Story Archives 2005

by Joe B.

Platonic Overkill

Most relationships with women for me has been as a third wheel when they get a new guy friend I’m told immediately.

From their first giddy giggle,worry about being called,or suspicion of being two timed I’m the one being turned to I found out later I have become straight guy/girlfriend sending out G-energy each time I’m there to listen, talk,or for a safe non sex sleep over.

Women have the best of both world’s a guy who isn’t gay yet will go shopping,tell her she truly,beautiful and know because they've bonded sex with him is non existent if not impossible.

My last one really had me going through fascination,lust,pals,to deep friendship,and of course relationship brake ups.

For some insane reason I stop taking her side,took the guys side of the points and really damaged our relationship I thought for good.

I metaphorically dug my claws into her emotional side and the way she treated past,current, and ex boyfriends.

I believe part of it was unconscious pushing, tarring,at the fabric, micro rips of the seams of our bonds.

Knowing parts of her past,she knowing bits of mine we didn’t talk to each other until I realized its way too late for me to be seen as lover and friend only "highly prized friend."

I don’t apologize well and don’t like doing other people’s dishes or sleep over with no sex but the woman has at times help me see as women do,been kind, even motherly when I was ill forcing me to get something eat paying for the meal.

She has also shown me her naked soul at its most raw and vulnerable.

I no longer fought the truth:we may be life long friends but never lovers.

I’ll never be seen as an object of affection as she was to me.

At work,doing little but net surfing thinking about my wayward friends traipsing across the continent,country,to other cities meeting,turning down men,while keeping touch with me in different time zones I’m actually glad she’s free of everyone including me.

Men can be (poison pills)at times.

On the net was a site called love sift,love sucks,or something and some of it was about platonic love with all kinds of funny to sad horror stories about men and women in this pure love sexless realm and from them I have solution.

I know there must have been real lust,love,and longing for my friend for me to feel such anger, pain,and frustration.

The site or one of the online writers’s says "Get more platonic girlfriends.

Another suggestion is after dating lots of women, find one,settle down,get married,but before you do call all your fem friends and be really enthused about it.

Tell them about dating and how you finally found the right girl that you still value their friendship.

Of course you must invite them to the wedding.

You’ll won’t know for awhile after you put the phone down that all your P-Women friends will be calling each other talking about you "The good friend that got away" because all of them wanted to keep it platonic,safe, without sex messing up their friendship.

I thought about it but in my case it won’t matter much my lady friend is a savvy,sexy,sensual, sensitive,politically aware,strikingly pretty young woman with beau’s current,and ex’s panting over her.

Though I will always be her No. 1 fan,trusted friend,confidant,father confessor,spiritually we both have each other’s back we’re just not physically entwined.

One terrifying fact I found out speaking of sex’s physical aspect is that some younger women cannot stand more that 30 or 45 minutes of love making (excluding foreplay).

While I’ve been taught by women f-play ‘n stay until they’re done even they’re on the phone to stay in ‘uh with her.

Maybe she and I are physically incompatible if not size then length of physical exercise but she and I will never know.

Besides for me with age comes wisdom she might be to much for me or I her its all moot now.

She is a really good friend throwing sex in the mix could ruin it.

I do understand,gain a lover loses a friend.

My best option is having lots more fem friends so many that a few will be tempted to break it.

You know the old saying a woman is never satisfied.

I say give her what she wants while finding other women who want to be bedded daily and often,let fem friends fume,and they won’t be able to argue because its their rules.

When you end up taking out if not dating more fem friends than new women pretty soon they’ll break their own rules if not there are lots of women who’ll take you off their sister’s hands for a while.

It’s a win-win scenario, your just being a good guy with lots of female friends.

That’s my plan ‘cause my fem friend doesn’t see me sexually as I do her so its time to embrace reality,let the painful fantasy go.

I don’t want to dream about her anymore.(Ok, sometimes) but its rare these days.

Please send contributions
(M.O.'s with lots of zero's to Poor Magazine.

1095 7th & Market Street,

S.F. Ca.94103

For the odd "acidental" topless color photo'n phone,address(Women only) also M.O.'s (hey,I work at P-M-I that's it.

Snail or Email

Joe at:
1230
PO Box #204

S.F.,Ca. 94102

by Joe B.

War‘Prez? Not In 2005

"If this were a dictatorship,it’d be a heck of a lot easier,just as long as I’m the dictator."

George Bush Jr. Dec. 18, 2000.

He was joking but now in 2004 it sends a chilling message.

Now,he floats a thought balloon about suspending the election because of possible terrorist threats?

Thanks to [q2112.com] For Open Minded Readers
As Comedian Mr. Gilbert Gottfried of MTV’s I love the ‘80’s says,"What the F_ _K was he thinking? We’ve had War President’s before

Select President Bush Jr. made war,now he seeks to use it as way to stay in power without being voted in. He wasn't voted in by the people in 2000.

American people didn't vote Bush in office the Supreme Court did.

This is a faux war President who began the war and now wants to use it to suspend elections!

Vote Bush Jr. and his cronies out,we didn't get to vote him but we sure can get him out.

Folks,we must rid ourselves of this guy quick,get rid of all of ‘em minus election machines that can be altered, reprogrammed or other wised tampered with.

Another thing lets not muck around amending the constitution to ban gay marriages.

This is way the founding father,mother’s too wanted a separation of Church and State.

Just ‘cause President Bush Jr. has qualms about gay men,women,marrying, raising children with dogs along with obligatory picket fence and apartment, house,or ranch home shouldn’t have ban laws discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.

Thers not much more I can say as a slightly visually impaired straight Black man living in San Francisco’s Market Street, also in a low paid non profit outfit to boot my sex life is on and off but I have one.

It doesn’t mean I want gay folks to stay in the closet, stay unmarried-no you work hard,earn paychecks,and should if your blessed enough to find your other have and want to make and honest couple out each other there should be no laws barring that.

Its just human for any two people to take the ultimate trip of life long partnership.

As for the bible, church law,mortal,venial,sins its all human made therefore fallible.

Remember churches loved the Dark Ages, keeping knowledge,men,women, children,under their thumb they miss the power it seems Bush Jr. and others want some of those days back but gone are those days forever.

Whatever your beliefs voice your views.



Please send contributions
(M.O.'s with lots of zero's to Poor Magazine.

1095 7th & Market Street,

S.F. Ca.94103

For the odd "acidental" topless color photo'n phone,address(Women only) also M.O.'s (hey,I work at P-M-I that's it.

Snail or Email

Joe at:
1230
PO Box #204

S.F.,Ca. 94102

by Joe B.

Gov’s 2 word Jibe

Once in a while one leaves San Francisco to breathe different kinds of air.

Not knocking S.F. at all,its just that every few days out of a month I must pat this lovely,glittering bay lady gently on her shoulder,forehead,or rump and take a rest from her gracious arms.

I guess maybe out of a combination of frustration, anger,or tiredness the "Girlie Men" comment for legislators came for not getting the budget balanced,holding up bills or laws.

Two words belittling women,men,Transexuals. Definitely a Homophobic remark.

But when legislator’s balk bothered both these words it makes us all squirm a bit because it shows a deep dark streak of xenophobia on the Governor’s part.

A sound bite lasting three days or more than a week but if it helps move the budget crisis along, get bills,laws,signed in…

Who knows but Mr. Arnold will be paying for that remark for months or years to come.

A Saturday Night skit spoofing a body building, businessman,actor-turned California Governor,hmmm.

Thank applied science for video’s and digital video disks to go back and see what the flap is all about can be plain old research.

C-SPAN is always a good way of seeing what’s going on with what’s happening in Washington.

The Stem Cell debate with scientists,senator’s, and patients benefiting from the limited applications of adult stem cell lines is riveting.

It showed the human side of what this emerging technology is capable of in improving lives and how far it must go so all of us can benefit.

It turns political, religious,the late President Reagan is mentioned and Mrs. Nancy Reagan’s own views shows how complex this many sided issue is.

Now that I’m back, refreshed,and metaphorically kissed on my cheek,returned to her firm embrace,I am ready to begin new until again the Young mature Giantess has to much of her way with me.

Why do most men (myself included) think of certain machinery like ships, buildings,or cities as "She or Her"?

Could it be that unconsciously ships, buildings,and cities all are womb-like,warm, protective and indeed able to protect her charges as long as they in turn repair maintain,the upkeep of them - Giantess’s they’ll protect us the weak fleshy ones on or inside them.

Looks as if ‘White Flight" in Bay Area city of Concord are leaving in droves as Latino’s move in for a better life.

"W.F."is a time honored way of fleeing reality,the reality that times,people, economic conditions have slowly overtime has changed is changing.

Running away use to be an option for some it still is but as rainbow folks gain more access to education,better jobs/ careers.

To the flighty,got-to- get-away,folk there’s not many places to run to anymore unless it outer space,the asteroid belt between Saturn’s rings,the moon,or Mars.

I say let ‘em run until there’s no more places to run.

You know the saying "Justice delayed is justice denied" Well certain folks are still running away.

They’ll always be those doing that long necked flightless bird stunt with its head in the sand.

Were you a White Flighter?

Are you children of or know relatives of White Flight?

1095 7th & Market Street,

S.F. Ca.94103

For the odd "acidental" topless color photo'n phone,address(Women only) also M.O.'s (hey,I work at P-M-I that's it.

Snail or Email

Joe at:
1230
PO Box #204

S.F.,Ca. 94102

by Joe B.

Best Destinies

The current "Star Trek: Enterprise is a retelling of the Trek saga when the first voyage,first contacts,weapons, transporter,translator, devices are all new,pre Spock,Scotty,James T. Kirk’s glancing the heavens.

An there’s the Archer Factor which is pre Kirk,Picard,Janeway time paradoxes that happens making quantum headaches for a far future Enterprise or other time ship captains who’s thankless task is keeping the timelines safe.

I wonder it there are Krusher (Wesley Crusher, Q + son,and Traveler timeline paradox alerts too?

It’s just a thought.

What I’m leading up to is two famous doctrines besides
The Prime Directivegoverns First Contact protocols.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
"Or the one." The last three words always completed the Buddha-Zen -Christ like thought.

And of course Spock’s "Commanding a starship is your first,best destiny; anything else is a waste of material."

I must thank "Movie Quotes" from www.fiftiesweb.com/movies/star-trek.htm#2

Speaking of first best destiny mines seems to be slightly stuck.

As a POOR Magazine Staff Writer/Reporter/Columnist and sometime photographer lots of people,issue’s, interviews flit by scope however unlike my employer’s polls,politics, and pol’s is not even a Z on my alphabet list.

Yes,its important to vote and people has died so I can be blasé about it.

Its just that I’ve seen what happens with news items these stories don’t stay gone but keep resurfacing which leads to more research,interviews, and paper gathering.

Holding all those facts from days to weeks to months brought out a sleeping packrat personality I never dreamed existed it threatened my section 8 housing because it is seen as a fire hazard.

After a scary asthmatic attack it dawns on me that being a newsperson with the never-ending research and updates of same it had to let go.

It took me a year or two before leaving that arena of media now it’s a rare for me.

Rare is good for me.

Columns are easier,a little research not a whole lot.

I’m 99.9 closer to my goal writing a novelette, novel’s,short stories and after being published a few weeks or months of vacation then back to writing down my wool gathering.

This is my first best destiny anything else is a waste.

I just hope I’ve really had talent for it if not then voice over or writing columns may loom large in my immediate future.

What do you think your best destiny is and what was it like to finally reach it or not?

1095 7th & Market Street,

S.F. Ca.94103

also M.O.'s (hey,I work at P-M-I that's it.

Snail or Email

Joe at:
1230
PO Box #204

S.F.,Ca. 94102

by Tiny/PNN

"Well I'm sorry there's just no money left in the Section 8 program" The words sliced into my head slowly like a dull knife wielded by a murderer without proper tools.

"But that will render my family homeless within three months…", I started to say, but couldn't quite listen to the response I was given, something about how I waited too long to find a place (families are given 90 days to find a landlord that will take the voucher which in my case fell right in between the high-risk birth of my son and my mom getting a heart condition) and therefore I was unofficially dropped off the program and was now told my chances at reinstatement were slim. The whole conversation, which permanently closed the lid on my chances at permanent homefulness lasted all of three minutes. Homelessness, my "at risk" status and the viscous cycle of poverty for poor families can last a lifetime.

"In San Francisco we have over 18,000 families on the section 8 waiting list, many of these families are homeless, the proposed cuts will eliminate their chances of getting housing insuring that those who are homeless will stay homeless and those that were able to get vouchers will become homeless," Jennifer Friedenbach from The Coalition on Homelessness shouted into the morning wind circling around the small but determined group of families and advocates from The Family, Rights and Dignity Project of The Coalition on Homelessness holding an urgent press conference in front of the federal building on the current very serious crisis hitting the Section 8 program locally and nationally. Jennifer continued, " All of this from a president who vows to end chronic homelessness"

For the last three weeks PNN community journalists have been re-porting and supporting on the resistance by hundreds of tenants from the city of Alameda who in June were given three weeks notice by The Alameda Housing Authority that the Section 8 vouchers which were keeping them housed would be rescinded thanks to the budget cuts Jennifer referred to. With those cuts the 264 low-income families, elder and disabled tenants in Alameda would join hundreds of thousands of poor folks across the nation from New York to Los Angeles facing this same unbelievable crisis thanks to the fact that there were already cuts of over 1.92 billion to the existing Section 8 program causing San Francisco Housing Authority to stop issuing vouchers to families like mine and that there are another 1 billion in cuts being proposed for Fiscal year 2005. All of these homeless-making policies are courtesy of the Bush Administration who just diverted more than $22 billion dollars in federal money to homeland security with $2 billion dollars of that amount coming from HUD's budget, making this the largest raid on a public program used by the poor for the past twenty years!

"But the joke gets worse, Bush's so-called Section 8 reforms will introduce the very dangerous Flexible Voucher Program, " Jennifer concluded by outlining the elements of this odd "reform", which among other things will eliminate the rule that %75 of the vouchers go to extremely low-income families and individuals, i.e. disabled elders, children and families who are way below the poverty line and usually homeless.

" We are demanding that Congress restore 1.92 billion to the existing section 8 budget and oppose the flexi-voucher program." Jennifer concluded with these necessary demands and by making the correlation between cuts to HUD/Housing Authority budget and the establishment of homelessness "In the early 80's when the Federal housing budget was cut by 80% San Francisco opened its first homeless shelter."

"Without Section 8 I will never have the chance to have a place of my own, " Next up was a very pregnant fierce young woman, Laya Hill who spoke truth to the crowd" As it is now I am paying over %80 of my income on a tiny place I have to share " Laya highlighted the reason that the Section 8 program is, as it was pre-Bush, a great program for very low-income folks, as it allows you to pay 30% of your income even if that income is very low as it is for working poor folks like me or from the meager cash grant received from welfare. This insures that poor families won't become homeless when they become unemployed or go on welfare and can't afford market rate rent.

"Between July 2002 and July 2003 597 new homeless families signed up to get shelter," Advocate Bianca Henry outlined the existing numbers of homeless families in San Francisco and how they will be impacted by these cuts, "We will never be able to solve the so-called "homeless" problem in San Francisco and across the nation if we cause more homelessness through these cuts , the point is, its cheaper to keep families together rather than separating them into foster care and CPS" PNN has documented the stories of hundreds of families who due to poverty and homelessness have lost custody of their children to these racist, classist "systems"

After Bianca we heard from Dan Bernal, a representative from Nancy Pelosi's office who read a statement from Nancy denouncing the "outrageous" housing policies of the Bush Administration and her commitment to join Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts in co-sponsoring Legislation (HR 4263) that will direct HUD to fully fund housing vouchers as they have during each of the past 30 years.

"This is the plan to end chronic homelessness, it takes care of 3000 chronically homeless people in San Francisco", one of the last speakers we heard from was Angela Alioto who is working for the mayor on implementing The "Plan to end Homelessness", which I personally have serious reservations with as it only reinvents the wheel already created with the Continuum of Care policy document created by homeless and formerly homeless folks but never really funded so we keep having new mayors creating new programs on top of an old problem, but she did make a very good point which I was happy to hear as she waived the thick glossy covered "Plan…." in the air above her head, "A principal part of this plan is prevention, how do you prevent homelessness? by NOT cutting Section 8" she continued by outlining the connection between the jails, mental institutions and the foster care system as the new ways of "housing the homeless".

"Aint nobody gonna be homeless but a bunch of children and families like me, I am homeless mother of three and these cuts are affecting somebodies like me who just need a chance" as Arieanne Harrison closed out the conference I felt hopeless again. I hadn't heard from Section 8 again and although we are currently pursuing an appeal for reinstatement, Arieanne was right, these horrendous cuts are just gonna affect a lot of somebodies like her and me who just need a chance…a chance at being housed.

by Laurence Ashton/PNN Youth in Media

A dim street light flickered on and off, a crumpled can of malt liquor rolled back and forth and then suddenly, out of nowhere, Los Angeles street in the heart of Skid Row was awash in a blinding spotlight "Hey what are you doing near that car?" a mechanical voice shook the asphalt in half

Last week I woke up with a start - there were pictures of a 36 year old black man named Stanley Miller with a bruised and bleeding face flashing on the TV news. In the foreground was a satelite videotaped clip of Mr. Miller being beat down by LAPD after he had been "caught" for grand theft auto in Los Angeles. I tried to go back to sleep, but all I could do is toss and turn unable to get the picture of my father's face 10 years ago, three years ago and last year after he met with several flashlights belonging to one or more Lapd officers. You see my father is a Black disabled vet who is homeless in LA, he and I still talk and every so often I convince him to get a room but his inner demons get the best of him and back he goes to the streets.

Stanley Miller was hit at least 10 times by at least one officer and who knows how many more times by the other seven officers present after he surrendered to officers after a car chase. My father was hit, punched, spit at and called every name you could think of by a collective total of 36 officers of the LAPD. And of course the only reason we even know about Mr. Miller is because his attack was caught on videotape ala Rodney King.

As a young black man, I have had my DWB (Driving While Black or Brown) and WWB (Walking While Black) run-ins as all Black and brown men have had but what folks don't know is these nazi's in uniform have been harassing and violently attacking homeless people of all colors for a long long time, and who knows, who will ever know, because TV news crews rarely document Skid Row except when they are supporting a "clean-up" effort by the Pigs or some other subjugator.

"We've worked too hard to build our relationship with the community to have it jeopardized by thoughtless actions of a few,"LA Mayor Jim Hahn was quoted as saying as he worked quickly on damage control for the LAPD.

Apparently, John Hatfield, 35, a seven-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, was the officer wielding the metal flashlight. Hatfield is among eight officers pulled from patrol duty and given paid administrative assignments in the wake of the beating.

The chief of the LAPD, William Bratton has said it appears police acted "inappropriately" in the arrest, and he also urged the public to withhold judgment until the investigation is complete. In other words until the lies and cover-up are manufactured. Bratton was hired in 2002 after so much corruption and civil rights abuses of citizens by the LAPD caused the LAPD to at least appear like they were doing something to change the status quo.

The most hilarious part of all of this is, the attack on Mr. Miller occurred just a week after the LAPD said it had successfully implemented reforms mandated by federal authorities after they identified a "pattern and practice" of civil rights violations by the LAPD.

The violent attack on Mr. Miller has spurned ongoing protests by civil rights activists in LA who have long accused the LAPD of discrimination and use of excessive force against people of color, "The thing that hasn't changed is the accountability level as far as police violence goes, and particularly the department's continued failure to weed out rogue cops," said former police commissioner Melanie Lomax.

I haven't heard from my dad for over a month. I hope he is ok. He probably isn't, but at least I hope he hasn't met with any flashlights lately.

Laurence Ashton is a member of the Youth in Media project at POOR Magazine. He is also a graduate of the Poverty Studies/Media Activism Institute at POOR .

by Clive Whistle/PNN

"If you don't come right away this man's gonna hurt someone" That was me last week calling the cops on one of best friends in The City who, like me, has bounced in and out of shelters and the streets for the last 5 years and was alternately holding a gun to his head and then wa ou.

The police, who as a poor black man, I do not trust, like or even want to deal with at ALL, much less call on for help were the target of my 5150 (mental illness emergency) call, because in his mind and in reality, my friend had run out of options. My friend was only a young cat, who before he became homeless was in foster care but once he reached 18, was thrown out into the cruel world with no support services or help to "fend" for himself. My friend had sought help to no avail. My friend was mentally ill.

The frightening part of my 5150 call to the police is my friend, who reminded me of Idriss Stelly, another beautiful young African Descendent brother sufferinng from mental illness murdered by SFPD after a 5150 call, stood just as good of a chance of being shot at the hands of the police as he did of shooting himself.

"With this legislation we would like to see more treatment available for juvenile inmates who suffer from traumatic exposure to street or domestic violence at an early age" District Attorney, Kamala Harris spoke to a packed crowd of politicians, bureacrats and mental health advocates gathered at City Hall on Friday to discuss the benefits of Prop 63, a legislation that would add approximately 50 million to California's Mental Health Services budget by adding a special income tax on the rich.

As it stands now, people like myself and my friend, poor folks without insurance, have to seek help at County Hospital Emergency rooms under a psychiatric emergency call, which means if you are lucky enough to actually see a therapist you might get a referral to very short term, talk therapy (one-three sessions) but most likely will get some psych meds (pills) or even more likely, nothing at all According to the statistics provided by the San Francisco Mental Health Board, San Francisco has one of the States highest rates of 5150 calls

I was holding that same gun 4 years ago, I was lucky enough to get some psychiatric care through Veterans Hospital because I am a vet and it saved my life. My friend is not so lucky.

"We are not mental health professionals" Chief of police Heather Fong spoke at the conference. She went on to say that although there are more than 250 SFPD officers on the force with crisis intervention training, she'd much rather see mental health professionals responding to day and night "well-being" checks than police officers.

"We run one of the largest mental health institutions in the state of California" , Sheriff Mike Hennesey brought out the truth that most poor mentally ill people know and he went on to say that he would like to stop that so he could "make room" for real criminals.

The proposals sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento said his vision of taxing income above $1 million with a 0.1% surcharge would create an annual funding stream of up to $1 billion statewide.

My friend made it out of that night, barely, the cops came, he was thrown in jail for 30 days where he received no treatment. After his release he was still never given any treatment and is self-medicating with Crack as I write this. I wonder how many more days or nights will pass before his internal torture lashes out again and actually does permanent harm to himself or others

Clive Whistle is a poverty scholar and community journalist for POOR Magazine/PNN. To read more journalism by folks dealing with poverty and racism go on-line to www.poormagazine.org

by Tiny/PNN

Landlord Greedy

Made a deal with the government

Rent been Paid

Bed been made

Bags never should have been unpacked

Just keep them poor people rolling, rolling… rawhide

An excerpt from the poem Landlord Greedy by Po Poet A. Faye Hicks from the book Houzin Project, Words, Art and Resources on Eviction, Displacement and Homelessness by POOR Magazine

"They sent me a letter three weeks ago, sayin that they weren't going to be able to pay my rent….. I have No- where to go", Alice Kennedy, a disabled African-American tenant and Section 8 recipient in Alameda stopped mid-sentence to hold back a flood of tears while she tried to outline her situation at a rally for section 8 tenants in Alameda, called for because of the recent brutal attack on the poorest citizens of AMerikka courtesy of the Bush Administration.

"After they (Alameda Housing Authority) gave me the notice they gave me a list of other places I could move in the state of California. I called all of those cities, all of them told me don't bother coming here cause we don't know what's happening with the program (sec 8)"

On May 14, to 1,659 families and over 600 landlords received notice from The Public Housing Authority of Alameda, California, informing them that there may not be any rent money for the month of June. Tenants and landlords were advised to use their security deposits to pay the rent and to negotiate a way for the renters to repay back the spent security deposits. As well, tenants were given vaguely written "vouchers" that didn't list any guaranteed rental assistance amount along with lists of referrals to other counties that apparently weren't worth the paper they were printed on.

The origin of this assault on poor folks across the nation began on April 22, when The Department of Housing and Urban Development under the leadership of Bush's Clarence Thomas alike Boy Alphonso Jackson announced unexpected—and retroactive—cuts to the Section 8 housing voucher program in 2004. The cuts left housing authorities across the country scrambling to make up serious funding shortfalls and forced them to take actions like the ones impacting Ms. Kennedy and thousands of other Sec 8 tenants locally and nationally.

On May 20, HUD announced it was fixing the problem by providing $150 million to housing authorities and making slight changes to how it determines housing authorities’ funding. Unfortunately, this "fix," while badly needed, provided less than half of the funding needed to solve this crisis.

"I pray every night that things will be ok,cause I have a six year old, my neighbor has a seven year old, my cousin has a 15 year old and we are all working , and since we got this notice three weeks ago we are essentially living here homeless," Martina Knox , a young soft spoken woman spoke quietly about her impossible situation, "I have wrote Alphonso Jackson and Barbara Boxer so many letters and they have done nothing.."

To hear Ms. Knox explain the situation of all of these working poor mothers who are left with nowhere to go, I reflected on my own impending homelessness as a section 8 recipient in San Francisco . Was the Bush administration trying to incite class war - where will we all go? Maybe the White House has some extra room. And how is this legally possible?.I was told at my Sec 8 orientation meeting that as long as I followed the "rules" of section 8, that I had just received a life-time rental assistance voucher ". Isn't that illegal termination of a contract?

As many as half of the nation’s housing authorities are facing these imminent cuts, primarily in communities where rents or incomes have changed significantly since August of 2003. All communities are affected, though, to the extent that the cuts increase the number of people who can’t afford housing, generally undermine the voucher program, and set the stage for future cuts.

And of course these drastic cuts are really just the preview of the larger plan to cause wide-spread homelessness by the Bush Administration. They already have a budget plan to cut funding for 250,000 existing vouchers in Fiscal Year 2005. And I wonder did HUD have mass homelessness in mind when they demolished most Housing Projects in the 90's and gave people a useless section 8 voucher in exchange

"I don't know what I am going to do," The sorrow -filled words of Charlie Jammer , a blind African-American man who transferred from another county so he could move to a safer location in Alameda has been told that because he only recently transferred to Alameda Section 8 he is losing his section 8 because he doesn't have "section8 seniority" which of course is just more lies as he has been on section 8 since 1995 in other counties.

" This is the richest country in the history of the world and people who are poor should not be discriminated against and deserve housing " As the horror of this situation was beginning to terrify me beyond belief , I was awakened by the determined voice of Rob Rook, who along with other tenant activists from the Campaign for Renters Rights were preparing for an action they were going to have later that day, " We are planning to take 30 to 40 tenants up to the city council and the mayor and let them know that we are not leaving, and if they proceed with these evictions, we will be setting up a tent city at City Hall."

"People need to be aware that they have rights , that they shouldn't be intimidated by landlords and their attorneys and that they have the right to stay in their apartments and pay their portion of the rent " Fierce and dedicated tenant organizer Lynda Carson was explaining the legal recourse of tenants , who were given these illegal notices, " you see as section 8 recipients, we have a three way contract between the tenant, the landlord and the Housing Authority, the contractual requirements of the tenants is to pay their portion ." she went on to explain that tenants should in fact stay in their units and force the landlords to take up legal action for the missing rent from the people not paying ; The Housing Authority.

PoorNewsNetwork /PNNis calling for a civil rights attorneys to contact us if you are interested in launching a Class action suit against the Housing Authority for illegally breaking the Section 8 contract with tenants . As well it is VERY URGENT that Congress hears the people. PLEASE Call Congress at 1-888-818-6641 and urge Members to protect housing vouchers. For more information on this situation go to www.nlihc.org or www. rollbacktherents.org. For more journalism on issues of poverty and racism or to get a copy of Houzin Project go to www.poormagazine.org or call (415) 863-6306

by tiny/PNN

Red like a river of blood - co-mingling with a dark bruise blue flattened against glaring, headlight white… so much white..in the houses.. on the curbs.. spilling out of trucks, draped over horses and sailing through the air. It was 4th of July in the richest country in the World. The air was filled with popcorn, barbecue sauce, marching music, horse hair and the sounds of hundreds of families facing eviction.

"No Justice No peace.. don't throw families in the streets!!" So we walked in a 4th of July parade in Alameda California; mothers and fathers and their children relying on section 8 to be homeful in this inflated housing market, tenant organizers from Campaign For Renters Rights, union folks in solidarity with the cause to keep families housed locally and nationally, and babies… so many babies leading our chants for economic and human rights. We marched down the main street of Alameda, the test case for bush's new homeless policy, i.e., how to MAKE thousands of families enrolled in HUD's section 8 program homeless in less than 100 days. We marched to the faint tune of God Bless Amerikka.. we marched into the beautiful morning sun alongside Biffs Carpet Cleaners, Emma's pastry, Old School Cowboys of all colors, and Large red trucks rolling in honor of other poor folks who had valiantly fought and died for the myth of Amerikka.

"My family and I have been part of this community for over 10 years, and now we are being told to get out", Pamela, a tall African Descendent woman with a brilliant smile spoke to me while our group waited for our contingent in the parade to gather, "HUD suddenly says it has no money, what do they mean there is no money, how did that happen? Pamela continued, " and I don't want folks to get the wrong idea, We( section 8 families) are not bad people, most of us work like everyone else, we just don't make enough money to cover rent and expenses" As she said this I shook my head in agreement and also scolded her for feeling the need to apoligize. Of course we all worked. As a very low-income mother ( and section 8 recipient) I had been working since 6:00am Sunday morning just getting my child fed and clothed and out here to Alameda to re-port and sup-port on this very urgent protest. But why did all of us poor Amerikkans still feel the need to make excuses for the fact that we needed help to not be homeless. Why did we still feel oppressed by the myth of the"hand-out" I guess the Bushfools could rest easy, their shame game was still in full effect.

"Alameda is and was a good community, I have also lived here for ten years as a single parent raising my children" Charles, another section 8 tenant from the Alameda building that housed most of the Section 8 tenants facing eviction joined our conversation breaking down the issue of so-called "patriotism"

" I am a patriot and I love America and the fact that they even have a Section 8 program but by the same token it is NOT American what they are trying to do to us, kicking us out of our homes, putting us in the streets - to a third world status, come on… America is too rich to be doing this to people."

Readers of PNN and The SF Bayview will know that less than 30 days ago over 264 families in Alameda received eviction notices from the Section 8 rental subsidy program of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Bush Administration's new appointee Alphonso Jackson who believes that "poverty is a state of mind". As of last week after vigorous media organizing and protesting by tenants and advocates, the Alameda Housing Authority rescinded 105 of those eviction notices. We are marching in this flag drenched 4th of July Parade today for the other hundred 159 folks.

"I'm a union person I am here in solidarity with the section 8 tenants facing eviction I am not here to be a patriot, I don't believe in that garbage, cause as far as I am concerned what they're doing to section 8 tenants is the same as cutting health care, cutting jobs and wages for working class people and torturing poor people in Iraq, so all working class folks need to come together to fight corporate America and fight global capitalism, John Ryman, expelled member of the Carpenters Union explained why he would join in the parade today.

As we marched, honking and chanting and handing out over 3000 flyers, the people of Alameda either looked confused, looked the other way or cheered us on and although it is a primarily white community there are a lot of poor folks and a healthy smattering of folks of color and although the parade had the requisite ROTC contingent and way too much military mess it also had a very strong contingent of Black Cowboys and other cultural groups who supported us with cheers and waves.

" I am here in solidarity with my brothers and sisters on Section 8, I am not a section 8 tenant, I live in public Housing, but I'm here cause there is strength in numbers and when they gentrify us they don't gentrify a portion of our community.. they gentrify us all… Mahassin, a powerful mother and fighter, stood with her daughter zuniMoon at the mouth of the parade where several of the organizers gave flyers to the parade marchers. Mahassin ended with the statement that should inspire us all to action, "I hope that if and when I get hit with HUD's gentrification policies people will be supporting me, cause that's the only way we can all fight back."

by Tiny

"I am an old school teacher so I know I can make myself HEARD! " Lora Traveler, long-time resident of Parkmerced Apartments in San Francisco and past president of The Parkmerced residents Organization (PRO) raised her voice above a malfunctioning mega phone at a rally in support of a fair and balanced rent board through rent board reform , "I am here to talk about a disfunctioning Rent Board, we as members of PRO just as other tenants here today have seen over and over again that instead of this rent board enforcing city ordinances and code regulations put in place to protect tenants, they act as "enforcers" for landlords…can I get an Amen" And Ms. Traveler definitely did get a very raucous Amen from an audience of over 100 tenants, advocates and community members gathered on the steps of City Hall on Monday to demand proportional representation of tenants on the San Francisco Rent Board as opposed to the way it is now which is filled with a majority of landlords and minority of tenants.

"This rent board has never seen a landlord that they didn't admire and give them their undying attention and don't let them meet a multi-billionaire like mine - my god- their love is unfailing..Can I get an Amen?"

"Amen!!" Ms. Traveler asked again and the crowd responded. Ms. Traveler went on to detail one of the recent flagrant scams conducted by Parkmerced Landlords (Olympic View Realty fronting for JP Morgan Chase) to raise their rents under the auspices of "capital improvements" which in this case included the planting of superflous palm trees which in fact are dying now but the tenants continue to be charged for. Ms. Traveler concluded, "I urge each board of supervisor to vote yes on this much needed reform including taking the 7 rent board appointments out of the hands of the Mayor

After being voted on by the Board of Supervisors the proposed charter amendment to reform the Rent Board will hit the ballot in November. The proposal says that since 2/3 of the City is made up of renters, 2/3 of the Rent board will be renters. Further, the proposal will give the Board of Supervisors 4 of the 7 appointments and the power to veto the Mayors appointment. In light of the fact that Mayor Newsom is aimed at rolling back rent control this amendment might be the only way for San Francisco tenants to save their homes

"The San Francisco Rent board has become controlled by landlords, 65% of the time the Rent board rules in favor of landlords and in only 16% of the time do they even "hear" cases brought before them by tenants and case after case where the Rent board approves rent increases even when the landlord has no documentation to support them" Ted Gullickson from the SF Tenants Union outlined the outrageous results of recent study done by The Tenants Union which outlined the way the current Mayor appointed SF Rent Commission treats the people they are supposed to be there for. He went on to give a recent example of the dangers of keeping a landlord majority on the Rent Board; "We saw one case where the rent board refused to penalize a landlord who owned several Single Room Occupancy Hotels (the only possible places to live for homeless and formerly homeless folks in San Francisco) for not putting in sprinkler systems because the Rent board claimed that the City didn't have enough water to supply the sprinkler system if he put it in." PNN readers will remember from the many horrible fire stories we reported and supported on last year, that effective sprinkler systems are one of the main ways to avoid fatal fires that plague the City's SRO's.

I asked Ted how the more fairly proportional rent control board would impact the hundreds of senior evictions that happen constantly in San Francisco like the eviction last year of POOR Magazine's Poverty Hero Grace Wells, an 86 year old African Descendent elder evicted from her long-time residence in the Western Addition, "Over the years we have adopted a number of strong laws to stop these unjust senior evictions and the rent board does absolutely nothing to enforce those laws. Each year about a thousand tenants file wrongful eviction petitions and each year the rent board investigates about 0-3 of them and they don't even keep a registry or follow-up inspection on places like Grace Wells home to make sure the landlord didn't just re-rent it at a higher rate.