Story Archives 2004

by Lynda Carson

Oakland CA--In a move that is certain to please
bankers, realtors, landlords and developers, on March
16, Oakland's City Council moved another step closer
to ensure that the notorious Nuisance Eviction
Ordinance (NEO), may soon be used to weaken long
established eviction protections for all of Oakland's
renters.

The Nuisance Eviction Ordinance (NEO), requires
landlords to evict anyone that is targeted and deemed
to be a nuisance by the City of Oakland. Renters need
not be arrested, cited or convicted of anything to
face eviction under the NEO.

Despite the loud boisterous objections of a well
organized crowd of opponents to the NEO, landlords and
City Officials took pains to create the impression
that Oakland's renters may be a bunch of pimps,
prostitutes, and violent drug dealers before the 6 to
1 vote in favor of the tweaked version of the NEO took
place before an outraged citizenry. The new NEO
version comes back on April 6 before the City Council
for a final vote and passage into law.

As the heated rhetoric over the NEO recently exploded
into a public debate, Deputy City Attorney Richard
Illgen became the front man to promote the NEO by
exclaiming that Oakland's renters have illegal
activities going on all around them and needed
protection. Renters and their supporters opposed to
the NEO responded and challenged City Officials to
address the real needs of society and to stop
pandering to special interests that may profit by
those that demonize the poor.

According to Vivian Lee and Sitara Nieves of Critical
Resistance, "The NEO, as it's currently written,
permits eviction without conviction -- and without an
appeals process. With little due process, evictions
could be initiated by a disgruntled neighbor or, in
the case of landlords, for financial gain. Property
rights advocates should be concerned that landlords
would be forced to evict their tenants based on mere
hearsay from the police or other neighbors," said Lee
and Nieves.

Tuesday's City Hall meeting was packed with a loud
energetic crowd that repeatedly chanted, "No On
N-E-O," before the NEO vote took place, and
Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente on several
occaisions threatened to chase everyone out of the
chamber if they continued their chants. Some were
removed from the council chamber by the Police as the
evening wore on.

At least 35 speakers were signed up to voice their
support or opposition to the NEO, and many represented
progressive organizations on behalf of the renters,
while others represented landlords or different
factions of the Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council's known as the NCPC's. By far, the majority of
the speakers were opposed to the NEO.

Landlord Sylvester Grisbey, addressed the council to
say, "I support the NEO because it will save me money,
and help clean up the community. It cost me $2,000 to
evict a drug dealer from my property, and the NEO
gives landlords the opportunity to have the power."

Indeed, under the NEO, Oakland subsidizes the eviction
of renters for the landlords. The designated case
manager and the City Attorney's Office will
administratively collect the evidence used against the
renters. They will create files on renters from a
source of snitches and information provided by the
Police or public agencies and may freely offer the
files to the landlords evicting their renters.

The NEO gives landlords the power to get around well
established renter's protections and subsidizes
evictions in the process.

Oakland's version of the NEO is much more draconian
than the version used in Los Angeles (LA), and records
show that most renters that were served eviction
notices under the NEO in LA, never bothered to fight
the eviction and left after receipt of 3 Day, 30 Day,
or 60 Day Notices.

The Nuisance Eviction Ordinance is Oakland's latest
scheme by City Officials to scapegoat Oakland's
renters as a bunch of criminals, and no evidence was
presented at the council meeting to back up their
assertions. The NEO does not apply to homeowners
selling dope from their residence, and the children of
homeowners do not have to fear from being evicted if
their suspected of illegal drug related activity.

It's the newest reason being used to weaken or
demolish a well established body of state and local
renter's protections that have been agreed upon in the
terms of a lease or month to month rental agreement
for renters in commercial properties, condominiums and
apartments.

It is another part of the master plan to gentrify
Oakland on behalf of the monied interests that have
corrupted the balance of power in favor of the
realtors, landlords, bankers and developers.

Ever since Measure EE, Oakland's eviction protections
went into effect on December 27, 2002, Oakland's City
Council has moved as quickly as possible to weaken
eviction protections and rent control for one reason
or another.

Underlying all the different reasons being used to
attack renter's protections, a June 10, 2003 city
staff report gets to the heart of the matter. The
staff report covers the subject of properties that
become exempt from renter's protections. The report
concludes that properties may be sold at a higher
premium when becoming exempt from renter's protections
because it allows purchasers of property to qualify
for higher loans based upon the increased cash flow at
those properties, and will in turn increase the sale
price of the properties.

As stated in the NEO Summary signed by Councilman
Larry Reid, in part it is being sold to the public as
an economic reason to positively impact the value of
Oakland neighborhoods by evicting renters that may be
accused of illegal drug related activity.

A search of the records show that violent crime levels
in Oakland are down by 8% during the past year. Drug
related arrests have consistantly dropped from a high
of 11,405 arrests in 1990 to a low of under 4,000
arrests during February of 2003 through February of
2004. Since 1969, burglary and robbery have been at
their lowest levels during 2000 through all of 2002,
and theres no evidence or statistics showing that
evicting renters is a deterrent to murder.

Northern California ACLU staff attorney Julie Moss
said,"The language of the ordinance is so vague that
tenants will not know what they have to do to avoid
having eviction proceedings brought against them. You
don't actually have to be engaged in illegal drug
activity, you only have to have activity that usually
accompanies drug activity in order to say you have a
drug related nuisance. So, people not involved in drug
activity could get caught up by this ordinance."

"People that are not creating a nuisance, but may be
dealing with a drug addiction in the privacy of their
own apartment are also included in this ordinance, and
the ACLU urges the council to vote against the NEO,"
said Moss.

The NEO takes away well established renter's
protections, and even goes as far as to offer cover
for wrongful evictions because Section J says
evictions are deemed to be done in good faith. The
latest version of the NEO being trotted out, offers
one new exception, and if the tenant being evicted can
prove that the landlord withheld evidence showing
their innocense, then the tenants may have the right
to sue the landlord for a wrongful eviction.

Adam Gold of Just Cause Oakland denounced the NEO
before the council vote took place and said, "We're
tired of the council carting out these trojan horse
ordinances that hurt the tenants. We can't put our
faith in an ordinance that can be used to abuse the
rights of Oakland's renters and we oppose the NEO."

Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) member
Gloria Jeffrey said, "I represent the Mac Arthur NCPC
and we have a bunch of neighborhood commitees, groups,
citizen bands, and NCPC's collecting evidence. Thats
what we've been doing. We are on the streets, we're
the ones that are filling up books and books and
books, and are taking pictures of criminal activities
happening out on the streets."

Councilwoman Jean Quan is all for the NEO and insulted
the community by stating that people should have read
the ordinance before speaking out against it. She then
lamented that she knows people in the NCPC's that are
being threatened for their activities (snitching on
neighbors) in Oakland. She went on to mentioned a
woman she knows in the NCPC that has people showing up
on her portch to intimidate her family, and that
someone else she knows in the NCPC had a daughter
threatened while in the laundry room of their building
by one of their neighbors.

Rose Braz of Critical Resistance said, "We just heard
from a woman talking about neighbors snitching out on
each other. This ordinance relies on neighbors
snitching out each other to be effective! It turns
people in communities against one another.
Homelessness does not build safer communities. Housing
is not easy to find in Oakland, and you need to create
more access to housing instead of creating more
homelessness with the NEO."

Councilwoman Nancy Nadel said this ordinance does
nothing to affect the problems of poverty that force
people into criminal activity just to survive and that
all it does is punish them.

Steve Edrington of the Rental Housing Association of
Northern Alameda County said, "I support the NEO, and
if your causing trouble in Oakland, you gotta go! Not
every one deserves the right to have protections in
Oakland."

Jonah Zern a school teacher that is with the Education
Not Incarceration (ENI) Coalition said, "Closing
schools and kicking people out of their homes is the
same issue. Listen to the message of the ENI. We're
asking for social programs for our community. We're
asking you to create an inclusive community, not a
divisive community that kicks out the poor for the
well being of the wealthy."

At times, thunderous applause came from the packed
chamber as one speaker after another got their point
across to the councilmembers, and at times Councilman
De La Fuente appeared to do his best to frustrate some
of the speakers or use up their time to antagonize
them.

Judy Appel from the Drug Policy Alliance was cut short
by De La Fuente several times as she said, "This
problem cannot be solved through a law that is fraught
with constitutional and statuary pitfalls, and the
Drug Policy Alliance opposes the NEO." The crowd
yelled out in a roar several times by saying, let her
speak when De La Fuente tried to stop her in mid
stream.

Olivia Prater of the Black Student Union at Laney
College said, "I feel that this is a conservative Jim
Crow law, and I also feel that the school system is a
conservative Jim Crow program. People need a good
education and you should consider that, because now I
see all of you with white sheets over your head."

The Councilmembers appeared to be unmoved from their
position as the majority of speakers denounced the NEO
and rose to the occaision in opposition to this
ordinance that appeared to be promoting homelessness
as a means to solve Oaklands problems.

As it turned out, Councilwoman Jane Brunner leapt from
abstaining on the NEO during the February 17 vote, and
came around to supporting it this time around.

Jorge Aguilar of the Eviction Defense Center said, "It
is unconscionable! It's unfair to tenants, overly
broad, and likely to be unconstitutional."

"I think this is awful public policy, said Sitara
Nieves. Nieves who has a Bachelors Degree in
Comparative Religions, is one of the organizers from
Critical Resistance that helped to fill up the council
chambers with people in opposition to the NEO. "This
will make Oakland less safe and it's not a solution to
Oakland's drug wars," said Nieves.

In contrast to many others, Michael Collins said, "The
residents of the Oaks Hotel are all prostitutes, pimps
and drug addicts, and everyone should drive over to
15th and Jefferson Streets to see all the action
happening over there."

Like a pit bull ready for a fight, macho Layla
Montarch marched up to the podium and she said, "I
represent alot of neighborhoods and I do alot of work
in this area of drug abatement. Evidence is coming
from my neighbor people who are out there with log
sheets and cameras to record the activities. We're not
going to have drug dealers anymore in Oakland," she
said, as she swaggered away from the podium like an
angry Drill Sergeant with a bad hangover.

Local figure Hugh Bassett, said, "I must be getting
old because I used to be on the same side as all the
people here that are in opposition to the NEO. I'm a
homeowner now, and I support the NEO."

"I live in a neighborhood with drugs and criminal
activity," said Demetria McCain-Higgins.
McCain-Higgins exclaimed that she has relatives that
have fallen into the hands of those dealing drugs and
have had friends that have been improperly arrested,
tried and convicted, and she opposes the NEO. "I'm
against the NEO because I understand from reading it
that it's fraught with problems. Your the government
and you only get one bite, and you don't get two
bites. Let the criminal justice system take it's
course. If the tenant gets arrested they have a fifth
amendment right, but you want them to defend
themselves in an administrative setting. This is only
going to throw people on the streets, and not solve
any safety issues." Vote no on the NEO," she said.

Periodically, Councilman De La Fuente would start
calling out names again to get speakers lined up to
speak their piece, and then he would go back to
interrupting them as the clock was quickly ticking by,
and the crowd would start up again with another chant
saying, No On N-E-O, No On N-E-O, NO On N-E-O, No On
N-E-O.

Dorcey Nunn had his turn and said, "I oppose the NEO
because theres not any real evidence and it's based on
allegations and not convictions. Your getting ready to
deny people housing in Oakland without having a
conviction! This is outrageous behavior, and will push
people of color out of Oakland."

Elder Freeman says, "We need to deal with the source
of the drugs coming into the community, not to go
after it once it's been spread throughout the city.
Talk to Bush and his daddy, their dope dealers."

Linda Evans from the All Of Us Or None Organizatiion,
said, "We are an organization of people coming out of
prison. We know we have to fight for our rights
because on every front we are being subjected to
terrible discrimination. I think that the NEO is just
one more example of that kind of discrimination. It
allows people to be evicted because of an arrest,
because of hearsay, and it is unacceptable for people
trying to integrate themselves back into their
communities and families. I think you should seriously
consider opposing this ordinance."

The council members have been trying to sell the NEO
as a tool needed to protect the renters from criminals
in their midst, but not even one tenant showed up to
speak up in support of the NEO.

John Murcko of the Eviction Defense Center was a fire
cracker when he spoke and he stirred up the crowd by
saying,"This law is a sham! The source of the problem
most tenants live with is not crime. It's the
condition they live under. I've represented thousands
of tenants, and their exposed to rats and roaches,
leaky roofs and sewers backing up into their homes,
and no heat in the winters. We should be passing laws
against the landlords for allowing these conditions to
affect the community."

Doris Stancil a former member of the Rainbow Push
Coalition said, "If any of you really think that the
solution to Oakland's problems is to toss our
grandchildren out into the streets when they get into
trouble and expect the system to take care of them,
then your a damn liar!"

James Vann of the Oakland Tenants Union believes
eitherway, that if it's not a conspiracy, it's a
deliberate plan to take away the rights of the tenants
and their eviction protections. At the podium Vann
said, "This is bad law. This is terrible law. It
tramples on civil rights. It tramples on human rights.
It tramples on everything we're supposed to believe
in."

When all was done and said, Councilman Larry Reid
refused to allow any amendments being pressed by
Councilwoman Nancy Nadel that were meant to make the
NEO a bit more compassionate. All the other
councilmembers stepped in line to pass the NEO, except
for Councilwoman Desley Brooks who failed to appear at
Tuesday's meeting.

Once again, the NEO is coming up for another vote for
it's final passage on April 6 at Oakland City Hall.
Activists are urging people to keep hope alive and to
keep on fighting this ordinance until hell freezes
over.

My apologies to all the others that have not been
quoted for in this story, but have made the selfless
effort to oppose the NEO.

Best wishes to Father Donald Weeks and his Housing
Program for his strength and compassion in standing up
against the bully that threatened 30 people with an
eviction, just to get at one of them.

Critical Resistance may be reached at 444-0484

by Leroy Moore/Illin n' Chillin

In 1967, a Black disabled leader was born into an
independent thinking and radical Black family. My
mother was very independent and blazed new grounds on
how to rise her children. My father, an ex football
player and Black Panther, who worked with Push,
rainbow Coalition and was a revolutionary. Our family
saw him going to house meetings and groups he helped
start for Black youth, and his involvement in the
Black Panther Party. My mother dragged me to disabled
meetings, school's PTA's and protests on many issues.

In my early days I tagged along with my father
at house meetings on issues concerning the Black
community. Many youth at that time witnessed our elders
doing everything under the sun in the community;
children programs, home schooling, opening up stores,
providing in-home-support services to elders,
community doctor's office etc. This all took place by
people coming together at friends houses over some
soul food to lay out what needed to be done and how to
raise funds for the work. What happened?

Very slowly my father and others got involved
with organizations outside the Black community and
found the concept of receiving money outside the
community from the government and white foundations to
do work in the Black community. In my view this was
the downfall of the extraordinary work youth like
myself saw in my community. The first element that
was scraped was the environment my elders met in.
Slowly the structure of house meetings became ridge
and people had to fit into this strange uniform that
restricted our progress, conversation and created an
hierarchy with president, vice president, treasury and
secretary. All-of-a-sudden people had their hands out
for a piece of the money that flowed in from outside
of the community and the work we, youth, saw every day
by many was cut back drastically and the house
meetings were no longer popular in the community.
You would of think my generation would learn from
what we viewed when we was younger? Just like my
father, I got involved with my community and activist
groups. Carrying what my mother showed me by
attending all of those white disabled groups and that
was learn from them but always remember you cant
relay on them to carry out your agenda. She used to
say to me. Just like what I saw in those house
meetings I saw in many new groups today including
Disability Advocates of Minorities Organization, DAMO,
that got together to work on their own agenda. The
same thing has happen to these groups compare to the
groups my generation grew up in. Much incredible work
was done in the early days of these groups and it was
a family affair until outside pressure began to
influence the group. However in these days the amount
of time between a loose collective group to a
structure official uniform of non-profits is very
short and this is unfortunate.

The tight straight jacket of non-profits most of
the times suck the creativity, friendships, vision and
dedication of the group who started out with thinking
and working from their hearts but on the other hand in
our capitalist society very few of us can or will work
for free. So where is the middle stage? How much
some of us would love to turned back the clock to my
youth, seeing our communities totally ours without
strings attach to foundations, the red tape and paper
work and hierarchy of non-profits! But we must charge
onward into the future to find out new models of
community activist work that has a mixture of the two
models mentioned above or is it time to come up with a
whole new model.

Today, after five years of building Disability
Advocates of Minorities Organization we've felt the
straight jacket of fitting a collective group with
strong like family ties into a cold, informal and
culturally insensitive non-profit structure in the
last two years. This has turned my stomach inside out
so much that I'm taking time off and really answering
the question, are non-profits the way for
activists\revolutionaries like myself?
Just think about it, every group that turns into
a non-profit has to go down the same avenue. About
the time we have come out of this tunnel in getting
our non-profit status, do we have our same vision and
individuality and commitment to our community or are
we too wrapped up in bureaucracy culture of the
non-profit machine? Is this diversity? Hopefully we
know by now that there has to be another way to
continue to do our work as activists!

by Joshua Cinelli/Street Roots

Sheila had only been in town for a few days, having hitchhiked from Michigan with her human companion Brent. Even though Sheila was a long way from home, she looked very much at peace on a sunny day on the park mall lawn climbing over a group of young people collapsed in one heap.

Sheila is a young red heeler who nibbles on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while her companion talks about her.

"She is a pure bred — loyal and smart. We got picked up mostly because of her," says
Brent, who looks road weary but smiled as he glanced at his pup.

"We feed her before we feed ourselves," he said. "Even though she is small in stature, she is good protection and has an ability to sense danger."

All of which make Sheila a valuable companion on the streets of Portland where many youths arrive still clinging to the best friend from home, a dog or a cat, or maybe a stray that has tagged along. Homeless shelters in Portland don’t accept pets, and most owners aren’t willing to let their pets loose, or worse, for a night on a shelter bunk. Even if a shelter did allow pets, “It would have to be a nice one if I was going to let my dog stay there,” said one of Sheila’s companions. “Not like the pounds with the cages.”

Web has lived on the street for 10 years. He leans up against the side of a building while his two dogs, Ghengis Khan and Generation 13, play with a ball. “It’s hard out here with dogs. It’s a lot of responsibility. You can’t take the max or the bus. You can’t do a lot of things. But they are worth it.”

Web pats one dog on the back and said his four-legged friend has traveled 2,600 miles by way of hitchhiking. “There should be a program for alcohol and drug rehab where you can have animals.”

Right now there is hardly anywhere to bring an animal at night.
“There is no safe place to keep your pet,” a young man nicknamed Groundscore said. “You’d rather sleep under a bridge than give up your dog to go inside.”

At the Streetlight youth shelter, workers are addressing the needs brought up by youth who said the lack of shelter space for homeless youths with companion animals is a barrier in getting them off the street.

“Presently, we have two kennels and are working to make agreements with the youth to walk their dogs at night and first thing in the morning while making sure that the animals have proper vaccinations and licensing,” said Kevin Donegan, director of community programs at Janus Youth. “Otherwise, it is a danger to other pets and staff.”

Jess Fraver, a veterinary assistant at Lombard Animal hospital explained the necessity for the recommended immunizations for puppies and the financial cost involved with keeping up with shots and check ups.,

“If a shelter were to house animals there would be a need for a kennel cough vaccine because the kennel cough is a respiratory ailment quick to spread and with serious implications,” Fraver said.

There are currently free vet clinics offered periodically at Outside In and Dignity Village provided by volunteer veterinarians working with Progressive Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS. PAWS is taking a leadership role in providing direct care of homeless companion animals. Dignity Village currently has 30 cats and 14 dogs living out at Sunderland Yard and is the one place where folks who are homeless can live with their animals off the streets.
Matt Roselle of In Defense of Animals believes that companion animals are truly part of the family.

“If someone’s life situation changes and they end up without a place to live, the companion animal should be part of the equation,” Roselle said. “They should have shelters where families and individuals can have animals until they get back on their feet.”
There is a fine line between those who had companions when they were housed and those who take on animals while they are living on the street, Roselle said.

“It is not a responsible move for a homeless person that doesn’t have an animal to choose to take on an animal when they are in that situation. It is a big responsibility and should be taken seriously,” Roselle said.

It raises the issue that a large number of the housed population feel it is cruel for people who are on the street to have animals. Animal cruelty can be determined, according to PAWS, by observing characteristics of their environment, including access to food, water and shelter.

For a lot of young people without housing, an animal is a source for unconditional love and a constant companion. Snaggle Tooth, a trained chef, said his pit bull Chevy was the reason he gave up drugs.

“I just wanted to spend more time with her and be better to her.” Chevy, an affectionate smoocher, is dressed in a maroon sweatshirt and some beads hang around her neck. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.” Snag says.

Snag’s and Chevy’s relationship is not uncommon for people who are homeless and animal companions. Dogs, after 10,000 years of domestication, now depend on humans to comprise their pack. A sufficient amount of contact with the human pack provides the dog with the necessary security and order. This devotion becomes a two way street. Even during the coldest days and most adverse conditions of outside living, outreach workers have found a barrier to bringing people off the street into shelter because they will not abandon their companion.

When a person does give up an animal, if it is not taken by another person, than the animal goes to the animal shelter where many animals are euthanised after being labeled “unadoptable.” Mountain, a young woman now in housing, said it was extremely difficult to find an apartment that would let her keep her dog. Despite the limitations placed on individuals living on the street with companion animals, there are many positives for these young people to have an animal that provides love, protection and security. However, there are currently no plans to begin accepting pets into public shelters, according to Heather Lyons of the Bureau of Housing and Community Development.

“There has been discussion in the past on what to do with homeless people that have animals, especially youth, but there has not been a broad-based effort or an allocation of funds as of yet to change the access available.”

City's new alcove policy stirs up homeless displacement issues

By Joanne Zuhl/Street Roots

The city’s decision to waive fees on erecting alcove gates for downtown business owners is expected to further displace the city’s homeless population into outlying neighborhoods.
That might not have been the intent behind the 18-month pilot program, but it is a consequence homeless advocates hope the city is prepared to deal with.

"In these alcoves, police get a number of calls for services regarding the removal of criminal activities," Myers told the Council as photos of gratified alleyways, discarded beer and wine bottles, used syringes and feces flashed on the large screen above the Council.

The pilot project, proposed by downtown’s Senior Neighborhood Officer Jeff Myers, waives the high fees associated with permitting gates in downtown alcoves. The intention is to give business owners greater freedom to erect gates to prevent vandalism, drug use and other misuse of the alcoves along the city’s streets and alleys. The policy was supported by the city’s police and fire bureaus, city attorneys’ office, department of transportation, and other Portland departments, and received a unanimous vote of support from the City Council on March 17.

While the benefits to the pilot program were not questioned, Marc Jolin, an attorney with the Homeless Law Program of the Oregon Law Center raised the consequences.

"There will be a secondary effect on homeless people who use alcoves as a shelter of last resort," Jolin said to the Council.

"Alcoves are not part of our homeless system," said Commissioner Jim Francesconi said,
Perhaps not officially, but they are used as shelter for the homeless, which number far exceeds the amount of shelter beds provided in Portland.

Jolin said the impact on the homeless population must be addressed and incorporated into the process for developing and monitoring the pilot program. Many groups have already been addressing the homeless population to find new solutions, including the city's Blue Ribbon Commission on Homelessness, the Southeast Uplift Homeless Working Group, and crossroads. "The alcove abatement should be rolled into that process." Jolin said.

Other speakers questioned how the review process, which is paid for by the fees, will be conducted without the cut in funding. The impact on the displacement of the homeless into neighboring residential and business communities was also raised as a concern.

"It doesn’t go away," said one resident and board member of the Hosford-Abernathy Neighborhood Association. "It just changes the places. This may be ultimately part of the answer, but I think we need to involve everyone."

Commissioner Erik Sten said it was unfortunate that the homeless advocates were not involved in the process leading up to the abatement policy, but he voted in favor of the new policy saying there was still room for involvement as this program and others move forward.

All the members of the Council commented on the need to address the displacement issue, but that the concerns for criminal activity and the protection of property values were equally important for the downtown business owners.

Responding to the questions of displacement, Myers said the alcove project is only one of eight pilot projects the police and the city are working on to address the growing homeless population in Portland.

by Clive Whistle/PNN

"No Justice No Peace

No Housing No Peace"

The words poured out onto the tidy white streets of Main Street, United Snakes of Amerikka (actually, Encinal Ave in the city of Alameda).

"Who has the money or the means to move to Eureka or Fresno?"

The words poured out of the mouths of children and families of all colors and cultures on the brink of homelessness. Suddenly the haves were not so safe in their cuccoons of lies. Suddenly the have-nots were taking over the streets!

On Friday, June 25th over 70 tenants along with advocates from Campaign for Renters Rights marched through the main street of the city of Alameda demanding justice, housing Justice.They did this in protest to the 264 Section 8 tenants who received eviction notices from the Alameda Housing authority less than a month ago. As reported in PNN/SF Bayview last week, the classist policies instituted by the Bush Administration' s appointee to Housing and Urban Development(HUD) Alphonso Jackson, who was publicly quoted as saying that poverty is just a state of mind, are causing poor families and elders across the nation to become homeless due to drastic and unexpected cuts to the Section 8 program.

As a formerly homeless San Francisco and Oakland resident who is now home-ful because of the Section 8 program, I "felt" this protest. When my editor, tiny informed me of this new attack on the poor, I volunteered to attend the march in solidarity with the Alameda Tenants. When I traveled over to Alameda on the bus, the real possibility of Class war started to hit me. Where would hundreds of thousands of poor people from New York to Los Angeles go?

" No justice No Peace!!! We marched across their brick lined sidewalks. We banged pots and pans. We spoke the truth."What if it was YOUR family about to be homeless?!!"

"No Housing No Peace" After we made it down Main Street. We marched into "their" neighborhoods. Over 40 tenants marched through the "nice" neighborhoods of Alameda. We were on our way to the Mayors House.

"No Justice No Peace."Over 40 tenants invaded the Bay Farm island neighborhood of Alameda where the mayor of Alameda resided. We marched for over an hour. We would not be silent. We would be back.!

And then suddenly, like "magic" "They" found the money to re-fund 105 vouchers. Later that same day, The Alameda Housing Authority began making calls to let the tenants know that 105 vouchers would be reinstated. Housing advocates cite the combination of legal pressure and people pressure from the protests. Bill Simpage, attorney for disabled tenant, Charlie Jammer,and attorney Benjamin Gould from Legal Aid who under the notice laws put pressure on the Alameda Housing Authority for not giving proper notice to tenants to move because Housing Authority only gave the tenants less than three weeks notice that they would not be funded in Section 8's program is still questioning how they are "picking" the tenants they will reinstate. As of this press date for instance, Charlie Jammer still has not been reinstated. But no matter, our voices are starting to be heard and we will not stop until all 264 tenants in Alameda are definitively reinstated.

And like my editor said in last weeks report, this is only the preview of bush's plans to cut funding for 250,000 existing Section 8 vouchers in fiscal year 2005. So as far as I am concerned unless people are completely numbed by too much corporate media slush their will be more neighborhood invasions, more truths spoken and no peace in the streets!!!

by Willie Warren/Po Poets Project and Coalition On Homelessness

A Mac G3 computer,

Has captured my attention;

.Various thoughts are having,

One-hell-of-a-convention.

My J.V.C. is jammin�,

I�m sitting slightly stoned;

Finally after ten years

The computer is my own.

Classic Rock are the tunes,

For this tale being told;

Of a Street Sheet Salesman,

Waking up, before too old.

His name was George Hester,

Lived homeless for a while;

Until he missed his family,

And decided to reconcile.

Knowing his journey was long,

And Ooohhh, so tough as well;

He knew he had to change,

To escape his living hell.

Surrounded by temptations,

Meant for different breeds;

Walking the addiction line,

While craving hunger needs.

Gambling for sleeping places,

In a shelter lottery game:

Sometimes resulted outside,

Alone with personal shame.

Daytime came very early,

Energy and wits on trial:

Coalition On Homelessness,

Was the key to reconcile.

Signing to sell Street Sheets,

A homeless paper for all:

Each visit was George�s chance,

For a long distance call.

Talking to folks back home,

Makes the difference in the world;

Pride and stamina surfaces,

Like a U,S. flag unfurled.

Going to the �Hot Spot,�

With Street Sheets you sell;

Customers acknowledge you,

With sales and stories to tell.

Good karma and a some luck,

Causes your wallet to smile;

It helped George get closer,

To home and reconcile.

His mind had now decided,

To get it together quick;

His children needed daddy,

George got on the stick

First on his agenda,

Sacrifices of his choice:

This raised his energies,

And power of his voice.

Deep in his subconscious,

A family fire burned;

Time for back to basics,

And use all he had learned.

Surviving San Francisco,

By way of telephone dial;

Is lonely and heartbreaking,

Until you reconcile.

Seeing the differences,

In the City�s street lives;

Stars, athletes, drivers,

Including husbands and wives.

Soldiers, sailors, and pilots,

And people who lend money;

Togetherness told George,

Go home to your honey.

Daily Street Sheet sales,

Made George a few dollars;

County Assistance Aid,

Helped him clean his collars.

Continuing weekly calls,

Building his money pile;

Charted George�s journey,

Home to reconcile.

Anticipation was thick,

Like night fall to a cricket;

Countdown time until,

He bought his home ticket.

His people are glad he�s home,


Here�s George�s last message,

To San Francisco and friends.

When marital problems arise,

And life don�t look too good;

Sometimes separating makes,

Couples think, like they should.

When children are involved,

Check your attitude and style;

It takes two loving adults,

To forgive and reconcile.

by Tiny/ PNN ReViEwsfOrTheReVoLuTiOn

"I do not consent to talk to you"

"Am I being detained?

"Am I free to go?"

As i watched these POWERful words of police resistance emote from the new COPWATCH know your rights training video I wished i had known these things when i was questioned, detained and finally arrested for Driving While Poor violations in Oakland a few years ago. In my case, the first rather innocuous questions about why i was " in the neighborhood" turned into the more serious, police sanctioned, "questioning" cause i was driving in a hooptie (old car) with all my possessions ( we were houseless at the time) i had priors for sleeping in my car, and although my mother was with me, i was only 17, all of which cleanly placed me as a "possible suspect" in the small strange minds of what i call the Po' Lice ( ya know parasites on the po')

"By not fearing the system you can change it" this empowering and engaging "training" video entitled "the Streets Are Watching" including brothers like Islord, a founding member of the Cinncinati branch of COPWATCH giving us words of scholarship from their ongoing struggles and necessary resistance to the local police departments' harassment of African-Americans in the Cinncinati area . Islord's narration cited the case of Timothy Thomas who was chased by cops on April 7th into an alley and then assasinated by cops igniting the infamous riots that ensued the day after the murder happened.

"People said we were tearing up our own neighborhoods", another Cinncinati member named Gavin related,but home ownership among African-Americans in Cinncinati is running at 3% - they were just trying to get noticed about this unjustice."

"The cops were basing all their stops on race profiling" Steve Nash, a founding member of the Denver branch of COPWATCH related their groups' recent win with the DEnver Police department. He went on to tell us that every Cinco De Mayo when thousands of Latino youth cruise the main Denver boulevard the police was pulling over several thousand youth on race based stops resulting in arrests and impounds of almost everyone they pulled over until the COPWATCH folk fought back by being present at the checkpoints and documenting each illegal stop- dropping the arrests to 15 citations and no arrests.

The first half of the Video was looking at the resistance of regional branches of COPWATCH; the second half was an on-screen KNOW YOUR RIGHTS training with extremely important information for all conscious citizens', especially poor folks and folk of color always at-risk of police harassment and abuse, such as the young folk at the school of Social Justice in Oakland who suffered the recent attacks by OPD

"You need to treat cops alot like farm animals, you don't want to startle or scare them" Andrea Pritchett from the Berkeley branch of COPWATCH narrated much of the Know your rights training tips with odd on-screen moments from startled and obviously defensive cops thrown in for visual aid, "You have the right to verbally refuse a search, if they are asking you questions and you answer then you are voluntarily participating in the cops' investigation" She went on to relate the modest beginnings of COPWATCH which was originally started in MArch of 1990 because the Berkeley police were trying to rid downtown Berkeley of all homeless people.

" The Signature of a real democracy is that there is a restraint on the police" As I watched civil rights attorney Osha Neuman who literally saved me from a long trip to Santa Rita County Jail for my crimes of poverty with his free and extremely innovative lawyering, speak into the camera, I was filled with not only inspiration but empowerment that with the knowledge imparted in tis video people could effectively resist the brutality, the harassment and maybe, even the wrongful death caused by the Po'lice

To get a copy of the video THESE STREETS ARE WATCHING produced and edited by Jacob Crawford contact COPWATCH at (510) 548-0425

by Joe B.

Women,Men& Others Things

I have a few female friends young and old and I’ve seen parts of our socioeconomic/sexual dynamics in action.

In dance/bar clubs ladies rule,invited in free while men pay,have a free drink or two from the bar or men buy them.

Straight women can dance among themselves while men huddle in dark corners watching,waiting yet we know if straight men do this dance with each other without the slightest hint gayness guess who’d would feel threatened?

Yes,women who’ve come to shake their thangs lookin’ stunning and in no way interested in interacting with men drooling over them.

That’s the part I don’t understand women get dressed to the max, revealing outfits to been seen so if men are there for a psychological ego boost that dressing for women just doesn’t cut the way men especially straight men characteristically can.

However it’s one way complimentary in that few men unless they are gorgeous with pleasing musculature,a car,and long green are complimented to there face.

Our world changes slowly too slowly half if it is our (men’s) fault but the other may be our so called better halves who.

Women still are low on the scale economic and physical freedoms but their compensations are awareness,time,and perception.

Awareness that not all men are slow to change though the majority are.

Time: women have more time to grow expand beyond our societies limited scope.

Men,slowed by themselves and societal pressures to conform as women.

Funny how men as they slowly change women begin to want them to go slightly back to older ways yet want to retain their own new freedoms.

Let’s see,expanded psychological sexual freedoms for them but money,car,work,and slight fashion improvements for us.

Men will be fully free as women themselves aim to be,equally not as interested in females as they say they are of us because ultimately equality cuts both ways women cannot have it all if men are still trapped in gender roles women want them to be.

As more men change how they treat themselves, others,and women it seems women want retro men again of course slightly updated.

Remember the ’60,70’s 80’s and 90’s male changed because women pushed them to it.

At first men resented the changes but as the millennium shifts men began and continued changing on their own.I believe the constant "Men are dogs,Wrong,Biological Misfits not worth their time,let’s love our own sex."pronouncements

These Statements are strong,bold,life affirming its just that they forget the other side of the coin like it or not women are half a sex no better,no worse.

Gay men countered that and as for hard wired straight men as I know that war can bind band-of-brother’s in close non sexual ways far more meaningful than gay bar esthetic. Nothing wrong with it its just war bonds men gay or straight like few situations can.

Constant rejection if not aimed at men individually but as a group does nothing than convince most straight men that women truly don’t know their own minds,what they want,need,and as convenient change their minds while men if they were equally flexible would be considered wishy washy or wimps.

Women,with double standards working in their favor chose to keep them as long as certain societal norms aids women such as men paying to enter,buy drinks,be economically better off, wife not husband battering and rape (Yes,rare but it happens when either an mature woman and young boy or of equal age with a woman wielding garden sheers, knife, or gun threatening bodily harm forcing sex).

Sounds funny? Then you, have a bigger,stronger, female grope and grab your balls as her friends watch,tell me what fun it is.

From all the jokes women say about how men are just there,do little to help the world, neglecting that they are as equally criminal in their ways.

Tell a boy of 11 and girls 14 and older out to rape a kid because there horny,lonely,likes or hates the boy.

Who is most likely to be the rapist in this scenario? YOUNG BOY’S CAN,ARE RAPED BY GIRLS, WOMEN.

REMEMBER WOMEN MATURE MENTALLY,PHYSICALLY FASTER THAN BOYS.

As women and society boasts,well this too is what happens to some young boys,young girls aren’t the only ones damaged by have sex or sex being forced on them at too young an age.

But our society says boys,men can only be raped by other men untrue girls,women,older or with weapon can get away with rape more quietly than men and though much less than women the trauma is as devastating and women can report few boys or men feel they can and that society will see as a snickering joke.

Men,straight men are really one if not the last to leave their mental constraints and it seems no matter how hard we try to please women they will never be satisfied and always be angry us as the past continues to recede.

What we men can do is as women have done in the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s to find our own worth away from fem anti-male value judgements,there are reasons why we Isolate ourselves sometimes.

Reasons why fishing, hunting,sweat lodge,gyms, and mountainous outdoors call us.

Ok, women have proved they can do everything better,as the saying goes "It takes a woman to do a man’s job" Great now that you’ve competed,won against in competitions you know how shallow and false the whole thing is.

Ladies never understood being by ourselves in the wilderness or the neighborhood gym was never about pure competition with our fellow men some of it yes but most was about seeing how we do against ourselves not you.

Personally when I go weights or swim I really don’t care how pretty the women are inside I’m their to improve myself and if I get a date that’s gravy.

Don’t care if body building woman is stronger than me if I’m to straining place a weight back up on the bar and a stronger more experience woman spots me that’s good for me and later when stronger I can spot her.

I don’t compete with women because win or lose I as a man lose either way while women for just stepping up to the plate (baseball term) she’s praised either way while I’m condemned either way and that’s a double standard women don’t mind because it’s a woman’s win-win societal standard.

As men find themselves slowly as with women not needing,wanting them as much addicts need their fix it seems women are panicking wanting men to revert into updated better dressed strong, silent types.

Women may not need us but in their hearts still want us they want us to listen,not argue,and like a preverbal gingerbread, snowman (perfect man) books.

Their perfect men are nice,don’t argue and if they do their heads can be bitten off."

Yes,it’s a joke but its has a bit of truth that men are so confused about women’s motives they won’t say or do anything to be in view of scorn.

To late guys say nothing or talk either way we are slammed because they’ll go for our privates, or weakest points to take advantage of. The size matters – doesn’t matter crap. Guys, use what ‘ya got to your greatest advantage that means the brain. Your brain the largest hidden sexual organ there is.

If women play the game let ‘em you don’t have to they’re able to get it whenever they can they say but guys where the other half we’re the ones with the attachment. If men are so rotten and bad why do lesbian use battery operated phallic shaped objects and fruit especially when their tongues are suppose to the end all be all of lesbian sex obviously banana’s, cucumbers, flowing water, and phallic shaped objects are in place of… could It be male dumb sticks?

I strayed from "The Gigolo Thing" maybe that’s a subject woman,current or retired gigolo men can broach other than I but I’d like to get tips from either gigolo’s or women who’ve rented their services what made them chose them and if… well I don’t have the looks or body but I’m curious anyway – to have a gigolo’s knowledge get and use it for free.

I don’t think I’d ever be paid for sex more like I would be the one paying.

But men aren’t perfect gingerbread/snowmen to be cast aside they can build perfect men by cloning and genetic manipulation which is feasible or deal with men as they improve like they are.

We are stumbling in the dark as they and like them Men hold up the other half of the sky.


Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco,CA 94103

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Leroy F. Moore Jr.

This is an incredible book!!!!! I found this book on
Christmas eve 2003 over the internet. BLACK and DEAF
in AMERICA: Are We that Different was first published
in 1984 by TJ Publishing Inc. What a Christmas
gift! As a Black disabled researcher and writer on
race and disability, I knew I needed to read this
book. What history and talents we have as Black
disabled people. BLACK and DEAF in AMERICA: Are We
That Different was written by two extraordinary Black
deaf leaders, advocates, professionals, artists and
educators: Ernest E. Hairston and Linwood Smith. I
can go on and on about the authors and their work.
Being a poet I was interested in finding more writings
by Mr. Smith. He was a poet. Black & Deaf in
America end with his poem entitled: The Way of A
Hand. After doing some research I found out he is the
author of Silence, Love and Kids I Know, a book of
poems about children he taught published in 1979. I'm
pulling my hair out trying to locate this book. If
anybody knows how, please drop me an email! In the
Memoriam at the end of the book by Ernest E. Hairston
to Linwood Smith who passed away on November 14, 1982,
made me feel like I knew Mr. Smith and shared his
dedication to Black disabled people and his love for
the arts, writing reading and children. This Memoriam
was written not from a pen by from the heart and I
felt every word.

I've to admit that I was a little bit jealous after I
read the last page of this book because this is the
kind of book that I talk about writing on Black
Disabled People in America. BLACK and DEAF in
AMERICA. has everything that I've dreamt about in a
book. Mixture of historical facts, which you won't
learn in American history or Black History, classes,
pictures of Black deaf people showing them in their
daily lives and a poem etc. Do you know the name of
the first Black deaf student to graduate from
Gallaudet College in Washington, DC? Most historians
will know about the famous protest at Gallaudet for a
deaf president but BLACK and DEAF in AMERICA lets the
cat out of the bag in writing about the long history
of not accepting Black deaf students. This book is
not afraid to put race in the reader's face with
chapter titles like Rehabilitation and the Black Deaf
Person and Black Signs etc.. What makes this book so
great is the mixture of historical facts like the
growth of Black Deaf Social Clubs i.e. The Washington
Silent Society that was established after WWII and
continue through the early 1950's because Black deaf
people were barred from joining and participating the
large white association.

The black and white pictures
that are sprinkled throughout the book points out racial
segregation in schools to the pride of Black deaf
people at the first Black Deaf Conference held at
Howard University on June 25-26, 1981 where I think
this book was birthed. It also has pictures of Black
Deaf youths that I just want to hang on my wall.
BLACK and DEAF in AMERICA can be held up next to the
almighty Reflection: Views of black disabled people on
their lives and community care published in the UK
1994. The only book at the time that talks truthfully
how race touches Black disabled people and it is also
written for and by the people.

Another reason why I
adore BLACK and DEAF in AMERICA. is because its in
the voice of advocates, the people who live the
experience and a seed in the community compared to the
recent push of the ivory walls or the medical system
speaking for the Black community. Have you heard of
Black Sign? Yes, this book trails the birth and death
of Black sign or what the author writes, "a Black way
of signing used by Black deaf people in their own
cultural milieu." Just like Black deaf social clubs
came to exist, Black sign blossomed because of the
same reason, societal attitudes and discriminating
policies.

BLACK and DEAF in AMERICA.. hits on reality in
today society facing Black deaf people. For example,
a lack of rehabilitation services that reach the Black
deaf community. One shocking quote both authors come
back to at the end of the book is "Hundreds of Black
deaf children have never had the opportunity to talk
with or met Black deaf adults during their informative
years." They say this case of a lack of visible role
models could and has drastic affect on a sense of
pride, self-esteem and strive to go on with their
dreams and goals in their lives. As a Black physically
disabled young man I can say I agree but very little
has change in this arena. When was the last time you
saw a Black disabled man or woman on television or in
the newspaper. Even during Black History Month we
are almost invisible! The Authors continues to hit it
on the nail.

The second to last section of the book continues to
share the pages with Black deaf artists, educators,
advocates, parents and trailblazers with interviews
and their pictures. Many became deaf later in life
and some were born deaf but all have beautiful stories
to tell. From the Father of Black deaf history as
many have called him, Dr. Andrew Foster, I found out
from this wonderful book, that he founded the
Christian Mission for Deaf Africans in 1956 and
traveled to West Africa to begin his missionary work
with the deaf etc. To Mary Cheese on page 63, who is a
mother in New York and President of the Imperials Club
for the Deaf and also serves as a "Mother Superior" to
many Black deaf youth and adults. Now that is what I
call diversity and breaking up the ivory walls to keep
it in the community.

The last chapter, Are We Really Different?, serves up
a plate of thoughts to chew on race, class,
unfavorable self-image etc. among Black deaf people
and how it plays out in their lives. On the last two
pages the authors are still firing raw questions that
keeps under theme of this book in your brain. They
asked a Black deaf teen how does being Black and hard
of hearing affect you socially, emotionally, or
otherwise. And her answer brings the theme of the
book to the surface once again and that is? "Doesn't
affect me at all no change. But if you ask me about
being Black, I can tell you ' cause I know we live in
a racist world." So therefore what is the answer to
the question, are we different? My answer is no there
is any difference except for our attitudes on race.
This book, BlACK and DEAF in AMERICA:: Are We that
Different is way overdue!! It records the separate
struggles, history, racial discrimination that Black
deaf people faced and how they continue to displayed
their talents, beauty, activism and art in this harsh
racist society we live by making windows to see
improvements for our youth. This book should be in
Black studies, mention during Black History Month and
on every selves of disabled, youth and people of color
non-profit organizations. I recommend it to all
advocates, Black families, teachers, social workers,
professors and others. A GREAT & REAL BOOK!

I like to thank T.J. PUBLISHERS, INC. for giving
this opportunity to read and write a review on this
amazing book. And thanks to the authors for taking
this bold step and telling it like it is!.

Leroy F. Moore Jr.
Black Disabled Revolutionary Poet\Activist
Sfdamo@Yahoo.com

by Joe B.

Aging,Good&Bad

Good news people,just rented a P.O. Box so if readers want to send slow mail or send email by slow mail they can.

As for the(women only) sending nude or scantily clad photo’s of themselves I have one answer for them… Please make sure they are color copies and not your only great sexy photo of you that you have.

Nearly two weeks past I was invited to the first I.S.F.[Idriss Stelly Foundation] named in honor of Mrs. Mesha Monge- Idrzarry son who at age 22 was executed by nine S.F.P.D. in the Metreon movie theater.

48 shots on June 13, 2001 nearly three years ago.

For her and Mrs. Sandra Juanita Cooper who's Mesha’s best friend and as near a second mother to Idriss as her child was close to a sibling.

Out of this heart crushing tragedy a mother, friends,and those who knew Mr. Idriss Stelly and parents of slain children formed a foundation to combat police preying on youth and adults."NO PIGS IN THE HOOD"

When I went to 4921 3rd. Street in Hunter’s Point on Sunday Feb. 21, 2 pm.

I had nearly forgotten how Mesha looked after the first few months of her son’s death.

Though she won a $500,000 wrongful death against the Police department at the time she was so pale,had lost so much weight that I feared between her deep inconsolable grief she she might succumb from it. Hosted by B.V.H.P. Sista’s Ms. Sandra-juanita Cooper/Mesha Monge – Irigarry

I didn’t know how strong her heart,spirit was or that from her friends and the Hunter’s Point Community rallied behind her and in the sharing of other parent’s losses of children enabled and may have strengthened Mesha’s own resolve not to give in but fight back not only for her son but also for other son’s, daughter’s,father’s, mother’s,and friends taken cruelly from friends and loved ones.

Vegitarian,meat eater’s food abounded songs, speeches,I cannot name all who are there but it was great enveloping of love spilling about a determined,strong,firm, justice,for fallen and still threatened community by an occupying force called the San Francisco Police Department.

Also I met an engaging gentleman also of BVHP Community Radio 103.3 FM. Sunday,6 pm – 8pm.

Now,I don’t know how I could be on that show with my pitiful grumbling about the odd twists of fate befalling us all but I must try and hope my voice lends strength to others in the beleaguered HP community.

Of age and learning.

At this late date in my life I’m sort of glad I didn’t get married and maybe women saw that steering away or using as extra sweat exercise.

An though I talk about lesbian and straight women as two sides of coin I know from each one I’ve learned valuable lessons from letting my guard down though not completely to listening (sometimes I’m still in solution mode) but its getting better and that at times women just want to be heard and not necessarily solve their problems.

Being on lots of adult rated dating sights wasn’t part of my job so I’ll have to continue that at home.

An online persona of mine is "clitluvguy"yeah, just what reader’s are thinking "a sick user/screen name."

But as I’ve said in a few chat rooms I was being as honest as I can but found out later it’s the online equivalent of a smoky dance club bars with people in not on their best behavior at least packaged as a pleasing image.

I wanted not to have any bars to anyone who was real and online really dating that’s why the intimate pink or red dot is always filled because it my true wants of down to earth,real flesh on flesh safe sex skin meshing.

And if readers still don’t know who I am just think of a certain story lines or online literary cyber sex.

I did enjoy mixing real and false in the Boudoir.

I was new,and at times antagonistic with an acid wit and foul mouth with a scientific bent.

I never updated simply because I didn’t have enough money and also I was at work.

I’ll say this, there was something fresh injected on that and other online dating sites.

So if you know who I was or am on your site maybe some of you can snail or email me sometimes there is one of you that writes semi regularly who’s son I hope and pray is doing and feeling better,I don’t know if that’s the case so I still pray just in case.

I’m about to turn the big 5 – 0 but its not as big a deal for the fact that many times I should’ve of died from almost drowning as a child in New York’s Orchard Beach,silly risk taking roof jumping,hopping backs of bus bumpers,or being mistaken for some gang group.

I can still be shot, stabbed, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

As for dance clubs I think a slower,slightly older group will be safer and less rejection because when one is younger we’re so into looks,cars, presentation,and image its very hard to separate flash,style,and image from subtle,quiet,real.

A beer at a table, unhurried conversation, and time for all the subtleties mature adults can command for steady or one night stands.

I’m sure mature elder adult men and women take more time and half less worries than 20 or 30 some-things finding feeling their way around.

So readers,of on line date sites,I mean meet‘n mate folks for real flesh encounters not cyber cam games.

PS My new PO Box below PM donations.

So send me something. Questions,Photo’s women(color) or whatever
you think and if I can email you back.

(I’ve only had one person’s feed back by email.Come on(Are You… Chicken?

Donations C/0 Poor Magazine

1448 Pine Street #205

San Francisco, CA 94103



For Joe only my snail mail:
PO Box 1230 #204
Market St.
San Francisco, CA 94102

Email: askjoe@poormagazine.org

by Leroy Moore/Illin and Chillin

From Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Damon Wayans up
to Dave Chappelle, Black male comedians have given us
a belly full of laughs and brought out some serious
issues in their diverse characters they play dealing
with the Black community. Many are purely fictional
but the stories behind them and the new ground they
broke needs some attention. As a Black disabled
researcher, it hit me, all the male Black comedians
I've mentioned have used disabled characters in their
movies, on stage and on television series. Sometimes
especially, us, Americans, take things a little bite
too serious and can't laugh at our own selves. Yes, I
have to admit many of the characters these Black
comedians take on are not politically correct but damn
they are hella funny if you can laugh at yourself.
Lets go back to the controversial Steve Wonder act on
Saturday Night Live, SNL, by Eddie Murphy. I remember
the media outcry when Murphy did Stevie. When I watch
these old Saturday Night Live episodes, I'm on the
floor holding my gut watching Eddie Murphy rocking
back and forth almost falling off his stomp next to
the piano. I love Stevie but Eddie was so good in
this role. Lets stay with Eddie Murphy. Did his
early years on SNL give him the ideas of his later
disabled characters in Nutty Professor, Bowfinger and
his short lived animated family, The PJs. How did
he do his research in these characters? What about
the social environments surrounding these characters.

In PJs, that took place in an inner city housing
project had many disabled characters. Is this too far
fetch! It'd make you wonder about poverty and
disability in the Black community! Many people didn't
like the PJs but if we can have sitcoms like Friends,
Married With Children and these reality shows why
can't we have some real Black reality? However other
movies like Bowerfinger just plopped a disabled
character in the middle of the movie with very little
plot for just a few laughs.

Toward the end of the king of Black comedy,
Richard Pryor's career, he played a blind man in See
No Evil Hear No Evil. This was a great tag team movie
with his close friend, Gene Wilder. Although the
movie was hysterical it brings up a lot of issues we
face today i.e. how some like the law enforcement,
treat people who are blind and deaf. Although Pryor
and Wilder saw a murder took place nobody including
law enforcement would listen to them, thinking they
couldn't have any knowledge about the case. The issue
of race is another theme that came up in Seeing No
Evil Hearing No Evil. The question, can blind and
deaf people be racist especially when they have to
relay on each other for survival? I recommend you
check out this movie again and go beyond the jokes!
How can we forget all the hoopla when the Wayans'
Brothers came out with In Living Color. The disabled
community nailed Damon Wayans to the wall when he came
out with Handyman, a Black superhero with cerebral
Palsy. This character was hella funny especially when
you found out that Handyman was protecting the rights
of the disabled in his own way.

This was agroundbreaking way to see a Black man with Cerebral
Palsy. I have Cerebral Palsy and I almost bust my
head wide open when I saw Handyman for the first time.
I was also proud to see a Black show tackle this
issue. As many have found out that this character was
not a big stretch for Damon Wayans because of his own
disability. Damon was born with a clubfoot, wore
braces and endured many operations. He went on to
make the comedy Blankman in the mid-nineties, a
regular Black young man living in the inner city that
thinks he has super powers so he tries to save his
hood. In 1999 I was so much inspired by the character
of Handyman that I wrote my own fiction story
entitled: The Battle of the Century: Handyman vs.
Superman. The plot in this short story is two
disabled superheroes, one Black and other White are
called on to save the day.

Today the polite gloves are off with Dave Chappelle.
His first skit on his hot comedy show was
out-of-the-box about a Black blind KKK member. I know
this sounds almost impossible and I thought so too
until I read the background of this character named
Clayton Bigsby. Dave Chappelle in an interview said
Bigsby never knew he was Black. He was raised in an
all white orphanage for the Blind and doctors used to
tell him that everybody in the orphanage including
himself was white. What really sparked my interest is
how Clayton Bigsby came to life. Dave Chappelle's
said in the same interview that his father looks like
he is White but he continues to say he is Black. It
got so bad that during Martin Luther King Days Black
bus rider harassed him because they thought he was
White. So Bigsby goes around with his hood on
preaching how he hates niggers. I have to say Clayton
Bigsby has me on the floor. On a serious tip, it
also shows how hate can boil in anybody if the wrong
people have control over his or her environment. I
know someone will say Leroy how can you laugh at that?
My answer Chappelle is a comedian that deals with
Black issues and as a Black man I can strip away the
laughter and see the serious side of his characters
and I can also laugh at the seriousness of it too.
You have to admit, the examples above are damn funny!

I wonder where are all my Black women comedians
doing their jokes and characters that have
disabilities? It is good to laugh at yourself and it
is also good to have empowering serious roles for
disabled Black characters like movies such as Radio,
Bone Collector and The Water Dance to name a few.
Keep on laughing but also go deeper in these comedies
to sees the connection in today society on the big
screen. it is there!