Story Archives 2012

If you’re a native San Franciscan you know the sound. It’s as sweet as the smell of BBQ ribs and cornbread and sweet potato pie when the city had soul food restaurants all over with black folks cooking in black kitchens on black grills with black pots and pans bubbling music in the background, in the foreground—all over. Imagine that, black folks cooking soul food in a soul food restaurant—not like what you see when you walk in the city today. The black and brown laughter I grew up with was nourishment, it told me where my mother and father had been, where my ancestors had been, it told me who I was. Black and brown laughter, like the smell of adobo, tortillas and rice, chow mein—nourishing us and keeping us fighting for things that mattered—our elders and children and community; black and brown laughter, the sound of struggle, the sound of strength—the sound of legacy; the laughter of our skin, with the scars and sweat filling the air with the fragrance of our lives. San Francisco, where is the black and brown laughter? All I hear is empty chatter, tinny voiced cell phone code, no laughter, no music, no nothing.

But sometimes you hear it. It comes like a friend who knows you, who’s glad to see you. And the beautiful sound came to me a couple days ago. I was on Muni heading home. I was anticipating a surly driver followed by a bus full of empty faces. The driver was a Filipino guy who grew up in the city—a Filipino who’d grown up in the barrio, the ghetto, the neighborhood. How’d I know? It was his voice and the way he tilted his head to the side. He said 4 words: How you doin’ brother? It was the voice of ungentrified Frisco, the voice of my father, my uncles—the voice of my life. I felt relaxed and alive, like I’d walked into my grandma’s old living room. He drove several blocks before coming to a stop. He rose from his seat to make way for the relief driver. The relief guy got on and the switch took place. It was an African-American brother, from the city too—I could tell by his voice, his laughter. The two drivers talked to each other, laughter of black and brown intertwined and beautiful. It was voices saying, “You ain’t right man” and “All right now” and “Man…you late again…what you doin’, starin’ at all the girls?” And the men looked at me and I said, “No, the brother was on top of it…he wasn’t lollygaggin’…fo’ real”.

And they laughed, their laughter drawing me in. I felt at home in a city that’s feeling less like home.

Krip-Hop Nation (KHN) - I love this song ‘Krippled Boy’ on your CD, ‘Daylights Saving Time’.  Tell us why this song was hidden and why now to release it?

Kounterclockwise - ‘Krippled Boy’ was the last song to make the album.  We recorded it while the other songs were being mastered.  The song was so unique and I wasn’t sure if it fit the concept of the album.  Kaya suggested we add it as a hidden bonus track.  We decided to release it now because we got such a good response from the people that had the physical cd and actually found the song; we decided to share it with everyone.

KHN - What is the history behind this song?

Kounterclockwise - bold">My accident left me in a very depressed and isolated state.  I was purging my emotions through my music with songs like ‘The Beatings.’  I made this song to both embrace my disability and to poke fun at myself.  It was very liberating and I felt a huge release after recording it.

KHN – Do you think that you & KHN is taking back these words like krippled and flipping it for our culture?

Kounterclockwise - Absolutely.  It’s similar to black people saying Nigga or any oppressed people for that matter, taking the very words that their ‘bully’ used to hurt them and rendering the word powerless by flipping the meaning.

KHN – I loved that you bring up Jerry Lewis.  Tell us more

Kounterclockwise - Growing up I remember the Jerry Lewis telethons and Jerry’s Kids fundraisers that were often on TV.  It was pretty much the first time I ever saw disabled people on TV and heard their stories.  So I guess it stuck in my psyche and just came to me as the perfect way to end the song.  

KHN - This song shows the love, which is not talked about among disabled boys enough in our society.  Tell us more why the love?

Kounterclockwise - Yes the love aspect is a huge part of this.  The chorus is about showing some love to ‘krippled’ people and about giving myself the same.  (kaya adds) The healing process really begins when we can look in the mirror and forgive and love ourselves as we are today with all our flaws.  and as ‘dark’ as our music may come across, the purging is in seeking to love us and heal.  Now, the verse is different in that it is a straight hip/hop battle-rap-type-flow, showing off his lyrical skills but the love theme still returns briefly when he says, “I’m part of a breed that’s rare called the hippie type...”

KHN:  You told me about the way you put this song together to be off beat or something like that tell u why.  And I didn’t notice it.

Kounterclockwise -  (kaya says) Yes, the “krippled” motif of the song is also in the beat.  The beat is intentionally “off” rhythm to mimic walking with a limp.  I don’t know if many would catch it but that’s why he chose to make the beat “krippled” too.  He’s riding a “krippled” beat (the physical disability) with a balanced flow (a balanced mind/spirit).

KHN:  Will there be a video for ‘Krippled Boy’?

Kounterclockwise –  (Deacon says) - I would like to but we are working on 2 other videos right now.  If the right idea presents itself, it’s a definite possibility.

KHN - Will Krippled Boy be continued as a story song on your other CDs as Kripple Man?

Kounterclockwise –  Maybe not exactly with that title but I will definitely continue the “krippled” storyline in my lyrics as my music is reflecting my life experiences.

KHN -  I know you are going on tour in 2013 but what other projects you are working on and tell us more about the upcoming Pills CD.

Kounterclockwise –  wow, well we are doing the soundtrack for a documentary about Jane Hash and filming 2 videos for our next album, “Pills - the mixtape,”  The video for “Whip” is being directed by Jim Lujan, who also directed our “Moonwalk” video from Daylight Savings Time.  We are huge fans of his animation style, so we are so excited to be working with him again.  It should be out by Halloween.   We are also in the middle of shooting a video for “Blow Yourself To Bits,” which is being directed by Tom Trainer.  That video is slatted to come out around Halloween or sometime in November.  We are also mastering “Pills - The Mixtape” and plan to release it sometime in Nov.  

KHN – I heard that you are working on Jane Hash documentary and you talked to me about making your own documentary.  Tell us more.

Kounterclockwise  -  Yes, we are doing the soundtrack for the “Plain Jane - The Shockumentary” about our dear friend Jane Hash.  Her story is so amazing, we can’t even begin to tell you how dope she is.  You really have to see this documentary for yourself.  Tom Trainer is the director and Jane is also starring in our “Blow Yourself to Bits” video that he is directing.  We have been vibe-ing on so many levels, so expect tons more projects from the four of us.  as far as a documentary about us, not yet, but Kaya is working on a documentary about my life story.  she’s been filming me for years and won’t even let me see it yet.   kaya says - shhh, don’t let the cat out of the bag yet...

KHN - Last words and how can people reach you?

Kounterclockwise - color:black;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Yes, we want to invite anyone in the Cleveland area to come see us live at the Patio Tavern in Middlefield, OH on Oct. 19th.   Thank you Leroy and Binki Woi and all the Krip Hop Nation artists for building with us.  We are so excited about touring with you and future collaborations.   Anyone looking to contact us can email us at kounterclockwise@gmail.com  Up-to-date info is at www.kounterclockwise.com and www.facebook.com/kounterclockwise  and www.twitter.com/kountrclockwise   You can download Daylight Savings Time at www.kounterclockwise.bandcamp.com and www.reverbnation.com/kounterclockwise and of course all our videos are on www.youtube.com/kounterclockwise 

“DETOURED My Journey from Darkness to Light “

A memoir by Jesse De La Cruz - a ReView4theRevolution Book Review

“Los Hombres No Lloran” “Man Don’t Cry”

These words echoed in my mind as I read Jesse De La Cruz’s memoir “DETOURED My Journey from Darkness to Light”. Jesse shares in his memoir how these words are still are used in our communities by men to cope with pain, anger and sadness.

Jesse was raised and made in the barrios of califaz.  At twelve he began a journey that led him to become a convict, heroin drug addict and gang member who served approximately thirty years at California prisons like Folsom and San Quentin.

Jesse shares in his memoir his experiences in a real and intimate way of what the Vida Loca gave him, but also has taken away from him---friends, family and community. Jesse speaks about the demons one faces in the Vida Loca in real raw uncut truth. He speaks of our broken communities, the false notion of what is to be a man in our machista culture.

Jesse was born with two strikes against him--brown boy in the America and the child of migrant parents who moved with the seasons to work on the fields of Califaz to raise their family; living in broken communities and having to work in the fields as kid and go to school at the same time.  He speaks of his experiences with racist teachers and a broken, disconnected educational system. He speaks about the beauty of family but also about growing up without knowing who his biological father was until later in life.

At the age of three Jesse was diagnosed with polio. Jesse writes about the difficulties growing up with this disease, spending much of his childhood in hospitals and therapy, and kids making fun of him. Jesse was tested many times to prove himself to others that he was no different than anyone and demanded respect even if it was obtained with violence. Jesse grew up defending himself with violence in a world and system that attacks black and brown youth constantly and fighting the lack of understanding in this society of disabled folks.

Jesse at a very young age show his courage and fierceness by never given up on his well being, in a passage in the memoir Jesse shares

“Los hombres no lloran.You have to be a man, son”

I wanted to please mama badly, so I held back my tears and stuffed my agony inside, but the truth was the pain was so unbearable I thought I was going to die. I frequently asked my mother when I would be going home, but she always gave me the same response.

“You’re too sick right now, son”

Been raised by single mother myself, I understand Jesse’s mother in preparing young Jesse to a world that kills, incarcerating black and brown people everyday.

In a chapter Jesse shares how he struggled with alcohol and drugs addictions, describing in detail how he self-medicated to fill the emptiness that many of us carry in our gut and the difficult and long path to sobriety.

As I was reading this memoir, at times, I was forced to stop reading, to fight back my own tears, thinking about my own childhood growing up in a broken family and in communities flooded with liquors stores, violence and medicating one self to numb the pain or the emptiness in our gut as Jesse describes it.

This book is not only a memoir, but a self-help tool for our brothers and sisters who are trying to sober up and trying to avoid the path the Jesse once walked. This memoir helped me fight my own demons and gave me the strength to keep struggling knowing that this homie Jesse De La Cruz, who had been through worst shit than I had, made it out alive.

Jesse also breaks down how the justice system intentionally does not provide the help for ex-offenders transitioning from prison to the outside.  Jesse took his knowledge and wisdom and founded The Jonah Foundation, which provides sober living housing for ex-offenders to resist the unjust system we live in and to give ex-offenders an opportunity to turn their lives around.

After his final release from prison Jesse De La Cruz enrolled in college, graduating with a baccalaureate degree in sociology in 2001 and a Masters in social work degree from California State University, Stanislaus in 2003.  He is currently working in his Ed.D.

When landless, indigenous, concrete jungle survivor, trauma-filled, broken yet angry and active, Po' peoples of color revolutionaries grow a garden, it takes a special recipe.....

-Begin wit some healing greens-

-fourteen cups of tears from loss and pain and sorrow and borders and eviction and profiling and incarceration,

-some fresh cilantro,

-four quarts of youth warrior love, some carrots,

-a gallon full of trauma from poverty skolaz still in struggle,

-one quart of fear, 

-three thousand gallons of chants of resistance,

-onions,

-leeks,

-all of the hard hands of our mamaz who keep on keeping on no matter what,

-lettuce,

-more greens,

-one babies smile who lives down the street after he touches the bottom of a root

-blend together with a liter of hope from all of us together, changing, growing and sharing something that mere colonizer words can not begin to describe.

This was our magical day of Herstory-making as we launched the Pachamama Garden @ Homefulness. Homefulness is a poor people/indigenous people-led land revolution. Pachamama garden is just us, Po' Folks, Elders, Ancestors, Mamaz, daddyz, uncles, aunties, sons and daughters standing humbly, still in struggle with welfare, motel rooms, the cardboard motels, Po"Lice, plantations and the violence of poverty, trying to bring fresh, un-genetically modified food into our hood in deep east Oakland, By Any Means Necessary.

Moving our poor bodies into health, even though we are often struggling  with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and obesity due to the poison poor people-food so readily available to us at Mickey D's, Burger King, KFC, the corner liquor sto's, Slaveway, Foods Co

Working together with Take Back the Land, ROOTS, Decolonize Oakland, the neighborhood and so many more, who shared their love and resources and time and trucks and tools and dirt and skillz with all of us, the Pachamama garden at Homefulness now  has two beautiful boxes of healing beginnings, hopeful meals, un-poisoned dinners and decolonized dirt.

Starting Oct 4th- Join us every Thursday 1-5pm @ Homefulness as we care and love those roots, dream that soup and bring that healing to our bodies and our hoods, one fresh fruit or vegetable at a time. (PEopleSkool Oakland will be starting with Healing the Hood Garden Media Project including paid mentorships provided for youth and adults- 14-24 to learn investigative journalism and gardening- email deeandtiny@poormagazine.org for more information on this program

--

He spoke softly
Hat adorning head
Hair flecked gray the
Din of memory

He sat with two
Other veteranos whose
Voices creaked open
The whisper of hollow bone

The blinking point
Of bayonet seen in
Glints of grass
Thru eyes that cannot sleep

From ground to mouth
The veterano said as he spoke
Of crickets plucked from
Ground to conquer
Hunger’s deafening drone

He spoke of rice rations
The size of golf balls,
Sitting hard in the stomach
And drinking from a cup
Filled by rivers of the dead

The veterano spoke
Of a woman who entrusted
Him to give a box of food
To her son

Do you know my
Son? She asked

He took the food
From the box and gave it
To his father and their
Starving companions

Many dreams later
He tells the psychiatrist
That he didn’t do good
At that moment

That the fullness
Of guilt has sat in
A pit of moon
Passing before his eyes

Veterano with a girl’s
Cries in the sunrise burn
Of stomach
Never to forget

Veterano with carabao eyes
Dripping secrets into
The earth

Secrets of bones
Secrets of soil
Secrets of blood
Secrets of flowers
Secrets of nanays
Secrets of tatays
Secrets of lolas
Secrets of lolos
Secrets of secrets hidden deep

Speak veterano
Across water
Across sun
Across stars
Across silence

Thank you
For eyes that
Speak rivers
For eyes that
Melt sky
For eyes that pause
Between
Time

Thank
you

Espanol sigue/ Scroll down for English

En este mes se celebra el dia del trabajo

las mujeres  siempre  hemos sido menos que los  hombres.

 Yo pienso que las mujeres no somos menos que nadie porque siempre la que piensa es la mujer, la de las ideas somos nosotras.

Por eso las mujeres  estaban pidiendo su derecho  como los hombres, pues a las trabajadoras domesticas no se les reconose su trabajo, o sea ellas no son protejidas si se caen o se lastiman trabajando y por eso quieren que haiga una ley que las proteja y  piden igualdad. 

Pero igualdad en todo, o sea que tambien quieren que se les respete igual su derecho ademas de eso, queren tener derecho a desidir sobre sus propios cuerpos. Que quieren y que no quieren .

Por ejemplo quieren hacerse abortos cuando ellas lo desean.

Porque hay muchas mujeres que an sido violadas  y ademas an quedado embarasadas sin su voluntad

Esto no significa que solo las mujeres que son virgenes o jobensitas como en el caso de Romina Tejerina que fue condenada  en el 2005 a 14 años de prision por el asesinato de su bebe cuando nasio, pues era producto de una violasion.

Y fue liberada el 25 de Junio del 2012 despues de estar en prision mas de 9 años.  Como ella muchas personas sufren lo mismo y parese ser que no hay justicia para estos hombres cobardes que la boca la tienen de adorno.  Y por eso no hablan sino abusan  yo entiendo todo esto y me da tanta rabia por todas las mujeres que sufren esto porque yo pase por esto. Y se que es bien dificil superarnos como mujeres y recuperar nuestra autoestima.

Yo todabia no me siento agusto vestirme con vestidos y tacones y arreglarme como mujer , si lo ago me siento desnuda y siento que todo el mundo me señala  incluyendo mi familia. Pero no es asi y como dije al principio, violacion significa algo a la fuersa encontra de tu voluntad  no importa cuantos años tengas o cuantos hijos has tenido si no es tu voluntad es una violasion,  claro que si.

Denunsia la! No te quedes callada y olvida el que diran y no importa si tu familia se burle de ti. Pero en lo que  si  no estoy de acuerdo es con el aborto,  que mates a tu hijo  o hija producto de una violacion,  porque sin pensarlo te estas haciendo igual  o peor que el violador sin conciensia y sin corazon.  Como sea es tu hijo/a y sabes porque te lo digo,  porque a mi Dios me a sanado y hoy me siento orgullosa de ser madre porque  es un regalo de  Dios y el te alluda y te sana el Corazon y te hace ver que tu vales  mucho por dar vida.  Es una bendicion  y ademas es tu sangre  y como sea Dios te va alludar.

por que si el cuida de las aves, mucho mas va a cuidar de ti. Recuerda que ni una hoja de un arbol caee si el no lo permite y con el Corazon en la mano digo, no estoy de acuerdo con el aborto, no mates a tu propia sangre.  No seas peor que los violadores y seras feliz Cristo te ama, vino a morir por todos sin deber nada.

El sufrio mucho mas y cuando lo golpeaban el los bendecia

mira tu que estas lellendo este articulo si has pasado  por  esto busca a Dios y el te va a dar la paz que no as encontrado.

Y si estas embarasada y piensas abortarlo no lo hagas porque ese pequeñito que esta cresiendo en ti,  va ser quien mas feliz te aga.

ya veras cuando empieze a sonreir y cuando por primera vez te diga mama y te llene el rostro  de besitos sinseros e inosentes

el o ella solita ganara tu Corazon lleno de amor.  Con forme el tiempo pase y poco a poco veras que tenerlo fue tu mejor desicion.

el o ella te cuidara y secara tus lagrimas con sus vesos si te ve yorar. No creas que nadamas te lo digo, no ,Te lo digo de verdad.

porque yo se cuanto duele el Corazon y se cuanto corage te da recordar esto pero todo esto no se compara con la felizidad que da un  hijo. Se fuerte y baliente no te rindas ahunque pienses que todo para ti se a terminado, no te rindas cuando no puedas ver la luz.

No te rrindas por nada. Siempre sonrie  dios te bendiga y te cuide simpre y no le agas daño a tu propia sangre no lo abortes dale la oportunidad de vivir y da te tu la oportunidad de ser feliz. Los hombres de mayor edad sufren  mas, los que dan todo por este pais  porque  ban a la gerra y este pais les da la espalda despues,  conosco a gente que an ido a la gerra y hoy viven en la calle sin embargo en ves de darles una cama una cobija, la policia se los lleba presos y los amenasan disiendoles que si los ven acostados en la calle los van a enserrar difinitibamente en la carsel.

Ingles Sigue/English Follows

We as women have always been considered lower than men.

I believe we women are not lower than anyone because the one who always tends to think more are women.  We are the ones with the ideas.

That's why women are asking for the same rights as men. Domestic workers work is not recognized making many women are not safe when working in case they become injured. They also want to decide on their own bodies what they do to them.

For example they want to be able to have abortions. Reason being since there are women who get raped and end up pregnant without them choosing so.

There was a case of a woman by the name of Romina Tejerina who was sentenced in 2005 to 14 years in prison for the assassination of her baby, since it was a product of a rape.

She was freed on June 25, 2012 after just 9 years in prison. Like her many other women suffer this showing there isn't justice on the case of these rapists. I have much rage for the women that go through this, because I was someone who went through this. I know it is very hard to recover from this and ruin our self-esteem. I still do not feel comfortable putting on a dress and high heels, it makes me feel naked. It doesn't matter how old you are or how many children you have, this is a violation since it was done without your agreement. Don't let yourself be silenced and ignore what they say.

But what I am not in agreement with is abortion, killing your son or daughters a product of a violation.  Without realizing it you are doing equal or worse than the rapist without a conscious and without a heart. Whatever the case they are your son or daughter. I tell you this because

God healed me and I feel joy of being a mother. Because it is a gift of God and he helped me to heal my heart and he makes you see that you have worth especially being able to give life is a blessing. Like I said I am not with abortion, do not kill your own blood. Don't be worse than the rapists.

Look for God, and he will give you the peace you have been looking for.

If you are pregnant and think about getting an abortion don't do it because that small individual growing inside you bring you the best you can have. You will see when they smile and when they say mommy for the first time and they give you small innocent and sincere kisses they will fill you with joy. They alone will win your heart, and you will realize it was the right decision to have the baby. I tell you this because it is the truth.

Yes when you remember about the incident you are filled with rag, but this will not compare with your happiness your child brings you.

Do not give up if you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Do not give up everything isn't always smiles. God to bless you and protect you always, and do not harm your own blood by not aborting. Give them the opportunity to live and give them the opportunities to be happy.

Older men tend to suffer more especially the ones who give everything for their lives because they go to war and today they live on he streets. Instead of giving them a bed, a blanket the police takes them away and arrests them. The police will also threaten then by telling them if they see them again they will be locked up in jail.

If it weren’t for tribal sovereignty, I most likely would be dead. Literally. I lived on a reservation, and was attacked by a former partner of mines. I was attacked several times during the course of our rollercoaster relationship. I even suffered physical injures that still affect me today.

Due to tribal sovereignty, I was able to go through a tribal court system, that provided me with tribal victim services, rides to my surgeries, an advocate, and much more. In the end, A decision that was made by a tribal judge was to eventually ban my former partner from the reservation. This decision was only possible because my former partner was Native American and if he was any other ethnic group the tribal courts would have no say as they do not have jurisdiction over non-Native Americans.

Many people are not aware that in the United States there are indigenous sovereign nations that have their own laws, courts, and jails. Many people refer to Native sovereign nations as tribes, or Indians without realizing their Nation-to-Nation government relationship with the United States set by international legal treaties.

As of right now, no sovereign nation within the United States can convict a non-Native American even if they commit an offense on their tribal lands, even in cases of rape, or domestic violence. So many abusers, murderers have never been convicted due to this loophole.

The reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) seeks to close this loophole and allows Native Nations to assert their sovereignty by protecting its women, children, and victims of sexual and intimate partner violence. This makes simple sense as if I was in another country I must hold up their laws as a guest of that country, and Native Nations should have the same respect.

It is crucial to protect the women of Indian Country by calling your congressional representative to day and tell them to pass VAWA with the ability for Native nations to prosecute non-natives committing domestic violent acts on their tribal lands. There are blocks put forth by members of the Republican Party to put this legislation on hold. Women on reservations can’t wait any longer; they have already waited long enough. Please contact your senate representative to pass this potentially historic legislation.

To download a template of a form letter to your representative go to http://savewiyabiproject.org/VAWA_S1925.pdf

Why the use of Tasers in a Mental Health Crisis is Dangerous and Deadly: An Open Letter to the Police Commission from Mental Health Professionals and Allies.

San Francisco Police Commission,

We are writing with an urgent plea for you to vote NO on your upcoming decision regarding the use of Tasers or “directed energy weapons” by the San Francisco Police Department.

As many of you know, the population of residents in San Francisco who struggle with mental health issues and are not provided adequate care is staggering. We see this difficult truth everyday in our workplace and on the streets. Serving a community with serious mental health issues means we are confronted with situations where we have to de-escalate those in crisis in a non-violent manner, with compassion for everyone involved, on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. We understand the desire for people in our community to want better protection when entering a crisis intervention but tasers are NOT the answer. 

532 people have died from being tasered in the United States since 2001; this does not account for the numerous taser related injuries, including injuries to small children and the elderly that happen everyday. There has been very little research on the effect of tasers on the general population, let alone pregnant woman and people who have pre-existing medical conditions.

The police argue that they need tasers in order to deal more humanely with people exhibiting mental health problems; however, the San Francisco police have failed to complete their mandated Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), as outlined by the commission. The CIT, which originated in the Memphis Tennessee Police Department, has been increasingly successful in training Memphis police to use de-escalation techniques and has dramatically decreased casualties and injuries sustained by people with mental health issues. Because of the program, Memphis police refuse to carry tasers. Why have only 2% of SFPD undergone crisis intervention training? It’s outrageous that the police have not completed Crisis Intervention Training and are now asking for tasers to deal with people suffering from mental illness.

Tasering is associated with sudden death, usually via cardiac or respiratory arrest, particularly following the use of physical control measures, including police restraints. 19% of taser related deaths discussed in the briefing paper from the National Institute of Justice were of people with mental illness. Such mortality rates most commonly arise in male subjects with a history of serious mental illness and/or acute or chronic drug abuse, particularly stimulant drugs such as methamphetamines and cocaine. Considering the population of dual-diagnosis patients—those that struggle with both drug addiction and mental health issues—this fact is especially concerning. The hypothesis that tasers may contribute to an already high level of arousal of agitated individuals, and thus eventual death, needs to be researched but it should be noted that people taking prescribed antipsychotic medications are already at increased risk of sudden cardiac death (Straus et al, 2004).

Tasers may be legal from a law enforcement perspective, but as McBride & Tedder (2006) pointed out, health researchers need to investigate their mental health consequences. Use of tasers is a public policy issue that demands the vigilance of healthcare professionals and researchers. Because of the lack of research on the use of tasers in mental health crisis situations, the side effects related to taser use that include sudden death, and the fact that the SFPD has not undergone CIT training, we strongly urge you to vote NO on the implementation of tasers for use by law enforcement in the county of San Francisco.

Sincerely,

Dear Relatives,



This letter is written on behalf of Lehman Brightman, a Sioux/Creek Indian who in the Lakota term is an icke wicasa, or common man, and lives by