress all kinds of pain from twinges, cramps, sprained, to broken bones and having the flu.

Maybe some of us do whine a bit but its better than being stoic and dying in silence.

I guess a balance should be made for those aches and pains.

One must do what we can do being careful not to over stress the body.

I don’t like feeling weak as a kitten, sleeping all day, drinking tea, soup, and sounding like a voice talking in a deep tunnel, underwater, or with marbles in my mouth.

I complain only when my equilibrium gets affected vision gone wobbly, unable to see straight, going through vertigo, and shaking uncontrollably also the damn flu exacerbates my asthma which I’ve kept under control until now.

Women like mothering guys fighting their illness without complaint, rest when they must and don’t ask a lot of their girlfriends or spouses to do things for them that they can do for themselves.

Somewhere a balance must be achieved where a guy is sick but not using it for sympathy and being waited on hand and foot.

And ladies, girlfriends, spouses too you know you do it too its not just guys.

When you’re really ill with the flu, common cold, or the big "P" you know you’ll milk it for all its worth especially being pregnant most men are so wracked with worry and guilt about doing this to her.

How is it the strongest men become weak and faint while average regular man turns into a tough-as-nails-take charge guy for the woman he loves?

Why do most become virtual slaves to their women’s health needs in that wonderous, still mysterious way women are always giving birth?

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