Monthly Archives: June 2018

Protest to Cleanse a Constipated City Hall and a Speech About It: Protest noon June 14th 323 Church St.

Posted on by

I gave a shortened version of this speech to City Council Tuesday afternoon.

We will be gathering tomorrow (Thursday June 14th) at City Hall in the Courtyard to prepare signs to demand reopening of the public bathrooms throughout Santa Cruz.  The protest, organized by Conscience in Action  will gather in front of the Parks and Recreation Department at 323 Church St. at noon.  Sign-making begins in the City Hall courtyard at 11 AM.  HUFF plans a Tour of Shame.  Bring signs, costumes, noise makers, etc.

To restore the right to take a shit, we must give a shit!

See also https://www.facebook.com/events/221444365117802/

Comments and more info at:

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/06/13/18815669.php?show_comments=1#18815670

Less Crap, More Crappers—Restore Decency to Santa Cruz

Modified  & Extended Speech to Santa Cruz Community and Council  6-12-18 by Robert Norse

Lots of budget blathering, but no specifics on emergency shelter for those to be made internal refugees on June 30th when the Barbed Wire Boneyard Campground closes down, not to mention the many others being cited, harassed, and stripped of their property by cops, rangers, security thugs, and—no doubt—the return of the merchant private goon squad—the Hosts, slated to return in half a year.

Others have proposed the obvious—open the bathrooms to stop people from shitting and pissing all over town.   I see as part of the usual genteel masquerade, you’ve opened up the bathrooms outside City Council briefly for this meeting, so middle class people don’t have to do their business in their pants or on the ground—as you force those outside to do.

A hug and a handshake to activist Ed Frey who provided a nighttime portapotty for the PeaceCamp 2010 Sleeping Ban protesters in front of the County Building more than three months.

… to the many Occupy Santa Cruz activists in 2011 whose San Lorenzo Campground provided shelter and facilities to several hundred at the same time Mayor Coonerty’s Council refused to keep the Park’s bathrooms open at night.

…to the 2015 Freedom Sleepers who brought  a portapotty to City

Hall when City Manager Martin Bernal shut down the bathrooms there to “discourage” the protesters.

…to Bathroom Task Force Activist Brent Adams who has constantly worked to provide sometime emergency facilities for a warming center at night, a newly-opened 24-hour homeless storage program, cleaner portapotties, and video documentation of the City’s dubious doodoo doings.

…to former Councilmembers Posner and Comstock—who opened up—however briefly and in spite of staff obstruction an overnight restroom (Soquel-Front garage) & a still surviving 24-hour portapotty (Laurel and Front).

…even an acknowledgment to former Parks and Rec boss, Mauro Garcia—who addressed the Hepatitis A epidemic.  He set up portapotties and wash stations along the San Lorenzo walkway during the campground last fall.  Outrageously, they are all gone now and the regular Park  bathroom there locked. 

…plus particularly honorable mention to Zav Hershfield, Pat Colby, and others who unsuccessfully tried to talk reason to City Council with their “Give a Shit” campaign last year trying to restore City Hall bathroom access.

But many bathrooms remain closed during the day, and all are closed at night.

Those of you who are tired of this crappy situation are of course welcome to help Conscience in Action.  That’s the Coalition offering ideas, suggestions, and impromptu assistance to those trying to hold their bowels and their water.  I’ll be joining them Thursday at noon across the street in front of the P & R Dept.at 323 Church St. in search of public restrooms.

How explicit do we have to be to shame the shameless politicians and staff?   I don’t know.  Do we have to bring breathing gear and bags of poop to the next Council meeting?

(Mayor David Terrazas has regularly cut back public speaking time during Oral Communications from three minutes to two minutes.  Much of this speech was not given because of Terrazas arbitrarily imposed a 90 second limit on each speaker, violating promises given. He also made a dozen or more people wait 45 minutes beyond the scheduled time to speak—and then announcing the shortened time.)

More info  HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) 831-423-4833 www.huffsantacruz.org 309 Cedar PMB #14B  Santa Cruz  6-13-18

 

 

 

HUFF stumbles on: Wednesday June 13, 2018. 11 AM Sub Rosa 703 Pacific: Pissed On, Pissed Off and Preparing to Protest

Posted on by
HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] will meet Wednesday, 5-30-18 11 AM at the Sub Rosa, our normal meeting place, next to the Bike Church. 

Agenda Prospects:

  • Poor People’s Campaign Report from Sacramento–Hopefully
  • Looking in on Juneteenth (6-13) at Louden Nelson: https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzJuneteenth
  • The Camper Conundrum: Looking at Police Raids and the End of the Barbed Wire Boneyard
  • Murmurings from Marysville:  Raelyn Butcher & Brian Brown Check In
  • Rumors of Safe Parking–Can They be True?
  • Another Round in Salinas?: Return of the RV Ban
  • Tales from Elsewhere, Compliments of Jezebel Julie S:

+ Colorado blues:  https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/11/parker-camping-ban-denver-homeless/

                       + Nevada blues:  http://www.kolotv.com/content/news/Homeless-have-24-hours-to-move–485188801.html
                       + HUFFster to head Parks and Rec?  http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20180611/coast-line-parks-amp-rec-director-sought-by-city-of-santa-cruz

  •   Support the Warming Center, Food Not Bombs,  HUFF, Conscience in Action, and other activists in documenting, providing resources, & publicizing the situation.
  •   Back up homeless efforts to organize either in protest or to demand adequate and accessible facilities.
  •   Exchange information with other supporters there to generate more communication and better solutions in the future.
.

Homeless Rights HoeDown! Marathon and Speak Out Tuesday the 12th, HUFF and Juneteenth Wednesday the 13th, Bust the Bathroom Barricade Thursday the 14th !

Posted on by

From 9 AM to 9 PM on Tuesday June 12th, Free Radio Santa Cruz will broadcast the 20th Annual Homelessness Marathon.  Schedule is reprinted below.  Call-in to the nationwide broadcast at 866-LEFT-OUT (866-533-8688).  Tune in to 101.3 FM or listen on line at freakradio.org.

At 5:30 PM at City Hall, speakers will demand reopening of the Louden Nelson Center and San Lorenzo Bathrooms at City Council’s “Two Minutes Only!” Oral Communications period.  Show Up and Speak Up !

On Wednesday, June 13th, HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) meets at 11 AM-1 PM at the Sub Rosa Cafe to support Thursday’s “Stop the Bathroom Busts!” protest.

On Wednesday June 13th, the annual Juneteenth celebration will be held at Louden Nelson Park noon-5 PM, hopefully with bathrooms open.  See https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzJuneteenth for more information.

On Thursday June 14th, Conscience in Action, Food Not Bombs, HUFF, and other activists will gather at noon in front of the Parks and Recreation Department to begin the first in a series of actions to restore basic rights and dignity to those outside and decency to the broader community.  Poster at https://www.facebook.com/events/221444365117802/ .    For more homeless updates go to  https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/06/11/18815617.php .

SCHEDULE OF THE Tuesday June 12th MARATHON (all times Pacific Daylight Time)

Hour 1 – 9 a.m.– 1- a.m. . – Live from the Poor People’s March on Washington. Guest Host, Rev. Bruce Wright.

Hour 2 – 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – Paul Boden, field director for the Western Regional Advocacy Project on the “Right To Rest” and “Housekeys Not Handcuffs” movements; Amanda Brown-Hunter, head of an Amarillo homeless camp that is in hiding,

Hour 3* – 11:00 – noon – “Homelessness, Housing and Human Rights in DC” – Guest Host, Parissa Nourouzi

Hour 4 – noon – 1:00 p.m.– TBA

Hour 5* – 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. – “Homelessness and the Indigenous Peoples of North America.” Guest Host, Derrick Toledo

Hour 6 – 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Helena Liikanen-Renger, Press Counselor for the Embassy of Finland will discuss how it happens that Finland is housing all of its rough sleepers, while the rest of Europe is in a homelessness crisis.

Hour 7* – 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. – “We Got The Power: Lessons in the Fight Against Poverty for Women and Girls” – Guest Host, Carmen Berkley

Hour 8 – 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Attorney Jason Flores, who is suing Denver on behalf of the homeless. Then journalist and activist Mike Rhodes with an update on homelessness in Fresno.

Hour 9 – 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – A conversation with Bill Higgins, a former submarine officer who became homeless (right before Trump took office, he told us how happy he was that Ben Carson was to be HUD Secretary, but that’s not what he says today). Then, attorney Judith Berkan, will speak from Puerto Rico on hurricane recovery.

Hour 10* – 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Homeless Faculty and Students in Higher Education. Guest hosts, Corrine Ruff and Shalina Chatlani.

Hour 11 – 7:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. – Kent Anderson, Chief High Risk Services Officer, Waikiki Health, will report some facts on just how young kids there are when they become homeless and what happens to them. Then a look at homelessness in Portland, ME.

Hour 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – “A DC Street Poet, His Reflections and His Lawsuit.” Then Richard Tripp’s Taxi to Heaven, a memorial for homeless advocates who have died since our last broadcast, Richard Tripp among them.

*=Produced by station WPFW, with our thanks.

Today! 6-10-18 9:30 AM-3 PM Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides Updates Galore: Picador Peter Marin of Santa Barbara, Spitfire Abbi Samuels, Whip ’em Into Shape Wes White of Salinas, and Big Drum Brent Adams–plus yet another Flashback to 3-1-96

Posted on by
Streams at freakradio.org and broadcasts at 101.3 FM

CURRENT STUFF
  • Part 2 of Picador Peter Marin’s Defense of RV Dwellers in Santa Barbara
  • Testimony from the Successful Slam Down of the Salinas RV Ban
  • Varied Voices from Food Not Bombs Corner
  • Storage On Wheels Program Begins at Last–Brent and Nick Give Us the Latest
  • Reviewing the Wreckage–Activist Abbi Samuels Reflects on Her Appeal of the City’s Freedom Sleeper Crackdown
FLASHBACK SHOW FROM MARCH 1, 1996 (partial)

  • Ancient Voices at Oral Communications in February 1996
  • Bathrobespierre on River St. Refugee Aftermath and Planned City Hall Protests
  • Back-from-Bureaucracy Bob Campell on the Citizens Committee’s “Page Smith Community House” Controversy

This show archives June 11, 2018 at http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html

Leave your comments and questions at 831-423-4833.  

Tonight 6-7-18 at 6 PM Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides on Free Radio Santa Cruz at 101.3 FM, Wes White on RV Dweller Victory in Salinas; Peter Marin on RV Struggle in Santa Barbara

Posted on by

Plus short bits from Munchers at the Red Church (reopened last Monday) and other street voices including Shameless Cherie and Standfast Susan.

Free Radio, as usual, streams at freakradio.org.  The show archives under Lost Shows on the HUFF website at http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html.   Look for Latest Show – 6/07/2018  Thursday, June 7, 2018 – Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides.
8:30 AM Friday June 8th Court support for Red Church and Sidewalk Singer Lee attempting to disentangle himself jail being held pending bail.  701 Ocean St.  Look for Supportmeister Mama Val outside the Courthouse

11 AM Friday June 8th Restore Restroom Rights at the Louden Nelson–Direct action planning session Sub Rosa 703 Pacific.

NO HUFF MEET tomorrow but there is a Coalition of Conscience meeting 11 AM Sub Rosa Wednesday June 6th

Posted on by
 HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] WON’T  meet tomorrow, but WILL meet Wednesday, 6-13 11 AM at the Sub Rosa, our normal meeting place, next to the Bike Church. 

However, Nick Whitehead’s group, which I’m calling the Coalition of Conscience will meet again tomorrow at 11 AM at the Sub Rosa as an offshoot to the David Silva Memorial to consider reviving a broader coalition of groups around basic human rights issues.

One issue that concerns HUFF has been the recently publicized closure of the Louden Nelson bathrooms (described at http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/social-affairs/20180530/louden-nelson-center-another-santa-cruz-public-bathroom-under-lock).  A letter from Peter Geldblum speaking for the ACLU is posted there.

Also of interest to HUFFsters:

  •   Support the Warming Center, Food Not Bombs,  HUFF and other activists in documenting, providing resources, & publicizing the situation.
  •   Back up homeless efforts to organize either in protest or to demand adequate and accessible facilities.
  •   Exchange information with other supporters there to generate more communication and better solutions in the future.

Today! 6-3-18 9:30 AM-3 PM Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides Amber of Berkeley, Wes White of Salinas, Joyful Heart of Santa Cruz, and Bathrobespierre Robert + Flashback to 4-24-05 Torture at Tent University

Posted on by

Streams at freakradio.org and broadcasts at 101.3 FM

CURRENT STUFF
  • Amber’s Update from Berkeley on RV’s Circling the Wagons in Their New Survival Space
  • Snips and Songs from Downtown Santa Cruz
  • “Whip ‘Em Into Shape” Wes White Reports from Salinas and Sacramento
  • The latest from the Riverstreet Campground from Joyful Heart the Smiling Swami
FLASHBACK SHOW FROM APRIL 24, 2005

http://www.huffsantacruz.org/StreetSpiritSantaCruz/229.Nonviolent%20Students(cont.1)=5-2005.pdf

This show archives June 4, 2018 at http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html

Leave your comments and questions at 831-423-4833. 

Tonight 5-31-18 at 6 PM Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides on Free Radio Santa Cruz at 101.3 FM, Flashback on Surviving Psychiatry from September 8, 2005

Posted on by

The Flashback features a lengthy interview with Jeffrey Lustman, an attorney from southern California about his struggle with institutional psychiatry including numerous call-in’s (in the days when Free Radio had a studio and a call-in line!)

Hear the full original flashback at http://radiolibre.org/brb/brb050908.mp3 .

Free Radio, as usual, streams at freakradio.org.  The show archives under Lost Shows on the HUFF website at http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html.   Look for Latest Show – 5/24/2018  Thursday, May 31, 2018 – Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides.