Story Archives

by Jewnbug

Rita preferred Rene

daddy left early in da game

poverty brands fate

housin authority interrogatez

beaten wit word of painz

petite ebony stands stained

bold mental frame

focuses on wut she needs 2 gain

no helpin… parents strung out

belt weltin… screams

she dug route, wit slender midnight claws

articulated jawz

chilled outsyde da skool walls

fallz

in arms of no goodz man

shackin up pit in stomachs erupts plans

escapes again

fleein da scene… flesh. spirit. seed.

blessed young laydee continues 2 read

b tween lines conscious of tymes

she perservers not yieldz

turnz obstaclez in 2 wheelz of steel

stackin developing skillz

2 succeed in competitive field

spills her guts

bandages cuts

buildz friendship

suppresses luv

breaks stereotypes up

gives birth 2 Afrikan, Puerto Rican,

Pinay princesses

braids hair

backs bone

makes family builds home

bi barely makin endz meet

she iz Mama, daughter, sistah, niece!

by Joe B.

An Anti-Eviction Protest For Grace Wells

Its Saturday, July, 27, 2002.

An eviction picket will happen in front of long time resident Mrs., Grace Well, 85, quietly fighting to stay in her adopted City and neighborhood.

It could be for her, a final stay before enjoying peace, with the Eternal, old friends, loved ones on infinities shore where everyone lives a stress-less existence in mansions of foreverness.

On its face its a greedy landlord out to make tons of cash.

But as Kaponda would tell me "Don’t jump to conclusions, reason it out, get the facts straight, then write your news item without bias."

Up early, brain and belly starved for food, of water and after washing then brushing sleep from body and teeth leave a still warn bed for Poor’s office.

After saying hi to Lisa, pick up my assignment from a hard copied email along with a PNN POOR NEWS NETWORK
sign showing are support; so much for the objectivity factor.

I rush to my S.R.O.(Single Room Only or Occupancy) for extra tapes, batteries in case the interview is longer.

The number 6 bus heads toward Divisidereo and Page Streets, there’s a feeling of something missing but Ignore the-back-of-mind-nag sensation concen- trating on Mrs.

Wells and her concerns. This means not being late.

The strategy:leave early, interview Mrs. Grace Wells, protesters and be back at St. Anthony’s in time for lunch.

10:46 am just off the bus, at the Divisidero & Page intersection sitting on a street curb as a NBC-3 news van passed drove by me.

Besides light blue skies and clouds only threatening a brighter day dripping sunshine.

On both sides of this quiet street are black lettering on daisy yellow signs boldly insisting "Don’t Evict Grace Wells"

A quiet area, trees lined up neatly on both sides of the street its it would be difficult to know anyone was fighting eviction.

Most cars are parked row on row with only a few slanted toward traffic.

It’s so bird chirping, adult and child strolling, walking, toddlers in their carriages, bike rider’s breathe-glistening-clean-air-surreal–quiet here.

Walking down the street I found the building where Mrs. Wells for now and hopefully later will still live.

Mrs. Wells lives in a two story dwelling called a flat with another next door neighbor number 910 to the left of Mrs. Wells I don’t know who lives there.

Mr. Ted, Gullicksen, of the Tenants Union with a friend are making protest signs with blue, black and other colorful magic markers. Mr. Gullicksen tells me NBC-3 and other news crews will be interviewing Mrs. Grace Wells in her residence. Mr. Gullicksen, and another person they I’ll interview first.

First is Mr. Arnold Cohn. Who began telling me about a scam by owners.

AC:"The Capital Improvement scam; I live a Marina Cove and Presidents of Marina Cove and Lombard Place have been targeted to have to pay multi million dollar Capital Improvements on the landlords building-and if someone would want to look into the detail of this how the city’s own laws have been violated and yet the rent board has approved these capital improvements petitions.

Its somewhat of a detailed story that would take more than just a conversation, on a sidewalk, in the morning.

PM:"Well…"

AC:"But if you have the time sometime, and you want to make…"

PM: "I may not have the time but I know but there others who may.

Oh, I need your name."

AC:"My name is Arnold Cohn C-O-H-N and my telephone number’s 567-4856. And then the other person from Lombard Place is named Laraine Kal or Cal-Cagney [if I’m in error spelling Ms. Laraine’s last name, sorry] her telephone number is 345-8529.

We are the ones… or We can arrange for people to give you complete details on this "capital improvement scam and to summarize it what it means is there’s a loophole in the rent control law that as wide as a two ton truck and that the a landlord has to do is spend money.

Whether or not it improved the building, it could only be gold platting the building but if the landlord spends money, the tenants have to pay for that’s in essence."

This is not the end there is more Mr. Cohn wanted to say.

PM:"Detailed invoices?"

AC:"And cancelled checks, for the money they’ve spent.

Well, the landlord for Lombard Place merely submitted one cancelled check and one bill from a contractor that in now way can be verified and the rent board accepted that; and it say right in the rent boards rules and regulations they are suppose to have detailed bills and cancelled checks."

PM: "Sounds like there’s money being made under the table."

AC: "Something really scandalous there."

PM: "Thank you very much,I think I will be able to get other people on this."


The Second Interview is with Mr. Ted, Gullicksen, of the Tenants Union.

By this time another news crew has gone inside for an interview with Mrs. Grace Wells. Here is what Mr. Ted Gullicksen had to say.

PM: "Gullicksen, I got to say this right, Gullicksen, Gullicksen. I have think of seagulls."

TG: "Exactly."

PM: "So what has happened so far?"

TG: "What’s happening here is that Grace Wells is 85 years old, has lived in her home for thirteen years and lived in this neighborhood in over
forty years is being evicted under the Ellis Act from her home here by an out of state landlord who owns a bunch of rental properties in San Francisco.

Who would like to convert Grace’s three unit apartment building, into one big single family home-mansion we call it.

So that this landlord who’s affiliated with Zephyr Reality can turn around and sell the building to some rich person and they don’t care what will happen to grace.

They just ‘wanna turn her home into a mansion and sell it and make lots of money."

PM: "Make more money, so its all economic."

TG: "All economic, they don’t care whatsoever about Grace and where Grace will go. Grace is disabled, she has social security for income, its here sole income.

There’s absolutely no place that Grace can go in San Francisco. So will be thrown out of her home with nowhere to go."

PM: "Thank you, very much."

TG: "Sure." My Third and last interview is with Mrs. Grace Wells in her home at 908 on Divisidero and Page Streets.


Mrs. Grace Wells is small, brown black woman and frail sitting across in hair chair.

I want to be as gentle not tiring her because yet another news crew will be interviewing her again.

PM: "I don’t know what to ask you, the news teams already asked most of the questions; I was going to ask you about relatives if you got any letters, telegrams, from other people, relatives, friends, that heard about this and trying to help sending money orders or something like that?"

GW:" No."

PM: " Oh."

PM: "Should have a campaign towards that."

PM: "I’m with Poor Magazine, I guess we’re a news paper too.

Newspaper and the internet and also a hard copy book that comes out once a year ‘cause we don’t have enough money."

GW: "Here, San Francisco?"

PM: "Oh, we’re based in San Francisco but our reach is kind of… a, global, we’re on the net too."

GW: " Oh, yeah."

PM: "I can’t think of any questions to ask. I’m suppose to be…"
Ed, taking photo’s of Mrs. Wells, and the house helps with more confusion.

Ed: "I can’t believe Joe is speechless, I’m not making you nervous."

PM: "No, not you, I’m thinking about my grandmother, I’m thinking about my mother and I’m thinking about myself… And all I can think of is a Co-op where people actually own the building-in-common.

Ed: "I don’t know Joe, that sounds like Communism

PM: "Social Capitalism that’s what I call it."

Ed: "Good for you there you go."

PM:" But I hope you keep fighting this and as long as many people start
knowing about this because this has been happening to other people and its not gonna… your not the only one. And it seems they want to get rid of the elderly first because you know more history, you know some secrets, and its elderly first then the single ones, then they get rid of families and before you know it; its just a bunch of empty buildings. That’s my take on it.

PM: "Has anyone else been moved out?"

GW: "No, the landlady, it was just the two of us lived here. The landlady lived upstairs had passed and then they bought it. It was just the two of us."

PM: "That’s another thing gotta have more people."

Ed: "Yeah, well I’m gonna go outside and take a couple more pictures."

PM: "I think I’m done, I’ve done Gullicken and someone else."

GW: "Thank you."

PM: "I want them to pay, I want them to pay a whole lot because you’ve been a great tenant and its just money, greed, they have enough money. Its just greed."

G.W: "More money, I guess that’s what keeps the world turning."

Ed: "Yeah, but it shouldn’t be you know, it should be something from the heart. We’ll do our best to keep fighting for you so, nice to meet you."

PM: "Bye."

GW: "Bye."

With that I leave quiet, frail, Mrs. Grace Wells with no place to go if she’s forced out of her long time residence. I’m glad the other media showed what some outside owner was displacing to hoard more dough than they need. Two of Poor’s newest interns have picket signs talking to each other. Andy, is tall, well mannered, and curious.
The young woman standing is a petite, red haired, heart faced, her eyes darting everywhere. These two standing still seem to vibrate and blurred to me or is it my energy level is a notch or two lower than their’s.

Outside Mr. Gullicksen is on a bullhorn speaking up for Mrs. Grace Wells.

"Does everyone have a chat sheet?"

Just so people know… I think everyone knows why we’re here but what’s happening is we have a woman here.

Grace Wells is here, 85 years old, has lived in this home for thirteen years, has lived in this neighborhood for three decades.

She’s being evicted by an out of state landlord.

A woman by the name of Junk Croucher who owns a bunch of a bunch of apartment buildings in San Francisco and is evicting Grace under the Ellis Act.

She wants to turn this three unit apartment into a mansion. She wants to turn this into a mansion so she can sell it for multi million dollars to someone wealthy who doesn’t care what they buy or where Grace ends up.

Grace is disabled, her only income is social security, she has absolutely no where to go.

This is an eviction that we want to stop and if you look around the neighborhood you’ll see signs in various windows saying "Stop

This Eviction" The neighbors have been rallying behind Grace and calling the landlord and saying "We Don’t Want People Like You Moving Into Our Neighborhood, We Don’t Want People Like You evicting a woman like Grace Wells who are a basic component of the neighborhood."

People who have made this neighborhood who are now being kicked out in the name of Gentrification.

" It was now I remember the slight nagging something.

I have left the Poor sign at home laying comfortably on my bed in my apartment.

I left my brown leather backpack so I’d have to return to the protest.

I went to the bathroom, then my room, drank some water, picked up my sign and back on another number 6 bus to the protest.

It was over by the time I got back.

Ed is leaving, I was about to hop on a bus to get back to St. Anthony’s for a free lunch but Andy, myself and the young woman [her name escapes me momentarily] are going to lunch at …
again [the name of the restaurant escapes me momentarily]

The food, smoothy, bread and butter is both a solid and liquid ambrosia to a starving, thirsty man and was worth the walk down a [street/avenue who names yet again escapes me momentarily]

I’m beginning to feel like the former "Quantum Leap" guy with his Swiss Cheese Mind as he travels within his own lifetime.

After the meal we separate soon I’m on a bus going back to Market
Street.

I realize the sign from Poor Magazine is in the restaurant I forgot the name of.

I’ll get it back if I can but for now I’m full, no longer thirsty and my assignment is now over.

I hope Mrs. Grace Wells keeps her residence until ultimate peace finds her and not thrown out on hot or cold streets to die alone, in pain, with no one to comfort and watch over her. Bye…

by Ace Tafoya/PoorNewsNetwork Community Journalist

Tiffic is a 16 year old African-American high school student living in the Bay Area. As he took the stage at the "Silence Is Violence – Youth Rally Against The War Abroad…And The War On Youth At Home" at the Oakland Civic Center/Frank Ogawa Plaza this past Saturday, September 14th to tell his story of being racially profiled by police, I had an uneasiness feeling. I thought about Mumia Abu-Jamal being locked up in a federal prison for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Racial profiling by people with badges is really common for people of color.

"I was harassed by police while walking home from school," Tiffic announced on stage as a cool breeze mixed with a warm sunshine surrounded downtown Oakland. The diverse crowd, estimated at 500 fell silent and listened to him tell us what it feels like to be stopped and questioned and handcuffed by police.

Mario Yedidia, Alicia Yang and Betsy Merzenich of Global Exchange hoped for a positive turnout of the program being sponsored in part by Salesforce.com/Foundation. Spoken Word, dancing, DJ’s, hip hop, activism and unity were all a part of the show. "It’s an event against the war on youth at home domestically, specific issues of police brutality and concerns of the extra added 100 police cops on the streets of Oakland," Mario Yedidia related to me before the event started. He is concerned about Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown’s initiative Measure FF being passed on the ballot this election year, as well as foreign policy, "The people who are dying around the world, whether it be here in Oakland, whether it be in Kabul, or it be in Baghdad are usually young people and people with darker skin pigmentation," he voiced to me with great concern.

Local spoken word artist Candice Wicks performed her self penned "Still a Strange Fruit" a very moving piece incorporating such songs as "Killing Me Softly (With His Song)", "Get Here", and "Strange Fruit". "Curve" was performed by San Francisco spoken word artist Badru Akim with special pride and imagination. Dancers Without Boarders, a dance group used drum, dance and voice to music to perform "Somebody…Else. Hate Crimes and Survival as Seen Through The Bodies of Women".

"This is beautiful," The Opposite from ‘Greens’, the hip-hop artists, told the crowd before leading them all to raise their hands up and give a piece sign. "This is what it’s all about!" Samantha and Venus from ‘Pueblo’ urged all to vote no on Measure FF. "We need jobs now, not more police," Samantha shouted to the lively crowd. And among others, Colored Ink performed a skit relating to schools and how bad the educational system is here.

This rally was meant to provoke meaning and understanding of young people from all backgrounds to listen to messages surrounding harassment, racial profiling, discrimination, and other important issues that our government deals out on a daily basis.
We were encouraged to speak out, get active and be heard! Tyren McElwee, 24, a spoken word artist/performer agreed with most others when he said, "This rally is very important…The public is saying we don’t want to go to war with Iraq, we don’t want to be in Afghanistan."

I, along with Monty Williams who is a Vietnam Veteran were extremely impressed by these young artists view on life during wartime. "I think it’s good that the kids are speaking out, getting their voices heard. It reminds me of the times when young people were protesting the Vietnam war during the 60’s," Williams, 47, said while listening to a performance by Deuce Eclipse.

I kept thinking all along that BART ride back into the foggy city how talented and special these young people are. All of the acts that performed that crystal clear afternoon, and there were over 20 of them, knew their position on the world today and how injustices are and how it’s unfair of politicians using young people to win votes. Even Mayor Jerry Brown tried to throw off the crowd with a sidewalk appearance. But too bad, Mr. Mayor. These kids were ahead of the game and they didn’t let you stop them from getting their message heard! Power to the People! Especially the young people.

by Morgan W. Brown

If "home is where one hangs one's hat," where does a person who is living
homeless hang their hat?

When a person hangs their hat someplace temporarily, are they no longer
considered truly homeless even if, in fact, it is not really their home?

It is ironic that amid this nation of plenty, many are forced to live on the
fringes of society, where homelessness can mean having only hope to hang
one's hat upon.

Being homeless myself, I know well how the smallest items of hope are always
held onto very tightly. Just like one's own sense of dignity, self-respect,
pride -- which are equally cherished and held close, such hope can often
prove useful and even vital in the long journey being undertaken just in
managing to survive as well as living independently.

These core parts of one's self can also be key to what is needed to help
find, obtain and then move into some form of safe, decent and affordable
housing of one's own; which is an essential part of what is needed to end
homelessness.

As near as it may be to my becoming housed once again, after being homeless
in its various forms for five years this time around, one would think
nothing could easily stand in my way. Yet, there are many moments when it
seems too daunting and so very far away to be accomplished on one's own.

There are those days, and even weeks, which do not seem to pass by without a
severe and persistent need to find and renew hope, inner strength as well as
faith in everything.

When I came across a fine choice of hats to take my pick from a couple
months ago, that slowly began to change however.

Not being much in the way of a hat wearer by nature or habit, I was struck
with a feeling of surprise along with a sense of mystery about the need
compelling me to try on the hat which my eyes lit upon. As I tried it on
further, it dawned on me that a hat was needed more than had been previously
realized.

Once more I was reminded that whatever the circumstances or, how they are
experienced and felt, there are always other ways of thinking about them and
other methods of accomplishing something when it is waited for a little
while longer and, what is sought is looked for even deeper than we may
believe is possible and, the support needed to do so is received.

Just as crucial though, the value of the smallest or seemingly least
important thing to provide inspiration should never be underestimated;
usually found in what we may perceive to be the most unlikely of places or
persons, especially when it is needed the most.

Never again will I discount the value and importance of a hat.

Having a hat of such good quality as this one is, means I will have to work
even harder to find a home in which to hang my new headwear.

When I do find and move into a place of my own, the hat will be hung where
it can be grabbed at ease when needed. Mine will be worn with pride no
matter how well worn it may get over time. Then, whenever it is off of my
head and in its usual resting place, I will know I am home.

It will be my lasting reminder to never, ever, give up on anything or
anybody -- and, most importantly, never on myself.

Morgan W. Brown is living homeless in Montpelier Vermont.

======================================

NAtional Websites on Homelessness and solutions

* Who is Homeless?; NCH Fact Sheet #3;
Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, February 1999:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/who.html

* The McKinney Act; NCH Fact Sheet #18;
Published by the National Coalition for the Homeless, April 1999:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/mckinneyfacts.html

* Poverty Versus Pathology: What's "Chronic" About Homelessness;
National Coalition for the Homeless, February 2002:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/chronic/full.html

* Time for a Common Sense Policy on Homelessness:
by Martha R. Burt; Shelter Force Online, March/April 2002 edition (National
Housing Institute); Washington News & Views section:
http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/122/WN&V.html

* What Will It Take To End Homelessness?;
by Martha R. Burt; September 2001:
http://www.urban.org/housing/homeless/end_homelessness.html

* NAEH: The Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness;
National Alliance to End Homelessness:
http://www.endhomelessness.org/pub/tenyear/index.htm

* Affordable Housing: Who Needs Affordable Housing?;
Community Planning & Development; HUD:
http://170.97.67.13/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/index.cfm

* National Housing Trust Fund Campaign:
http://www.nhtf.org

by Connie Lu/PNN Media Intern

The sky is overcast and gray in San Francisco's Golden
Gate Park, where the "Access to Essential Medicines
EXPO" Exhibit is being held. There is an overall
melancholy ambience without the warmth and presence of
the sun's light, but at the same time, the cool breeze
against my face is a refreshing breath of air. There
are several people sitting on the grass and steps
enjoying the music from a nearby event as well.

I make my way towards a long tractor-trailer. But
before entering, I am instructed to spin a wheel with
several bright colors called, the "Wheel of
Misfortune" to determine which disease I would be
specifically learning about at the exhibit. The
needle points to a dark purple color, which indicates
a sleeping disease (Trypanosomiasis) in Africa. I am
given a laminated purple card with information about
sleeping disease.

The information on the card is not presented simply as
a straight list of facts, but it is written in a
narrative format. The narration has a more impacting
effect on me because I am learning about the disease
by associating a personal account to an actual person
and a photo of her face, as opposed to facts that are
not linked to the victims themselves. The card
describes the personal experience of an Ugandan woman
name, Bianga and how she acquires the sleeping
disease. While Bianga is in the process of getting
water, she is bitten by a tsetse fly, which transmits
the sleeping disease parasite into her body.

After reading how Bianga is infected with the sleeping
disease, I proceed to enter the exhibit inside the
48-foot tractor-trailer. Inside the trailer, the
lighting is dim and there are recorded sounds of
conversations playing in the background. The
conversations seem like they are taking place in a
busy market place or village. The laughter of young
children can also be quietly heard at times. However,
the clear, distinct ticking sound of a clock begins to
drown out the voices because of its sharp, rhythmic
pattern. I begin to wonder the origin and purpose
behind the ticking because it was being played at such
an intentionally audible volume.

I begin reading the display matching the color of the
purple card in my hand about sleeping disease. It
continues as a narrative about the progressive
worsening symptoms of the infected victim. During the
first stage of sleeping disease, Bianga begins feeling
weak. However, after 10 months her condition
drastically declines as the parasite travels through
her cerebral spinal fluid to invade her brain. At
this point, the symptoms vary from sleep disturbances,
mental illness, convulsions, erratic behavior, and
eventually falling into a coma of death.

Several black and white photos of the victims are also
next to the text on the display. They are lying in
bed and look like skeletons with skin, thin, pale,
weak, and in a great deal of pain. I found it hard to
look at the photos for very long, but seeing the
suffering victims made me realize the harsh reality of
people around the world enduring the pain of being
sick, but not being able to afford the cure for the
disease.

I continue walking towards the middle of the trailer,
as the sound of the ticking becomes louder and louder.
I see several clocks on a wall, none of which have
the purpose of showing the time of day, but each with
a saddening statistic of the number of people who die
based on a unit of time labeled underneath the clock.
For example, one child dies of malaria every 30
seconds. As I read each inconceivable statistic, the
ticking appeared to be getting louder in my ears. It
almost seemed to start echoing with each intimidating
tick of several lives being lost.

Towards the end of the trailer, there are more
displays explaining the history behind the various
diseases. At the last section of the trailer I meet
with Brigg Reilly, one of the exhibit's volunteer
doctors, who explains to me in more detail about the
manufacturing of the treatment for sleeping disease.
He explains that Melarsoprol was initially used to
treat sleeping disease, despite the fact that its
toxicity would corrode the plastic syringes used to
inject the treatment that would end up killing up to
one out of 10 patients.

However, a far more effective medicine called,
Eflornithine was introduced. Then in 1995, it was
discontinued because the manufacturers did not
considerate it to be a profitable medicine. But in
2001, Reilly explains, "The manufacturers suddenly
decide to produce this treatment again, but only after
discovering its cosmetic use for removing facial
hair." After Reilly revealed this to me, I realized
that the manufacturer is more willing to produce the
cure for sleeping disease for cosmetic reasons, as
opposed to saving the life of a suffering human being,
who doesn't have to means to pay for the treatment.

As I leave the exhibit, I am reminded of my grandpa,
who passed away from lung cancer. Like the many
victims of sleeping disease, he was also at a point
where I knew there was nothing else that could be done
to cure him. For my grandpa, the cancer had already
spread too far for the treatment to work. However,
the cure sleeping disease and other illnesses do in
fact exist, which places a great emphasis upon
creating awareness to gain support to provide
affordable treatment to the many people suffering from
such severe diseases.

*Note:
-This exhibit is sponsored by Doctor Without
Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), an independent
non-governmental international humanitarian
organization that delivers emergency medical care to
people in over 85 countries.

-Please refer to their website
(www.doctorswithoutborders.org) for more information
and an online petition to support devoting more
research towards developing affordable medicines for
neglected diseases.

by Andrew DellaRocca/PNN MEdia Intern

I had been back in the country for less than a month when the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11th. This, however,
does not mean that I hadnít been paying attention to the American political
scene before. From where I lived in Brazil, I had the unique opportunity to
witness the reaction of a foreign country to the joke of the American
presidential elections in November, 2000. "America?" they would ask me,
"How could this happen in America?" A couple of months later, my friend
Sergio asked me why I was bombing the poor folk of Iraq, and I had to
emphasize that it wasnít I who was dropping bombs, that the order was given
by an appointed, not elected, Executive Chief. But the big issue of the
months preceding September 11, for those of us who have forgotten due to the
chaos of the past year, was missile defense. Security was at the forefront
of the political debate before the terrorist attacks. And after those
planes hit the buildings, and I squatted down in the shower for a private
cry, my tears were not just for the victims of the attacks, but for the
inevitable reactionary forces which would come from them, and which would
threaten us all, inside and outside of this country.

Then the issue of missile defense all but evaporated. That does not mean
that the program ended, just that the debate concerning it had ceased. Then
came the Patriot Act which, among other things, allows law enforcement to
search a citizen's home without ever notifying that they had done so.
Government became shrouded in secrecy, and the Freedom of Information Act
was all but destroyed. Meanwhile, the US population has become subjected to
the utmost scrutiny. And the reactionary forces that have been putting
these mechanisms into place have condemned those who wish to debate them as
unpatriotic. The historical defense of weak policies is to retract the
right to debate those policies, because to debate them would open them up to
destruction. Thus, in medieval England ruthless monarchs held onto power
with the abstract mandate of divine right, and in contemporary America,
shaky legislation railroads itself into law with the equally abstract
argument that to even question it is to aide terrorism.

Poor News Network(PNN) assigned me to investigate and report on Operation TIPS (Terrorism Information and Prevention System). TIPS was supposed to have
recruited Americans "in unique positions to see potentially unusual or
suspicious activity," according to the Citizen Corps website, and to report
such activity to government agencies. It is the equivalent of a government
funded citizen spying network, and would have involved truck drivers, letter
carriers, train conductors, and utility workers keeping an eye on those they
come in contact with during their daily routines. PNN took a special
interest in the proposal because such measures have often been used in the
past to oppress advocacy organizations and communities of color.

Information about the program was hard to come by. The official description
of TIPS, which is posted on www.citizencorps.gov is vague, probably
intentionally so. I was tempted to sign up so that they would send me their
literature, but was scared to do so, fearing that my name might end up on
somebodyís list, somewhere, sometime, without my knowledge. I decided to
try to find someone that has been recruited.

I was already angry at my mailman. Multiple times, magazines or large
envelopes that arrived at my house had been torn by his trying to force too
large a stack of mail through my mail slot. To think that soon he might be
keeping an eye on me pissed me off even more, and I thought it appropriate
to speak with the post office to find out what their role in this TIPS
program was going to be. I went to the local post office to get some info.

I walked into the dull, institutionally gray post room expecting to be given
indifferent refusals from workers whose job it was to take people's mail,
not answer questions. At the desk was an African-American woman with hoop earrings and two band-aids on her fingertips. I asked her what she knew about Operation TIPS. She gave me a confused glare. I explained to her what the program was, and how postal workers were going to be recruited "to report suspicious activities of the people in the communities where they work." She cocked her head back and gave me a suspicious look of disbelief, the type of gaze that usually accompanies the expression "no you didn't."

"I haven't heard anything. And I sure as hell ain't going to participate,"
she said.

She told me to hold on, and she went into the backroom and grabbed a book.
Flipping through the pages, she said that it would be best for me to contact
the business office of the marketing department, since they are the medium
of contact with outside agencies like Citizen Corps. She found the number
and gave it to me. I thanked her.

"Good luck," she told me, and I left, surprised at how her hospitality had
brightened the dull walls of the front office.

The US Post Office refused to participate with the program, I discovered
with relief. The realization that such a network would be in effect so
quickly, starting in August, prompted a loud outcry from all sectors of
society. George Orwellís 1984 was frequently referred to, as well as former
East Germany's infamous Stasi Police- a smaller citizen informant
organization than the one proposed by the Bush administration, but one which
was much condemned by the ìfree worldî as a tool of only totalitarian
regimes. Both Democratic and Republican Congressman have openly opposed the
program. Dick Armey and Bob Barr, both Republican Representatives, opposed
TIPS, as well as Senate Democrats Patrick Leahy, Edward Kennedy, and Charles
Schumer, to name a few. I am unsure of how our own Dianne Feinstein
approached the debate.

On Saturday, the House passed a homeland security bill which would prohibit
the implementation of such a program. Apparently, this bill will
effectively kill Operation TIPS, to our relief. More importantly, debate
over the measure was not trumped by patriotic rhetoric.

For me, my fear of contacting Citizen Corps should be nothing but
preposterous. Unfortunately, though, the fear was real. With the rubble of
the World Trade Center removed from downtown New York, prohibition against
our freedom to dissent ought to be removed as well, and my hope is that the
reconstruction of Manhattan will be accompanied by the reconstruction of
those freedoms which were stolen from us this past year. The defeat of
Operation TIPS is hopefully an indication of a necessary action against the
reaction.

*Editors Note; We just got this update on the TIPS program from fellow Conscious Citizen, Aya De Leon;

The plan (TIPS) has run into trouble in Congress. The House is moving to
reject the President's program. It is not clear what the Senate will
do,but it is likely to vote on the bill in the coming
days. The fate of
this deeply misguided program could very well rest with the Senate.

Take Action! Your Senators will play a key role in deciding whether
or not Operation TIPS will go ahead. You can read more and send a FREE FAX to
your Senators, urging them to reject this misguided
program, from ACLU's action
alert at:

http://www.aclu.org/action/tips107.html

by Staff Writer

In an attempt to answer the onslaught of pro-Care Not Cash Letters published in the Letters to the Editor section of the San Francisco Chronicle, several conscious citizen's have submitted comprehensive critiques of Care Not Cash to the SF Chronicle Editor, but alas, none of these letters of have been published. Here is an example of two recent letters sent in for publication;

Letter #1

To the Editor;

Gavin Newsom's Care-Not-Cash campaign cites Chicago as a success
story. Chicago implemented a similar program in the early 90s.

I was in Chicago in November, 1999 and talked with homeless advocates.
They described a picture that they said was typical in Chicago.

Many homeless shelters are located next to temporary work agencies.
Early in the morning, shelter occupants walk over to the temp
agencies. The temp agencies drive them to locations throughout the
city, where they work all day at far below minimum wage. In the late
afternoon they are driven back, where they turn over almost all of
their day's earnings to stay another night in the shelter. In the
morning, the process starts over again. So although these homeless
people are part of the regular workforce, they are trapped in a
condition of virtual slavery, with no escape.

That is what Care-Not-Cash will create in San Francisco. By stripping
homeless people of money, Care-Not-Cash will create a captive
no-or-low-wage work group. Right now, these folks clean the streets
and Muni cars and do laundry at SF General Hospital, but who is to say
that Newsom's corporate supporters in the Hotel Council, the
"Committee on Jobs", or the Chamber of Commerce won't decide they are
needed to clean hotel rooms, do telemarketing, or to bus dishes?

Historically, most workers' living standards go up and down with those
of the lowest rung of the workforce. Everyone who works, has worked,
or would work has a stake in defeating this measure.

Thank-you,

Michael Lyon

Emergency Coaltion to Save Public Health(ECSPH)

******************

Letter #2

To the Editor;

It is libelous to assert that homeless advocates have not responded
logically and comprehensively to Gavin Newsomeís Care Not Cash Initiative.

The corporate media, which dominates information in the bay area, has chosen
to ignore arguments by opponents of the Care Not Cash initiative. This does
not mean that a rational response has not been designed. Organizations such
as POWER, the Coalition Against Increased Homelessness, the Coalition on
Homelessness, and POOR Magazine, have all released material that
dissects Newsomeís initiative, and finds it dangerous. Likewise, a
comprehensive alternative proposal has been floated by the Coalition Against
Increased Homelessness. These organizations, which lack a PR budget
comparable to Newsomes, have only been able to find voice in alternative
media outlets such as the Street Sheet, The San Francisco Bay View and PoorNewsNetwork Perusal of these publications will reveal to the public the true failure of the initiative.

If Care Not Cash successfully addressed the issue of homelessness in the
city, Newsome would have the backing of the advocate community. Persons who
devote their lives to the study of such problems do not ignore the
implications of proposals designed to further their cause, nor do they work
to defeat them, should those proposals be sound in their efforts.
Unfortunately, Care Not Cash fails on both points, and has therefore earned
the condemnation of those who are truly devoted to the eradication of
homelessness.

Andrew M. Della Rocca

by Joe B.

Today is Tuesday, July 30, 2002.

Today’s topic is not about Sup. Gavin Newsom and his 23 or whatever numbered plan for supposed caring for houseless and working poor by keeping most of the General Assistant or G.A. from people who need it most.

The "Care Not Cash" Plan or initiative (CNC) though on the surface is help wean most homeless alcoholics and drug users there’s one small catch…

I’ll wait for readers to figure it out.

Have some readers gotten a whiff of clues to the glitch

Give up? Times up folks.

1) A small, little, infinitesimal flaws that becomes a gaping error is.

The majority of working poor, home/houseless folks work at dead-end low minimum or sub minimum wage jobs.

2) the same hard working two or more jobs to make ends meet are non-drug or alcohol users.

It’s an out of state stereotype and scare tactic hype.

Most of the population now without homes are not on drugs or mental cases.

There are many but the majority population are clean of drugs.

3) The so called 80% percent seen publicly is less than 20% fraction but get all the negative news shown about them and then its projected on the rest of honest citizen’s in San Francisco or people in other cities.

I’m sure a few hundred always clean and sober homeless and working poor folk showed to speak to these half-truths and bald faced lies the story changes dramatically.

Now for a more personal problem facing me.

Today my place is being check for critters by exterminators.

Between that and appointments to visit, be visited, by the San Francisco Housing Authority is nerve racking.

One time my asthma acted up as I rode the bus the Van Ness office.

What does one do when they cannot rest misplaced the inhaler, gulping gasping at air, and wet from perspiration?

I’m drinking mint tea, sucking mentholated cough drops, and hitting my chest trying to hold down shallow-breath-panic.

It was worse because I also had to work and half the day couldn’t gulp a full breath to save my life. I was spent and tired as if I had ran two marathons, back to back, in the Sahara Desert, on the hottest day of the year.

Now, my place is being checked for real bugs, roaches, and flies.
There are two plans for this plans

Is clean up, toss out trash, light up some incense just before inspectors or exterminators are inside. Then there’s my alternate plan A1.

A1’s plan, cover everything from bed, table, desk, and floor with clean blankets, sheets, or a quilt, open windows, and light up some incense sticks. My alternate plan is now in progress.

So you see folks this take precedence over Mr. G-N’s aspirations.
The personal is political probably but losing my S .R. O.[Single Room Occupancy] shelter is my politics and as for Newly, Newel, Newt, or whatever who might cause more problems than helps.

I figure watch, learn, report results, then as truth dawns and as the real deal is known people will vote without the smoke screens of ads, smiles, cult-of-personality charisma foolishness.

In the final reckoning its up to voters knowing the facts doing, they’re civic duties. Right now I’m more worried about cleaning my place, paying rent, phone bill, so my PC can enter the net while Newsy, Newby, whatever his name makes his play for another office.

Time for someone else to… In fact there should be relief women, men as in relay race so as people begin to burn out can be replaced so there is always someone to ask and answer Newsom’s point counter point on his and other policies and truths real and harried activists (excluding myself)
won’t burnout, get rest and can jump into the breach again.

This is N.N.N. the Non Newsom Net.

I only care how he effects policy I care nothing about the guy at all.

Got to get home and uncover everything. Bye…

by Valerie Schwartz/PNN Media intern

I was at a San Francisco Hospital last week to go to my physical therapy appointment. I decided after the appointment that I would go and see what the hospital library was like. As I hobbled towards the old red brick building and entered through the automatic electric doors into a large empty hallway, I noticed it was stark in contrast to the newer buildings at the hospital. It was dimly lit and for some reason, it felt somewhat spooky. To my immediate right there was a wide area before the beginning of the hallway that led to the library. There was a white sign about the size of a sheet of paper with dark blue letters that said, PATIENT RESOURCE LIBRARY. As I was looking up at the sign I recalled a recent conversation I had with a woman about the hospital library and its security/police. Fresh in my mind, as though we were still talking, I could still hear her saying...

" I am in shock and I don't feel good, he didn't have to do what he did to me" In a recent conversation with an elder houseless woman I was told a frightening story of abuse, injury and arrest at this same San Francisco Hospital by the San Francisco Institutional Police who used excessive force. Her crime: using the computer-lab in the hospital's library while waiting for her prescriptions to be filled, and… "looking homeless"

I remembered reading her expressions that were like a tome of chronicled journals on the plight of a poor woman . I couldn't help but notice her gentle demeanor conveying an innate wisdom as she sat and adjusted the red scarf around her neck and told me what had happened, that at first in the library's\computer room no one had approached her for awhile, that she had been working on graphic design slides, and web designs, and had also checked her email. "Then it happened," her words rushed out in tense pockets, "the librarian came in to the area and said, Will everyone please put up their badges".

She continued, "I didn't see any badges and I don't think anyone had any, I'm not good at fending for myself. I tried to explain that poor people have computer skills too. It was not obvious that I was in a place I shouldn't have been. The librarian then told me to go to the public library."

Her words filled my head as I continued my walk through the scene of the "crime", the Patient Resource Library, I noticed a large desk area for the library staff, no one was seated at the desk. There was a huge copy machine, also not in use. I moved further into the room which was divided into sections of what appeared to be mostly medical texts and medical reference books. The first section had two computers that were hooked up to a printer and although it looked like it was probably for printing research articles, so far I saw no information posted as to who was allowed to use these computers. I continued into the library passing section by section of huge medical books. No one seemed to be aware of my presence or much less concerned if I needed any help. I meandered through looking for any kind of pertinent information that might be posted as to who is allowed to use the library. Silly me I thought to myself... the sign said "Patient Resource Library ". Continuing on I finally saw a sign suspended from the ceiling that said: MICROCOMPUTER CENTER.

I looked to my right and noticed two other stations and three to my left. They were separated by small walls in between the stations. On the wall above four of the five-stations there was a sign posted on a standard size sheet of paper. These signs said: Effective January 24th, the Microcomputer Center is limited to faculty, staff and students affiliated with the University of California or the Community Health Network". Unfortunately if the stations had all been in use the signs would not have been seen, except by the people sitting at the computers. Remember... I was looking for them.

In the aisle between the stations there was a wooden door with a glass window, it was ajar and it opens up into a another computer room/lab that has nine-stations. In this room there are no signs posted anywhere in reference to who is allowed to use it. As I left the room I noticed another sign the same as the others posted on the wall near the fifth-computer in the first -computer stations, it is on a bulletin board that is about two-by-two. This once again is not posted in the most visable place but if you are on your way out and are looking to the right you might see it.

As I looked around, I was brought back to the conversation with the elderly woman who’s hand was bandaged and was wearing a large stiff neck cast.. "What happened next, " I asked.

"The librarian went out and came back with security. I wasn't asked to leave the building. In a instant he was manhandling me, twisting my wrists. I felt my rib pop and he threw me to the floor, handcuffed me, and then jerked me up off the floor. I have Osteoporosis ans Osteo-Arthritis... I was afraid for my bones. My thumb is broken... they said I resisted... He lied, he used a submission hold".

I asked her how much time had elapsed from the time he entered the room and the time he grabbed you? "I dunno, it was very fast. I found it offensive that it was the librarian's call. They humiliated me, absolutely humiliated me. They took me through the lobby in cuffs. He said I threw myself on the floor and she backed him up...I knew I was in trouble". She then told me that she was taken to jail and cited out. When she appeared in court the following morning her charges were dismissed. She then went to another hospital where she was treated for a broken thumb, a sprained neck, and a possible bruised rib.

I was curious to know if in fact the security at this hospital was a part of the SFPD even though in the past several different times, when receiving treatment at this hospital the security staff has told me that they were a part of the SFPD when I asked them. After a few phone calls I was told in no uncertain terms that they weren't. I spoke with a Sgt. at Southern Station-SFPD. I asked him if the San Francisco Institutional Police at this hospital was a branch of the SFPD? He answered, "Not actually, they are just institutional police however they are merging with the Sheriff's Department any day now".

I then called the hospital library and asked the librarian:" Who is allowed to use your library?" She replied, "Anyone can come in and use the library, but you must be a Staff member to check out books". I then asked, "What about your computer room?" She answered, "It is for Staff only".

I called the Administration office at the hospital and spoke to a woman I had been put though to by the switchboard. I asked her, "Does your hospital have a stated policy on how people are to be arrested on hospital grounds?" She answered, "You'll have to call Administration." I explained to her that Administration had put me through to her and she then said, "You'll have to call security."

So now I was feeling that I was chasing my tail I called the Hospital’s Institutional Police and talked to the Watch Sgt. I asked him, "May I ask what your stated policy is on arresting people on hospital grounds?" He said, "We just follow the laws of the laws of the State of California". I wondered if that meant that if a person wasn't literate of the laws of the state would they be in danger of being arrested?

I then mulled over what seems to be a never ending double-standard; preferential treatment, i.e., how people are treated, or should I say mistreated because of the way they appear or "look" and the way they are then stereotyped. I think about the time my thumb was broken by SFPD when using a submission hold and question why would an already disabled elder throw themselves on the floor to resist arrest for using a library computer is claiming, especially when then have Osteoporosis and Osteo-Arthritis? As I seek out a seat in the disabled section of the crowded bus leaving the hospital I wonder how many people are harmed by abuse of authority, especially poor elders and homeless folks, and how many of them are afraid to report it for fear of repercussions. I remember asking the woman who was still in shock from her experience, "Why do you think they made an example out of you?" She answered sounding as if still in disbelief and angered, " I had been singled out because I looked poor and didn't fit in".

Valerie Schwartz is very low-income, poverty scholar and recent graduate of the New Journalism/Media studies Program at POOR. She did original research for this piece for another student at POOR who because of fear of repercussions did not want exact names or places mentioned in this article We are currently seeking an attorney to help with a possible lawsuit based on the facts presented in this story.

by Jewnbug

Rita preferred Rene

daddy left early in da game

poverty brands fate

housin authority interrogatez

beaten wit word of painz

petite ebony stands stained

bold mental frame

focuses on wut she needs 2 gain

no helpin… parents strung out

belt weltin… screams

she dug route, wit slender midnight claws

articulated jawz

chilled outsyde da skool walls

fallz

in arms of no goodz man

shackin up pit in stomachs erupts plans

escapes again

fleein da scene… flesh. spirit. seed.

blessed young laydee continues 2 read

b tween lines conscious of tymes

she perservers not yieldz

turnz obstaclez in 2 wheelz of steel

stackin developing skillz

2 succeed in competitive field

spills her guts

bandages cuts

buildz friendship

suppresses luv

breaks stereotypes up

gives birth 2 Afrikan, Puerto Rican,

Pinay princesses

braids hair

backs bone

makes family builds home

bi barely makin endz meet

she iz Mama, daughter, sistah, niece!