Story Archives

by Andy DellaRocca/PNN Media intern

"Andy, grab yourself something to eat." I was startled to hear somebody
call me by my first name. How did this woman know my name? Why was she so
concerned about my diet? I then remembered the name tag that I had been
given at the front entrance, on which I wrote "Andy: Poornewsnetwork." The
tag hung from my upper chest, and as I sat in the wooden fold-up chair in
Susan Cieutat's living room, I pondered how nice it would be if we all wore
name tags, all of the time. "Please, you must be hungry."

I wasn't at all hungry, I had just eaten. But after a third person
requested that I take advantage of the platter that was spread out in the
dining room, I rose and squeezed past the others to arrive at the table.
There before me stood a table full of bagels, cream cheese, and fruit salad.
"Have you been eating enough fruit?" rang my mother's voice in my head,
and despite the affirmative responses I've always given her, I knew that I
hadn't been, so I filled my plate with blueberries, bananas, melon, and
apples, and went back to my seat. I ate the food quickly, eager to get back
to reading the pamphlets that were handed to me concerning Oregon's
comprehensive Health Care Finance Act, Universal Health Care in San
Francisco, and the Universal Single Payer Health Care Resolution. As I read
these, and ate my fruit, I thought about how justified my mother's concerns
were, both that I was living without a health plan, and that I didn't eat
enough fruit.

"I have to pay $100 dollars to find out if I still have cancer? That's
immoral," Jose Ramirez, a Cuban emigrant, now living in the United States,
told us he had said to a doctor from whom he received treatment in the past,
and who had presented to him a bill for a medical exam. We were all
introducing ourselves, and when I heard the statement by Jose, I realized
that I'd better start the tape recorder.

Health Care For All San Francisco, a local non-profit group, was hosting
this event in Susan Cieutat's living room. Amongst the tall bookcases that
lined the walls of her bright home sat about 25 adults of all ages, who
represented a variety of organizations such as the Gray Panthers, Neighbor
to Neighbor, and Health Care for All. The featured guest was Anne
Sunderland, who works for the Institute of Global Health at the University
of California, San Francisco. She recently attended the World Health
Organization's conference on biotechnology and health in Havana, Cuba, and
was here to speak about Cuba's biotech industry, as well as the state of
health care around the world. My tape recorder whirred as she stood up to
speak.

"Although it's relatively easy to be unaware of this while living in the
United States, we are really living in a time of great crisis in terms of
health around the world. And this crisis is fueled in large part by what
are referred to as 'diseases of poverty'. These are infectious diseases
that disproportionally affect poorer regions of the world."

Her discussion had begun, and she outlined for us the statistics that many
of our brothers and sisters are coping with in the more impoverished areas
of the world. Ten to fourteen million people dead of infectious diseases
each year, 90% of whom live in developing countries. Sixty-five to 75% of
the 40 million individuals infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ninety percent of the one to two million malaria deaths that occur each year
are children, under the age of five, living in the same region. And two
million people die each year of tuberculosis. The numbers are astounding.

"Imagine looking around the room today and knowing that, without a doubt,
one in every four of us was HIV positive."

The room was overwhelmingly filled with middle-class white folks, and I was
fairly confident that very few of those around me, if any, were infected
with the virus. In sub-Saharan Africa however, almost everyone would be
poor and black, and one in four would be positive.

"How many of you in the room have been impacted by tuberculosis, or have had
a loved one impacted?" Anne asked.

Two hands went into the air, and one of the women that raised hers conceded
that it were elephants in the zoo which she knew were infected.

Anne explained that much of the disparity between health care systems around
the world is due, in large part, to the lack of biotech industry in
developing countries. Biotechnology is the application of biological
knowledge and techniques to create new products and technologies. It is the
medical implications of this technology that is relevant to international
health. Vaccines, for example, are a biotechnological creation. The
establishment of biotech industries in richer countries, and the absence of
such industry in poorer ones, has been labeled the "genomics divide."

"Only 1% of the new drugs that were brought to market between 1975 and 1997
were developed specifically for a disease of poverty. Why is this
happening? Well, essentially, most of the biotech capacity, in terms of
technology and infrastructure and funding and trained scientists, just
resides in the developed world. Many of these resources reside in companies
of the developed world which function in market economies, where making a
profit is the overwhelming objective.

"Despite the huge numbers of potential patients in the developing world for
treatment for a disease of poverty, they don't necessarily represent BUYERS,
or customers, in the fact that neither they, nor their government in many
cases, can afford to pay the prices that the drug companies feel they need
to charge to recoup their investment costs to get a profit... to give you
the background of the INDUSTRY perspective of why this market failure has
occurred and is continuing to occur."

Cuba is important because it stands as an exception to the rule of the
genomics divide. Cuba's biotech industry is extensive. This is due to the
country's leader, Fidel Castro's, commitment to health and the health
sciences and his continued investment in the biotech sector. Even during
the 1990's, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the economic aid for
Cuba that went with it, Fidel put one billion dollars into the industry.

What has been the result of this investment? The development of original
vaccines for certain forms of hepatitis and meningitis. The production of
generic drugs which have been exported to regions of the world where the
high prices demanded by the biotech corporations of the industrialized world
cannot be paid.

Cuba's health system has treated many individuals from outside of Cuba.
Persons from the Ukraine, who were affected by the Chernobyl disaster, went
to Cuba for treatment. Many Americans have likewise been treated by the
Cuban health system.

"We are really talking about a needs-based system where the health needs of
the citizens dictate what products are researched or developed by the
industry. The meningitis vaccine, for example, was developed after an
outbreak of meningitis in the 1970s."

As she said this, I couldn't help but think about the way that the market
has failed to address the health needs of the capitalist world. At POOR, we
once discussed "sleeping sickness," a disease for which there is a very
simple treatment. However, many people throughout the poorer regions of the
world continued to die from the disease. The cure, in the meantime, was no
longer being produced, because it was deemed unprofitable. Once the drug
was discovered to help relieve acne, however, companies began to produce it
once again. Only because well-to-do adolescents were worried about
"pizza-face" were impoverished individuals in the poor world allowed access
to the easy treatment of sleeping disease.

The state-run health system of Cuba, which is free to all of its citizens,
has resulted in infant mortality rates and life expectancy rates almost
identical to those in the US, "despite the fact that Cuba continues to live
in what we consider third world poverty, in terms of material poverty,"
emphasized Anne.

The successes of Cuba's health sector lies in stark contrast to the
deficiencies of the United States health care system, where I've been denied
coverage because of a past bout with bronchitis, and where Jose needs to
fork over $100 for his doctor to tell him the results of his cancer test. I
looked around the room and saw many seniors in the chairs, listening to Anne
talk. Some of them may be dealing with health issues as we speak. Perhaps
their retirement portfolios have dissolved in the wake of the Wall Street
scandals. Who is going to provide them with the necessary health care? If
I break my foot and can no longer work my job, will I need to go onto the
street because I can't cover my medical expenses?

Health Care for All has been advocating a Universal Single Payer Health Care
Resolution for the state of California. To learn more, check their website
at www.healthcareforall.org.

by Scott Clark

"You have no right to be here, who are you people?",
said Will Lightbourne, director of San Francisco
Department of Human Services. This statement was
his first attempt to dislodge a small group of
protesting mothers and their advocates from his
office.

The recent passing of Mother's Day seemed to add
considerable weight to an action against the
Department of Human Services (DHS). On May 15,
2000, at 1:30pm, a group of about twenty
demonstrators met in the small office of POWER
(People Organized to Win Employment Rights), 126
Hyde St. in San Francisco. The protestors consisted
of Mothers on TANF (Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families), working poor Mothers, former
TANF recipients, Foodstamps recipients, and family
welfare advocates.

The reason for the meeting was to plan an action in
response to the implementation of a rigorous
fingerprinting system for recipients of CalWorks
(TANF) and Foodstamps, which was announced by
DHS to be taking place this very same day. The main
concern with the new fingerprinting system is that
DHS will share fingerprint data with other
government agencies, such as the INS (Immigration
and Naturalization Service) and CPS (Child
Protective Services).

The meeting proceeded with a roundtable of
introductions in English and Spanish, followed by a
few minutes of strategizing and answering questions
in the same bilingual fashion. By 2:15pm the group
had split into two factions. The groups were about
equally sized, one headed off to the office of Will
Lightbourne at 170 Otis St., the other to sit in on the
regular Monday 2pm Board of Supervisors meeting
at City Hall.

The conference with Will Lightbourne was brought
about with some argument from Will himself. To his
understanding, he had done the right thing in an
expedient fashion, putting his new fingerprint system
to work as quickly and substantially as possible,
justifying the departmental outlay of the money it
took to purchase the system. In doing this, he was in
accordance with state law, which allows counties to
implement fingerprinting and share the information
with other counties in order to prevent fraud. So,
when this collection of families and advocates
showed up without an appointment and demanded to
meet with him, he did his best to shoo them back out
of his personal offices.

They, however, refused to leave. It was unlikely that
Mr. Lightbourne would have showed up for an
appointment....... even if they had had one. He had a
reputation for not showing up when anyone had any
complaint at all. And they had come to do some
serious complaining.

The mere process of getting to his offices and then
getting him to acknowledge their presence had caused
the group to expend considerable creative effort.
They had bypassed the front desk security by coming
in through the parking lot elevators. Up to the eighth
floor went the bulk of the procession; the drivers of
the three cars they had come in were still parking. By
the time that the last two members of the group,
Steve Williams and another member of POWER, had
arrived upstairs, Mr. Lightbourne had made the
escape from his own front office, and was attempting
to hide (or maybe just take a deep breath) in the hall
bathroom. He might better have picked one with a
lock on the door, because Steve found him soon
enough. Steve calmly told him "Look, we're here
because we need to talk to you, and we're not going
away."

So the two of them headed back to the front office. Once
there, Will totally ignored the group, and again attempted
avoidance via the connected employees’ offices. The group
followed him, asking what the problem was, and why
wouldn’t he talk to them. He mumbled something about not
having an appointment and having to get back to work.
They came back around full circle again to the front area,
which included his personal office. He slipped in there and
attempted to close the door on them, but instead
encountered someone's foot, which kept the door from
closing.

Rebecca Vilkommerson of the Homeless Prenatal Program
(HPP) responded; "We have every right to be here, and
you need to find time right now to talk to us, because we’re
not leaving until you do." The group had brought signs
denouncing Mr. Lightbourne’s methods in respect to
making changes in DHS, not only as regards
fingerprinting. They were there to argue with his self-will;
he had paid no attention thus far to requests by this same
group of people to apply for a waiver from the state. This
waiver would allow for delaying fingerprint requirements
for up to two years. He had also ignored the waivers that
had been granted or were being requested by a number of
surrounding counties in Northern California.

These failings were pointed out to him again after he had
led his opponents into the building auditorium to proceed
with their griefs. They hung their signs on the walls and
took to the front of the room, while he took a front and
center seat, a wary or weary-looking audience of one. He
listened to them mostly in silence. At one point in the
discourse he started to try to respond to some things being
said by a mother with her toddler-aged daughter; he got as
far as "But, but, but...", before the mom resumed
speaking; then she was cut off by her baby repeating, "buh,
buh, buh". Everybody but Will thought this was pretty
funny.

To follow up on the action at 170 Otis St., this group was
to rendezvous with its other half, the complainants who
were to present these same problems to City Hall. The
Supervisors meeting had been dragging along on some land
use issues, and had not yet come to the portion of the
agenda allowing for public comment. This situation turned
the day’s momentum to an advantage.

The protestors who had just arrived from Otis St., when
they got to the City Hall building, went first to the office of
Tom Ammiano, who has been the City’s #1 responsive ally
when it comes to issues of family and immigrant rights.
There, they found Brad Benson, Tom’s assistant. They
explained their situation, and what had happened at DHS.
Brad agreed to work with them to write up a resolution for
presentation to the Board of Supervisors. They gathered the
rest of their consort from the Board conference room, and
Brad seated everybody comfortably in Tom’s spacious
office. He addressed the group briefly, letting them know
he was out to help them get this situation dealt with today in
an agreeable fashion. There were two lawyers present
within the group; Julia Greenfield from the Lawyer’s
Committee, and Eve Stotland from Bay Area Legal Aid.
They, together with a CalWorks mom (and member of
POWER) and Brad, collaborated to get the resolution typed
in legal language for presentation to the Board. When it
was typed and printed, the group in Tom’s office listened
to it read, and voted, approving it unanimously. The
resolution was for the Board to order the DHS to delay
fingerprinting, and to apply for a waiver from the state until
such a time as controls could be implemented, disallowing
the DHS from sharing such information with other
unapproved agencies, either Federal or State.

The lateness of the afternoon, however, did not allow for it
to be brought before the Board on that day so a promise
was garnered from Brad, and in Tom Ammiano’s name, to
present it to the Board at the next regular meeting of the
board. The group left the scene happily, looking as if
Mother's Day had been extended an extra day.

For more information call POWER at (415)776-9379 or
HPP at 546-6756.

by Brother Y/PNN

I am fond of saying and will continue to state that government is like a theif at night who steals your wallet at night but by day break say’s “ c’mon buddy let’s go find the sum’bitch who stole your wallet no one treats my friends like that!”

Such is the case with the current initiative by California lawmakers to legalize,

Tax and regulate the use of marijuana for all state residents 21 or older.

The criminalization / legalization of marijuana has always’s been a civil rights issue.

The first law on record making marijuana illegal started as a city ordinance in

El Paso, Texas was used to target Mexican immigrants.

Due to the fact that there were no law’s against immigrating to the United States

During that time period white racist looked for the only way to discriminate against

Them and apparently this is the only thing that stood out.

In 1913 the state of California was the first state to make marijuana illegal,

Due to pressure from the pharmiceutical industry because of the competition!

In 1914 Utah followed suit due to a Mormon religious prohibition.

By 1930 30 stattes made it illegal, the greatest fear being they felt herion addiction

Would lead to marijuana, that’s not a typo you read that right!

During congessional hearings only 2 medical doctors were present the first one was the representative of the American Medical Association he was told to shut up and leave because he stated that there was no proof that marijuana was a dangerous drug.

The second was James Munch who injected 300 dogs with extract of marijuana 2 of which died.

When asked his conclusion he said he did not know.

Later he testified in court under oath that marijuana would make your fangs grow 6 inches and drip blood, and when he tried it turned him into a bat!

He served as the U.S. official “expert” on marijuana from 1938 until 1962.

AS far as common sense goes the greater issue’s at hand are 1. Many people who are voting age would not or could not benefit from the legalization of marijuana.

At the tender age of 17 with the permission of their parents or guardians young people could “die for their country” without ever being able to legally try marijuana regardless as to whether they inhale or not as a certain cowardly draft dodger claimed not to have done!

2.Many young people could spend the rest of their lives behind bars after being tried and convicted as adults again without ever being able to legally try weed, which could in some cases prevent them being placed in the cicumstance’s that could lead to their conviction to begin with.

3. The legalization of industrial hemp is far more imperative to the economy of the

California, The United States and a competive world market.

The arrogance and selfishness of man has lead to the eradication of many animal and plant species, and caused an imbalance to the eco system.

For all we know “legalizing” hemp could help bring back the honey bee!

It is a much better option to decriminalize 6 oz. or less marijuana for those 18 and above

Using monies confiscated from harsher drugs to provide funding for addiction education

During primary education and treatment on demand, instead of adding more and more taxes to treat the ills of society.

In reality the only ones who would benefit from the legalization of marijuana would be government fat cats, big business and a bunch of rich white guy’s who own the majority of the cannabis clubs.

by Bruce Allison and Thorton Kimes

SSI and SSP will be cut by $20 a month beginning July, 2009. This will create a deficit in the personal budgets of anyone with a disability, or seniors enrolled in those programs. California pays $200 more on these grants than the federal government, which gives The Governator room to cut and still give more than other states. The President’s Stimulus package makes it possible for the cut to be only $5 a month by this poverty scholar’s math.

Other cuts devastating to poor folks include cutting home care workers’ pay from $11 to $9 per hour. Many home care workers are providing services for their own parents or other relatives in need of their help; many home care workers provide these services instead of working in other fields for more money--they could even have ended up being some of the people we love to hate for the current state of the economy, except that they had a conscience and chose to help family.

These workers have been helping the California economy by keeping them at home instead of in more expensive nursing facilities. A great example of this is Poor Magazine’s own Tiny Lisa Gray Garcia, who was her own mother’s care giver as well as being a mother herself—and running a fabulous publication—before becoming Communications Director of Justice Matters, a non-profit advocacy organization that helps youth of color get a better education.

People who receive MediCal benefits are also going under the knife, as the Governator is now calling dentistry, vision, podiatry, chiropractic, acupuncture, and some psychiatric out-patient services “cosmetic”. This will inevitably take patients straight to the Emergency Room of the nearest hospital, spending the money Schwarzenegger wants to save anyway.

Last of the knife cuts is to families of three or more, cutting their monthly CalWorks grant from $760 to $690. Many of my friends and Poor Magazine co-writers will be enduring this particular indignity. After paying the rent and utilities there will only be $300 left to get through the month. This is tough for a single person to do, let alone a family.

Please think of them as having some dignity in their lives. It is hard enough to ask someone else for help, they did not ask for this and do not deserve it. Please ask/demand that the Governator change these decisions, as there are other cuts he could make to save money that wouldn’t hurt anyone. Disabled and Senior folks in the state prison system could be paroled and save approximately $100 million.

There are some other solutions this poverty scholar would like to make, but they are not very polite, so dear readers, you must use your imaginations. Consider this article an exercise in anger management!

by Marlon Crump

“Stop Group Stalking!”

“Stop Electromagnetic Weapons!”

“Stop Defamation of Character!”

“Stop Electronic Torture!”

“Restore Human Liberties!”

The voices of victims resisting the above covert acts of terror took to the front entrance of San Francisco City Hall on a humid October 14th, 2009 afternoon. Their voices finally began to penetrate the voluntary deaf ears, from the above said protest signs, handmade.

One of the signs given to me by a fellow protestor spoke its own voice, in big black bold letters: “STOP ORGANIZED TERROR!” I was also given a button that said, “Freedom from Covert Harassment & Surveillance.”

There was a visibility from fear, anxiety, and isolation of resistance in the air towards the acts of terror; covertly occurring upon them by the steps of the very city officials, who have the authority to aid them.

“This event means to expose crime committed against humans, by U.S. Government Agencies.” A protestor stated to me. He later told me that he produced a documentary film regarding “brain implants.”

My presence at this rally was my duty, without question. Being a reporter for my family of POOR Magazine/POOR News Network, I’m committed like my comrades to re-port and sup-port for the unheard voices intentionally silenced by corporate mainstream media, locally and globally.

I’ve been on numerous marches and protests since living in the Bay Area of San Francisco, for the past five years. Many of them pertained to the issues of poverty, racism, oppression, police brutality, budget cuts, etc, etc. These issues are always at the root core for the resistance within our work at POOR.

Today’s protest rally, “International Alliance Against Covert Electronic Abuse Global Human Rights Protest” was the first of its kind that I’ve ever re-ported on, and sup-ported for, to date.

This was not just a local crisis call to end an injustice for T.I (Targeted Individual) victims in cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and here in San Francisco. This was also global crisis call to action from victims to end the terrorism that appeared to be “too far-fetched” for “media coverage.”

T.I victims currently have a movement to end this crisis in the United Kingdom, India, and three cities in Canada.

“We protested in front of the Legislative Assembly Building and near Medical Science Building of University of Toronto on the 14th of October. We started at 10.30 A.M. There were 5 people in front of the Legislative Assembly, and I, Galina Kurdina.” Galina, a T.I. said to me via email, in detailing “People approached us and we distributed about 10 fliers.”

Unfortunately, Galina also stated that a women attempted tactics to implement a scanda upon them. Eventually she was scared off when one of the protestors offered to take her picture, and she fled the scene. The rally continued on.

“One student of University of Toronto, sweet boy, said to us that, in his opinion, these experiments were disgusting, another person wished us to continue our struggle.”

In front of S.F City Hall, a C.B.S 5 News crew of two bypassed us, as we were numbered neared twenty. An undisclosed source later told me that they were told to ignore us. No corporate mainstream media coverage of covert terrorism intended to capture this event. “That doesn’t surprise me, everybody.” I yelled to them.

“That’s why we do what we do at POOR Magzaine because of them!”

In “Electronic Harassment” and “Targeted Individuals” (featured on www.poormagazine.org) many of the voices heard in both stories have often been covertly covered, ridiculed, discredited, harassed, with the end result leading them into fearful, faithless isolation.

An “Enough is Enough” stance from everyone at today’s rally was an awareness to the public regarding the categorical use of advanced deadly technology, organized stalking, microwave, directed energy, electromagnetic and mind control weapons often used against them.

This action was to be the first of many in the future. This one was the beginning to the demise of a bizarre seemingly invisible means of covert terror meant to control, harass, intimidate, and even experiment from persons or persons unknown. It didn’t matter to all of us who, what or where they were on this October 14th, 2009 Day.

It wouldn’t matter to everyone on whether or not any of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Mayor Gavin Newsom would listen from the inside. I didn’t even matter if the organized perpetrators, themselves would appear to intimidate everyone in covert fashion, and “support” the cause.

The unheard voices of the International Alliance Against Covert Electronic Abuse needed to finally be heard on the outside.

After I was picked up by Anti-Organized Stalking Activist, T.I Organizer, Christine Lynn Harris a T.I, (Targeted Individual) and director of ISARC (Idriss Stelley Action Resource Center) mesha Monge-Irizarry, my comrade we soon found ourselves across the street from S.F City Hall before we knew it.

The three of us stood alongside of each other, as we awaited the arrival of the other unheard voices, victims of covert terror. For Christine, this event was nearly a year dragged into the making.

Hit with strange severe sophisticated technology. Stalked by suspicious individuals (some possibly S.F.P.D Officers) during her daily activities. Emergency hospital admission on numerous occasions for severe radiation damages to her organs. Individuals appearing at her home costumed as phone technicians.

Ignorant and disbelief from people questioning the level of her sanity, despite documented proof supporting her claims. Consumed with constant physical and mental torture, while being forced to be attentive to her surroundings anywhere she goes. (Tactical component covert acts used by what some are calling, “The Crazy Makers.”)

Not to say the least, her very life threatened with a marked C.D, and even her car illegally towed in retaliation for speaking out.

“All of this over a f!@## piece of paper!” Christine often exclaimed to me. She previously sent the attorney general's office a letter concerning misdeeds of the president of the homeowners association. A short time later, Christine received an ongoing onslaught of electronic attacks, and covert stalking after voicing her concerns.

The sun scorched us. It pushed away rainy clouds, but it failed to prevent T.I (Targeted Individuals) voices from joining the rally.

They arrived a short time later, eager to get their unheard voices underway. Some of them were from California cities, such as Modesto, Fresno, Marin County, Oakland, and Berkeley.

“This makes me feel that I am not the only one going through this.” A T.I protestor said to me. She began to explain to me, (while fighting back tears and showing expressions of hopelessness) the horrors of harassments by S.F.P.D Officers, false accusations made towards her, and the removal of her driver’s license and car. “My father died when I was eighteen from electromagnetic weapons.”

After some pleasant verbal exchanges with onlookers, passer bys, an S.F.P.D Officer, a media crew from S.F. VID (who interviewed Christine) and a couple of S.F Sheriff Deputies, during the first few hours, we all went to the side of the street curb, and waved our signs to oncoming motorists.

To our surprise, many of them cheerfully honked their horns in support. For four straight hours in the heat, some of us (including myself) wearing black, we received horn honking praises from the oncoming drivers.

“Today feels very exciting because this is groundbreaking from victimization of T.I.s, towards a proactive grassroots effort all over the world.” mesha explained to me.

“I think it was a mission accomplished because we had about twenty people show up for the protest, a reporter from S.F Vid, and the rain cleared up for us today.” Christine said to me. “I think that we got the acknowledgment we received.

"God sees everything!"

Revelations 18:21

by Richard G. Hall, JR. (PNN Prison Correspondent)

Former U. S. Supreme Court Justice, Earl Warren used to become emasculated by the mere thought of reading the daily newspaper. I guess his gut twisted in a tight knot reviewing press packed with corruption, criminality, social incompetence, in humanity and down –right failure! In the face of such a daily deluge of ‘Cess. The good stuff has little real impact. Mr. Warren always read the sports page first, to spare himself a serious stomach ulcer. Because the only thing dirty in it, was the athletes uniforms, it really made no difference how the chips of victory or defeat fell. The very best that the human spirit could give, was always exemplified to the fullest.

On March 5, 2003, I forgot all about the Earl Warren Technique. And just had to read the “Bay Area” Section of the San Francisco Chronicle, First. The caption that busted my eyes said: “Out of Balance – Oakland has more special needs students but less money.”
Rest assured, the article was both appalling, and certainly tear jerking. And this is nothing short of an understatement.

Nearly 6,000 Oakland, California school children with an array of mental, and physical disabilities, are possibly on the verge of suffering for even more unfortunate circumstances. Not because of any fault of their own. But because adults incompetently managed the economic affairs of the “Oakland Unified School District.” As it stands, certain folks are complaining that over the past 3 years, the Oakland Unified School Districts cost to care for and educate special needs kids, Has increased by one-third- to $31 million in 2002. Even though the number of special needs kids has relatively remained the same. It would be very interesting to hear the 411 on “Oakland’s Military Academy.” Which was allocated a few cool $million, to militarize and educate less than 500 kids.

Nevertheless, this is not the time to waste time elaborating on printed paper currently. Regardless of California’s current budget fiasco. There are exceptions to the rule, when it comes to the budget ax. Especially disabled school children. It’s ironic how the U. S. Government can fling American tax-dollars to countries all over the Globe. In order to allegedly assist them in improving their social condition. That’s all well and good. But what about the downward spiraling conditions of Americas poorest communities? And it is even more of a slap in the face, that U. S. Government officials would even consider extending “Turkey” possibly $30 billion. Just to use that country as an allied task force military launch pad. For the sole purpose of the destruction and bloodshed of war against Iraq.

That’s a brilliant idea! The U. S. Military could park a few jets and tanks on the grounds of a few Oakland Public Schools. And charge the government a couple billion dollars. That would certainly save the Oakland Unified School District from losing its educational freedom to the scourge of bankruptcy! So what if it now costs $31 million to educate special needs kids. America’s – professional athletes in quite a few cases, have contracts bigger than that. How much does a single nuclear weapon cost.

All that matters is, 47% of Oakland’s special needs kids have learning disabilities. What so-called moral citizens should worry about, is the 25% of those kids who are afflicted with language and speech impairments. Who is unempathetic enough to look the 12% of them who are mentally retarded, and tell them they may be booted out in the cold because the O. U. S. D. is short on cash? The most despicable wretch on earth would not dare stoop so low! Did I mention the 2% that suffer from Autism? I could bring up the 1% who no sweat off anybody’s back that fewer than 1% are deaf, deaf and blind, have multiple disabilities, and brain trauma injuries?
It is bad enough that Oakland’s healthy school kids are suffering from the O. U. S. D’s Below substandard promotions. Now This!

Another stupendous irony can be reflected when the “California lottery” was started. What happened to the high sounding punch line!” It Will Help California Schools?”
Considering quite a few California School kids don’t even have text books to sorta learn from. And many of them that do, use outdated ones. So much for the California Lottery helping school kids. While every body is being spooked about possible terrorist attacks to come. Especially the so-called threat of Bio Chemical weapons. It might be a damn good idea to inoculate quite a few folks with ant- selective amnesia and selective empathy vaccines.

some folks have even gone so far as to claim, because of the money used on special education, the Oakland Unified School District is in the financial mess its in. Can you believe that? There’s no shortage of cash to slam folks in state prison, with a 25-to-Life sentence for stealing a G. I. Joe from J. C. Pennies. And I’ll assure you, if any of Oakland’s Special Needs kids, God forbid, Committed
adult type crimes. The only thing that will be out of Balance is real Justice! And God knows there will be plenty of available cash to lock them us. “God Bless America is an all wrong Song to Sing.” It should be!” God save America’s children. Especially those with special needs!”

by Leroy Moore

Leroy discusses the lack of financial
support and recogniton for small
grassroots non-profit organization.

Warning! Warning! To My Black disabled brothers
and sisters: Black traditional organizations from the
NAACP to the Urban League are trying to fix our
problems, empower us and protest in our name without learning
from us!

Only a Couple of years ago, Black traditional
organizations such as the NAACP, the Urban League,
ASPIRA and more made a commitment to work with
the President’s Committee on Employment of People
with Disabilities on the status of African Americans
with disabilities, and especially the issue of the high
unemployment rate. On April 6th the NAACP and the
President Committee hosted a conference titled "Employment
of Persons with Disabilities" in Milwaukee.

What is shocking about the new attention from Black
traditional organizations on African Americans with
disabilities is that it took a federal agency to get traditional
Black organizations on board when it comes to African
Americans with disabilities. For years many people,
parents, advocates and grassroots organizations
(including my parents and myself) have approached these
organizations, but received nothing. For example, in 1998 I
was working at the Youth Department of the Center
for Independent Living, and I and my supervisor, a
Black disabled lawyer, talked to the NAACP Oakland
Chapter about Black youth with disabilities, and how we
could work together. We never received a response.

ain the same year the Co-founder of DAMO, Gary
Gray, wrote to the NAACP National office about his work
and the lack of organizations run by and for disabled
people of color and their parents. This is why today you
have grassroots multi-cultural and Black disabled organizations

like Disability Advocates of Minorities Organizations,
Harambee Education Council and African Americans with
Disabilities Advocacy/Support Organization, to name a
few.

These organizations are grassroots, but are consistently
looked over when it comes to support, funding and
providing input.

I challenge the President’s Committee, a federal agency that has
little connection and knowledge what goes on every day
in the communit,. to contract out to
grassroots organizations that are for and by disabled
African Americans and their parents to conduct technical
education and disability awareness training to Black
traditional organizations.

by Boys and Girls Club of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Josh Jones

age 17

Slam Bio

Color Green

Taste Green Chili

Tortillas smell like sage after the rain

A bull elk running lots of power

And freedom

My tribe is anywhere in nature

I live out of town in the woods

With my dad

Our house is made of stone and its always comfortable there

I struggle with alcohol and anger

by Dee Gray and Lisa Garcia-Gray/PNN

How do you speak about the death and suffering of thousands of Bay Area homeless children, adults and elders while there is death and suffering and forced houselessness of thousands of other children, youth and adults from the Gulf coast?

"Let's look at the real root of poverty, racism and the theft of resources from our communities, from our educational systems, its called Plantation Capitalism" as words of scholarship floated from the mouth of Reverend James Lawson , elder statesmen of resistance and faith and one of the original organizers of Students Non-Violent organizing committee (SNIC) I got the answer. The truly amazing Reverend Lawson was speaking to a crowd of educators at a recent conference on education that I attended. And with his pointed scholarship which brought the holistic picture of historic and present oppression of poor folks and folks of color in full view I was finally able to answer the troublesome question POOR Magazine staff were asking ourselves since Hurricane Katrina and her cousins Hurricane Bush and Hurricane Cheney hit the Gulf coast.

"1,993 people have died homeless on San Francisco's streets over the past 18 years when we started counting" Said Sr. Bernie, tire-less homeless advocate and director of Religious Witness with Homeless people in front of a memorial wall containing all 1,993 names of the deceased that was installed for three days in City Hall Plaza last week.

Who needs natural disasters when you have rich-white-man-made, rich-white-man-built and rich-white-man-profited ongoing disasters. Disasters, like police brutality, eviction, rape and incarceration. Disasters like 84 year-old elders being evicted form their apartments in Oakland and San Francisco, because there is a profit to be made by turning their apartments into condos and young African descendent males being shot by police everyday in Amerikka and houseless babies one day old and houseless elders dying on Bay Area streets And in fact, this "disaster" if it did anything was just to bring these crimes against the poor to the forefront faster and harder.

Quoting Religious Witness with Homeless People, " Homeless deaths are not always identifiable as such, hence the figure of 1,993 represent an undercounting of the real numbers of folks that die on San Francisco's streets."

And even to get these numbers has been an ongoing struggle waged by Sr Bernie and other advocates. Finally, in June of 2005 Religious Witness succeeded in bringing about the reinstatement of San Francisco's 14 year practice of identifying and reporting the deaths of folks who died homeless in the City.

"Many of these deaths were preventable. The basic human right to decent, affordable housing and healthcare must be reflected as a highest priority in the annual budget of the City of San Francisco and vigorously pursued at the State and federal levels." Stated Religious Witness.

"1,993 is not a mere statistic; these individuals were someone's mother or father, daughter or son, aunt or uncle, spouse, partner, friend, neighbor, lover. They were sisters and brothers to all of us." Concluded Religious Witness with Homeless People

" There were already thousands of houseless folks in New Orleans before the hurricane hit, many of them mentally disabled, folks that no-one was keeping track of, and subsequently no-one seems to no where they are now. “Clive Whistle on a call to POOR from New Orleans, where he still in search of his Grandmamma who before the hurricane was housed in extremely substandard housing in New Orleans Ninth Ward and is now still missing has been doing research on the never-mentioned-in-corporate-media homeless population of New Orleans who is as of yet still un-accounted for in the aftermath.

"No-one is talking about the homeless that died in New Orleans and no-one wants to" Clive concluded

As POOR Magazine poverty scholars focus on connecting the dots of poverty, racism and homelessness from the Gulf coast to the Pacific Coast, from Bangladesh to Bay view, From Oakland to the "inmates" many of them homeless men incarcerated for poverty crimes and left to die in Orleans Parish Prison in Louisiana, we reflected on Reverend Lawson's point of Plantation Capitalism and its ongoing decimation of the least visible of our nation, the people who are perceived as being without power; the poor.

Reverend Lawson,"To resist these abuses, we must have convergence, of self, of belief, of action, of movements. The 21st century movement must put millions and millions on the streets"

"Because we know, that there are more of us than them, and we DO have power!" Clive Whistle, formerly homeless poverty scholar.

For more information on Religious Witness with Homeless People go on-line to www.religiouswitnesshome.org.

by Staff Writer

"If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with."

Michael Jackson.

I thought Thursday June 25th, 2009, would be a typical day............or so I (and the rest of the world) thought.

I went to the San Francisco Main Public Library, at approximately 3:00p.m to check my email. Before my arrival, I noticed that wherever I went, a certain artist's songs were blasting on anything that had a radio broadcast. The stunning reason became apparent when I highlighted the internet site publication of Yahoo News.

Then I saw it, the headline that solar eclipsed the world:

MICHAEL JACKSON DEAD AT 50!

"Jackson was taken to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where doctors said he was non-responsive."

I quickly got up from the computer and walked around. That very headline would've put me in a great state of shock, had I known him personally. For the rest of the week, his music continued to blast everywhere. Everything, his life, success, music, controversies, and the legacy he would leave immediately came out, like an overstuffed closet.

Like the deaths of J.F.K, Dr. King, Bruce Lee, Elvis Presley, and Tupac Shakur, before him, Michael Jackson's death left a stampede of shockwaves that still have yet to be removed, from people's minds. Though death is an assured reality for all human beings, he was always viewed by millions across the globe as an angelic being, for inventing heart-grasping music, and presenting his dazzling performances, far beyond the human anatomy.

For everyone that followed his career since he was eight years old, Michael Joseph Jackson was just that!

"I was a veteran before I was a teenager, "he once said.

After Jackson pursued his own musical solo career away from his older brothers, the legendary "Jackson 5" he earned the non self-proclaimed title: "The King of Pop." His incomparable dancing, moves, singing, gimmicks, clothing, and world wide performances would forever earn him that uncontested title.

The King of Pop had weathered the entire music industry with a thunderstorm that continues to rage, even with his now dearly- departure from earth. During the 1980s, his greatest (and the greatest) album of all time, Thriller, along with many of his other past and present albums and songs had universally-transcended Jackson far above his very own success.

He single-handedly ruled the entire pop music industry during that era. "There's nothing that can't be done if we raise our voice as one." This was an infamous quote by him that was stated at his memorial tribute. My family of POOR Magazine/POOR News Network can identify with those words based on the work that we continue to do, with our own slogan:

"The Revolution begins with I and ends with WE!"

An icon's icon, a performer's performer, and a pop culture folk hero legend's legend earned him the spotlight among many, forever. I told everyone that came around me that he would possibly have the BIGGEST memorial tribute that anyone in the world has ever seen.

I was right.

July 7th, 2009, 18,000 plus fans attended Michael Jackson's memorial tribute, at the Los Angeles Staples Center. An un estimated thousands more fans paid tribute to him outside, while millions more watched the memorial (including myself) on T.V.

Wearing the crystal white glove, his red leather and black Thriller outfit, t-shirts bearing his face or name, posters, and everything associated with Jackson's gimmick were what his fans carried with them, in honor of him.

Myself, among many fans and loved ones knew that he had touched the world to such an unfathomable degree, that this memorial tribute could be held every single day, and no one would still believe that Michael Jackson was really gone.

Among the many speaking participants, celebrities, performers, and highly recognized activists were:

.Singer Lionel Richie

.Singer Mariah Carey

.Singer Stevie Wonder

.Singer Usher Raymond

.Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records

.Kobe Bryant, basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers

.Earvin Magic Johnson, former basketball player, and humanitarian

.Rev Al Sharpton, civil rights activist

.Singer Jennifer Hudson

.Actress Brooke Shields

.Actress Queen Latifah

.Rev Martin Luther King III

And as well Michael's entire family were there to say goodbye to him.

Queen Latifah recited a poem by famed poet, Maya Angelou, "We had him:"

He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.

Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.

And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.

We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.

Guitarist John Mayer, performed one of Jackson's greatest hits, "Human Nature" by the means of his electric guitar. "I’ll be there" (One of Jackson’s hit songs) was sung by Mariah Carey, "Gone too Soon" was tearfully sung by Usher Raymond, " Will you be there" (One of Jackson’s other hit songs) was sung by Jennifer Hudson, "Never Dreamed you’d leave in Summer” and “They won’t go when I go” was sung by Stevie Wonder.

At the O2 Arena, in London, England the "Queen of Pop" Madonna paid tribute to the "King of Pop." Ironically, this is where he was scheduled to perform his next concert dates.

Smokey Robinson spoke the words of legendary singer, Diana Ross, and former South African president, Nelson Mandela, in their shared grief with the world on losing Michael Jackson.

Brooke Shields, a long time friend of Jackson seconded those statements, in her emotional address of Michael. "To the outside world, he had unchallenged ability."

While the "King of Pop" was beloved by millions, there were always the negatives that attacked his career. Being subjected to scandals, allegations, public ridicule for his numerous skin transformations, and being a constant survivor of childhood abuse; only motivated Jackson to work even harder towards penetrating negative public opinions about him.....................by the means of his very own voice and art.

"People write negative things cause they feel that's what sells." Jackson once said. "Good news to them doesn't sell."

"There was nothing strange about your daddy!" exclaimed Rev. Al Sharpton to Michael Jackson's children, as they sat in the audience "What was strange was what he had to deal with!"

Two of Jackson's hit songs, "We are the World" and "Heal the World" were sung, which concluded the ceremony. Those two very songs by Jackson closed out the ceremonial memorial tribute; sung in unison by a community that quickly crowded the stage to be living testimonies, of what message these two songs by Jackson really meant.

"Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. I just want to say that I love him so much."

These were the words of his daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. Millions, (including myself) that watched this tribute had tears in their eyes. Hearing this little girl speak about how much she missed her father, in front of the whole wide world, could've melted the hardest of hearts to trickle a tear.

A flowered, golden casket of Michael Jackson lie below the stage, as he was prepared to be driven out and be laid to rest after the memorial tribute. Days following his death, a picture of him was placed on POOR's memorial alter in honor of all our comrades, elders, and brethren struck down in their struggle for survival.

"Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone." Marlon Jackson said softly, as he stood alongside on the stage with Jermaine Jackson.

A summer's disregard

A broken bottle top

And a one man's soul

They follow each other

On the wind ya' know

Cause they got nowhere to go

That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror

I'm asking him to change his ways

And no message could have been any clearer

If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make a change,

yey

Na na na, na na na, na na na na oh ho

Lyrics from Michael Jackson’s 1988 hit song, “Man in the Mirror” from his album, “Bad.”