Story Archives 2009

by Joseph Bolden

Sunrise Ceremony/Why Are You Here?

First, a year or two ago from a few friends I heard about Alcatraz,

A.I.M. American Indian Movement co-founder Dennis Banks (Leech Lake Ojibwe). taken over December 1969 which in later began the longest walk from Alcatraz to Washington, D.C. in 1978.

4 – 5am to 9am is the time all is to take place but with lots of people, equipment, children, and infants human errors crept in.

All in all it was a well organized affair though scary to me especially when first waking at 2:40am in the morning hoping not be late because of my legendary rotten sense of direction.

This year I was given the opportunity to witness the Sunrise Ceremony.

From the bottom of my hear I apologize for petty musings on the cold, about time, mean spirits about the crowded space prior to boarding on the ship.

Yes, many people on the rock made it difficult to see personages and speakers near a ceremonial fire.

I had gotten lost after finding the restroom after the ship had landed along with others before heading up a steep hill.

Not as cold as first though but I bundled up wearing double socks, two shirts, raincoat, scarf, and gloves given to me by the person who personally invited me.

It less cold as dawn slowly creeps into an overcast gray morn.

After finding a few of my group they and I decide to leave on the first of the four boats berthed temporary here.

From there an F-bus home, sleep, and bart ting out of city.

Money gone, bart card unable to cover exit how was I to get out of the terminal?

I got out when the bart attendant let me leave by the emergency exit.

When mama arrived the question is:

“Bring any food?”

“No.”

“Bring extra cash?”

“Uh, some went to food, trips, movies…”

“Girlfriend.”

“No”

“Why are you here?”

“I need a break from the city.”

“So you’re here with no money or food.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you here?”

“Ran out of money.”

“What happened to all that money saved?”

“Got used up I guess.”

“Why are you here?”

“I had to get away and
this is my haven.”

“Why are you here?”

“Its Thanksgiving,you're family.”

“Oh… ok let’s go home.”

On to Fairfield, Ca.

for a quiet, restful Thanks taking-

giving weekend holiday.

Everyone peacefully enjoy yours.

Send comments to
www.deeandtiny@poormagazine
or

www. telljoe@poormagazine.org

by Joseph Bolden

The Claus Crap, Correct It!

My turkey day was tiring.

I went to my first Sunrise Ceremony

On Alcatraz, in fact its my first visit ever.

Slightly chilled, solemn but nearly spoiled by my worries of being on time and literally missing the ship, I tend to get lost easy just like my flaky gay/gayelle radar, my geographical sense of direction is equally wonky.

Arriving in the early dawn along with dozens of cold citizens awaiting instructions on embarking, disembarking and safety tips while cruising on the ship.

I'm glad for the experience, may do so again� maybe?

Later in the day a pre Thanksgiving party where I live then off to meet family and friends out of town.

It was then I begin noticing something slightly off or odd from the corner of my eyes.

No big deal but on Bart going away, in advertisements, returning to the city I see�

Ads on a new product which usually isn't unusual but Santa Claus looks slightly different.

Thin with traditional red suit, white beard, sack of toys on a sled � then it hit me!

Santa looks soft because he's a she!

My first reaction is, "Aw Crap, can't we guys even have our St. Nick without him being feminized?"

Wait a sec', why am I steamed at a new cell phone ad?

An old movie came to mind "Skin Deep" staring the late John Ritter.

One shapely women is a lovely, stacked, sexy, bodybuilder Ms. Raye Hollitt in a black bikini showing off her muscular physique and ready for Ritter.

I think, why not place her, Ms. Leslie Morris, or one of the Weather Girls of "It's Raining Men" fame.

Maybe sensuous Plus Size Models, or a just as lovely naturally over developed busty magazine stars.

I wouldn't mind sitting in their laps feeling warm and comfy telling em' what I'd like for Christmas.

Ok, not too massively muscled ladies seen on websites of giant amazon women though maybe too they also can wear the red suit and beard as well as Santa's extremely healthy helpers.

I just want Santa male or fem, be they caucasion, black, brown, red, yellow, or any of rainbow hew in between to be a strong, fierce claus able to kick the mud out of Christmas hating folks.

Oh, and the elves should be just as well built, fit and healthy looking cause Santa sometimes needs backup.

I may not be on radio for a while because an un greatfull or desperate grinch-DJ ripped off radio equipment at San Francisco Liberation Radio (.) Net.

But manure happens and one rolls with it.

Joining a gym, bike riding, walking, swimming, raunchy, dirty, naturally healthy sex with a woman or two also an added bonus when it offered.

Folks, my short term goal is owning a Jack LaLanne Power Juicer and finding Terry Grossman, M.D. "The Baby Boomer's Guide to Living Forever."

I must say its hard to find that book to buy it's borrowed from the library, that book for me as is worth keeping as a reference for when its promise is done.

I'll place it with other immortal works in the Smithsonian Institute.

I don't want much out of life� living way beyond my appointed exit visa well, that's something I gotta' try for.

This could be my first test as one of those future immortals-who-don't-know-that-they are.

At least I have a heads up clue to the proposition being that I'm a mid boomer.

Born between 1946 and 1964.

I was born 8 years after the first crop of boomers, 10 years before the last '64 group so when I heard of and saw the book I knew I'd better buy it if possible and other reference, guideline books for this new age we're in.

Besides I'm curious to find out how bad the
80's and 90's or Gen'X and Gen' Next er's will do.

How badly will they screw things up in the 21st Century as each generation before them had fouled things up before correcting some of it.

It is time to go and to everyone enjoy both holidays safely and stay alive to see next year.

Send Comments to
DeeandTiny@poormagazine.org or
Telljoe@poormagazine.org

by Katrina Nellisa Twila Tuokoi/PNN Indigenous Scholar

My mother is a descendant of Tongan Chiefs, Fijian princesses, German-Irish businessmen and whalers, Portuguese sailors and British midwives and Anglo-Indian housewives. She was born in the capital city Vava’u, in the Kingdom of Tonga. The island which I consider my homeland is made up of lush greenery and wide sandy beaches.

My father was a teacher, his father was a teacher, his father was teacher [whose mother was pure Samoan from Apia], and his father started the first school in Haafeva which is another in Tonga.

My ancestry and my family have always played a significant role in my identity. I always identified myself as Tongan but never lost sight that my lineage is from all over the world. But my heart is Tongan because the values Tongans cherish are the ones I cherish too. A huge value is humility, which deals with a wealth of spiritual and Godly knowledge and values rather than material and physical worth. We didn’t always have a tola, which is our equivalent of a dollar. We’ve mainly relied on the barter system, which is like a fisherman trading a bag of fish for a bag of yams from a farmer. Now we deal with white European capitalism.

However, Tonga wasn’t always this way. In fact Tonga wasn’t always Tonga. Chiefs from as far as the Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Samoa sent warriors to defend the islands. However the Dutch in 1616 came and were followed by an onslaught of many European countries to settle, send missionaries, spread their gospel, form colonies and eventually destroy the culture.

Today we have the last Polynesian Kingdom in the world. On the other hand, we have the poorest country in the South Pacific but we have the strongest cultural indentification throughout the islands. I myself was raised in America as a McDonalds kid, and all I know of my ancestry is what I’ve read in books and my one visit to Tonga at the tender age of twenty. Now I write of the degradation of these islands that outside forces have pushed upon them. What I recall now which sums up the poverty of the islands is my aunt’s paycheck when she was a nurse of twenty five years for two hundred pa’anga for two weeks, which adds up to one hundred US Dollars which U.S. nurses get paid twenty times as much.

Her husband also has been working in the medical field for almost three decades as a Physician’s Assistant and he makes a little more than she does. Though they do not make the “big bucks” that the American doctors and nurses make, they live comfortably in a split-level two-story home with three bathrooms and seven bedrooms that are inhabited by their five children, two grandchildren and various extended family and visitors from overseas. The plantation that the house sits on is home to many little gardens where the family grows several groves of food such as taro, yams, bananas, plantains, which are just to name a few. Therefore, although this “little” family that is headed by parents who are professionals makes perhaps less than a tenth of what they would in the United States and subsist off of less than $US20,000 a year for a family of 10-15 people, they are not only surviving but they are thriving.

Thus far, makes poverty not only a global issue but also a matter of perspective.

Lea ‘a Lina/Lina’s Line leaves this question for all you readers out there – What is poor? In essence, how do you define poverty? What does being poor mean to you?

by Teresa Molina/Voces de Inmigrantes en resistencia

Scroll Down For English

Alguna gente piensa que yo estoy aqui en este pais porque quiero enriquezerme… Alguna gente piensa que yo estoy aqui sin necesidad… Alguna gente no se da cuenta de que por los acuerdos que tiene los Estados Unidos y Mejico, millones de personas son dezplazadas, marginadas, viviendo en pobreza, y forzadas a dejar su pais. El problema que causa que emigremos es la falta de oportunidad, empleo, comida, estudios, necesidades basicas. Mejico ya esta muy pobre por lo que nos hizo NAFTA a los campesinos Mejicanos, ahorra, si venden PEMEX, vamos a quedar mas pobre el pueblo de Mejico. Yo pienso que el gobierno Norte Americano siempre esta pensando en sus propios beneficios, que es el billete, y no piensa en que los fregados va hacer la gente pobre.

Camino en mi tierra y solo veo lo que queda despues de la venta de nuestros recursos…Casas con techos hecho de carton y lamina que se mojan cuando llueve, casas sin necesidades basicas como tener un bano adentro… ya no estaria el empleo que nos da el dinero que nos compra la comida que alimenta a nuestras familias… Regresariamos a un tiempo de antes… Un tiempo de pura pobreza, la gente sin empleo, los ninos sin tener que comer, ancianos viviendo sin dignidad en las calles de sus pueblos… Estoy enfermo, pero a cual clinica voy? La que cerraron en mi pueblo o, la que cerraron en el sigiente pueblo… Todo esto pasaria, y al otro lado de la frontera, Se enriquezarian los duenos de impresas y corporaciones Americanas, y la pobreza de Mejico seguiria peor. Todo lo que nosotros hemos ganado con luchas largas, se perderia otra vez. Las petroleras PEMEX deberian quedar como petroleras Mejicanas. Pertenecen a Mejico y sus ganancias deben quedar para la gente Mejicana… en tierra Mejicana.

Acuerdo a David Bacon, “El impacto de la venta de PEMEX seria como el impacto que tuvo NAFTA a la gente Mejicana.” David Bacon a escrito libros sobre las causas de la inmigracion, y nos hizo el favor de contestar nuestras preguntas. Sr. Bacon sigio, “Las causas porque vienen la gente de Latino America son consequencias directas de las decisiones de el gobierno Estado Unidense.” Este commentario de David Bacon me asegura la idea de yo tengo al pensar que si se venden las petroleras PEMEX habria mas pobreza en Mejico ademas de causar mas gente inmigrando a este, con una justa causa… una causa de inmigracion provocada por los Estados Unidos… Otra vez repitiendo la historia, y siempre al beneficio de los Estados Unidos.

Alguna gente en este pais piensa que la gente emigra a los Estados Unidos porque se quieren hacer ricos, pero la realidad es otra, nosotros solamente queremos sobrevivir y sacar aledante a nuestros hijos. Para llegar a este pais, yo deje mi familia, yo deje lo que mas queria, yo deje mis pocas pertenencias, yo deje mi tierra que tanto extrano… Esto es el resultado de los acuerdos que hacen los gobiernos sin consultar al pueblo.

English Sigue:

Some people think that I'm here in this country because I want to get rich ... Some people tell me that I'm here without necessity and by choice... Some people do not realize that because the agreements made by the governments of United States and Mexico, millions of people are displaced, marginalized , living in poverty, and forced to leave their country. The problem that causes us to migrate is the lack of opportunity, lack of employment, no food, no education, basic needs not being met. Mejicanos are already very poor because of what NAFTA did to the campesinos, if they sell PEMEX, Mejicanos are going to be even worst off. I think that the American government is always out for their own profits, which is money and power of resources, and does not acknowledge how much damage their deciscions will have on poor people.

I walk through my land and I see only what remains after the sale of our national resources... houses with roofs made of cardboard and foil that get flooded when it rains, houses without basic needs like having a bathroom inside... no longer would we have the employment that gives us the money to purchase the food that feeds our families... We’d be going back to time we already had to struggle through, and almost died doing so... a time of sheer poverty, people without jobs, children without having anything to eat, elders living without dignity on the streets of their villages ... I am sick, but which clinic do I go to? The clinic that shut down in my town or, the clinic which closed in the next town... All this happening, while on the other side of the border, CEOs, lobbyists, and investors of American corporations, and the poverty of Mexico still worstens. Everything that we have fought for, would be lost again. PEMEX oil companies should stay as Mexican oil. They belong to Mexico and its profits should be for the Mexican people ... in Mexican soil.

According to David Bacon, "The impact of the sale of PEMEX would be as detrimental as the impact of NAFTA to the Mexican people." David Bacon has written books on the causes of immigration, and did us the favor of answering our questions during an interview. Mr. Bacon continued, "The causes that force people to immigrate from Latin America are direct consequences of the decisions made by the U.S. government." This commentary from David Bacon assured me on what I thought all along, I think that if they sell the oil refineries of PEMEX, we would have more poverty in Mexico and cause more people to immigrate to this country, with a just cause ... a consequence of immigration caused by the U.S. ... Again repeating history, and always to the benefit of the United States.

Some people in this country think that we immigrate to the United States because we want to get rich by stealing the natural resources, but the reality is, that the U.S. are the ones that steal our natural resources and agriculture, forcing us to leave our land and come work for less than the minimum wage. All we want is to survive and offer a better life to our children. To get to this country, I left my family, I left that which I most love, I left my few belongings, I left my homeland that I miss so much... This is the result of agreements made by governments without consulting or considering the needs of the people.

by Marlon Crump/PNN

"Mama, why is no one doing anything about these killings?" asked 16 year old Takeyah Chandlier to her mom, Asale (Sala)-Haquekyah Chandlier.

Asale (Sala)-Haquekyah Chandlier looked up at her daughter as if she was witnessing the earth unfold, and vowed to her, "Baby, you will NEVER have to EVER ask me that question again. From this day forward, I will do something about these killings!"

Back in June of this year, a 15 year old kid was murdered in front of the Philip and Sala Burton High School in San Francisco, CA in broad daylight. Devastated and distraught that the killings have failed to come to a screeching halt here in San Francisco (especially in S.F neighborhoods with young men of color), Takeyah came home to her mom in tears, and cried on her chest.

The body count surrounding young men of color, as well as all young men in general in this country and (worldwide) is a plague that has become even more fatal than the AIDS virus, itself. Asale (Sala)-Haquekyah Chandlier decided to implement a vaccine to the violence that forever infects the youth, using them as its host.

Sala decided to formulate the ONE LIFE WALK.

One Life Walk is a marathon movement of communities of color to unify, and eliminate the rapid violence and homicides San Francisco, CA. It is anticipated to grow into a mass non-violent movement, and inspired by the works from the likes of Ghandi’s lead in India, King lead in the Civil Rights Movement, and many people, everywhere continue to do every year on the AIDS Walk.

"One Life Walk" is featured on Sala's radio talk show "The Real Life Mermaed."

"We have only ONE life to live." Sala would later exclaim to me during an interview." It is our responsibility to live this "One Life Walk" healthy, sane, calm, cool, and collective without embracing the violent thoughts of hurting someone else to a point of death!"

Asale (Sala)-Haquekyah Chandlier attended POOR’s monthly Community Newsroom, on December 2nd, 2008. This particular meeting was unlike any other in POOR's history, due to the significant transition that was going to be a tearful reality. All of us, staff/family of POOR Magazine/POOR News Network was being forced to move from its headquarters of the Grant Building, and all of us were going to be reminiscent of what the office space meant for them in the past.

As we all traded moments of sorrows, war stories, and solace of the office space's memories; the spirit of the late great poverty hero, "Mama" Dee Gray-Garcia (co-founder of POOR) blanketed our soul with her eternal eldership in easing the pain that plagued our reluctant hearts from having to depart from what was now the past. Her spirit silently carried our own into re-porting and su-pporting for others in another space in the future.

Sala expressed her feelings and her memories of what the space meant to her in the past, as well.

Over a week later, I conducted an interview of Sala regarding the "One Life Walk" at the San Francisco Main Public Library, in the lower level which had a cafe. Despite her encountering numerous difficulties of long traffic delays, battery death in her cell phone, and keeping track of her car's parking meter during the interview; Sala still managed to arrive and meet me. She was determined in getting "One Life Walk" out into the world.

After we both managed to drown out the sounds around us, of high heels, distinct conversations by nearby patrons, and the slight windy brushes by passer bys, the interview got underway.

I looked into the dark ocean-like eyes of Sala and concluded that this, alongside of her caramel-complexioned features, and easy smile could've easily convinced someone that she did have qualities of a mermaid 20,000 leagues under the sea, or a "Real Life Mermaed" fighting to end the endless deaths on the streets.

”Two Amazon women bad to the bone!" Sala said excitedly to me and in reference to Yolanda Banks Reed, a friend of Sala and comrade of hers in the movement. "We're talking about two justice fighters representing and fighting for equality for all, meaning giving justice where justice is due!"

"The One Life Walk is an expression of the 50s and 60s where people came together for anything that had to do with injustice." Yolanda Banks would later state to me. She also explained that there was a lack of unities in the communities of color towards combating the issues that were negatively impacting them, daily.

Sala told me that she considered herself as a "character." She referenced her qualities similarities to some of her favorite fictional characters, such as, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Cleopatra Jones, and real life people that were her inspiration, Christie Love, Angela Davis, and Johnnie Mae Gibson who was the first African-American F.B.I Agent, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Elizabeth (Embeth) Chambers Ranch, and her very own mother, Dorothy Davis were her life's inspiration.

Asale (Sala)-Haquekyah Chandlier was born in Chicago, IL. At age 4, she was taught by the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense on how to read. After she became grown, Asale moved to the southside of Los Angeles, CA to start her activism against the degradation of women.

The typical derogatory slurs of "bitches, sluts, tramps, and whores" yelled by young men have often fueled Sala's anger towards their damaging degradation to the reputation of young women, on a daily basis.

"I began becoming concerned about humanity issues." Sala said. "I began my work by feeding the homeless in Downtown L.A (Los Angeles) "Skid Row." I found myself concerned about what each individual had to offer within themselves from their own mother's wombs."

In 2006, Sala (and other community members) of the Bayview Hunter's Point District unsuccessfully ran for the Board of Supervisors seat of District 10 against the current incumbent, Sophie Maxwell.

"Creativity has the ability to fill our children's lives with possibilities." Sala said, in her motivational address of youth empowerment, while she and other candidates were collectively interviewed by every at POOR.

"One Life Walk" is ABOUT and COMMITTING to life." Sala explained. "It is about putting a 9-1-1 urgency on the ongoing massacres, commonly called "homicides" of our minority children, especially African-American children here in San Francisco."

"We are here to tear down the violent death thought by wearing the thought pattern of committing to life. The commonly called "African-American" people and the fabric of their foundation are built on a lie. They're not spiritually fed, but only given religion."

Sala presented a detailed explanation of what her whole definitive analogy of what religion meant to her. "Religion is only an outside deity. For example, God he, Allah he, Jesus he, the Father he, the Son he, the Devil he, and the Angel he. None of these outside gods are from within giving all credit to the patriarchal thought pattern which is based on the fatherhood doctrine which has nothing to do with the inner life."

She also is a firm believer that men are not the superior being over the women. "The Creator Eloheem (“Eloheem” is defined as “God” in Hebrew.) has given the women the divine position to be the carrier of life." Sala explained. "If these truths are not told, women will continue to give up their divine birthright. By these common sayings that the man is head of the household and the only connection to God (Eloheem) is the greatest lie ever told on Planet Earth. It is the downfall of the whole wide world.”

"If men and women don't rise to teach their children of who they really are, as boys and girls, as women and men, as husbands and wives; we will never be able to rise in humanity giving justice where justice is due and giving equality where equality is due."

I continued to listen to Sala interesting analysis of religion and thought about this more thoroughly after the interview. The question as it seemed was intended to raise awareness of how much time is spent by a human being towards studying themselves, as opposed to studying the above said gods she stated above?

The interview became even more emotional for Sala, as she further discussed for the urgent need for more community involvement to silence the violence, and the massacres (homicides as defined by corporate media) of the youths in communities of color among themselves.

Sala expressed her disgust towards the City of San Francisco's failure to end the violence and homicides (massacres) among the youth. "The children are not seeing what is really happening, tangibly."

After the unfortunate death of the young man at Philip and Sala High School, and the emotional breakdown by her daughter Takeyah; Sala felt that a higher power was calling her to do something about the violence.

"One day I awoke at 10:a.m. I woke up my daughter and said, "Get up and let's go for a walk. Takeyah got up, got dressed, and we started to walk up Latona St. While walking up Latona, we made a left turn on Bayview St. (in the Bayview Hunter's Point)."

Sala then asked her daughter, "Would you walk for your friends that have died?"

Takeyah was silent.

" I said would you walk for your friends that have died, Takeyah?" Sala asked her, with a bit of an edge in her tone of voice, and bearing a fiery blaze in her pupils. Takeyah looked upwards at her mother.

"Yes mama!" was her daughter's response.

You can meet the "Real Life Mermaed" live at "Metaphormous" on Sunday January 11th, 2009 at 5:30 p.m on 111 Minna St South of Market. (SoMa) This is also a fundraiser for youth and families. This event is aimed at raising $5,000 for the family of Elizabeth Chambers Ranch. The fee is $10.00 at the door and the contact phone# is (415) 756-5378. One Life Walk phone# is (415) 287-7481.

by Joseph Bolden

New Digs. Evolution’s Goo

Folks from every walk of life it has been a harsh F_ _ _ _ d up year indeed with corporate bailouts from the nearly extinct middle class, po’ folk, struggling working people near then in the grips of being houseless.

Don’t forget hanging-by-a-thread small businesses.

A new President has a depression and war as a parting gift from a lame departing President.

What a way to begin leading the country.

Like many I’ve been struggling with mental issues and so far…

I won’t know for sure until next year what to do.

As for Poor Magazine everything is in free fall though we have new digs in the heroic, his/her storic Mission District it will be far from a walk down and across the street from my residence.

Steel, iron, girders, wood, PC’s to re-plug, food tossed away as the fridge is set to off and defrost. Book shelves and books, boxes, plates, dishes, plastic and stainless steel flatware, printers and so much of the wiring and printing of online and hard copy books.

As for a defrosting refrigerator most of the food is in the garbage.

While using the restroom before washing items in the fridge I thought there was a sound dismissing it as part of the bathroom finished, cleaned up, flush the toilet before returning to wash my hands and various sized plastic bowls in the sink.

Before depressing liquid pink soap on my hands a voice startles me.

“Um, hi, please no hot water it stings.”
“Ok?” I said looking around then down to see an eye with wings a flutter.

It looks like a perfectly good eye!

“Whoa, who?”

“We’re from the icebox different vegetating foods caused up to live continued the eye with one mouth now at eye sight.

“Sorry, my eyes has no mouth we… um evolved differs from yours slightly.

A leg and other separated pieces of anatomy spoke.

“Folks, I have to clean up here, don’t me.”
Most of the fleshy things had wings for flight.
“I’ll give you evolution’s goo (sorry) but that’s what you like to me.”

“No harm done.”

“Anyway, don’t be seen because people will try to kill you out of fear.”

“That’s what the wings are for we’ll keep evolving for sometime now
Then we’ll visit you later.”

“But”? Before I could explain all of these odd things flew swiftly away to whatever fate awaited them.

It may have been an illusion brought on by yesterdays Winter Wonderland feast at the Essex Hotel or Poor Magazine’s moving to another place whatever its time to go back and help with the move.

One thing I know five solid months in gym mode is my Personal New Years Resolution.

How about yours.
Many Memorable Happy Holidays to all and blessed New Year’s.

Send Comments to DeeandTiny@poormagazine.org or

Telljoe@poormagazine.org

by Leroy Moore Jr.

You Got Away, Not No More

Blues to Hip-Hop you got away

Blind Blues singers

Break-dancers on crutches

You got away

The abuse of classical pianist, Blind Tom in 1862

The arrest of Blind Willie Johnson in New Orleans

The rip off of Ray Charles in the early days

Singing, "Look what they've done to my song, Ma"

You got away

The excuses, oh my god the excuses!

"We don't know how to market you!"

"No one will buy a record from a person in a wheelchair!"

You got away

Like KRS One said "You Must Learn!"

But hell KRS One needs to fellow his own advice

Musicians using ablest lyrics while burying the N word

Creating a whole movement by putting us down, Hyphy

You got away

Lets stay in the Bay Area

From Robert Winters on crutches

To Blind Joe Casper in his Oakland Hills studio

Not paying respect to our elders

You got away

Liberal to Clear Channel radio Djs

Blues scholars to Hip-Hop journalists

Where are our news, music and culture?

You got away not no more!

The I is easy to crush and ignore

Krip-Hop & Homo-Hop diversifying Hip-Hop

More than individual record deals, clothing lines & videos

It's called a movement

No more getting away with discriminating ways

Are we too at fault?

Leaving the music industry to educate their selves

Falling in the same patterns back to the Blues era segregation, Race Records

Today we are caught up in the identity-boxing ring

Fighting each other

Who's the audience?

The same people who stole culture from street corners

"Many don't want to be pidgin whole!"

I keep on hearing that from my people but it goes deeper than a label

Taking back what is ours in our own language

Putting the industry on notice

Independent, making mixtapes in our section eight apartments

Crip with C to Krip with K has a positive history in music

From the late 1880s to today

Cripple Clarence Lofton to The CrippleCrew of Norway

FCC, welcome to our airwaves

DJ Cripple @ KG Beat 88.
7 FM in Cleveland

World's #1 Blind DJ @100.
3 FM The Beat in Philly

Krip-Hop @ Alltalkradio.
net

Micro phoning our community

CD covers created by Handicapped-Art-works in Germany

Halfasoulja, 4Wheel City, Professir X, Kripple X Films & H.U.S.H.

Taking Krip-Hop music & their stories to the big screen

Documentaries speaking truth to the industry

With butter popcorn and a political soundtrack

Summons the music & media production to trail

Krip-Hop Kurtroom ruled, "You got away not no more!"

By Leroy Moore Jr.

Krip-Hop Founder

www. kriphop. com

www. myspace. com/kriphop

by Leroy Moore Jr./illin n chillin

Krip-Hop:How did you get interested in music?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): I know by my parents, that I liked music from the beginning, my father had to dance with me all night when I was a baby. When he was not around or had no time to dance with me I never wanted to sleep. I liked Big Bopper, Little Richard and the James Last Orchestra! As far I can remember, when I was a youth boy 13-14 years old, I had friends who where older then me and where allowed to drive a car. We were listening to house of pain, cypress hill, funkdoubiest, das EFX, public enemy (nr1), black sheep, N.W.A., Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog, and so on. I always tried to catch the words and rappin with it. Today I think I must have fucked up the nerves of my friends completely. I honestly got to say that I’m still doing that shit for practicing my voice! And I’m still getting on the nerves of my friends and my woman when we’re having a ride in the car. When I was 15, I remember that we have been to Spain for holiday. The city and the beach were about 5 miles away from our house. I walked that fucking distance about 3-5 times a day. forward and backward. Because I was bored so much, I started to beatbox on the way. I also started with freestyle rappin on the way. As I returned home I wrote my first text. I had a close friend this time. He was a social worker. He gave me the link to his friend who was the manager of bass reflex. I called and visited him. He passed me through to the producer of bassreflex "D-Baze from DeepswingMusic (SickTunes)" We recorded my first track. It was "freedom and peace". It was all in English even I criticize myself now, my English was fucked up at this time. That was the reason to write German lyrics. I got to know my brother man Mr. Rossi and Dj 4802. Together we called ourselves Linguistix. We had a couple of life gigs here and there and we published "Vorhof zum Mond" on lockerecords (small label in Auxburg founded by Bassreflex). We had a few possitracks released on the sampler "Untergrundsheiss" , "Bucketghost" and "horsemen" and got this collabo thing started called "die Bruderschaft". Lockerecords was shut down because of financial problems and I tried to start something up on my one.. That was the idea of handicapped-art-works e.v. I started to built up my own studio plans. And now I’m independent and can do the music I want.. Still working together with some of the mentioned artist. That was a small version of "How I started my music thing"!

Krip-Hop:Tell us your feelings about the music industry in Germany?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): I think the music industry in Germany is more then fucked up. It’s only about money, nothing else. Almost every act that earns money is casted. Independent musicians and labels like bassreflex or lockerecords are hold small by the gema and by the industry. The big shops like "müller" or "W.O.M" only buy cds and records when they have it on their list. You only come on the list if you have a major deal. Only the artists who are sold by these shops have the chance to sell big numbers of copies and so go to the top ten or better I’ve heard that the big shops order so much copies of a certain artist, that the record company sold a certain big amount. Because of the amount of sold cds to these shops they already got in the sale charts and already get a golden or platinum status for the project without selling a single copy out to any customer. Next day you’ll hear in all media this artist is a new entry in the charts already got a platinum status and so on. Everybody think, yeah man I need this cd because it’s in the charts and it has platinum status it must be great. That's the moment you’ll hear the fucking song on every radio station and MTV is playing it on and on. That’s only strategy to sell more and more, but it is fake. The big labels spend so much money on commercials, videos and hosting, so no independent artist can do the same. One announcement in the hip-hop-magazine "Juice" costs up to 10000,00 Euro. Only if you are rich enough to pay the same amount of money for your project you can get known by the public.

The same shit with the most radio shows and MTV Germany. You only see artists with a major in the background. They also work with certain play lists. So even the money of the gema is only for those artists. It works like that. They take the money of all artists who are member by the "gema". Every artist who likes to make professional records or cd's got to be a member of the "gema". He has to pay a certain amount for each copy manufactured. The problem is, the gema only pays money for public showing of your cd or record project. And if there are play lists on radio and on television and they play only major company projects, all the money of the gema is going to those major deal artists. Plus all big discos and clubs in Germany play the top 10 upward and downward. You see the Gema is taking money from the small and gives it only to those who are already big. It's a turn around Robin Hood process. The big companies earn the most money again. Years ago, an artist like me had a chance to make a good demo and send it out to all labels and get a major deal. But it seems to me that they don't like to share so much. If you have the rights of your beats and your lyrics they cannot take so much profit of the artist. I guess the artist got about 60% of the income of the whole project if he got all rights of his cd or record project. Now a days the big labels found out that they prefer casting. They make castings for new bands and cast somebody good looking and dancing. They make the beats with their own producers, they write the lyrics with their own ghostwriters and they teach their casting artists everything and make their music sound professional and commercial, and they already got contracts with the media mafia. That's their new way to go, to produce music without giving the artists any rights on the product. They produce the beat, they’ll keep the rights. The lyrics are written by them, they’ll keep the rights and so on. They pay the artist between 5% and 15% of the income. You see the difference. With an independent Rapper like me, writing my own shit, producing my own beats and everything, they earn about 40% and with a casting star they will earn up to 95% of the whole sales. There is a little bit independent music in Germany which has made it to the media, but all those artists who made it, came out more then 15 years ago.. The last 10 years the musicians who got famous and had their success on their own where not very numerous. Those, now a days established performers who made it on their own in the golden times 15 years ago they have only interest to push their close friends out, one after the other. If you don’t know those guys personally they won’t let you in. They only support new emcees if they come from the same click! So if you are not caste and you don’t know "king cool savage" or "die fantastischen 4" personally, you can’t get to a well-known artist in this land. If you ask me about disabled artists in the German music industry, sorry but I cannot imagine a single one who got famous. The problem for me is, I don’t like the famous rappers and reggae artists in Germany so much. There are a only very view who are good. The popular German Hip-Hop in this days is like those rappers rappin that they are dangerous gangsters, don’t leave their home without a weapon, taking all kinds of hard drugs and talk about females like they where all bitches. That is what the media makes our kiddies want to hear and the kiddie’s wannabe. Those rappers are no real gangsters they come from good parents have been to the best schools and so on. But they think they have to copy American gangster hip-hop and rap this shit in German lyrics without having any background, even it is unreal, but the matter is that those kiddies who grow up on the streets 4 real take it for real. And they wants to be like those cool rappers rapping unreal gangsters shit. And so we just see a whole generation of kiddies’ gangsters screaming out for the bad motherfucker for example Sido. The Kidd gangsters will do some of the illegal shit sometimes and will go to prison and fuck up his live with drugs and crime meanwhile this bad motherfucker for example Sido is doing the Host for a show on TV called Pop stars - Just for girls. You see, that’s the reason why I hate the German music industry and those German famous hip-hop idols would like to be gangsters and porno stars so much. It’s time for something new. It’s time for handicapped-art-works, MWD and Krip-Hop project over here in Germany, man. Our big chance to give those kiddis something fresh with a message what is real and true!

Krip-Hop:Your disability how does it come in play in your work?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): I’m a M.W.D. That means Emcee with disability. In my case it’s a progressive muscle disease of the type limb girdle. Good luck on the one hand for me, because that type does not effect my lounge or heart like other types for example “duchene” or “Bekka K.” does.. So it was possible for me to do music and to perform live on stage. It was always a problem for me to climb a stage. Those stages are not built for handicapped artists! Meanwhile I was rappin on the mike I had to take care that I keep on my legs. It’s always a little bit sadness when I see other emcees jumping around or dancing to rock the people knowing to have only the flow and the voice left to rock the stage show. But that was the time I tried to hide my disability. Now I can accept it better and plan for my future shows to go there by wheelchair. I hope my friends will carry me up the stage by the way. But that very cool over here in Germany. The most of the people are likely to give a helping hand. 2001 we founded the association handicapped-Art-works e.V. We always got positive feedback from the people when we organized open-airs or other parties and the crowd always loved our handicapped-art-works live performance. We were always about 5-10 artist on stage. Disabled singers and dj's, percussionists and different musicians with a w/o disability. I think that gave me the self-confidence to stay to my disability on stage. So now it’s no matter for me to rock a stage out of the wheelchair! To answer your question completely, I must say it’s always a big problem for me to find a good job to earn money. Like above mentioned it’s not easy to get a record deal as disabled artist. We got no lobby in the music business and on the usual working market. All written laws we got against discrimination or for equality are very nice but none cares for them. No boss of a big record label and no boss in the economic system, too.

Sad but true we got to watch out for the exceptions. What makes me really angry about it, when there are elections you can hear the speeches of the politicians promising to increase their efforts for disabled people and honoring our social system but after the elections you see no increased engagement for disabled people, you don’t see anything of a great social system. Personally I’m still fighting for my hydraulic chair to make the getting up possible for me again. I’m fighting now for more then two years and became the letter that our social system won’t pay for it. Now I got to go to a social court of justice to fight for it again. What’s happen to those people having not so much energy to fight for their rights. They never will get their right! So I see many good things are written down in law but are not like they’re written down. For example in Germany you can get a ID for your disability. I was fighting for mine about 2 years and another two years for a parking allowance even everybody could see that I wasn’t able to get out the car and walk long distances. It was a dangerous thing in the slushy wintertime, but noon cared. That’s how it is in Germany.

Krip-Hop: Handicapped-Arts-Work what is it and what do you do?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): Handicapped-Art-Works e.V. is an association to support all kinds of disabled artists. We were founded in 2001. Since 2003 we work close together with w.a.c.h. productions. Handicapped artists can get member and work in the studio for free to record their voice. They can get beats of w.a.c.h. productions for a special prize. We use our contacts to help those artists and support them as good as we can. We had two cds released. “Binkiwoi – Wir haben wir heissen dir?” and „Ridinghigher-Sampler“. We try to organize gigs for our artists or try to get their songs on mixtapes, samplers or on the radio. We organized own parties and big open-airs! We’re helping painting artists with workshops. We help our artists with the making of their myspace page. We got the www.myspace.com/handicappedartworks profile to show all kinds of artworks of our handicapped members. We try to provide the public with information’s of unknown diseases. We organize special happenings like for example “A day of the open door” and welcome everybody to mush down all of the walls and to built bridges between disabled people and people w/o disability. At our events we always try to offer something interesting for everybody and especially the kids. We had already jumping castles, make-up for kids, storytelling, and magic theatre, different kinds of sports or alternative healing methods on our events. We help disabled people by our own contacts or experiences we’ve made with advices and active help with their individual problems on the telephone, by visits and via Internet. We try to find solutions within the different qualities of our handicapped art works members. One is a producer, the other a dancer, the other a painter, organizing talent or DJ. So we got professional people in different fields. If you’re a member and need for example a dj for your show, you’ll have a good link to many djs through our association. Next time the dj need a cover design for his new cd. He can use the association to link up a graphic worker. The members should give other members free services or special prices within our group, so when they come in need of something they’ll get free services or special offers too.

We’re always open for ideas of other members. If they got plans for example for organizing a concert, they have a platform of professional people they could asked for help. If you’re a member and need for example money for flyers for your party, we’ll start a discussion with all members of our association and if more people are for it then against it we could look out for sponsoring of the industry for you or give you some money out of our association. In most cases our association can get better conditions from companies as a single player. That’s why our association is a welfare charity thing and officially accepted by the state. We have to spend all incoming money for the association self or for welfare charity projects with a good sense in the background. That opens many doors. Another reason was the idea that one name like Handicapped Art Works covering many artists can get known faster in public then a single artist without lobby. And when we got the name big every member artist can profit from it for his solo projects, too.

Krip-Hop:Who supports your work?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): At the moment DeepSwing Music supports us with beats... The Combay computer Store in Augsburg sponsored us a scale overview 22” white star monitor. W.A.C.H. Production is doing studio work for us and our artists. My lovely mum, Karola Ortner, Kinesiological Advice Center, was sponsoring us with money. Steinberg was sponsoring us a free version of cubase and wave lab and cubase instruments. The city of Friedberg was giving us an financial sponsoring in our first year. The European commission sponsored W.A.C.H. in 2001 to built up the studio.

Krip-Hop: What do you think about Krip-Hop?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): Wow, it’s a great idea and gave me a lot of inspiration for my own projects. Your first radio show was more then great! I’m so exited to receive the first mixtapes and your book. Your Internet activities are very impressing, too. It’s a very cool project and as I mentioned you already brought a very big range of disabled artists worldwide together. I see that the Krip-Hop project will rise in the future to one of the biggest platforms for handicapped artists worldwide. Disabled artists from everywhere can step into contact and can work together. They can help each other out. The Krip-Hop project is spreading out knowledge to all people worldwide and it’s giving the word to all disabled artists to speak to the public and talk about their matters. It makes it hard for the industry to oversee us permanently. I’m proud to work with the Krip-Hop project, because it’s no fake and no posing and it’s very real. I must say, Leroy, you are making big things my man. It will mush up those boarders between disabled and healthy people. I’d guess, that the Krip-Hop project got the power to change your fucked up social system in the States, too. And I think if the industry doesn’t want to support disabled artists, disabled artists got to support themselves. What we need is a own strong lobby for disabled artists and the Krip-Hop project as well as the handicapped-art-works project in Germany is doing the first steps to built up such a strong lobby. We got to keep on working that shit out so the industry can’t overlook us any longer! Another positive effect is, that charity aspect of the Krip-Hop project. Information, good experienced advices and who knows, that day will come and we earn a lot of money with our projects then we could use the money for other charity projects and support the poorest of the poor. Anyway I hope for an overwhelming future development for the Krip-Hop project and for many projects we can work out together. Best regards, best wishes, keep on rising Krip-Hop project.!!

Krip-Hop:How are disabled musicians treated in Germany?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W): That depends on how you mean it. I think in Germany the youth and party people are very cool with it. They support disabled artists when they perform publicly very nice. They helped me out climbing so many stages. They jumped and screamed even I was not able to jump like Anthony B. on the stage. That’s very positive in Germany. As a disabled artist you can feel the Crowd is always supporting you and helping you out when you’re in need.

The other negative side is the industry. It starts with manufacturing stages, which make it easier for disabled artists. Clubs and Disco’s should think about that matter, too. Back stages or band rooms should be located so that wheelchair drivers can reach them, too. Secondly, the music industry is pure discrimination over here in Germany. They just take good-looking, good dancing smiley faces under contract. Like I wrote for your first question, when I think of a famous disabled artist out of Germany I can’t imagine a single one. O.k. we got this albino folks singer called “Heino”. And that was it. Nothing more. There is time to change, too, but that must be started in the head of all media users. They are so fucking used to see perfect stars without any handicap on stage. They must go deeper and watch more on details and not just watching the surface. Sometimes I as an disabled artist feel like a fat lady. I imagine it’s nearly the same. We’re living in the beauty generation 90-60-90. You can see all this sexy models on posters at all bus stops and shit. How must a fat lady feel? How must a disabled artist feel watching all these perfect performers with every step fitting to the show. It’s almost the same experience.

Krip-Hop:What are some projects H.C.A.W. doing now and what are your future plans?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): We’re planning to make a meeting of the H.C.A.W. members for Christmas. Every member shall get a couple of working utensil like for example a handicapped-art-works ID card to show potential sponsors. Everybody shall get useful information to work with. We’re just waiting for a release of one of our artists on the new Auxburg Massive Mixtape.

We’re hoping to increase our collaboration work with the Krip-Hop Project and get successful things started. We’re working on different live performances for the next festival season. We’re working on new demos for myspace and to show out to the industry. We want to offer beatbox, break-dance and graffiti workshops. We’ll be active on events in our region to present ours self by a handicapped art works stand. We’re trying to organize 2 events at the moment to give our painters the possibility to show their pictures to a wide publicity.

W.a.c.h. prod. is always improving the studio possibilities to improve our recording quality..

Krip-Hop:How can people get HCAW's merchandise?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): Just take a look on the offers on

www.myspace.com/handicappedartworks . On the left side you’ll find links of the Internet profiles of our members. You can check out a lot of music and painting. If you interested now, just leave us a message on the H.C.A.W. profile or send your email to
handicappedartworks@live.de. We’ll get back to you for sure. You can order the Binkiwoi CD via email, too. It’s 8,00$ + packing and delivery. You can get the direct link to the artist by email and he’ll state the prize for his product.

Krip-Hop:Who are your favorite musicians?

d:WashTee of Handicapped- Art-Works (H.C.A.W.): o.k. my favorite rappers are Bassreflex from Auxburg, Germany. Roots Manuva and Ninja Tune from England, Iam, Mc Solaar and NTM from France.

From the States I like Cypress Hill, Dj Muggs, Psychrealm, Sick Jacken, Funkdobiest, House of Pain, Public Enemy, NWA, The Goats, Beatnuts, Busta Rhymes, Gravediggaz and WuTang, the Roots, Lords of the Underground, The Whooligans, Heltah Skeltah, Ony X, Das EFX, Leroy Moore aka the Black Kripple and so on….

I like listening to Hip-Hop, Krip-Hop, Reggae, Dancehall, D`&´B, Soul, Blues, Italian Music, Crossover, Dub, Merengue, Salsa, Calipso and many more.

I like the bands house of riddim, nicetime int., Steve Alaboh and the uprisers, Auxburg Massiv; Natty Rag, Japhetsound, Rolling, Soundcontrol,Rootdadem, Headcornerstone, Preskool (David Walters), Deepswing, Bassreflex, Dichtergilde, Chefetage, Dj Sket, Ishen Rockers and all musicians who know me like I know you and just wanna say hello by the way!

kriphopproject@yahoo.com

by Leroy Moore Jr./Illin N chillin

I met Marc Anthony Romero aka King Montana online at myspace after finishing a three part radio series on Hip-Hop artists with disabilities in 2006 at KPFA in Berkeley, CA. I was blown away by his musical talents and since then we have stayed in contact working on Krip-Hop Project, sharing frustrations on how the music industry and the general public treat people with disabilities and also celebrating our achievements. So when I read that this political social conscious Hip-Hop artist was racially profiled and arrested by police officers of Roswell Police Department in New Mexico I was shocked!

Marc Anthony is one of the hottest Hip-Hop artists in New Mexico rolling around in his wheelchair on stage, in the studio and on tour. He just finished a show in Albuquerque, NM where he met another Hip-Hop artist with a disability, Rob DA Noize Temple, the DJ for the legendary Sugar Hill Gang. Both artists are in the Krip-Hop movement (Hip-Hop by artists with disabilities) but didn’t know each other until I realized that they were scheduled to perform at the same venue on the same date. After successfully meeting Rob Da Noize Temple, the Sugar Hill Gang and performing, the promoter of that show was impressed and booked King Montana for a gig in Roswell, New Mexico that’s when King Montana, Baby Bash and other Latino Hip-Hop artists were living what they write and rap about in their songs, racial profiling from police.

King Montana’s debut CD, In My Shoes, is clearly a mirror that reflexes his life as a Latino disabled politically aware artist\activist who is singing about his people and his own life. Just like Tupac Amaru Shakur laid down some real and painful lyrics about his life, his community and Black people, King Montana also laid down some sharp but real views about being Latino and disabled in songs like Freedom Fighter and In My Shoes to name only a few. And like Tupac, many songs of King Montana are unfortunately reality to Latino, Latinas and other people of color especially those living in poverty.

Reality of anti immigration policies targeting Latino community, state violence through law enforcement like federal agents, I.C.E., Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the roll back of social services and racial profiling are all in King Montana’s lyrics but when songs become reality more and more often how can we as society deal with it? Do we take artists like King Montana as a prophet who is telling us something or do we turn our backs until the lyrics become news headlines?

Well, news has broken and the first headlines are from King Montana, himself, in his press release. A portion of his press release is as follows:

On Sunday December 7, 2008 rapper Baby Bash, along with King Montana and other artists were booked for a show in Roswell, NM. During the show the Roswell Police Department attempted to stop the event. They arrested the Promoter "Julio G"from Fusion Promotions. Shortly there after the Roswell Police Departed raided King Montana's hotel room, and detained several others. The manner in which the police acted was inappropriate. They racially profiled King Montana, threatened him with false charges and made racial remarks. It did not stop there members of the Roswell Police Department shocked "Rich Rap" of the Stooie Bros. with a taser and continued to violently beat him. They blatantly targeted the artists for humiliation. The Roswell Police Department issued King Montana a citation for possession of marijuana, with out any evidence. The next day he pleaded "No Contest" in the Roswell Municipal Court. The reason for this is King Montana refuses to pay the City of Roswell more money after the way the Roswell Police Department acted.

I just talked to King Montana and he told me that he has a lawyer and was told to not give any more interviews until the case is looked into. He sounds like he has support and also at the same time he is still shaken up by the incident. In King Montana’s press release he writes, “this is not going to be unnoticed constitutional rights were violated.” King Montana will be suing the Roswell Police Department.

Local media in Roswell, NM is now shedding their cameras and releasing their black ink on this story. As the founder of Krip-Hop and journalist, I, and the Krip-Hop nation will continue to support our brother, King Montana and will keep this story in the face of the public. King Montana will be in the Bay Area in February and Krip-Hop Project will be setting up some gigs and media coverage for King Montana. Some shows will be a chance for King Montana to talk about what happen in Roswell. A working title for King Montana’s Bay Area tour could be Police Brutality Hip-Hop & Disability. For more information drop Krip-Hop Project an email at kriphopproject@yahoo.com or myspace.com/kingmontana505

Leroy F. Moore Jr.

Founder of Krip—Hop Nation

by QueenNandi/PNN

Gang injunction malfunctions and gentricide slowly decimated the fillmore and its� history, paving a pearly white road for the wealthy and privileged. If the Western Addition is genuine in its� definition, then the African and Japanese American communities reared here on this land have been expendable before it was even established.

Early Fillmore dwellers were not as quick to kill other "slaves" that lived in close by "plantations" such as O.C, TURKWOOD, K.O, J-TOWN etc. Instead it was favorable for all to get together on the "Fillmore Strip" to have some good ol� fashion fun, and intoxicate themselves with the aroma of down home blues, jazz and some tasty soul food.

Peaceful gentricide was not as common then as it is now, the O.G�s stuck together a little better and did not hesitate to challenge the powers that "bloody be" when the peoples� rights were violated. The oppressors used another war tactic called Tricknology to move out long residing families and the well-to-do black business owners. They tricked those into believing that if the people endured the displacement during reconstruction that the "pie crust promise" would hold up and they would be able to have first pick of the "New Fillmore Order", only to be left literally outside in the cold, holding a piece of paper (certificate) that was distributed by gentrifiers. These people went on to be eventually denied by the same gentrifiers,so I ask you is this equality is this justice? It is a particularly black exodus to homelessness.

The "tricksters" of the 2000�s are upping the ante on "pie crust promises", again gaining the trust/respect of the people for a certain position or status. Once obtained they continue on with the vicious cycle of misusing and abusing the same people that built the steps to the ladder that was needed to climb up. Next it�s the lack of motivation, or just plain fear of "guvment retaliation" on the part of us peoples� to unify, stand up for ourselves, and exercise our natural intellect and common sense.

Inconsistencies run rampant, seldom seen and unchecked in my hood�, families in low-income dwellings such as myself are feeling quite expendable due to the mismanagement of files, lack of assistance and respect from the "professionals". It is not that we are looking for a handout, we are looking for common decency and respect that is the right of every human being. That is why I say my hoods� not my hood anymore.