To make and read comments go to https://www.indybay.org/
Sunday Mar 13th, 2016 12:54 PM
I distributed the following flyers at the March 8th Council Meeting, pretty much expecting that in spite of reasonable argument, strong presentation, and majority testimony, the City Council majority would easily vote down the proposed ordinance changes. It was a disgusting, discouraging, and enraging yet predictable experience. Here are a few notes.
I made some earlier comments anticipating the Council voter at http://www.indybay.org/
I analyzed the substance of the Lane proposal and the process by which it was created on a radio show archived at http://www.huffsantacruz.org/
The entire video of the Council meeting can be found on the City’s website at http://www.cityofsantacruz.
I’ve reviewed in detail (probably too much detail) the Council “discussion” prior to its crushing the Lane proposal 5-2 at http://radiolibre.org/brb/
On the positive side, Lane finally adopted the position that homeless people generally, most homeless activists, religious groups, student organizations, numerous social service agencies, and even timid liberals have held for years: sleeping is a need and a right.
Turning sleeping into a crime permanently hurts the poor. It is fiscally stupid. It does not serve the community’s interests. It embitters/divides us. It also deepens the police state, maintaining (and this is nothing new) a pariah underclass, denied the rights everyone else takes for granted. Nice incentive to keep working shit jobs and paying rent, of course. If you’re not a part of the gentry, move out or get busted for sleeping.
FIGHTING BACK?
Will the community do nothing while unhoused people continue to be treated like dirt to be hosed away? So far–yes. But there are rumblings of mutiny.,
Freedom rider and more recently Freedom Sleeper Phil Posner has called for a real response to the Council’s craziness.
Activist Elisse C. recently sent out an e-mail asking for folks to gather next Tuesday before Freedom SleepOut #36 on 3-15 at 3 PM.
In other cities like Salinas on March 22nd, middle-class activists and unhoused folks are fighting back: http://www.thecalifornian.com/
Silence gives consent. But do the good liberals and the nervous progressives of Santa Cruz want to take the risks of actively opposing Trumpism in Santa Cruz (in Democratic Party garb, of course).
Council debate.
