Story Archives 2003

by Valerie Schwartz/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

I remember living in an old International Harvester Moving Van. It was a 1948 that had been painted purple and converted into a R-V. I t had wooden planks for the floor and the walls were made of plywood. We had a sink, cutting board/counter adjacent to it, there was an old claw-foot bathtub and a wood burning stove. There were little porthole windows that had been salvaged from old washing machines, and a stained glass window. Even the roof above the bed opened up as a bed-sized skylight, a window to the heavens. No one, who lived and traveled in the truck was on any kind of assistance; we worked and bartered for everything we needed. Anyone could live in the truck, there was only one catch: you could not use money. I considered it a great learning experience... to live without using money and survive. Since then I have lived in my van , cars, and trucks through various times that I haven't had housing. I have lost all of my possessions because of being towed: all of the things I had left that were truly important to me... and things that could not be replaced. Unfortunately, there are folks out there right now, still trying to survive that are being harassed, having their homes ransacked and towed by the police for being homeless and accused of bogus charges that supposedly justify the means of the officers actions.

"There were officers in full fledged riot gear, shields and full faced helmets and shotguns. There were officers sporting snipers rifles with bullet proof vests...they even had a S.W.A.T. team deployed in addition to all the officers in uniform. Add to those plainclothes officers, detectives, inspectors and the like. I believe we can safely place the number of officers somewhere upwards of fifty." Frank Ryan, self employed metal recycler and vehicularly housed citizen of San Francisco.

"As a vehicularly housed person, I have the right to live in my vehicle, including: the right to sleep, eat, and rest in my vehicle." Vehicularly Housed/Towed Person's Bill of Rights, Coalition on Homelessness.

Frank P. Ryan and Bill Payne are partners in metal recycling. Frank and his girlfriend Trish had been living in a lot on Selby and Innes, that they oversaw, kept clean for the owners (Cor-o-van) and also kept their yards/lots secure and free of people who tried to stay on the property for extended lengths of time. In return for their work they were allowed to live on the lot and keep their vehicles that they lived in, worked out of, and kept their tools for work stored and parked in the Cor-o-van lot. Bill kept his motor home parked across the street from Frank and Trish on Selby St. Having been homeless and living in their own legally registered vehicles for several years; these friends forged a partnership in the recycling business. A business that many people depend on for their incomes. Let's call them an unrecognized workforce that is larger than one would imagine...

You can easily recognize them as very hard workers. Their hands are calloused and blacked from grease, dirt and metal. Their clothes also have the dirt of labor, the odor of grease and oil, and their faces wear the expression of disheartened, weary warriors tired of battle. These are definitely not men who do not idle their time away, it is easy to see that they work very hard for what little they have.

"They towed and impounded my vehicle for being eighteen-inches away from a non-existent curb." Bill Payne, vehicularly housed metal recycler and victim of harassment.

For the last year more so than the previous two, Frank and Bill have had ongoing problems with harassment and having their vehicles and property taken away by City Tow via the SFPD. Their bane has been Officer Swatco and his partner from the Bay View Police Station who according to Bill and Frank, have been harassing them and other vehicularly housed people in the area for quite a while now.. I believe this because I have spoken with other vehicualrly housed persons who have told me of their harassment by the same officers in the Bay View area. Frank and Bill both recounted numerous incidents to tell us at POOR, about the hostility and discrimination they have experienced at the hands of Officer Swatco and his co-workers.

"All lawful owners, possessors, or operators of vehicles shall be free from discriminatory enforcement of the law and shall enjoy freedom from harassment and discrimination in towing." Vehicularly Housed/Towed Persons Bill of Rights, Coalition on Homelessness.

On September 30, 2002 a search warrant, was said to have been served at Frank's home/lot. He was not present at the time and to date still has not seen the warrant. The first time he was aware of it was on October 2, 2002 when he had been released from county jail on a different warrant that he had been picked up and detained on September 29, 2002. This was the day before the warrant was to said to have been served along with the raid.

What happened was that SFPD in a commando style raid on September 30, seized the lot under the guise of bringing an "International Ring of Tool Thieves" under arrest and confiscating the alleged cache of tools. The way Frank and Bill described the scenario as it unfolded sounded like a war zone and rang of so many unnecessary police actions that in the end, after investigation: turn out to be no more than hype, but nonetheless frightening, cruel and without merit. There were no gangsters, thieves, Viet Cong, or terrorists: just homeless folk trying to stay off the dole. "We work for every dollar we get." -Frank Ryan

What happened to Frank and Trish's motor home and possessions was happening to Bill's at the same time across the street. The same kinds of damage and disregard. I wonder how much it cost the city to pay all those specialized forces for a humbug? Bill was present at the time and taken to jail along with his neighbor Trish, his dog impounded, and his vehicular home towed. Bill and Frank have both told me of how the officers were verbally abusive, sarcastic, and unprofessional in their behavior to Trish and Bill. The police kept making innuendo's and remarks that referred that they, the people whose lives they were razing didn't have anything coming because they were "tool thieves." The warrant was dismissed and all charges dropped. Except now they had to pay to get their vehicles back, repair the damage, and try to get their property back. This meant to once again start from the bottom, with next to nothing.

Yes , you may want to draw a parallel here because I am speaking of the same Bay View police station that was responsible for the police action that took place at Thurgood Marshall School not long ago. One might ask, who is terrorizing whom?

When Frank returned home, all he found was the aftermath of the unnecessary damage, and the indifference to his life, business. Bill and Trish were now in jail. All of their dogs were impounded too. According to Frank... although the keys were given to the police upon demand for all of the vehicles and locking compartments when asked for them: the doors were pried open, tool boxes on the truck were pried open, his motor home damaged that he used to repair computer systems and store tools, their trailer door was ripped down and folded in half and the other entry ways broke down and the floor torn up. His truck was damaged : the hood, fenders, doors, tool carriers, and both bumpers. After doing all of the aforementioned damage and finding nothing there, no 'International Ring of Tool Thieves" the police then towed and impounded his truck.

Frank said about his truck, " I have no explanation as to why they wanted it, there wasn't any stolen merchandise in it, it hasn't been used in illegal activities, it was legally parked, no tickets have been issued on it, but tow it they did."

"We are not thieves, we don't steal tools", Bill and Frank stressed while telling us of the ordeal that they have been through. They both explained that they have bought, traded and bartered to help get the tools they need for their work and to keep a back up in case one broke. Many of the tools that were taken in the raid were hand tools and their bicycles: the warrant was for power tools. The police also combine d Frank and Bill's tools into one pile without making note of what came from where.

I spoke to Mara Rader at the Coalition on Homelessness about the vehicularly housed folk in the city, and in particular the Bay View area. I asked Mara, "Have you seen a noticeable increase in the harassment, towing of the vehicularly housed recently?"

Mara said, "No, there has been pretty consistent harassment of people living in their vehicles since they moved them out of China Basin." Mara then relayed, " There is a particular focus in the Bay View neighborhood."

"Do you feel that Prop N has anything to do with this?" I asked.

Mara says, " I think Prop N added to a nasty growing sentiment of the citizens of San Francisco against the homeless."

While listening to the rain outside I was thinking of Bill and Frank and I empathized. I thought about when my van was towed with all my tools, ladders and everything else I owned. I had been a house painter/building maintenance for a long time and was temporarily houseless but not without work. I lost everything I had in that van. Without transportation, my tools, and a place to sleep...I couldn't work. It was only a matter of time before my life eddied into the gutter.

I remembered how I myself had worked until I was speckled like an Easter egg with paint, plaster, dust, and sweat. I paid for some, bartered for some and worked for many of the tools I had gotten for work which were not stolen. I knew the people I bought, traded , or worked for to get them (just as I believe Frank and Bill did). The tools were always used, but in good shape from people who upgraded by buying new ones for themselves. This enabled me to be more efficient and productive on my jobs.

I feel a smoke screen is being blown in the whirlwind disguise of catching crooks when all that is going down is an exacerbation of the war against the poor , homeless, vehicularly housed, people of color, and immigrants in San Francisco. The economy is faltering, jobs are hard to obtain, housing is simply not adequate, affordable, or accessible in San Francisco. Many people in the Bay Area are what we at POOR refer to as "vehicularly housed." Many of these people are self employed, or recyclers. They are living in vans, motor homes, old buses, trucks and cars so they may have a space. This adds to a persons margin of safety, not to mention keeps them out of the elements thus upgrading the odds against ill health and gives them access to self employment as a means of survival.

IF YOU ARE VEHICULARLY HOUSED AND ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TICKETS, TOWING OR HARASSMENT: PLEASE CALL THE COALITION ON HOMELESSNESS
AT 468 TURK....(415) 346-3740 ...ASK FOR MARA OR JIM.

Update: five days after Frank and Bill came to newsroom at POOR: On Wednesday December 11, 2002 the DPW, Cal-Trans, and the SFPD arrived on Selby St. and razed the camps, tents, shelters, and towed vehicles of the homeless who have been camped under the 280 Freeway. There were even bulldozers and alot of manpower to ensure this action took place. Frank and Bill where there and now literally have no where to go. People were ticketed for being homeless, and also for living in their vehicles... those who had vehicles left. The City Council is meeting this afternoon at City Hall to discuss making some kind of legislation to protect the rights of the vehicularly housed in S. F. 12-16-02.

by Ace Tafoya/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

Andre Rucker waits patiently for the rally at the Human Services Commission organized by members and staff of POWER, (People Organized to Win Employment Rights) POOR Magazine and Coalition on Homelessness on Thursday, December 12 to demand from Trent Rhorer, the head of San Francisco Department of Human Services, affordable housing, living wage jobs and protest the installation of a fingerprinting scanner in shelters. "The issue of fingerprinting, it violates the 4th amendment and what it says is that it creates an aristocracy," Andre said to me as more people gathered outside the offices of POWER. The implementations of the board are to have a Fingerprint Image Machine for everyone residing in shelters by June 1st. "People who are poor are of color are losing their rights as citizens of the United States," he stresses to me while waiting for the #14 Mission bus to take him and about 25 other folks to the rally.

Jason Negron-Gonzales, one of POWER’s organizers is all pumped up and ready to face Trent Rhorer. They want to add pressure about the implementations of Proposition N, "We’re keeping the fight going on (over Prop. N). The Department’s are taking a disgraceful approach of trying to implement Prop N. through forcing the people into shelters," he said to me as the bus approached. "It’s great to be out here fighting for justice in the morning!"

POWER and other organizations want to face Trent Rhorer and other politicians about the truth over Proposition N. They want to meet with Trent Rhorer in January 2003 to discuss in length the effects of this proposition. This initiative was passed by voters in San Francisco in early November 2002. It cuts GA payments of $390 to about $59 a month.

Larry Lattimore, from POWER led the outburst on Mr. Rhorer during his update to the board of what was to be discussed and put into plan. "Trent Rhorer we heard enough and we’re tired of your lies! We just found out that you’re going to buy some fingerprinting equipment and force us into shelters and we know that’s not right!" Larry Lattimore shouted. As Trent Rhoehr stumbled and fumbled and looked embarrassed, shifting papers, he couldn’t look in our direction. Mr. Lattimore continued with his tirade, "We’re not criminals and we don’t need poor shelter beds and fingerprinting!"

In a display of courage and faith, the members of POWER chanted:
"DHS can’t you see
What fingerprinting will do to me
You say you wanted to give us care
But we all know the CARE’S NOT THERE.

…and in Spanish:
DHS no puedes ver
Que sus mentiras me van hacer
Nuestras huellas quieres tomar
De esta ciudad no nos van a hechari.

Both Julie Browne, POWER organizer and Andre Rucker wanted to confirm with Trent Rhoehr the importance of a meeting in the Tenderloin for January 2003 to discuss better ways of implementing Prop. N. Trent Rhoehr said this was not the proper time to set up a meeting. He couldn’t commit to a date at that point and wanted us to call his secretary. What is he afraid of?

Upon exiting from the Department we we’re still chanting loudly and proudly:
"Trent Rhoehr – Trent Rhoehr
We’ll be back
We won’t forget
Your last attack!"

Indeed, Mr. Rhoehr hasn’t heard the end of us yet. This is just our fightback and it’s time for him and other elected city officials to listen to what the poor people of this city want. It’s time for a change!

by Connie Lu For CourtWatch (with Dee Gray)/ PNN

"She wants to come home so bad. Her first foster mom said that Omani would cry for 3-4 hours. She would cry for so long that she would just have to put her into a room and close the door, and let her cry herself to sleep," says Johnny Brown as he and his wife, Lisa describe their experience with Child Protective Services (CPS) taking their five year old daughter, Omani away from them. I listen closely to the complicated background behind the difficult situation Johnny and Lisa Brown are facing. I am amazed by their calm demeanor, despite the stress and frustration swelling within them. The room that the three of us are sitting in is also calm. It is softly lit from the warm lamp standing in corner. Their eloquent voices are gentle, yet filled with strength and passion as they proceed to give further details about how their daughter was taken from them by CPS.

This complicated situation revolves around a series of three accidents that Omani experiences over a period of time, none of which any child abuse was found. The first accident occurred when Omani fell when she was jumping on the bed at home. She hit her head on the floor and began experiencing seizures. Omani was taken to the hospital and CPS was also contacted to conduct a full investigation. Lisa was accused of kicking Omani. However, Lisa explains that two doctors "confirmed and clarified that her mechanism of injury was consistent with a fall from a bed and NOT being stuck". The doctors also warned the parents of Omani experiencing possible future seizures and other side effects of her head injury.

The second accident took place in the bathroom at home. Just as Lisa was about to come into the bathroom to help Omani off the toilet she heard a loud "bang" and Omani was found seizing on the floor, face down. She is taken to the hospital and once again, CPS investigates but "no child abuse was found." However, later that afternoon Lisa goes to see Omani at the hospital, but she was gone! Lisa explains, "CPS had taken Omani into protective custody without even telling us". Fortunately, "There was no child abuse. It was a mistake. The investigator from the Solano County CPS apologized and returned her home after two days."

As Johnny and Lisa describe their separation from Omani, I begin to think about how scared Omani must have felt and how much she missed her parents. My experience of separation from my parents cannot even begin to compare to the degree of anxiety within the Brown family. But I remember the first time I was separated from my parents when they dropped me off at my babysitter’s house and how worried I was of not being able to see them for what seemed like forever to someone who had never spent time away from their parents and left alone with a stranger. I could feel the relief in Lisa and Johnny when Omani was back in their arms again after the two long days.

However, after another seizure incident and fractured arm, Solano County CPS contact Lisa and Johnny to tell them that a child abuse report had been filed against them by Dr. Torres, who claimed to be Omani’s Pediatrician. Johnny and Lisa are very confused at this point because Lisa explains, "Omani does not have a Pediatrician named Dr. Torres". Later, they discover that "Dr. Torres was actually Michelle Torres, a Vallejo Kaiser Hospital Social Worker, who impersonated herself as a medical professional to have Omani removed".

As a result, Omani was taken into protective custody by CPS based upon the false report of child abuse by Dr. Torres, who deceitfully committed fraud. Johnny and Lisa appear in court and Lisa is charged with four counts of child abuse. They are still in the process of trying to get their daughter back, but it is incredibly frustrating and exhausting both physically and emotionally for them and Omani because CPS is
such a closed and difficult system to crack and defeat. However, the love that Johnny and Lisa have for
Omani is what fuels their motivation to persevere against CPS.

After, talking to Lisa and Johnny I begin thinking back to the other mothers I met from before who told me about their painful experiences of CPS taking their children away and realize the many consistent
similarities each case shares. With each incident, the facts are first twisted into lies of accusation. I
remember a mother who was wrongly accused of being suicidal, which resulted in her son being taken into
custody by CPS.

But the hardest realization I came to was that throughout all these instances of separation, it is always the children who end up suffering the most. I feel happy when parents bring photos of their children to share with me because they usually show the photos of their smiling children first. But as I continue looking at the photos, the children are suddenly filled with sadness and pain after they are taken away from their parents. There is no longer that sparkle of joy in their innocent eyes, only the glistening of tears.

The trauma that these children have experienced cannot be simply forgotten because they are scared, which is why parents like Johnny and Lisa Brown strive to keep "Omani’s best interest in mind," says Johnny as he and Lisa continue to try to reunite their family.

If you are a Child Abuse Expert, Forensics Expert, lawyer or Advocate and are willing to help the Brown family please contact them at (510) 965-1209

by Mike Vizcarra and Mary McAdams

Police brutality has been one of our major concerns ever since I started writing for POOR Magazine. We have always written about it and have had countless interviews with poor folks, people of color and/or houseless folks who have experienced these acts first hand. But it is very hard being homeless or of low income and/or of color to get our voices heard and justice done. Mary McAdams, a Berkeley resident, lost her son last year because of police brutality. Mary is homeless and so was her son. But no one has heard her story.

Mathew J. Murphy Jr. (Jimmy) died June 1, 2001. The cause of death? The official police report lists it as a homicide. The real cause of death?

"They let him die," says Mary, Jimmy’s mother.

Jimmy was born on June 5, 1969. He was born with jaundis. When he was nine months old, his father hit him so hard that it left an imprint on the boy’s head. From that point on he suffered from head injuries. He suffered from coordination problems because of it. Jimmy was also diabetic. To say Jimmy was a sickly kid is an understatement.

"Anytime you have an injury to the brain, there’s a lot of change that happens to that person," says Mary. "Growing up, he would embellish stories because the logical part of the brain was damaged. People couldn’t understand what the head injury and diabetes did to him."

Mary ended up leaving her abusive husband, who repeatedly beat her, took her money, and used heroine. She also blames him for killing their first son, Matty. In 1995, Jimmy traveled cross-country and moved from the east coast to the Bay Area. He wanted to be more self-sufficient. Along the way, he stopped in New Mexico and got a security job. He also had a job as a cashier but "he didn’t understand the concept of money, couldn’t handle the responsibility," says his mother. Mary also moved to the here to the Bay Area around the same time.

Jimmy would occasionally live with his mother in Oakland and Berkeley but started living and working out of his truck. Mary found a job as a live-in caregiver, but lost the job a few years later and therefore lost the home she was living in. She had nowhere to go and neither did her son. She moved into the Berkeley Women’s Shelter on January 21, 2001 and Jimmy continued to live out of his truck. She last saw her son on May 23, 2001.

Jimmy was working odd jobs here and there. He started taking methamphetamines so he could work ‘round the clock. Soon he became addicted to meth and was not eating. He was working constantly trying to make ends meet. He was also having small heart attacks and seizures and his diabetes was getting worse because he couldn’t afford the medicine.

On June 1, 2001, Jimmy was sitting in his truck with his girlfriend in an alley in Richmond. He was tired and wasn’t feeling very well. He lay his head on his girlfriend’s lap and that’s when his girlfriend knew something was wrong. The police came, four officers in squad cars, but they didn’t do anything to help him. They dragged him out of the truck and down the road and were actually laughing at him. Jimmy’s girlfriend was restrained from helping him, helplessly watching Jimmy die. He was pronounced dead at 12:58 p.m. As mentioned earlier, the police ruled it a homicide. Mary estimates that at least a half hour passed between the arrival of the police and Jimmy’s death, and nothing was done. Mary’s watch actually stopped at 1:00 p.m. that day, her belief that it was the exact time of death of her son.

Jimmy’s girlfriend was charged with homicide but was later released. Mary could not even see her son, the police would not let her see the body. She wanted to file a report but a Detective Valley told her, "We did what we had to do and that was it." Had the police not been so heartless Mary would still have her son around. Jimmy was ostracized for being homeless, for living in his truck. He didn’t receive the same treatment like any other person would have received because he was homeless. It makes me mad to think that the police can get away with these crimes against the poor, the homeless, the minorities. The only time the mainstream media and the police listen is when an affluent neighborhood gets "victimized" by these cops. Take for example what happened in the Marina District here in San Francisco: A 911 call for help against police officers who randomly beat a couple guys from a bar all of a sudden gets all this attention. This type of abuse by the police has been going on in our neighborhoods for years. Only when it affects the rich, the privileged, does it make news.

Mary still a lot to deal with. But she found closure with her son after getting together with family members and scattering Jimmy’s ashes. "It was a beautiful, peaceful moment," she told me.

Ode to the Child in You and Me

You can’t see inside of me

If you could you’d know

What a tender child lives in there

Where others cannot go

You can’t be inside of me

If you could you’d see

That I’m struggling on the inside

Just longing to be free

inside I’ll always be that child

Doing all I can

With a heart that longs to be loved by you

Can’t we be just friends?

You look upon the outside

And judge by what you see

But you can’t see the dreams inside

I just want to be me

So many things about me

Are hidden from your view

As there are myrid’s of things

I’ll never know of you

Could we just love each other

In spite of what we see

I’ll love you no matter what

And you can just love me

This world will be better place

If we will blind our eyes

To shut out all those dangerous things

Like anger, hate and lies

So look upon your brothers

And on your sisters too.

And remember inside each of us

There is someone just like you.

Mary E. Mc Adams

by Joe B.

I don’t know much about our alphabet law enforcement’s increased powers but this "Patriot Act" where John/Jane law-all of’ em can know what we read from the library as part of their "attack on terror" is ominous, odious, and perversely childish.

Law folks reading looking at titles of what I chose to read it I find insulting, dangerous especially if they get it into their heads that what I read is a possible danger to the country at large.

I don’t know what I read from day to day or year to year eclectic as it is and there are times when the books are returned because of time.

Which means I don’t read all the books I take out and that’s one of many errors the FBI, CIA, makes assuming every book taken out is read or even understood.

I’ve taken out chemistry, astronomy, physics, astrophysics, mystery, history, and books on the ultimate eternal enigma’s:
[women, both young-old wise, and foolish these texts may explain why men are at times so dense and some women get frustrated, furious, deciding to give up on men and be with their own kind.]

And I’m just one of many whose tastes, curiosity, and sometimes prurient interest may run amuck but thanks to kind friends pointing out the vast difference between Pornography and Erotica my increasing knowledge of the latter decreases the hypnotic power of the former.

I dare say the latter has caused me to be much more caring lover.

Oops W.T M.I.[Way To Much Info]

The thing is my personal growth is not for anyone’s perusal for all I know the ALPHA GANG will automatically with all their psychologists, analysis, and so called expert neurologists will deem me a potential sociopath with a sexual addiction thrown in.

Yes, sex with women is top priority with me though women have ultimate veto power which if I did not comply would have me in jail, dead, or both years ago.

Other people may not be thinking the exact same thoughts as I but when it comes to privacy of the mind.

I do believe they’d say what they read should be inviolate.

I wonder what else the ALPHA GANG is up to?

Let find peek into their files and see how they like it.

Some solutions to foul things up for the A-G’s.

1) Go to old bookstores use cash not credit.
2) Trade old new books among friends, neighbors, wives, husbands, girl/boyfriends, loves, and strangers.
3) If you must use the library get as many books on subjects you have absolutely no interest in from Alpha, Gnostic Religions to Zero.

Anything else folks out there can think of to further gum, kink, cripple, or excuse my English "FUCK UP THIS ASSHOLE Voyeur tendency of the U.S. Government of Amerikka please I’d like to see but more importantly send by snail, or email, word-of- mouth everywhere.

It takes all of us to reverse these laws.

I just hope we all come to our senses quickly.

I know I sound like a smuck many out there; that’s ok as long as they heed this "Patriot Act" crap for what it is domestic spying and further erosion of our fundamental human rights.

Oh, I might end up in jail not because of this but it could be in part but mainly I owe money on my student loan.

But being so low on the criminal list it wouldn’t be worth going after me however in case they do.

Everyone globally or off world have a great Christmas, Happy New Year and Holy Days to all.

My New Years Resolutions Open up more, get back and stay in shape, better lovemaking maybe marriage, learn to play electric piano, real piano, drums, violin, write songs, sing ‘em, and talk less on life extension, cryonics, immortality, and learn how best to use "smart drugs" to improve my health.

All that ought to keep me busy for a few years if not decades. Have long, well lives with few regrets folks, Its been a terribly, wondrous, journey and there’s still more to come. Until 2003, Bye people.

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.

Ok, Tuesday, Dec. 31st , the last day of 2002.
Lots of folks lost their lives or homes either by suspicious fires or layoff.

I don’t know but for folks hanging on to whatever
hovel they call home.

Its gonna get worse before silver linings appear on dark clouds.

Someone just called the office there’s no heavy breathing or foul language only silence on the other end.

I pray a friendly stalker(s)? Hope she's female. (I know dead by either sex is dead).

With my luck she’s gay and playing an elaborate joke.

That reminds me I must finish my book today so this could be a short column and I must correct where to snail or email me at the end of it.

Seems I’m not getting any kind of mail because of how I set the address at the end.

This year has been kind good job, did some poetry and prose on a small intimate stage in a place called the Hotel Utah.

Next year The Fillmore, I know its spelled wrong.

Getting late and I’m leaving the City for a day or two.

So folks stay alive, breathing, thinking, loving, and evolving and be aware always be aware.
Happy Year’s folks… Bye.

PS If you get this column later its because there other things to do plus rushing to my mother’s home for the holiday tonight. An hope to travel abroad in 2003.

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 255 9th 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.

A new year, well 21st century folks what’s goin’ on?

My main problem is fixing this site so letters can be sent to me by anyone taking time from their frenetic lives to write via e or snail mail.

This cloning news true or not someone somewhere is working on it.

Personally, therapeutic cloning works for me consider if one can actually place the billions of neurons of the brain, place them in the brain of an exact cloned body [head first of course] sure works for me.

It eliminates the "Clone as simply spare parts and is a step toward extended life span if not immortality and rids one of the "do they have souls" arguments.

Especially when the original mind inhabits said clone before he/she forms a personality.

I want nanotech self repair mechanisms keeping me healthy and free of any and all diseases.

One of my resolutions is not to talk but get in on these new life extending technologies like movie and TV stars do.

Love is my problem how to get it, keep it, let it go, savor it, find my one or at least kiss lots maidens on the way to marriage.

What do ‘ya want something profound?

I’m just a hetero black mostly clueless man about women.

Like that song "The Girls Are ‘Talkin they’re usually 'talkin among them selves in arcane, mystical femineze all coded so most of us never get what’s going on; then they say we're dense.

We’re not dense but like American’s of African descent their language is always evolving.

Women haven’t given up on me so I’m hell not gonna give up on them – it’s mutual respect, love, and survival.

I’m going to begin exercising again but this time for life.

I still Housesit for a fee except I messed up my address on the biz card.

Most ‘po folks need a side gig this is mine.

Take care folks and enjoy a new year. Bye…

Please send donations to

Poor Magazine or in C/0

Ask Joe at 1448 Pine Street,

San Francisco, CA. 94103 USA

For Joe only my snail mail:

1230 Market St.

San Francisco,CA 94102

PO Box #645

415- 626-4405

Email:
askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Leroy Moore PNN/DAMO

Michael Manning is free at last! "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed!" Martin Luther King Jr. once wrote. This statement can be once again used today in the Michael Manning case in Pennsylvania. Although on December 26th 2002 Michael Manning was finally released from prison, after almost four years, Diana & the whole Manning family has demanded justice and freedom for Michael since 1989. Michael was convicted by a jury not of his peers for third-degree murder of Harry Bureley on September 15th, 1998 and was sentenced on November 13, 1998 to for 12-30 year in what many have seen as a clear case self-defense.

Michael served almost five years for what comes down to as a self-defense case and was tried by an all white Jury and an insensitive, racist, disabled, white, Judge, Ronald E. Vican who used Michael’s name and race in another case of a Black man. In 1998 the DA convinced the Jury that Michael was faking his disability and was the aggressor in the attack although Michael demonstrated how difficult it is to walk without his cane and showed cuts on his hands that he received trying to defend himself. To put the icing on the cake, the only witness the DA had was a well known lying drug dealer. Michael Manning had a clean record and never been in trouble with the law. Matter-a-fact in his younger days, Michael volunteered on a neighborhood youth police watch helping to deter crime and theft in his New York, Bronx community. For almost two years I have wrote about this case of self-defense of a Black disabled young man. Read Fighting to Stay Alive and Oh My Brother

After more than four years of building their campaign, almost single handedly, the truth of Michael’s attack and how he was treated in Judge Ronald E. Vican courtroom of Stroudsburg, Penn. was finally uncovered and Michael conviction was overturned in his appeal to the Supreme Court. Although Michael’s case was overturned nearly four months ago, on Christmas Eve he was still locked up because his bail and lawyer fees equaled over fifty thousand dollars. In a November 14th 2002 email from Michael Manning mother, pinpointed the issue. She wrote, "its sad to think that in this country a man’s freedom is measured by the almighty dollar sign." $50,000 for freedom of an innocent man! It doesn’t make sense!
In September I had the opportunity to visit Michael and his family. After seeing and talking to him and visiting his family, I knew our work would bring freedom in 2003. I knew two years ago when DAMO & Poor Magazine got involved with the Manning campaign that Michael will be sleeping in his own bed. On December 27th, 2002 Michael had a goodnight sleep in his own bed and rang in a New Year with his family.
Although Michael is free, the DA, Mark Pazuhanich, has threatened to take Michael back to court. Occurring to Michael’s mother and his lawyers, the DA has petitioned Supreme Court however they were told the chances of him granted his request is slim. Michael’s conviction was overturned by a majority vote of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the DA hasn’t been successful in his efforts because when he petitioned Superior Court for retrial he was denied. Plus Michael had an outstanding record as a role model to other inmates with shinning recommendation from prison administrators, guards and other inmates. All of the above elements point that this nightmare is over. When I finally heard Michael’s voice on my voicemail the day after Christmas, I looked over to the cover of Martin Luther King’s book, Why We Can’t Wait and realized that the Manning family and supporters demanded freedom and we finally got it!

For more than two years, I kept Michael’s letters and articles I wrote about his case and it taught me, if you really believe in something and stick with it you will see the fruits of your labor. As we enter a New Year the story of Michael Manning should encourage you like it did for me to dedicate yourself to the work of real progressive causes, organizations and be the voice of buried voices that are demanding freedom, justice, equality and to be respected!

Stay tuned for the words and wisdom of Michael Manning, himself! IT IS A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

by Staff Writer

Please join POOR Magazine for the launch party of our newest project; POOR Press.. a project aimed at publishing the books of very low and no-income literary artists ..

This revolutionary event will be filled with music, dance, poetry, readings, a narrated slide presentation and the first presentation of The Eviction - a new play by the Po' Poets of POOR Magazine

Where: 255 9th street bet Folsom and Howard in SF

When: 6:00 pm on Sunday February 23rd

$1-20.00 donation (we are trying to raise money to print more books!!- please see below for information on how advertise in the POOR Press Catalogue)

Call for more info (415) 863-6306

* The new books are:

The Houzin Project; Words, Art and Resources on Eviction, Displacement, and Houselessness-

Featuring over forty youth and adult poverty scholars nationwide including The Po Poets of POOR Magazine (#2 in The Survival Hand-Book series of POOR)

The Poverty Hero Anthology

Story, myth and art on a new literary hero - The Poverty Hero - A collaboration between artists at POOR Magazine and Community Defense Inc.
(With original art by Ken McGhee)

The Po' Cats - Hands and Lesters Adventure Series on Colonialism, Travel and Indigenismo

By Dee, (with original illustrations by Marissa Kunz)

The POOR Nation

Selected works by Po Poet Laureate A. Faye Hicks

SNAG, A literary, visual arts magazine by Native American Youth

As well as the First releases by Byron Gafford, Marvin Crutchfield and Joseph Bolden (graduates of POOR's Digital Resistance Project!!)

See below for Catalogue Ad Rates

*****************

The POOR Press Catalogue....

Please help POOR Magazine, a non-profit, grassroots arts organization facilitate the publishing of radical literature, journalism and scholarship by purchasing an ad in our POOR Press catalogue.

The Catalogue will be distributed all over the Bay Area in bookstores, cafes, libraries and community based organizations!!!

Please help us get these unheard voices heard and be a part of this amazing Grassroots effort!!!!!

Ad Rates – (Sliding Scale based on budget)

1) two line 25 words or less "solidarity ad" $25-50.00

2) 1/8 page (small box or four lines/graphic)$50/75.00

3) 1/4 page (a little bigger box or graphic $75-100

4) 1/2 page (just a half page- do with it what you want!) $150- 400

5) Full page $500-1000.00

All ads in black and white- our "digital resistors" can design for you or you can provide camera ready art work

Please call POOR for more info (415) 863-6306

or email your ad to deeandtiny@poormagazine.org
or fax your ad to (415) 440-3241 and snail mail your check or money order to 1448 Pine street #205 SF 94109

This project was made possible in part be a grant from The Catholic Campaign For Human Development, The Friedman Family Foundation, Themis Fund of The Tides Foundation, A Cultural Equity Grant of The San Francisco Arts Commission, The California Arts Council, The Rainbow Grocery Collective, The SF Bayview, Raising Our Voices/Media Alliance, and all of our wonderful donors and community support members!!!

by Leroy F. Moore Jr./DAMO/PNN

Keep it in the family and in the community! But in the homeland of the Black Panthers- Oakland- it has become almost impossible to do what Alan Laird and his brother, Len has done. The brothers have kept their art gallery\cultural arena, Expression Art Gallery, opened in the Jerry Brown 10k-gentrification tornado that has blown into downtown Oakland leaving it in a cultural graveyard. They (the Laird’s brothers) do this without a cent from city funding or local foundations.

Saturday December 29th was a sign of color, music, poetry and other artistic seeds of Expressions Art Gallery’s garden planted on eighth and Washington St. downtown Oakland. The flowers from this garden has deep roots and have come together on this day to celebrate the life and music of Taswell Baird Jr. who was pushed out of his wheelchair and beaten on November 5th outside of ST. Mary’s Garden’s, a senior housing facility in West Oakland. He died from his injuries on November 22. Although I didn’t know him personally, as a Black disabled, fellow artist, I felt his spirit in Expression Art Gallery that night and felt anger but at the same time I realized I was very lucky to be siting and honoring one of my elder and an artist. I was angry that another Black disabled brother was physically attacked but while enjoying the jazz it hit me, the connection of what happened to Taswell and how I was robbed a day before thanksgiving made me view how lucky I was to only lose my groceries. Laird told me that they knew him and he used to drop by the gallery regularly and saw Taswell all over Oakland in his wheelchair just living his life.

The night began with a historical video of Monk and other Black jazz masters. The Gallery lit up like a Christmas tree when Oakland jazz elders took the stage. Bee bop mixed with hip-hop, spoken word created a family affair. The aroma of pumpkin pie, fried chicken, potato salad formed a tasty cloud that invited passers-by inside. After pleasing my apaite of jazz, spoken word and food, I had a chance to talk to Linda Baird, daughter of Taswell. She felt honor that people would come out during the holidays and put this on for her father. She said that the night reminded her of many rehershels and touring with her father. She told me that he was always talking about coming out of retirement. Linda also had a CD of some of his work. I asked where I could get a recording of all of his music. Because he played in many bands and never had his own band, it is very hard to collect all of his recordings. She is looking forward for some kind of project that would collect his recordings. With a self-portrait of her father on her lap she replied "You know Leroy they prey on the elderly and the disabled." Without a word we both subconsciously knoded. As a poet I know one thing and that is art is therapy and it must come out. Linda said that when her father wasn’t able to blow his trombone, he taught himself to play the piano that reinforce what I believe; you can’t stifle the art in you it will find a way out.

The Laird brothers presented a self-portrait of Taswell that Alan drew to Taswell family. Linda took the mike thanking us and talked about her father. Alan once said that he remembers hearing music and laughter floating around West Oakland. As I left Expression Art Gallery, I heard the music and laughter spilling out of the Gallery and for a moment it engulfed Oakland. Let’s keep the music of Taswell Baird Jr. and the vision of Expression Art Gallery alive and growing in the rebirth of the cultural garden of Oakland.