Story Archives 2014

"Why would we bother buying this place if we can't get rid of them" , The voice was laced with disgust referring to the Gonazlez family who were sitting right there, huddled together in their abuelas tiny bedroom, while a group of spekkkulators took part in an illegal "open house" of their lifelong Mission Districit home. The Open house participants circled around the family like hungry hyenas assessing their prey. This sickening story of displacement and gentriFUKation of  Lisa Gonzalez, her teenage daughter, her elder disabled mama and her elder disabled grandma from their home of over 40 years was told between tears to the Community Newsroom at POOR Magazine last week.

"Jason Chan of Barbagelata Real Estate is completely bypassing the law and selling our apartment right out from under us," Lisa went on to explain that Chan, who has boldly ignored the legal requirements to offer right of refusal to tenants to purchase their own apartments is holding weekly "open houses"  right on top of her and her increasingly intimidated family.

Lisa's family are everyday people, workers, care-givers, mamas and daughters. living, practicing inter-dependence, humbly taking care of their elders and children like the ways of our indigenous ancestors. The Gonzalez family join the rank of so many of us humble peoples of color, working class folks, some we know, who have fought back like  Benito Santiago,  Diego Deleo, Kathy Galvez,  and Sabrina Carter , but thousands we don't, who are brutally and intentionally excised from this city because they don't fit the profile created of young, wealthy and child-less by Mayor Lee and the GentryTechNation

Lisa explained that her family single-handedly dealt with and superficially remediated a severe mold problem in their home because there was never any repairs made my Chan or the realty company even though they were notified.

"We have nowhere to go, my mother and grandmother have nowhere to go, this is our family home, this has been our family home for generations," Lisa concluded, fighting back a river of tears.

Lisa contacted the Mayors office who blindly referred her family to an over-worked landlord tenant lawyer who said he couldn't help them until, "they received an eviction notice"   leaving the family with no options but to withstand these continual, disrespectful and blatantly illegal "open houses" of their home.

POOR Magazine Revolutionary Legal Advocacy Project is actively WeSearching and advocating for the Gonazalez family to the extent that our humble resources allow as well as planning for an emergency press conference and linking the family up with comrades at Anti- Eviction Mapping Project. If you are a lawyer who can represent the family please contact us at (510)435-7500  

“When people are happy with their leadership and don’t demand change they deserve what they get.” – Barack Obama

Our alleged commander in chief has condemned us all with this statement.

Many of us are not happy with the US policy regarding Israel. And the only real thing we can do short of a revolution (in so far as our leadership goes anyway) is to show our displeasure through the voting process. We are at the dawn of midterm elections. Most Republicans by now know we are unhappy with them, and Obama is a lame duck, so it would seem an ideal time for Israel to start an unfavorable war. How is it possible to condemn a nation for war crimes and then send them in excess of $200,000,000 unless you approve of their actions to begin with?

In anticipation of unfavorable voting, republicans have already come up with a scheme to introduce “a third party." Obama seems to be more afraid of being accused of being a Muslim than he is in speaking the Truth about Israel, its war crimes and its outright acts of genocide against the Palestinian people.

After saying all of that, there appears to be a third ceasefire in effect regarding the current Israeli /Gaza “war.” Israel has an army, air force and navy. The closest thing Palestine has to a military is a police force. As a reminder to Barack Obama: The Boston Massacre was a historic moment in which a half black man led an angry mob standing up against occupying British Troops because one of the soldiers battered a young boy with the butt of a rifle for throwing snowballs!

This entire conflict began because Israel alleges that Hamas the democratically elected government of Palestine kidnapped and murdered three Israeli citizens, which Hamas staunchly denies. To its credit Hamas has agreed to every concession Israel has demanded since the last conflict, while Israel has broken several (to its discredit). Israel claims that by killing 1,830 Palestinians and wounding countless others it was defending itself using experimental tungsten weapons. Tungsten is the material the heating elements inside your toaster, toaster oven and electric oven that causes it to glow orange almost immediately. One problem with this is that Israel - in claiming to be a Jewish state - has exceeded its own law of retribution as cited in the Torah (old testament Bible) “an Eye for an Eye a tooth for a tooth” by 610 times! After the Initial 3 deaths, was Hamas expected to allow Israel to continue dropping bombs and launching rockets? As thuggish as many believe Hamas to be (and they may very well be right), Israel is far worse because they don’t follow their own laws! As per usual Israel uses the Jewish death toll after WWII as reasoning, and applies the slogan “never again." I agree never again! That should apply to all human beings. Genocide should never be the answer to any problem!

As it turns out Hamas did not kidnap and kill the 3 Israeli youth but rather an offshoot of Hamas. Israel even knew this to be a fact before this current conflict occurred.

For all anybody knows the 3 youth in question could have been spies for Hamas and the Hamas offshoots spies (agent provocateurs) for Israel who instigated everything for Israel. Otherwise everything seems to be far too convenient for Israel.

We will see how long the current ceasefire will last. In the mean time we should all continue to divest in Israel by boycotting the following corporations: Mcdonalds, Nestle, Sodastream, Motorola, Intel, IBM ,AOL ,Siemens, Keter, Curver, Contico, Coca-Cola, Outstanding, Danone, Starbucks, Eden, Jardin, Allibert, Jaffa, Tivall, Strauss, Volvic, Evian Shape and Actimel.

Signed - POOR Magazine Youth, families and elders in resistance to ALL Po'Lice terror locally and globally.

Aug 7, 2014

Imagine leaving the hospital after seeing the doctor, and the only thing you have to worry about is, "Do I have food in the refrigerator?" Your hospital care is all taken care of by the government, no matter what it was. Your doctor is paid for and their services are not costing you a dime.
This is not a dream. Ninety percent of the world has this system. All industrial countries have this except for the United States of America. In its place, they have the brutality better known as insurance companies.

You ask someone in a foreign country: "Do you worry about preconditions?" They look at you like you're an idiot. But in this country, your wealth and your insurance coverage tells the doctor what he can do. It's about time that doctors make their own decisions about how best to manage patients' health, and not be strangled by insurance companies that say they can't do things that would help their patients.

So people are afraid of socialized medicine. Socialized medicine is not that bad. Either that or single payer are better systems than what we're used to.

With socialized medicine, you can go to your own doctor and you will not pay a dime. Instead, the doctor will be paid-for, similar to how Medicare pays for seniors. You will not see any bill with a copay: instead you will see a doctor with a smiling face. This doctor will be your own personal doctor and you will not have to go through books of insurance companies like Blue Shield, Kaiser and others that they will not cover your preferred doctor. Also, you will have the right to switch doctors, unlike some insurance companies who dictate which doctors you can and can't see.

This system could only cost you 2 cents of every dollar you earn. And there is not a layer of bureaucracy. The administration of this system would cost 2% compared to the current 30%.

If you receive a message from the Federal Government, asking if you want to do Medicare for All or Single Payer, do not panic. Just pick up the phone and call your Assemblyman or Congressman and say, "Yes, I want Single Payer."

If you are interested in the vision of healthcare described above, phone your Congressman today and you should be happy. Tell them that you would like Medicare for All or Single Payer. If you live in California look up singlepayerforall.com. They will be able to answer any questions better than this reporter can.

August 12, 2014

Just as negotiations broke down Friday and the second ceasefire allegedly ended because Hamas fired rockets into Israel, 18 year old Michael Brown was gunned down by Ferguson Missouri police while visiting his grandmother.

Residents in the apartment complex where Brown's grandmother resides began to protest. Police responded by tear gassing the crowd and spraying them with rubber bullets. The Ferguson residents responded by “rioting and looting.” I stand in solidarity with those struggling in both Palestine and Ferguson and applaud their efforts.

If there is any request I could make to those in the struggle in Ferguson, it is to please show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine, and to raid and loot with purpose. Loot and/or destroy the products made by corporations that aid Israel in its genocide against our brothers and sisters in Palestine. And if not, at least continue to boycott the following products/ corporations: Coca-cola, Nissan, Dannon, Nestle, HP, Estee-Lauder and now it would appear Sony has been supplying guidance systems to Israel's rockets. Looted Sony camera’s would be the perfect device to take pictures of cops and post on social networks!

The death toll in Gaza increases as the protests in Ferguson and elsewhere continue. We must make clear it's not “them in Gaza and us here.” Neither is it us in San Francisco fighting eviction and those in Ferguson. We must maintain our support and solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the struggle all over the world, including in Iraq.

Shortly after US troops left Iraq, allegedly for the last time, Isis attacked the puppet government set up by the US. Isis made off with billions of dollars in military equipment bestowed upon Iraq by the US. Genocide of Kurds by Saddam's government was one of the excuses the US used to attack Iraq, but they were supplied with very little assistance when the actual war began. Once again Kurds are pawns in the American Fourth Reich’s game/ attempt at completely colonizing the alleged “Middle East” which is in fact North Africa!

Now, in order to draw attention away from our involvement in the genocide of Palestinians, America is faking compassion for the Kurds, when after all America helped put Saddam in power and ignored their cries for help over the last decades. This is all supposedly to protect Christians. Meanwhile, US Media is conveniently ignoring the fact that 40% of Palestinians are Christian.

Rise up against the oppressors. Support the revolution worldwide. Boycott and loot, but most of all take the cop's pics and post them on social media sites!

Last week while running errands in the Market Street area I noticed at 77 Van Ness, international symbols for restrooms and a sign that stated it was an ”Open Space” and open to the public, so I went in and used the restroom, having to use the elevator to the second floor to do so.

The next day again while running errands I again went in to use the restroom and was halted by the greeter who told me “The restroom is not working today. I had to call the plumber.”

Of course this is the usual “open to the public unless they look like you” excuse.

Having been through this hundreds of times, I didn't want any trouble so I left and relieved myself elsewhere.

But I immediately went back and asked the greeter's name. He told me but I will not disclose it.

I asked him if he had a last name and he immediately told me, “I'm the only one here with that name.”

Its amazing how co-operative people get when they realize you have some sense and aren't afraid of using it!

He has been friendly and co-operative ever since !

Speaking of facilities open to the public, a new service open to people who want showers but aren't able to take them where they dwell, Lava Mae mobile showers are free and open to the public. Their times and locations are as follows:

Tuesdays 12-6pm Mother Brown's in the Bayview.

Friday 9:30 am to 12 pm Ywam [across from Glide] in the Tenderloin

Saturday 7am-12pm Mission Neighborhood Resource Center in the Mission

On July 8^th 2014 Israel began a campaign it labeled "Protective Edge" and alleged that it started in retaliation for 3 Israeli youth being murdered, but before they dropped the first of many bombs on Gaza they admitted that Hamas was not responsible for the deaths of the youth. In a show of how much of a coward he is, Barack Obama “scolded” Israel for its actions and then sent them $200 million more dollars and more bombs. What would you expect from a president who had an Israeli war criminal as part of his cabinet [Rahm Emanuel], and who's father was a terrorist that helped blow up the King David Hotel, one of Israel's many acts of terrorism that helped it achieve statehood?  

After many ceasefires that didn't last, finally a a truce was agreed upon that, surprisingly enough, Israel agreed to lift restrictions allowing Gaza to receive necessary supplies. This no doubtedly is due to social media and people all over the world protesting Israel's war crimes, and people all over the world boycotting Israel and its supporters, and stopping its ships from docking.

Of course everyone is still encouraged to continue to divest from Israel and boycott those products and corporations that support them. For a full list refer to Google and other search engines. [Editor's Note: The campaign is called BDS, or Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions].

On August 9 2014, 18 year old unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson Missouri, who never filed a police report. All over the world people protested this action which is connected to the Israeli attack on Gaza, if by no other way than the continued attack on people of color all over the world and the continuance of white supremacy.

In Ferguson black motorists are twice as likely to be arrested than their white counterparts and less likely to be carrying contraband.The sheriff deputies routinely lock the court doors 5 minutes after sessions start and immediately issue bench warrants for those who are late. In a city that is 70% black with 53 cops 3 of them are black !

Protests continue in Ferguson. The city council has stated that it intends to reduce revenue from court fines to fund city services, and increase “minority” recruiting.

The Family of Michael Brown continues to demand that Wilson be arrested and the federal Department of Justice is investigating Wilson and corruption in the Ferguson Police Department.

Mam, I have to admit, I was watching you. You probably didn’t notice me sitting across from you on the AC Transit bus leaving the Oakland Coliseum. It was a warm day and I was sweating, glad to have gotten a seat. I’d just come from SF where I’d taken part in a rally for housing rights. So many evictions across the bay in San Francisco. You’re probably aware of the situation but one can’t assume. But if you are aware of what’s going on, you know exactly how bad it is.

But there you sat, and my eyes somehow fell on you as if there was no other place for them to fall—on this day or any other day. Your face was a story—a book, a battlefield, a poem, a song, a season—all held in your two eyes that somehow warmed the bus. Your eyes slid over towards the front of the bus—a familiar face. “Clarence” you called out, your eyes warm in the familiarity of a face that held recognition of story and history. Clarence came by and sat down. How you doin’? You said, your eyes drawing me in. And Clarence said, “I’m heading to my old lady’s place”. And you continued to speak and you looked at Clarence and ran a gentle hand through his hair. “I’m older than you and look at all that gray hair you got” you said, as Clarence leaned away, laughing.

You continued to talk and I couldn’t hear much of it because of the bus engine. But I heard you say, “I don’t give no man no money. The only man I give money to is my son and he’s in college. He’s gonna be a doctor.” And the bus jerked a bit, causing a young woman to lose her balance. Clarence steadied the woman’s arm and helped her regain her balance. “Thank you” the woman said. And you were firmly in your seat, maybe carrying 20 or so extra pounds but no doubt, the weight of a life survived and endured beyond anything I can begin to imagine. And I looked at your eyes as they melted into the moment. And in that moment you became my aunt and Clarence became my uncle. And the bus became the living room, and the barbershop and the kitchen—a place that we could be who we are.

And I see the black faces all around me on the bus—a mural of faces and skin and eyes and teeth—bright and alive and glistening with lives reflected off the skin of the river of life, a mural that moves across space and into the soul through the eyes of the woman sitting across from me. And through my own eyes I see a black community; maybe lifelong Oakland folk or exiled black folk from San Francisco via eviction. It is a community that has been lost in SF. The evicted eyes, heart, spirit—the broken landscape under the skin that is the whole of San Francisco; a community decimated by San Francisco, a city that never deserved it.

Oakland, thank God you haven’t lost your soul. Thank God that the black community is there—that the black laughter, black fire, black feeling is there. And while some people would say that Oakland is violent, that people there shoot each other etc., I’m thankful that the people I see are real, they are people that say good morning to you on the street, and acknowledge your presence with a nod. I know it isn’t a perfect place, but acknowledgement is a form of respect and I can’t remember the last time I was acknowledged in San Francisco except by transit fare inspectors, and other bureaucratic bullies like them who appear to enjoy their work. But thank God for the woman on the bus. Thank God for the woman with the smiling eyes.

(c) 2014 Tony Robles

DEECOLONIZE Academy is one of many POWER-FUL blessings happening on the sacred land launched by self-determined landless peoples at POOR Magazine we call Homefulness- for more information about enrollment in this revolutionary academy go the DEECOLONIZE Academy website