Story Archives 2003

by Valerie Schwartz/PNN Community Journalist and Poverty Scholar (with Alex Cuff/PNN)

As a person who has been incarcerated in two different California Prisons a total of 7 trips, in and out of the California Department of Corrections, done a lot of county-time, and Lord only knows how many court appearances: I have experienced and lived through the importance of client attorney privileges and also the devastating results of what we con's call a "dump-truck", this saying refers to an attorney who does not have his clients best interests at heart and unfortunately, as well as some public defenders and court appointed attorneys who basically work in the DA's framework and thus do no more than prepare the client for a plea bargain in many cases.

Therefore, legal rights and the civil rights guaranteed by our constitution are important to me: especially when it seems as if the way is being paved to take them away. I went to hear Lynne Stewart speak at the Bay Area Women's Building about her case and what is happening with our First Amendment and Sixth Amendment rights in the age of new witch-hunts against "terrorism" by our Attorney General and the Department of Justice. Heretics beware, this is some scary shit.

"Whatever I did, I did as a lawyer" said Lynne Stewart. Who is Lynne Stewart some of you might be asking? Lynne Stewart is an attorney from New York who is an activist attorney who has represented many clients that other attorneys would not, especially as a court appointed lawyer, not private. Lynne Stewart has been indicted by US Attorney General, John Ashcroft, under the Patriot Act for making a press release on behalf of her client Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman in May 2000. She has been accused by Ashcroft and the Department of Justice for allegedly "materially aiding a terrorist organization" by making the press release on behalf of the Sheik. The Patriot Act did not even exist in the May 2000, but nonetheless: she was arrested at her home in 2002, and given a four-count indictment. (Lynn was first arrested under the 1996 Anti-terrorist act and served with a warrant under the guidelines of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act)

"Okay, I do think I was targeted", Lynne responded when I asked her if she felt Ashcroft specifically targeted her. Lynne then said, "I think he needed a scapegoat in that instance and he picked me out because of my long time activism and I think he miscalculated and thought I would not garner too much support." "I think he thought he could get away with this. I don't think he ever expected the amount of support I've been able to get."

Lynne started working at age twenty-two in Harlem. She described her self as a "nice-white-girl" from the suburbs. Lynne said, "I'd never known that Harlem existed, that Black people were ghettoized in this way. I started asking questions, was very unhappy with the answers--which were basically racist answers--and got some of my own answers out there." She met her husband Ralph Poynter, forty-years ago, and they worked together. Lynne says, "He of course had been Black for along time and active for a long time." Then they together became very deeply involved in the community control of schools in New York and she relayed that Ralph was leadership in that --which became co-opted--and they moved on. By 1971 she was "active" and went to law school, Ralph was forced out as a teacher and opened his own business and they went on from there.

Lynne has a history of advocating for and representing people whom other lawyers were ambivalent about or had no interest in defending. She has defended: David Gilbert, member of the Weather-Underground, Shakur Odinga who was from The Black Liberation Army and a former Panther, Richard Williams who was a member of the Ohio 7 and accused of being a member of the United Freedom Front which had basically conducted political acts which they considered as a group to be non-violent. This including bombings that they forewarned about, as so no one would be hurt, against South African Airways. Lynne also said that she had defended, "Numerous others, countless demonstrators in New York who were against the Gulf War or against Rockefeller's drug laws."

The Sheik is now serving a life-sentence for planning to blow up New York City landmarks in 1993. While counseling the Sheik, Lynne and the Sheik both had to sign what is called a "Special Administrative Measure", or referred to as a SAM. "Which lawyers and people we represent must sign to say that you will not communicate with the press on behalf of your client, thus making it impossible for any First Amendment right to be protected." Lynne Stewart during interview with Mumia Abu Jamal.

After Lynne's press release through Reuters she waited for six months to find out if she would be allowed to go back in the prison to see her client and finally they allowed her and an interpreter to go back in to see the Sheik. They had set up tape recorders and cameras to listen in on and film all the attorney client privileges, i.e. all of their legal visits for the purpose of counsel. Now she is on trial and fighting for her own freedom as the press release she made on behalf of her client was done in "contravention" of the SAM. Lynne says, "All we have when we represent political people... all we have is truth , honesty, and integrity."

Susan Dorton who emceed the event for Lynne's Defense, which was sponsored by the National Lawyers Guild, and the Lynne Stewart Defense Committee said, "This is about the loss of civil rights for all of us" and relayed, "Lynne's case is about Lynne's liberty." After Susan was finished another guest speaker, Luis Talamantez (Bato), a former member of the San Quentin 6, spoke about the importance of client/attorney privilege. Bato then said, "We need 10,000 lawyers like Lynne Stewart for our prisoners in our system" and followed it up with, "disenfranchised prisoners and the poor people consider Lynne Stewart the advocate of the people."

When Lynne was arrested at her home, not only did they take her but they also took her computer, and her files and along with that, the attorney /client privilege of her other clients as well. It was hard to look at the grandmother of seven children, an older woman, speak of our rights and loss of them, because I know very well how it feels to lose your freedom. Then after a pause Lynne said, "Not only do I face forty-years, for forty-years I've been a critic of the government." It is beginning to feel like a new Mc Carthy era is coming around. I am more than sure the blacklisting has already begun.

I asked Lynne, “Does the Sheik have wealth and privileges?

“ No, well no he was a blind child that was left at the mosque and he was left at the Mosque because he couldn’t work and those children of third world countries dressed like black blind people in Mississippi were often discarded…He has very little resources, his family is in Egypt and in the traditional Moslem household his sons of course support his wife and their younger brothers and sisters but he has virtually no resources. We did the case, I think we earned a pittance compared to what the people appointed by the state in that case earned.”

“I have a personal question”, I asked, “as an ex-convict myself and a person who has done time. I read in your interview with Mumia, that the Sheik was only allowed to correspond with his wife once a month, was this via the mail or by phone call?"

“He was given a phone call but it was listened in on and when he…actually his son got on the phone and he spoke to him for a few minutes probably nothing much more than greetings. They then suspended those phone calls for the next three months to punish him for speaking to someone other than his wife on the phone. He was also allowed to call his lawyers, no great thing I guess but it saved him from being completely cut off.

The reasons why I wanted to know about whether the Sheik had privilege, wealth, and ability as to how he was able to correspond: was because when I was in prison I couldn’t even call Child Protective Services, the Juvenile Court or the social worker appointed to deal with my parental rights. The only calls I was allowed to make were collect so you can very well imagine how separated you are from resources when incarcerated and even calling your attorney is not always possible and by the time you hustle up a stamp and get something mailed off… it is too late. The mail is tediously slow in prison.

The other reason I asked about wealth and privilege is because I believe most Americans relate the word “Sheik” to wealth , power, privilege and prestige and that it was important to have clarification, not that it invalidates his case, but I like to have a better sense of the information I am trying to convey.

I asked Lynne how people in poverty would be affected by the Patriot Act. Sounding very sure she said, “ The heel of government always falls harshest on those who have the least resources to resist it. So, I think that then when they start targeting people who may have an affinity for let us say Muslim causes or they have attended a lecture and now they’re looking to say, ‘you were part of it’; they will have the least ability to resist this kind of thing. I also think that of course people with less resources are least able to get out there and do the kind of work to oppose this kind of law that really touches every one of us. When they start asking the librarians what books we take out - ya know, who uses the public library more than people of low income? So I think that of course it always cuts harshest against those with the least resources because this is a nation that worships the almighty dollar and has very short thrift for people who don’t have those dollars”.

I then asked Ms. Stewart, “How will clients who have dealt with racial profiling be affected?

With what I determined was a sigh combined with a quick and very frank answer Lynne replied, “ Well I think actually 9-11 did more to affect racial profiling than anything else because it sort of made it acceptable: in other words the government is now doing all manner of racial profiling. As Bato (Luis Talamantez) said - he’s Mexican - he gets stopped at the airport every time, because he looks like what they consider a terrorist a terrorist to look like. So, I think that racial profiling will continue bigger and better and will be granted a free passage by most Americans because it doesn’t ever effect them: It only affects people of color.”

I asked Lynne, “Do you believe that most of the corporate media’s policies back the Patriot Act?"

“ Well I think so, they pretty much know that this is something that they don’t need to be afraid of. I said to someone once, I said you know the attorney client privilege is used more—by like—guys from Enron who are planning to file bankruptcy than it is by criminalized poor, or the clients we represent. But they know they are never going to listen in on their conversations because they are part of the people who are doing the listening. So, it doesn’t effect them at all in the same way… and the fact that it doesn’t… means that: we are not really getting any support from the corporate sector of the legal profession.”

Alex, my colleague from PNN questioned, “Were they listening in on your conversations before 2000, before the Patriot Act?”

Lynne responded, “Before. They did the initial five I believe soon after I made this press release, which is the focus point of my indictment. They got a wiretap to listen in on all our phone calls and all our client visits and that’s why they allowed me to go back and visit. They wanted to gather evidence and of course they really didn’t gather evidence, they just listened in."

This to me is very spooky and rings of George Orwell's 1984 and Alvin Toffler's Future Shock, both novels that were written about futuristic fascist governments, which ruefully seem to be coming true. Why? Because people are fearful: fearful of talking on their own phones, using their email and afraid anything they say or do can be construed as a "terrorist act." So one can only imagine the impact it will have on our legal and judicial systems, meaning attorneys will be intimidated to represent people and many clients will question if they can trust a lawyer when all their conversations are recorded. This will do nothing but precipitate fear and mistrust and most of all it violates the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

This means what all this insanity is about, is the context of the First , Fourth, and Sixth Amendments. The Patriot Act which is being revised and expedited by Ashcroft, as I type this, to abrogate these rights, which are: 1st Amendment rights to freedom of speech, right to freedom of the press, right to freedom to peacefully assemble, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 4th Amendment, the right to be secure in person, home, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. 6th Amendment the right to counsel and the client and attorney privilege, meaning the right to discuss their attorney/client business between the two of them privately and in confidence.

When the government starts taking these rights away, by wiretapping, taping and filming, and denying people the right to speak and use the press to make their voices heard-- rights which are supposed to be upheld by our government and our Department of Justice--and using it as a means of intimidation something is very amiss with democracy, justice, and the tenets that we hold and revere as a nation.

by Joe P.

Before Fiefdom’s, Chieftain’s, knights, squires, Duke’s, Princes, King’s, and the rest of royalty there were warrior’s.

A warrior was the backbone, first and last defense of principalities and Monarchies.

As always they led rough, lusty usually short lives.

They were first-on-point scouts, guards, and early spies of emerging and fallen empire.

Loyalty meant giving up luxuries of merchants, owning land.

Even the poorest citizen living in animals tents, huts of straw, mud, wood or homes hewn from solid rock could sneak away on food or on a horse, steal one if they had the nerve disappearing to parts unknown.

War taught warriors that most leaders unless they were once warriors themselves don’t know what real battle and bloodlust fever, going berserk in do or die situations unless they were in wars themselves.

Friends die by your side, in front of you taking someone else’s club, ax, mace, sword, blade, cannon ball, bullets, grenade, booby traps, tortured as a prisoner, escape and if they survive their physical and mental wounds.

Trying not to remember horrors survived to be Mr. Mrs. Ms. nobody but when he/she is or close friends, relatives are threatened the long buried profession battle weary warrior, soldier, military training returns until the battle is won or lost.

As for today’s military personnel with every kind of multi national co. , quasi – paramilitary Intel even before intensive training they know more from past, present and near future history.

Women too, a sisterhood so far back before warrior saw father’s, friends, son’s, brother’s, husband’s dead and dying as nurses, and soldier’s in their own rite earning the right to question war’s cost.

When parent’s, female and male soldier’s question
"Why The Fuck Are We At War, There Is Few If An Advantage To It.

Government leader must scramble for excuses for if military men and women logically question all automatic assumptions some are accused of being Un-American.

There is pressure on all soldier’s whatever rank from buck private to five star general to follow orders yet when orders make no sense they do not have to be but must be proved in strict military fashion.

This is the genius of the military now they must protect their country against a more dangerous domestic threat of an out of control President, his cronies while watching out for real foreign threats within and without the America’s Sphere of influence.

They are pledged to protect U. S. citizens not rogue government rattling sabers for a war not needed.

What can a soldier’s do but obey unless like the police officer’s blue flu they have a similar tactic of Khaki ooze (an ailment keeps military personnel in barracks, at home or anywhere else so far from frontline fighting that war cannot be waged at all.)

The full stories of soldiering has not been told and as long war goes on their stories will always be half told with secrets submerged.

American citizen’s need help from men and women at arms, their brother, sisterhood combined.

With citizen’s mobilization against the war could be the only way to stop ‘Prez B’s Juggernaut of
escalating Mass Destructive that has devastated both the Middle East and make both our domestic, foreign and economy to a bottom trashing whatever emerging applied technology to improve the health of all people’s for outdate, obsolete oil preserves.

I could be wrong but I think this is a turning point of our civilization.

Can we turn from our destructive capabilities and toward creative ones.

Any country can kill from afar with bombs, poison gas, turning cities into rubble and neighborhoods into mass graveyards.

Let’s see countries military and domestic drop from planes bio and inanimate nano-probes from blue prints to rebuild and improve destroyed buildings with artificial intelligence harmless to humans.

the bio parts of nanites enter dead, broken bodies of citizens rebuilding, repairing, tissue inside out until the whole being is alive, well, and free of injuries.

The dead that cannot be helped are rebuild repaired whole so friends, relatives can bury them properly.

Until our country can take back life from death’s grip we are just more efficient killer’s.

Oh, VOTE PEOPLE


If YOU DON’T VOTE DON’T BITCH ‘N’ MOAN.

DON’T SAY SHIT, GRIPE ‘N’ GROAN, IF YOU DON’T WANT OUR EVER SHRINKING FREEDOMS LIKE VOTING TO GO ALSO.- V O T E.

FOLKS, WOMEN, MEN, YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, AND CHILDREN TOO; DO YOU WANT THIS TO CONTINUE? - I THINK NOT.

We must get up off our collective rusty dusty asses and VOTE on mass for what we want PEOPLE!!

Any questions, answers send them below and thanks for taking precious time to read my humble though mostly unseen work; it helps more you folks will ever know. Bye.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street St. Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

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

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

415- 626-4405

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by tiny and Mike Vizcarra/PNN

We aren’t goin down now or anytime soon...

by Tiny

"Broke, To’ up, beat-down and …Po’ ….Yeah, we’re all that… but we’re also, strong, mad, smart, and fierce and we’re aren’t going down now or any time soon, certainly not cause some privileged white folks want us out of town…. Clive Whistle, PoorNewsNetwork staff.writer and poverty scholar

The sun shone on the red bricks surrounding the BART station at 24th and Mission Streets in San Francisco on Saturday, November 1st for the Poor People’s March for justice. The people gathered – standing together in unison against economic apartheid - Feet piled on top of more feet – feet covered in payless athletic shoes, paid for by mothers struggling to care for their children on a $450.00 per month welfare check, feet belonging to working poor mothers struggling to pay their rent on $6.75 an hour job in a city that allows landlords to evict those same women and children if they can’t afford a rent increase –feet belonging to workfare workers at-risk of losing their meager wage due to racist, classist legislations, day laborers trying to work and being harassed for being poor and other than white, Asian immigrant elders trying to be housed and not evicted, children and youth of color trying to be educated rather than incarcerated, disabled folks, and houseless folks, all fighting to be heard, to have their stories told as they really are… fighting for justice….. for housing…. for life.

I was among them, my feet had been on those food stamp lines, welfare lines, unemployment lines, free lunch lines and shelter lines – I was one of the poor people in the poor people’s march and it wasn’t often that I felt strong – or happy or filled with power. I usually felt tired and beat-down and ready to give up – cause the corporate media and the politicians were always telling my story and talkin’ bout me and callin’ me and mines names we weren’t – and sometimes they won – but today was different…

"We aren’t going anywhere" Geena Douglas was speaking into the mike at the rally held before the march. Geena was a long-time member of People Organized to Win Employment Rights (POWER) "I will never forget the first day I joined POWER, 5 years ago, when it was called General Assistance Rights Union – and when I did it was the first time that I as a welfare recipient didn’t feel like I was a lesser person, " she continued, head held high into the air, " I am a poor person, I am a welfare recipient, I am a worker and I am a resident off San Francisco and I am not going anywhere.

The feet continued to gather…. worn-down-soles-feet….. slightly slower feet. The feet were ready to fight – the feet were ready to win…

"Proposition N and R are created by people in this city who don’t want us in this town", Cindy Weisner from POWER began educating the crowd on the racist, classist legislations that were on the ballot in this election and inspired the poor people’s march, "people with so much money they can waste it. Proposition N will lower our General Assistance check to $59.00 a month which is less than 1.84 per hour – slave wages – do we want that?"

The swelling crowd roared, "Nooooo…."

"Proposition R would take up to 85,000 apartments off the rental market, exempt them from rent control and convert those units to condominiums for more rich people….do we want that?" Cindy called out again.

Again we responded "Nooooo"

"Let’s show this city who has the POWER", Renee Suacedo from La Raza Centro Legal grabbed a bullhorn and climbed atop a truck covered in a mock-up of a San Francisco jail cell with the words: SF’s Homeless new shelter painted in red. Under proposition N and R the city jails will be the only place poor folks of San Francisco can afford to live. In this city alone 40% of the people in SF city jails are there from homeless related citations, from 1993 to 2001, 30 million dollars have been spent incarcerating homeless people, I guess after we have been redlined, evicted and choked out of our real housing, that’s where the Gavin Newsomes and Diane Feinsteins aka rich folks who back Props N and R want us all to go.

Renee launched the march with the chant,

"Whose got the power?

We have the power

What kind of power?

People power…"

A thousand people strong – we began, signs waving in the sun-kissed sky. We, the poor people, the brown, black and beautiful people, POOR Magazine/PoorNewsNetwork, Coalition on Homelessness, POWER, Homeless Prenatal Program, The San Francisco Day Labor Program, The Chinese Progressive Association, and so many more, were there to protest Proposition N and R – two legislations aimed at harming low and no income people in San Francisco. But we were also there to demand truth, respect and justice from the corporate media, who lie about us, the police who abuse us, the legislators who harm us, the social workers who take our children from us, the judges who adjudicate against us cause we don’t have the money for equal "justice" the banks who redline us, and the landlords who evict us, that we are here and we aren’t leaving any time soon…

The Poor March

By Mike Vizcarra/PNN

Poor people do not have the money the supporters of Proposition N and R have. We do not have the 2 million dollars they spent to promote these Propositions. But what we do have is power. People power. We can march with our feet and we can vote. And we can beat them with numbers, not money. This is what hundreds people did on Saturday, November 2, 2002.

On a beautifully warm, sunny afternoon, protestors met on the corner of 24th and Mission. People, representing everyone from all walks of life, showed up in tremendous numbers to protest Proposition N and Proposition R. From the young to the old, from African Americans to Asians to Latinos and everything in between, a great crowd had formed to show San Francisco their power. Our power. The people’s power. There were speakers talking of the injustices Proposition N and R would have on the people of San Francisco. Proposition N, as everyone should know, is the latest attempt by the local elite to blame their policy failures on poor and homeless people, slashing money earned by working people and replacing it with empty promises. The bottom line: Prop N will take money away from the people who really need it.

Proposition R, on the other hand, is a landlord backed condo conversion measure that would replace rent control with phony “lifetime lease” promises. It increases condo conversions from 400 to 3,400 a year. The Proposition also enables apartment buildings of ANY size to be converted and it repeals rent control from 3,400 apartments a year (State law lets landlords repeal rent control from rented condominiums). It also allows just 25% of people in a building to decide if apartments can be converted to condominiums – an unfair and undemocratic process.

“Every time the rich get richer,” says Geena Douglass from P.O.W.E.R., “the poor get poorer.”

“Where’s the care? Where’s the compassion? Where’s the common sense?” she asks the crowd.

There were also interpreters in Spanish and Chinese to translate what was being spoken to the crowd.

We started marching around 12:30, going down Mission Street towards Van Ness, with the crowd holding up signs saying, Real Jobs Not Workfare Slavery, or No On N & R. Our own Ace Tafoya and Richard Midget were dressed in an orange vest and carrying brooms representing the street workers of San Francisco. The streets echoed with chants of, “Who’s got the power? We got the power! What kind of power? People power!” Passersby and people in cars yelled and honked their horns in support, respectively. Curious onlookers, from this predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, looked out their apartment windows and waved their support. The loudspeakers from the truck we were following blared chants in Spanish, English, and Chinese. As I turned to look at the crowd behind me, I was amazed to see this huge mass of people, acting as one, march down the street. It was truly an amazing site. This was a protest.

The march lasted almost two and a half hours, going down Mission to 6th Street, and then crossing Market and up Turk to Polk Street, all the while the crowd chanting and holding up their signs relentlessly. When we finally arrived at City Hall everyone erupted in cheers. Our very own Tiny was one of the first to address the gathered crowd. She introduced Mari, a Po’ Poet, who read a poem to the masses. Cindy Wiesner, from P.O.W.E.R., was hoarse from screaming all day but continued her duties as M.C. and provided energy to the crowd. Chris Daly was also present to show his support.

“Proposition N is a trial balloon for Newsome for Mayor,” he told me.

“He’s trying to climb up to a higher office on the backs of the people,” he continued, “Of course we need care, but the care is not there.”

Asked what he thought of the march, he said, “It’s good that this is happening. People need to organize. We need to stop the war on poor people in San Francisco.”

I thanked Chris for his time and he responded, “I’m glad someone is covering this,” as he looked at the KPIX and KRON vans parked in front of City Hall, obviously not there to report on the march but on the reaction of City Officials as to whether San Francisco or New York would get the bid for the Summer Olympics in 2012.

Businesses and rich individuals have spent almost 2 million dollars trying to get these Propositions to pass. They spend all this money when that money could go elsewhere. We may not have that money to promote our cause, but we have the vote, we have the numbers. As the famous chant goes, they can buy the election, they can buy the media, they can buy commercials, they can buy buildings, BUT THEY CAN’T BUY THE PEOPLE! Vote no on Proposition N & R!

by Alexandra Cuff/PNN community Journalist

On Tuesday night I biked over to the Commonwealth club on Market Street to attend the Care Not Cash (Proposition N) debate between Supervisor Gavin Newsom and Sister Bernie Galvin, Executive Director of Religious Witness With Homeless People. Newsom is the main proponent of Prop. N whereas Galvin is opposing the proposition which would slash government assistance to $59 a month and replace it with an empty promise of services. Disheveled, I rushed in the east side of the building the same time the wind carried Newsom, quite polished, in from the west. On the single file escalator I was sandwiched between Gavin and a woman with ìYes on Nî door hangers peaking out of her Coach bag.

Unlike both campaign rallies and campaign protests, the attendance seemed a solid mix of both supporters and opponents of Prop. N. Each side was given 3 minutes to introduce their arguments. Newsom began by stating that homelessness is an issue that ìtranscends political ideology.î  With the admittance that homelessness is a complex social problem he was suggesting, with confidence, that we have reached a point where no discussions beyond a black and white ballot measure can create an effective and comprehensive homeless program. This opening statement struck me. If there is no room for political idealism regarding the ìissueî of homelessness, then why are we being asked to accept a solution that will serve a very specific political agenda of individuals seeking power?

He went on to point out that the number of "homeless deaths are symbolic of the problem" and that "whether we like it or not, the leading cause of death is drug use" and that the drug of choice to overuse is heroin. So as an introduction, Newsom identified homelessness as a problem in San Francisco and most of those homeless are heroin users. Even if there was proof that most of the folks who will be affected by this initiative are drug users (which there isnít), it wouldnít change the fact that Prop. N doesnít even address addiction or provide treatment. A common misconception of those leaning in support of Care Not Cash is that folks who are opposing CNC do not agree that homelessness is not being addressed. We know the system is broken, we just donít want to replace it with one that doesnít work.

Sister Bernie began resolutely, ìWe are frustrated.î She debated that Care Not Cash was not an answer to homelessness and declared that it ìplays on the fears instilled in us by the media.î She went on to debate that the supporters of Prop. N want to take money from the poor to cure the social ills of this city. She called Prop. N ìthe most egregious piece of legislation on homelessnessî she has ever seen.

Over the past few months of following the Care Not Cash dialogue in a variety of media sources, Iíve been asking myself a question: How and why are the folks who are working to create a compassionate, effective solution to homelessness not being taken seriously?  Scores of community leaders, elected officials, community organizations, labor groups, and political clubs formed the Committee Against Increased Homelessness and are opposed to Prop. N. Is it not an insult that the work that organizations and individuals, many whom are formerly homeless and still at risk, whose mission is to confront poverty, are discounted when it comes to creating policy that will create permanent solutions to homelessness? It was like I handed the script of this question to Newsom and Galvin on Tuesday evening. We have a piece of legislation proposed to help homelessness and we have poverty scholars saying it will not work.

Sister Bernie closed her opening statement with 3 points: The welfare check is a life line to people. Slashing the amount of the check will lead to more deaths. Treatment is the answer. This is only the second time that Iíve seen Newsom speak ñ the first was at a CNC campaign rally. Without a Q&A session, there was no opportunity for folks to publicly ask him questions which would address the contradictions in Prop. N. When I heard that he and Sister Bernie would be discussing CNC, in the formal style of a debate, I was curious because I know that he has a scripted answer for everything. Well a mixture of relief and frustration came over me this evening. Sure, Newsom remained unruffled but at the same time, he wasnít saying anything! He never addressed the meat of the argument which is that CNC does not provide the services it guarantees.

Newsom crossed and uncrossed his legs and through smiling teeth exuding stutters of sound bites and statistics. ìSan Francisco has more homeless deaths than any other county ñ this is simply wrong.î He went on talk about how other cities, including Chicago and New York, have addressed homelessness by cutting down the welfare check. He assured us that CNC does indeed provide Care because the role of government, under legal mandate, is to provide care or cash and it would be illegal not to.  He referred to the fact that the case the Religious Witness With Homeless People brought against CNC was rejected twice in court because contrary to what those who were suing said, the care is there! When Sister Bernie pointed out that all other cash reduction programs have resulted in increased homelessness and that Chicago sees over 120,000 new homeless people each year due to no cash aid, Newsom replied that Chicago took all cash aid away and that our plan isnít so austere. $59 a month! Not austere?

The moderator of this dialectic was Scott Shafer, host of KQEDís ìThe California Report.î He was handed a stack of questions passed up by members in the audience. The first question was for Gavin: ìAre you concerned about an increase in drug use and crime if the cash is taken away?î Newsom: ìNo, they will turn to treatment, not crime.î Shafer, ìwhy then do they not seek treatment now?î Newsom confidently assured us that they donít seek help now because by providing cash, we are enabling their addictions. Well Iíve never been addicted to heroin but I have friends that have and Iím now assuming that Gavin never has been either if he thinks that the want for heroin is going to fade with no money to buy it. But the main problem with this statement is again, the assumption that all the folks who will be affected by the cash cut are drug users.

Newsom went on to point out that San Francisco is a magnet for homeless people because of the cash aid provided. Again, he was not addressing the intrinsic issue that poverty is a social ill but was revealing the interest of the ìwell offî to keep the poor from being able to live in our city. Sister Bernie asked us to not only consider how many homeless there are living here but how many San Franciscans have become homeless while living in San Francisco. She said we ìhave to realize that people are effectively using this moneyî for renting SROs and pooling money for a room with other low and no income persons. The housing which is referred in Prop. N  is ìa 2-inch mat on a shelter floor.î If Prop. N passes, people will be paying $300 a month to sleep on a floor of a shelter.

Gavin chuckled and in being ìas respectfulî as he could toward Sister Bernie, emphasized that housed and marginally housed persons will not be affected. As if he felt like a broken record, he stressed that if the City cannot provide services to homeless people, then individuals seeking these services will receive their original cash payment, leaving the homeless population no worse off. Sister Bernie nodded with no sign of returning Newsomís smile: ìIn 12 places in this proposition it says the money wonít be taken if services arenít available.î What the proposition doesnít say is that if the proposition is passed, a homeless individual must prove to that he or she has checked out all available services and found none available in the entire City before that individual receives payment.

I wonder if Gavin or anyone else who thinks this is a great idea, has ever waited in any line at DHS or has spent an evening checking every shelter in the City, each night tired for sleep, for a bed. If there is a one bed available in the City shelter system and the homeless individual has no means to get there, then he or she loses her benefit. I wonder which proponents of this solution have ever been harassed at a shelter to the point where they would rather sleep on the street. If a homeless person has been harassed at a shelter and that shelter has the only bed left in the City, he or she must sleep there. Otherwise, that person will have his or her benefits cut.

One of the issues that, due to the 30 minute time constraint of the debate, was not discussed, was the fact that unless they are disabled or in job training,welfare recipients already work for the monthly welfare (pay)check (read: wages). Under Prop. N welfare recipients will be paid 27% of the minimum wage: $1.84 an hour!!!!  We can not lose sight of what is happening here. This proposition is an all out attack on the already impoverished. It is an extension and a local version of the criminalization of the poor which is affecting folk all over the world.

Hundredís of thousands are speaking out around the world in protest of Bushís maniacal threat of war in Iraq, people are gathering around the globe to demonstrate against the FTAA. The cognizance of this oppression and the resistance to it, are apparent wherever we look. The example of what the Bechtel Corporation is doing in Bolivia is revelatory. Bechtel is suing the Bolivian government for $25 million after having to withdraw a contract for the privatization of this poor countryís water due to civic demonstrations which said, no, you will not own our water. The people spoke up, the government heard, and now the corporation is punishing both for a lost projected profit.

Here in San Francisco, hundreds of activists assembled on Sunday for the Poor Peopleís March in objection to ballot propositions N (Care Not Cash) and R (HOPE). Contrary to what the plutocracy think, who are trying to enforce their inane political agendas around the world, people know what is best for themselves and their families. This goes for the homeless and poor population living here in San Francisco. Sister Bernie pointed out Prop N's definition of "housing" as including a mat on the floor of a "shelter." In light of that inclusion, she warned that Prop N was
dangerous in that it would take us down the path of "shelters" --not real housing -- as a solution to homelessness simply because that
(shelter) direction
would be the "cheapest, easiest and fastest way" for the city to go. She
insisted that shelters are not a solution; they are a deadend."

by Staff Writer

Hey Folks, I am JohnX, the Indigent Litigant, I have been homeless for the past nine months, between spending most of my day circling through the literal viscous cycle of poverty, i.e., food lines, general assistance workshops, case manglement and shelter schedules, I manage to make my way to the four law libraries around downtown San Francisco. Along with my thorough advocacy work on your behalf, I am currently investigating my unlawful eviction by a central California police department, which is the original cause of my homelessness.

Email your questions and comments to me at: johnX@poormagazine.org Or snail mail me at:JohnX, POOR Magazine 1448 Pine Street #205 SF 94109

Case #1 Investigating the investigators (The Alex Fagen Jr.Travesty)

I have been following the story of Alex Fagan Jr. poster boy for the San Francisco Police Department on what a police officer should not be. I read Captain Corrlaes of Mission Station in a column the other day make the comment; he had made some errors but " what criminal act was that". Well Captain, the criminal act was this. California penal code 153 (Compounding or concealing a crime). Specifically abstaining from prosecution of these officer by specifically "compounding the crime" in the initial stages of the investigation by failure to properly collect evidence at the crime scene from the officers involved in the altercation. That sir is " the criminal act". Of which you so eloquently state has not been committed.

I have spoken to several divisions of the police department regarding the criminal prosecution o f these officers only to be referred back to public affairs where they are not quite sure were the department stands at this point. There are some important points to remember here. The Office of Citizens Complaints is investigating the responding officers and Management Control (or internal affairs) is investigating the officers involved in the incident. Jean Fields attorney with the O.C.C told me that " we will apply general orders and all applicable state and federal laws".

However, it has been this reporters experience that although investigators at the O.C.C mean well, very few understand the concept or fact that the San Francisco Police General Order's very foundation is based on penal (criminal) law. What this means then is if an officer is found guilty of a general order of most types he/she has also broken a state law and has by all standards committed a criminal offense and should be punished no differently than any other "citizen".

However, what comes out of the department as well as O.C.C and the Police Commission is this. " The officer committed a policy infraction and though subject to internal review he/she would not face termination as again ,it is a policy infraction. What these agencies do not tell the general public is how these policies are actually created. So in not knowing, nothing is questioned. I ask my readers to ask themselves this question: why is it the one profession that is responsible for criminal offenses can not, or is never subject to criminal charges for their actions? The truth is they are! . When the O.C.C investigates an officer for a violation they should as a matter of course include the penal law violation as well but the do not. I can only speculate that they are specifically trained based on The General Orders. However, they are doing San Francisco a disservice.

Any good investigator should and would use all resources available to them including criminal law. This is unfortunately not the case in San Francisco. Nobody has made a clear statement of a criminal investigation into the actions of either the on-duty or off-duty officers and the unfortunate things is there is a sea of charges that could be applied in this incident and they are not .If they are, nobody is saying anything.

It is my suggestion to this readership that someone initiate action with the United States Attorney General's Office. My reasoning is this: the city was supposed to begin an oversight committee to look into the practices of the San Francisco Police Department only to continuously delay the implementation and formation of this much needed committee. If local government is refusing to take action then the Federal Government has an obligation to protect the civil rights of all of those who have been repeatedly harassed and threatened with criminal charges, while watching police officers go free and continue their rampage on a vulnerable public.

#2 The Wonderful (Frightening and illegal) World of Proposition N

"Number 46" , This day begins with my booking number. Sitting, waiting, with my paperwork in hand,charge slip. I watch the activity of security,-bailiffs. The chaotic movements of the clients, inmates, we’re all waiting for our turn. Everyone is in a sort of daze as they move about the facility. "Number 46!! " I hear from an office area. I step inside directed to a chair where I am to sit and wait to be instructed in the next activity. I notice a large sign on the desk " NOTHING ON THIS DESK IS OF ANY INTEREST TO YOU SO DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING HERE!. The person behind the desk is talking with a friend on the phone about a boyfriend problem, never once looking up to acknowledge my presence.

I continue to sit and wait for what seemed like 15 minutes or more, But I am just a number to be inputted into the computer that is all, not a person, just a number.

" Stand here and face this way". I comply with the order and a photo is taken, then I am fingerprinted . I am told only "that is all" and ":you may leave now". San Francisco County Jail? No, Department of Human Services when I applied for my General Assistance.

I have spent the last week in several meetings focused on the post proposition N reality for poor folks in the "city". To my non-surprise I have found out some interesting information. San Francisco has already spent the benefits stolen from General Assistance recipients ( ie the five million dollars Gavin Newsome was always talking about) on a fingerprinting system soon to be installed in all shelters in the city. This is very important in the scheme of current events, homeland security, and categorizing and monitoring the activities of poor people and specifically people of color.

The unfortunate truth is more people of color have had their fair share of run-ins with local law enforcement and have in one way or another been placed in "the system" .

This Finger printing system though stated for categorizing and better allocating of services, is not going to be used for just that purpose. This categorizing of services list all of your personnel information in a system that can be hacked or in other ways exploited by the personnel who are assigned to use it , but not properly trained in it's operations. It is also my opinion that within a short period of time under some homeland security measure this database will eventually be connected to the state database to " routinely" check prospective clients for " violations" as well as immigrants for " alien status updates". Both of these are law enforcement agencies. The state database is called C.L.E.T.S ( California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) and the other is I.N.S (Immigration and Naturalization services). Both agencies to be folded into the office of Homeland Security.

Now although you could "protest" against unreasonable search and seizure, the way around that is to issue a disclaimer upon entry to any shelter property indicating passage of this point implies that you consent to search/fingerprinting.

In order to receive any services from the city you are subject to random checks and continuos fingerprinting or "processing" all over the city. It is like walking through a revolving door at 850 Bryant Street.

The reality of this fingerprinting system in my opinion is clear. To prevent and or deter people from seeking assistance or shelter for fear of "being caught" for something or other. The Care Not Cash Implementation strategy clearly projects and hopes over half of those who receive General Assistance will refuse services thus shoring up this money for other "administrative operations", not any type of real housing.

Real housing is not master-lease S.R.O type environments. It should be noted when I first arrived to San Francisco in 1987 there were about 10 Residence Clubs that included meals in the monthly rental. Now, there are none. One of the last to close that I lived in for a while was The Harcourt on Larkin off Sutter Street. In 1996 a corporation bought it out and the kitchen was immediately dismantled, rent was raised and the tenant was forced to spend extra money at the restaurants in the surrounding community. There was a big issue for years between the local residence hotels and the restaurant association not making enough profits from the tourist community because the residence hotels offered meals.

Eventually the residence hotels gave in and began to close their kitchens all over town usually one or two per year hoping nobody would notice.

This is the same now with this prop N revenue. People are hoping others will not take notice in their actions. I intend to cover this issue as much as possible in the coming months leading to implementation so you, the community can see what a lot of people have stated all along that the " care was not there" to begin with.

by Joe B.

Tuesday, Nov. 5th is over I voted earlier on after the march from 24th and Mission to a long way around City Hall to have Tenderloin and other neighborhood’s who haven’t joined be part of the march.

Supervisor Chris Daly won his bid for a first four year term upsetting, negative voices not giving him a chance to win.

People counting votes live on screen hour to hour as happens in both state and national elections.

Newsom’s still around and as for the alphabet Propositions I’m not going into which one or lost look to newsprint for the hard facts.

What really tickled me was the crestfallen faces as they found out San Francisco lost the bid for hosting the 2012 Olympics.

I even heard there were tears in many a grown woman, and man’s eyes as the realization sank in.

They wanted it so bad, this would’ve meant money for rebuilding hotel, hostels, office rentals, and another removal or homeless, working poor and families out of sight and minds as the festivities of the games began.

To bad. Deal with reality of working poor and homeless folk with not enough work, food, money, housing while this city is afloat in hoarded money.

New York thinks it will rid the homeless by removing them from Olympic Games but all it will do is have a temporary shuffling of street to street, shelter to shelter near though not quite invisible.

If houseless, working poor families and individuals are driven underground into the subway system siphoning electricity, water, for themselves it will drive up prices for everyone not to mention health problems living like moles under the city.

If the words "Morlocks and Eloi" sound familiar its because they are from a classic work of science fiction.

"The Time Machine" by H. G. Wells in 1896, 106 years later it still resonates with readers young and old.

More of a parable of things to come (no pun intended of yet another futuristic movie by the same name).

What I’m saying is if people are driven to desperate for survivals sake to chose living underground rather than living topside then New York could be creating a real Eloi/Morlock situation.

I’m wrong in this far fetched notion right?

The way houseless people have been vilified, demonized is a familiar first step in "Other Creation" that is turning human beings into something less than human.

Look through his/her - stories around the world, whom ever does not fit so called parameters of what a society says is the norm is automatically wrong.

Child molesters, rapists, serial killers are, people that bomb, or assassinate are true monsters among us walking in suits, married with children.

They must be sought after, arrested, studied, and executed if not cured of their mental Illnesses.

Other so called monsters are made for economic gain; slaves, wild original people’s, or women, men defying societal convention.

Being houseless, working poor is for a few people an invitation to beat someone economically lower than themselves out of feeling superior.

We cannot go back to making poor folks seem evil or as a negative reward for drugs, alcohol not working hard when in truth most are not on drugs, have worked hard and for all their loyalty are laid off, fired, or downsized.

Either we all rise up warning, watching, catching, helping each other or we end up as two separate species of humanity of light and dark.

I want one species, we all should be of the light.

Readers with other opinions, tell me or others by snail or email, telegraph, or telepathic but get the word out, spread it far and wide in every language of every culture.

We have to break this seemingly Orwellian mindset that is happening now or never be free or help set other countries and people free.

P.S. I do think since young children 14 and up are more savy, connected, absolute with it.

They should be given the choice to vote also.

We need all those intelligent, sensitive, informed voices now not at an arbitrary age of magical maturity.

What do parents, young folks or anyone thinks about the idea?… Bye.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street St. Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

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.

Back to back storms hammering San Francisco last night and early today is another warning to get my act together.

Starting with dripping water on my bed and rug.

Living up four flights up is great when fleet week's Blue Angels fly high making sonic booms but other than that when it rains I always worry about leaks in my room above me is the roof.

Enough about that how about food and sex?

At this late date I’m learning do with less while the other I’m literally starved for.

Food and Sex are equated in different ways to me.

When eating I like the slow anticipation, smells, hint, and faint taste of the food.

To savor flavors taking time to sample each plate.

With sex its surpasses food because if correctly done it can be repeated, varied, each partner resting as the other gathers strength, stamina, endurance for longer slow heated session.

I don’t go bars unless they have a café too.

I’m a very quiet, tend to sit in a corner and write things, don't dance guess I can relearn that again.

Then there’s the lazy eye problem which throws women off meaning I’m counted out as date material.

Food is substance and learning to eat healthy is the best I can do while trying ease or break out of my shell of constant feminine rejection.

After a few women did take a chance on me I feel finally I am not an Ogre, troll, or frog that will never be taken home.

Still I’m starved, hungry, parched to be touched and touch sometimes just staying in afterglow in wordless communication or with words is worth it for a lover’s peace of mind that she's there for him, him for her or whichever lover that stays long after sex is done.

Since I don’t smoke, drink, or take drugs it seems my endurance is notched way up.
And I don’t mean that long march from 24th and Mission Street to City Hall.

I dislike looking at sports all day and porn flicks pale in the face of fleshy reality.

For me there are quieter, slower, more pleasant ways to spend lazy Saturday or Sunday mornings - endurance helps with that too.

My aging process isn’t sped up as many of my contemporaries and I’d like outwit entropy more in future.

Because of earlier experiences with cars,(got hit by 'em) girls,
(got beaten especially if they like you but express it with punches in the face, mouth, and stomach) it could've be worse,
and sports(hit in my good eye by yellow indoor hockey puck).

Later in high school (getting speared, gored in the neck by a guy using a shopping cart as ramming device,because weeks before he pulled down my red gym shorts had regular shorts on in public outside in gym class.

For that I rabbit punched him twice in the face busting his lip open.

Like everyone else growing up I go through stuff get over most of it except the lazy eye thing.

I didn’t listen and kept taking the patch off.

So I either scare children or they now tell me "You should’ve listened to your mother like I did."

I guess I’ll ware a black patch so women won’t automatically do a zoom in zoom out seeing my minor vision flaw.

Recently I was reading the back of a S.F. Guardian, you know all the dating section for people getting together or mixed signals.

I see the "Safe Sex Get Paid" Men!

Usually after reading the paper I give it to someone else to read or don’t pick it up refusing to place an ad out of fear of rejection and self loathing.

Then there’s the no-car-SRO kiss of death.

I’ve even thought of going to one of those men’s club like Hustler’s, Crazy Horse, or Big Al’s.

But even if I dressed well, saved money and enjoy the food and conversations with a few lovely ladies.

Still the women working there or there with or without dates have scoped the place, men/women out and already unless I ware a patch will certainly be passed, overlooked, or talked to as a joke, I know its happened before and need not be repeated.

Back to the Safe Sex Get Paid Ad.

I thought why the hell not, ware a damn patch, make a call, check it out and if something happens and I’m paid too that’s enough revenge for me.

women are blameless for rejection it was my error as a child causing a visceral physical revulsion they have seeing a less than perfect man we all do it to some degree.

I do have someone across the bay and when I go it is heaven for a few days and hours I just cannot go everyday and both our work schedules do not coincide.

Then I return to San Francisco and purgatory now you know why I feel empty, starved, parched, always hungry.

There is sexual addiction, hyper sex drives, low to no sex drive.

My problem:I don’t get enough of it its like breathing in half breaths, or being half asleep the whole you were sleep you really didn’t get enough sleep and you wake up groggy and still tired.

Am I being more practical in receiving sexual gratification and getting paid for it, giving up regular girl friend(s).

I’m like many guys in that if marriage, family is not in the cards I might as well be as good as I can to all the stray women not necessary into commitment.

Until I find one that is.
One poor slobs sad story granted but I’m gonna check this Safe Sex Pay thing out and if something or someone comes out of that’s fine but will I expose this?

Hell no, if I’m having sex getting, paid for it I’ll say nothing about it.

I’ll be more happy, less on edge, feeling less pressure, and more release and free.

As you can see and hear I’m a nerd about sex to the point like food I know it should be savored, enjoyed not rushed and one should improve upon.

As for Yoga, Transcendental Medication, Karma Sutra, and Tantric, Tantric arts since I’ve been starved and like any child of light I’d like to make as many female people as a few have made me.

Women, got any ideas how I can improve my odds of meeting some of you without being dorkish?

In San Francisco. I’m a nice, timid, horny but not horn dog guy.

Any help will be appreciated.

PS If guys or ladies tried the ad, got into it.
Could you folks tell me good and bad stuff about your experience.

You folks know what happens I'd like to be warned what I'm getting into... Bye.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street St. Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

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

Market St. San Francisco, CA 94102

415- 626-4405

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Staff Writer

Dear Indigent litigant: I was in a San Francisco Walgreen's. The employees followed me around. I put my things down and left. The employees surrounded me and pushed me to the back room. I was searched. When they found nothing one of their employees got batteries from the floor said I damaged store property. One called me a racial slur and tried to stab me with an envelope opener. I left the property called the police and got arrested for theft. The police said I was not welcomed back there. What should I do?

Sincerely, Mr. Shopping while Black.

Dear Mr. Black: it is my opinion that in this case I would have done the following. First I would have made the police department charge me with the petty theft. I would have demanded a jury trial (invoking the Duran test -fair racial cross section) and forced the police to show proof that I had actually taken any property by ordering the public defender to subpoena copies of all videotapes of surveillance security from the store. I also would have made the District Attorney press charges against the employees for assault-240pc, battery-242pc, False imprisonment-236pc, lying to a police officer, filing a false police report148.5pc. And a few other charges to make it more interesting. I would have also notified the corporate office of the incident and pressed charges against the store "entity" for violations of my civil rights. (There are federal criminal charges for civil rights violations). I would do this only as a last resort if the store refused to remedy me for the actions of their employees.

Sincerely,

I.L

by Mike vizcarra/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

Looking at Willie Warren, I find it hard to imagine anybody
wanting to start a fight with this man. He stands over 6 feet tall and
weighs around 250 lbs. This is a big and intimidating looking man. But
after speaking with him, I realized he1s one of the nicest men I1ve ever
met. But this past Labor Day September 2, 2002, Willie Warren, with his
imposing figure, was beaten by two men, two white men, in the Tenderloin.
What was Willie doing? Nothing. He was just walking down the street.

It was around 8 o1clock at night and Willie was walking east on
Turk from Van Ness. He turned onto Polk and was heading for Kentucky Fried
Chicken to get something to eat. But he never made it there. As he passed
the Wooden Horse Bar near Polk and Eddy, two men started harassing him.

"They were two white guys in their mid 20s to late 30s with
well-groomed haircuts," said Willie, "and they were both about my size with
one guy taller than me."

Willie tried ignoring their taunts and continued walking up
Polk. But one of them looked at him and yelled, "Hey nigger mother fucker!
Hey nigger, I1m talking to you punk!" This made Willie stop momentarily.

He asked them, "Why are you saying this when I don1t even know
you?"

Their response? "Fuck you."

The two men started to approach Willie, with one of the men
blocking his way. Willie walked around the man and continued up Polk. But
the two men started to follow him. Sensing some kind of danger, Willie let
the men pass while he turned around and started heading back towards the
bar. This time the men were upon him again. One of the men got in front of
him while the other stood behind him.

"What problem do you have with me?" asked Willie. "I'm a
Homeless Advocate and work around the corner."

This made the man blocking Willie's path even angrier. 'You
represent those sorry ass people. You should agree with Newsome and his
plan, you fuck," said the man.

This response surprised Willie. "Do you work for Newsome or
something?" he asked.

But the man was already in some kind of boxing stance. Willie
started taking off his backpack but the man behind him grabbed his pack.
Willie pushed him away and as he turned to face the other man, he was
greeted with a club-like object (about a foot long and 2-3 inches in
diameter) to his head. As Willie fell to the ground his head hit another
hard object that was lying on the ground. Blood was rushing down his face.
He turned to look up and another blow of the club came crashing down on his
head. Willie blacked-out after that, knocked unconscious from the repeated
blows.

When he finally gained consciousness, he was looking into a
paramedic's face. He was inside an ambulance heading for General Hospital.
Once again, Willie blacked out. He regained consciousness once he was at
the hospital. A doctor had thoroughly examined him and Willie was able to
remember what had happened that night. Thankfully, he did not sustain a
concussion, although he would have headaches the next few days. He was
released from General Hospital at around 3 A.M.

When Willie was explaining to a nurse what had happened, he got
an interesting response. "Since the introduction of Care Not Cash and other
policies," said the nurse, "there has been an increase in violence." This
prompted Willie to write about his experience and to increase awareness of
these senseless acts of violence.

"Hate crimes" are exactly what that term states, crimes of hate.
It does not matter whether it is motivated by race or gender or social
status or otherwise. It is a crime. Willie Warren was walking down the
street minding his own business. But he was targeted for two reasons: first
and foremost because he is an African-American, and second, because he is a
homeless advocate.

"This is part of the behavior that we see on the streets, on the
bus, or in the shelters in response to the fear from both sides on
Proposition N," he says.

It is bad enough that hate crimes happen, but it gets worse when
people are motivated to do such crimes because of a Proposition. Willie
Warren was minding his own business and was violently attacked by two white
men because he was black and for what he stood for. The same thing happens
and goes unnoticed everyday in this city to people of color, of low-income,
to poor folks, and to the homeless. With the passing of Proposition N, I
wonder how many more attacks will occur.

Read Willies first person account and poem ( willie is a Po Poet) "You represent those sorry ass people" on this PNN column -

by John Colagrande Jr./PNN Miami Correspondent

About a week ago I’m sitting at a traffic light at 59th street Biscayne Blvd in Little Haiti, Miami, and the sound of thunder snaps me out of my daydream. It’s about four o’clock and the sky is real dark. You could tell a storm is coming. It is just a question of time. The streets are empty. The Miami hotels flash vacancy.

I’d been thinking about my father again.

I drive past Martin Luther King Blvd. and put my headlights on. Traffic is backed up by 79th street and the rain starts to fall like tears from the sky. The rain is soft. I don’t need my wipers.

I used to call my father Pop but when he left my mom and me I didn’t call him Pop anymore I called him Sam because that’s what my mom called him. Yeah, Sam’s still a ghost.

On 79th street and Biscayne lies the INS building. The Immigration and Naturalization Service building stands out in Little Haiti because of its size and color. The building is seven stories high and its ugly tan is in contrast with a neighborhood that is scattered with vibrant tropical colors.

Outside the INS is an ocean of protest. There are about 200 protesters and they’re making noise. In the twilight stormy sky all I see as I drive by is a dark silhouette united against the building they stand across from. I know the protest is about the Haitian refugees. I park my car to join in the resistance.

On Oct. 29 about 220 Haitian migrants were detained when their tiny wooden freighter ran aground southeast of downtown Miami. It was broadcast on television around the country. But there are no television screens showing the conditions of the Krome detention center where many of the refugees sit right now like criminals awaiting deportation. And there were no television screens highlighting families being split apart and refugees being denied legal counsel. And there are definitely no television screens right now showing the Cuban refugees happily sipping their café con leches in Hialeah.

I live in Miami now but I grew up in Oakland. One time when I was fourteen Sam took me to San Francisco and we went to visit Alcatraz. He was already Sam and I think he wanted to be Pop again but it don’t work like that. He made me feel like I’m not wanted and that feeling just don’t go away. Anyway, I didn’t like that old jail. It smelled weird. In the isolation cells it smelled weird and was dark and I felt alone even though I knew it would all be over shortly and then I’d get to go back home. Except I didn’t want to go back home because home, like Alcatraz, was like an abandoned jail. I always thought the idea was to stay out of jail. I don’t know why Sam took me there. All I know is that I know what it feels like not to be wanted.

For a while the Bush administration has been holding all illegal Haitian aliens while releasing other nationalities into the community pending deportation. This is straight up racism.
At the protest I link up with a brethren named Jean-Pierre. He speaks English.

Non inite nan kominate, chants the crowd.

What is the chant, I ask.

No unity in community, says Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre helps translate a couple of signs that people raise in the air.

Fo fanmi nan Zetazini; false family in United States;

Youn imigran es bata pitit, an immigrant is a bastard child.

Every now and then a car beeps their horn in solidarity. It would be better if everyone beeps. Is it too much to beep your horn? If everyone beeps their horn, a constant beep, beep, beep, then maybe someone will act, act, act, if for no other reason then to shut the BEEP up.

It starts to rain harder. The night sky lets out a roar. Thunders. The chant increases in volume: non inite nan kominate, no unity in community, non inite nan kominate, no unity in community…