2010-07-09 "Peaceful protests against Mehserle verdict turn violent as sun sets"

by Steven Luo, Vanessa Guerra, Jennifer Courtney, Tashina Manyak, James Keith and Heather McDaniel from "California Beat" [http://www.californiabeat.org/2010/07/09/peaceful-protests-against-mehserle-verdict-turn-violent-as-sun-sets]:
A protester holds up a sign at a rally at 14th and Broadway in Downtown Oakland following the Mehserle verdict.

2010-07-09 "IN HIS OWN WORDS: Protester explains why vandalism was acceptable after Mehserle verdict" by Tashina Manyak
[http://www.californiabeat.org/2010/07/09/in-his-own-words-protester-explains-why-vandalism-was-acceptable-after-mehserle-verdict]
Not all Oakland residents are upset by the broken windows, dumpsters set ablaze, spray-painted graffiti and looted merchandise that characterized a small nighttime riot hours after former BART officer Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter July 8 for killing an unarmed train passenger.
Earlier in the day nearly 1,000 people took to the streets of downtown Oakland to protest the verdict peacefully. Mehserle, who is white, was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting 22-year-old Oscar Grant, a black man.
In the weeks before a Los Angeles jury announced its decision, many Oakland politicians, faith organizations and nonprofits joined Grant’s family in discouraging a violent response to the verdict. Yet the peaceful protests organized by both the city and activist groups turned chaotic when some began throwing bottles at police.
By the time authorities had quelled the uprising, debris and glass littered several blocks between the 12th and 19th Street BART stations, and some 50 businesses had been vandalized.
The Oakland Police Department reported Friday that 78 people were arrested, the majority for misdemeanor charges. Only 19 of them were Oakland residents. The rest were from out of town, police said.
Many who live in Oakland have expressed outrage to what they see are outsiders coming into their community to cause trouble.
But Jevon Cochran, a 20-year-old student at Laney College in Oakland, says he believes that the looting and vandalism that occurred were appropriate responses to the verdict. Cochran and other members of the Black Student Union at Laney were invited by organizers to attend a press conference held at Youth Uprising June 2.
Mayor Ron Dellums and Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts urged peaceful protesting, but Cochran said his group was concerned about ensuring a nonviolent police response.
In an interview with the Beat on Friday, he told reporter Tashina Manyak that something had to be done after Mehserle was acquitted of the second-degree murder charge.
(Photograph showing Jevon Cochran courtesy of himself)

Tashina Manyak: What were your feelings when the verdict came down?

Jevon Cochran: Like everybody else from Oakland and probably all around the country I was disappointed and angered by the verdict. They charged him with involuntary manslaughter, which implies that [the shooting] was an accident. The jury bought into the argument that [Mehserle] intended to pull out his Taser and somehow shot Oscar Grant accidentally. But when you shoot somebody who’s laying stomach down on a platform with his hands behind his back — that’s not manslaughter, that’s murder. And that’s what he should have been charged with. If the tables were turned and that was me or any of my friends and we had killed a police officer we would have been arrested and put in jail from day one and charged with murder. We would have suffered the consequences for it and that’s what should happen with Mehserle.

TM: There’s a lot of hype right now about anarchists. Do you yourself identify as an anarchist?

JC: No, no I’m not an anarchist.

TM: Is it accurate to say there were a lot of people who identify as anarchists coming into Oakland that are not actually from Oakland?

JC: I mean there were a lot of people out there and I don’t think it’s fair to say that a lot of the people, anarchists or not, were not from Oakland. You can’t tell by looking at someone where they’re from. I live in West Oakland and I know anarchists that actually live in my neighborhood. So I’m not going to speculate on where people are from.

TM: A lot of vandalism occurred last night; were you a part of any of that?

JC: I participated in the protest. I was there all night and I almost got arrested. We attempted to have a break away march and we got stopped by the cops. They threw flash grenades, or whatever, and they were arresting people. And I was there for all of that.

TM: Was there anything that instigated [the police response]?

JC: I mean, I can’t say what instigated the police. I couldn’t see everything. I don’t know people could have instigated the cops. But I think that that’s not the most important thing. The cops and the city knew that people were going to be angry about this verdict and I believe that people have the right to be angry about it and we have the right to protest. And if they didn’t want violence, if they didn’t want property destruction, they should have given us justice like we demanded from the beginning.

TM: Do you think that vandalism and violence are justifiable ways to protest?

JC: Here’s my take on the issue: if you want to talk about vandalism, people are going around like ‘oh, people are destroying our community’; the places that they targeted were like Foot Locker and Sears and other corporate spots. These are not small businesses, these are corporations and the people that run these corporations do not in any way benefit or seek to benefit the people of Oakland. They are tied to the oppression and exploitation of people in Oakland and so if people are going to get angry and smash their windows or set their stores on fire I’m not going to defend [the corporations] and stand in the way of that. They’re not for the interests of my people. If the non-profits and the preachers want to defend Footlocker and Sears, they can do that; I’m going to fight for justice. The only person I’m going to be defending is Oscar Grant and everybody like Oscar Grant in our community that falls victim to police violence.

TM: could you tell me about what the ultimate objective is when people go out on the streets and engage in vandalism?

JC: I can’t speak for everybody, but I’m sure the one thing everybody there had on their minds was justice — the cause of justice. From the very beginning our only demand was simple: that this police officer be treated just like every other citizen. Like I said before, if that was me, or some other young black kid from Oakland, and we murdered somebody, we would be held accountable, we would be brought up on charges of murder, convicted and we would serve our time in jail. And just because Mehserle is a police officer that does not give him the right, he does not have a license to come into our community and abuse and murder my people. So that’s all we’re asking for is a simple demand of justice. And I think that’s what everybody was fighting for last night. The state justice system let us down. This crime was committed by Mehserle and we’re going to continue fighting. It’s not over.

TM: It’s definitely not over; the sentencing hasn’t happened yet. Do you think what happened last night — broken windows, fires, etc. — do you think those specific actions will put pressure on Judge Perry to give a stiffer sentence to Mehserle?

JC: I hope so. We can look back on history to shed light on what can happen now. In 2009, a week after Oscar Grant was murdered, people took to the streets and people raised holy hell. Downtown Oakland went up in flames. And it was because of that and only that, that Mehserle was arrested and brought up on charges of murder. I think before that, the state apparatus had no intention of charging this police officer. But the people of Oakland, we stood up and we fought back — just as we did last night. And I expect that the powers that be are going to listen […] Martin Luther King said that the riot is the language of the unheard. Last night the people of Oakland were heard. And the justice department stepped in, so hopefully Judge Perry gets the message too. When we say ‘no justice, no peace’ we mean it.

TM: There has been a lot of criticism. People are saying, ‘Why are you tearing up Oakland to get justice for Oscar Grant when there are so many people in Oakland that support that’? What would you say to those people?

JC: I would first just direct people to history like I said. The fact remains that in 2009 there was a riot, there was a street rebellion, and that was the only thing that got Mehserle arrested and charged with murder and if it wasn’t for that, I don’t even think we would be talking about justice right now. And second I would point out that people keep talking about how we’re destroying and tearing up Oakland; the businesses that were targeted were corporate businesses […] the people that run these corporate spots do not come from Oakland, they do not benefit our community. A friend of mine had a good quote when the media was criticizing the so-called looters who left Footlocker with shoe boxes in their hands. She said all they were doing is getting shoes for the same price Footlocker pays people to make them; and that’s how I feel. If people want to destroy Footlocker’s property I’m not going to stand in the way of it. I’m never going to defend the oppressor.

TM: Some people who took shoes tried selling them. Doesn’t that seem a little more on the self-interested side rather than fighting for justice?

JC: Well what makes people think that young black kids in Oakland don’t have the right to have shoes and have money? I’m never going to criticize people who take what they can’t have. It’s not their fault that they live in a society where they live in poverty and they can’t afford these kinds of things. And so when they go directly to the oppressor and they steal, that’s what I call poetic justice.

TM: The OPD has said that of those arrested, about 75 percent were from outside Oakland. What is your take on that?

JC: The Oakland Police and BART Police have been on a mission from the beginning to misrepresent and discredit protesters demanding justice for Oscar Grant. I know a lot of times they said the same thing, that there are all these people coming in from outside Oakland and rioting. But the people I saw going into Footlocker, those were black and brown people from Oakland that were busting those windows and setting stuff on fire because they were angry.

And there were white people who were anarchists or whatever you want to call them, but the police in Oakland and the media have no right to just assume that people are not from Oakland. Oakland is a multiracial, multi-ethnic community and a lot of those people could have been from Oakland. And even if they weren’t from Oakland, and were so-called “outside agitators” I don’t buy that argument. […] The only people I consider outsiders in this are the people on the wrong side of the fight and that’s the police. These people come from places like Napa and Lafayette and Walnut Creek and they come into my community and they abuse and assault my people. Then they call our brothers and sisters outsiders — no, they’re the outsiders.

TM: So you’re saying that even if they’re not from Oakland, the fact that they’re engaging in this fight makes you stand in solidarity with them?

JC: Right, we identify with them way more than we identify with police officers who victimize and abuse us. If people are coming from out of Oakland, they’re coming as our allies who for whatever reason, whatever abuse and oppression they’ve faced in their lives, identify and stand in solidarity with oppressed people.

TM: Some of the graffiti said some things like “Oakland is our playground tonight.” What do you think about that type of attitude?

JC: That sounds like an accurate description of what took place last night and what should be our idea in life. Oakland is a place where because there is a majority of minorities and so many people live in poverty, it’s really a city of oppression. I think statements like that are testaments to how empowered people feel when they act together. Oakland is our playground and we’re boycotting this cycle of oppression and we can actually live together mutually and have fun living life.

2010-05-01 "Santa Cruz mayday riot"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPqPjVJlhzE]
Rioting, smashing windows, blocking firemen from a torched building after their immigration protest yesterday in Santa Cruz. Many in the group were carrying makeshift torches as they marched. 15 businesses were victimized by this group.  What started out as a dance rave ended with smashed windows and a burning coffee house: Of course, the state-run media has been hush-hush about this violent attack. 
The Mercury News reported: A group of protesters demonstrating at a May Day rally for worker’s and immigrant rights downtown broke off into a riot vandalizing about a dozen businesses around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police said. 
Windows were left shattered and graffiti including anarchy signs were tagged onto buildings. The Rittenhouse Building, Urban Outfitters, Jamba Juice and Velvet Underground all had windows broken, according to Capt. Steve Clark. Santa Cruz police asked for help from all agencies in the county to break up the riot of about 200 people. At one point, protesters lit a fire on the porch of Caffe Pergolesi and blocked access to firefighters, officers said. Police were able to clear out the demonstrators before more damage was caused.
A large rock sat outside Verizon Wireless on the 100 block of Cooper Street, where vandals tried to break the window twice, according to Clark. “The damage that was caused was without purpose,” Clark said. “It was senseless violence that victimized a community who cannot afford to be victimized in this manner. This did nothing to add credit to whatever they believed their cause was.”
One person was arrested for damaging a window. Police are searching for others responsible for the damage. Protesters cleared the downtown area around midnight.

2010-04-21 Student Occupy March (365 mile trek from Bakersfield to Sacramento)

2013-03 outreach flyer from the UCD Solidarity Coalition for the March for California 's Future.
The March is a 365 mile trek from Bakersfield to Sacramento that is highlighting the need to restore quality public education and public services. It will culminate on April 21 with a (hopefully) massive rally in Sacramento. Below is a text version of the attached flyer. Please distribute widely, spread the word, and I encourage you to participate on the 21st if you have the opportunity.
Solidarity, Jeff Bergamini [jbergamiucd@gmail.com]
----
We live in the richest state in the richest country in the world.
Budget cuts are not inevitable, but the result of political choices.
The choices that affect the Davis Community are not made just by UC administrators, but also in Sacramento .
We Must Restore:
o Quality public education and public services for every Californian
o Government and economy that serve us all
o A fair tax system to fund California's future

April 21: Join the March to the State Capitol!
2-3 PM Gather at Southside Park 2115 6th St. (at U St.), Sacramento
3 PM March from Southside Park to State Capitol (1 mile)
4 PM Rally at the Capitol (west lawn)
Get on the Bus!
When: April 21st - Buses depart at 1:30pm sharp, arrive early.
Where: Mondavi Center Shuttle Stop
How: Reserve a seat by sending an email to [davisrides@ucstrike.com]
Buses will leave from the Capitol at 6:00 for return.

The people of California want and deserve quality public education, affordable healthcare and other public services. Unfortunately a small group of legislators are starving public services year after year by blocking the passage of fair taxes and an adequate budget.
Our message is clear-government officials need to fight for the public's interest now and stop starving our public services. The budget can be repaired with fair tax increases on the wealthy and closing corporate tax loopholes.
The UCD Labor Coalition is urging the Davis community to get involved and make this historic effort to save our services and our state a huge success. March side by side with working people from all over California on April 21st in Sacramento including those who have been on the march 48 days!
Follow the march online! [www.fight4CAfuture.com]

Humboldt County Sheriff assaults Redwood Curtain CopWatch

2010-04-11 "Action at DA's Office: Rotten System Reveals Itself (Again)"
message from Verbana: 
WHY WE PROTESTED AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE -
On Thursday, April 8, 2010, fifteen to twenty community members gathered in the reception area of the District Attorney's office, fourth floor of the courthouse, to address Paul Gallegos regarding a recent incident and the systematic injustice related to that and many other instances. As you may remember, on March 15th of this year, two people from Redwood Curtain CopWatch were arrested because Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Marsh did not want to be videotaped while he was detaining and searching a man in Eureka .
On April 6, 2010 , the two of us who were arrested learned that the DA had not (yet) charged us with any crime related to our arrests. After we were arrested and in jail, we signed Agreements to Appear in court on April 6th. When signing an Agreement to Appear, the document informs the signer that if s/he does not appear on that date, s/he can be arrested again.
On April 6, we were not on the court schedule, which means the DA had not yet decided what charges or if he would charge us at all.
I called the DA's office many times over a 3 week period, emailed him, and had personally delivered a letter regarding the bunk arrest and the holding of our copwatch cameras. Because Paul Gallegos' campaign manager received the (open) letter through the vervain email list and contacted Paul Gallegos with concerns about our cameras, he made a call to the Sheriff's Department so that the cameras would be returned. Gallegos' campaign manager called me at the end of the business day on Wednesday, April 7th; and when I went down to the Sheriff's Dept., it was too late to retrieve the cameras.
The next morning, I went and got the cameras and the video footage we had recorded with them- prior to and during our bogus arrests. When I called the DA's office for the umpteenth time and asked if we had been charged with anything, I was told the case was still "pending." Later that afternoon, we were at the DA's office to insist that the DA officially decline to charge us. Here is a link to the flier we delivered: [http://www.box.net/shared/90vvzi9osj]. The flier text is also below.


WHY WE WERE ARRESTED AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE -
While we were at the office from about 2pm on, we chanted that we wanted to speak to Gallegos. We said we wanted justice. Gallegos never showed. About 10 minutes before the office would close for the day, one of the DA's investigators, James Dawson, walked through the group and, out of anger, shoved our friend's trumpet into his lips and then Dawson laid his hands on me. Within about 7 minutes after the assaults, a bunch of Sheriff's Deputies congregated in the DA's office and arrested each of us who were still there- six of us. This is how the system functions when there is abuse by state officers. If a cop or other government agent hurts a person, that person will soon be criminalized, charged with a crime, forced to defend her/himself in court. Now it is up to the DA to decide if he will charge the six of us who were exercising our Constitutional rights to protest ("redress grievances") at his office. Unfortunately, Gallegos is always willing to corroborate a cover-up for 'his' officers. Let's make sure that does not happen.
There are specific injustices that this whole situation has highlighted. We will be talking about them, and taking action.
--Targeting of CopWatch or ANYONE who stops to observe and video police activity.
--Deprivation of due process rights through the systematic setup of what we're calling "floating charges"- wherein a person must sign a promise to appear on a specific date, charges are not filed by that date, and the next thing s/he knows, there is a warrant for her/his arrest!
--Filing of criminal charges against a person who has been abused by an officer BECAUSE s/he has been abused- in order to coverup for the officer's actions and distract the person who has been mistreated by putting them on the defensive.
--Unnecessary and violent escalation of situations by police. "There's no situation which the presence of an officer can't make worse."
Below is the flier we delivered. Also below is a REPORTBACK from Kathy Anderson, one of the people arrested at the DA's office. Video from the arrest of CopWatchers and from our action at the DA's office coming soon. Here is a link (http://www.box.net/shared/mo1um8i4tm) to the letter sent today again insisting that no charges be filed against us related to the arrests while we were legally observing and videotaping the cops.
If any of this is confusing, please feel free to email and get clarification!
In Defense of the Earth and Her Peoples',
[signed] Verbena


WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY!!
WE DEMAND NO CHARGES AGAINST COPWATCHERS AFTER BUNK ARRESTS!
“In the interest of justice,” the Humboldt County District Attorney, Paul Gallegos, needs to decline from charging Kimberly Starr and Ray Thompson, of Redwood Curtain CopWatch, with any crimes stemming from their March 15, 2010 arrest. We insist that the DA's office today officially put this case to an end. The arrests of Ms. Starr and Mr. Thompson, while they were engaged in copwatch activities (observing and recording police activity), were warrantless, unjustified, and clear violations of their civil liberties. Now , almost a month later, the DA's office continues to say that the case is “pending.”
Ms. Starr and Mr. Thompson signed a 'promise to appear' on April 6th, and were prepared to do that, but were not on the court calendar. Now, if the DA decides to charge them within the next 11 months (he has a year to file charges), Ms. Starr and Mr. Thompson's civil liberties would again be at risk, neither having notice of such charges nor the correct date to appear. Warrants for their arrests would be issued by the court.
This happens all of the time. To many people.
In 2005, Ms. Starr was falsely arrested by the Sheriff's Dept., and when she was released from jail, she sent fax, email, phone calls, and a hand-delivered letter to DA Gallegos requesting NOTICE if and when he decided to file criminal charges against her. Despite his agreement to give her notice, he failed to, and a month later, warrant for Ms. Starr's arrest was issued by the court- without her knowledge.
This should not happen again.
When there is a warrant for someone's arrest, they are in constant danger of arrest, incarceration, and the accompanying loss of rights. If a person is driving a car, participating in protest, or simply identified by an officer while there is a warrant for her/his arrest, her/his life can be affected dramatically.
For Paul Gallegos to reject the charges now is the right thing to do- rather than drag this out and cause Ms. Starr and Mr. Thompson to walk around not knowing when or if there is a warrant out for their arrests. The arrests were bogus to begin with; we want an end to the harassment and ever-looming threat of yet another loss of liberty.

REPORT-BACK FROM KATHY ANDERSON:
Yesterday, April 8, 2010 I (Kathy Anderson) joined a group of people to talk to the DA about dropping floating charges on a couple of CopWatchers who were illegally arrested and cameras confiscated. The cameras were returned yesterday morning but the charges have yet to be filed.
 Since this was an illegal arrest all charges should have been dropped. The DA "floats" charges to have time to gather more evidence to build up weak charges. It could be March of 2011 before charges are filed and notice is NOT given to the now defendant, just a warrant issued and then you are surprised by a second arrest. This is not honoring the constitutional right to a "fair and speedy trial" and I felt it necessary, in the spirit of justice to make the point that COPWATCH is an honorable service to the community and deserves respect and the assurance of protection from violent police.
After making our presence known for 2 hours an officer with the DA's office entered the lobby, shoved a trumpet against the mouth of Carrington, leaving a welt on his upper and bottom lip and chipping his tooth, and walking up to Verbena, grabbing her wrist with his hand. As I was taping this violent action by a "mature" and seasoned officer at one point it seemed as if he was going to attack Verbena again. Not one person in the office came to Verbena's or Carrington's aid.
 This pillar of society in Humboldt County , The District Attorney's Office, has failed to train it's employees to have self-control and treat people with dignity and respect.
There is a poster in the DA's lobby saying that the DA's office is committed to serving crime victims with respect and dignity, yet has failed to do so when someone is assaulted in his own office!
 We made it very clear that injuries had occurred. The DA's office responded by arresting 5 of us, not Carrington, he was cited on the spot.
This does not come as a surprise to me. In my lifetime I've seen and met people who have been horribly abused by police officers and other officers of the court. I've known people who've been killed by police and families who have been destroyed by police who are protected by "The Blue Shield". It goes on and on with no end in sight and I'm not going to be quiet about this perversion of duty.

Northbay March in March to protect public access to higher education (Napa, Sonoma, UC Davis)

2010-03-10 message from "Northbay No Cuts Coalition": 
Greetings!
In the wake of the historic student protests to defend public education on March 4th, and amidst the rise of youth activism all across the North Bay and beyond, students and young people are coming together on Saturday, April 10th for a mass meeting to form a North Bay youth coalition to fight for education and social justice!
As young people, we are facing an overwhelming and oppressive future. The state continues to cut education, lay off teachers and campus workers, and increase student fees. Meanwhile, funding for prisons and war is on the increase, while administrators, UC regents, and politicians give themselves a huge pay raise. Every day our futures are being traded off for short term profits. We can, and must, stop this now. The way to do that is to get organized, stay united, and fight back!
Several organizations are calling for a mass meeting of students and young people on Saturday, April 10th at Noon at Sonoma State University. We will meet in the Student Union at the center of campus. I've attached the flyer, which you can feel free to print out and distribute everywhere.
We encourage all young people to attend. If you are part of a school club, youth-led community organization, or if you're just an individual who cares about their future, we invite you to come make history with us, and help us form this massive youth coalition to fight back for education, and justice for all people. On April 10th, we will propose that all young people in the North Bay come together and build this new youth movement. You will get a chance to hear what we are proposing, then discuss it and decide exactly how we will go about this. We don't just want you to attend. We want you to participate. At the bottom of this email is a series of questions about this upcoming meeting. Please look over them and shoot us back an email with your thoughts, so we can incorporate everyone's ideas into this meeting in a more democratic manner.
Lastly, please spread this email to everyone you know. Let your friends know that young people are on the move in Sonoma County . We're fired up, and we can't take it no more!
THEY SAY "CUT BACKS," WE SAY "FIGHT BACK!"
In solidarity, carl
This meeting is being supported by:
IMPACT!, MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), Free Mind Media, Zero Campaign, Students for a Democratic Society (Napa Valley College).
*let us know if you'd like us to add your campus group or organization onto this list!
CONTACT: email: srnocuts@gmail.com
phone: 707-579-1605
---
QUESTIONS FOR THE APRIL 10th MASS MEETING
What would you like this coalition to focus on? If you could choose 2 or 3 issues for a youth coalition to focus on, what would they be?
What should the goal of the coalition be? Should we run a campaig or focus just on outreach and education?
What should the responsibilities be for those who want to join the coalition? Should it be a loose or formal structure?
How should the meeting on April 10th be run? What should the agenda be? How long should the meeting go?



2010-03-18 “Copwatch Report” by A. from UC Davis General Assembly [ucd-generalassembly@googlegroups.com]:
Turner says she has been disappointed by news media coverage that characterizes the protest movement at Davis as far broader than it truly is. On a campus of roughly 30,000 students, the protests actually haven't included more than 1,000 people at any one event, Turner says. Far more common than freeway blockers, she argues, are students piling up as many credits as possible to get out quickly. "Our students, they're at Taco Bell working," she says. "They're not protesting." wow - I can't believe she is trying to imply that student protesters are not truly the ones being affected, that we are the privileged kids who do this all for fun and show. - Just another tactic to try and delegitimize this struggle. [signed] -A


Report from Napa Valley College SDS!
On March 21st, Latinos Undios organized a march in Downtown Napa to bring awareness toward immigration rights and the cuts to education. Students for a Democratic Society endorsed the action and marched with the group. About 50 people met at New Tech High and marched onto Soscol street. The marchers were carrying signs such as “stop immigrant bashing” and “tax the rich, fund education”. The group stopped at a busy section of Soscol street by the Napa Cinedome. They received many honks of support by passing traffic. After about half an hour the group began marching. They passed through Downtown Napa and converged back at New Tech High School. The Napa Register published an article about it the next day. This action occurred the day before March 22nd which was another big march and day of action at the capital to protest the cuts to education. It was an indicator the student movement is alive in Napa. [www.napavalleyregister.com/news/local/article_b5ba8008-356e-11df-91f9-001cc4c002e0.html]  


2010-03-21 “Latest Update” from Against Cuts [againstcuts@gmail.com]:
Thanks to all who came to the Against Cuts meeting on Sunday, March 13. There were 88 people from many different schools and groups. It was good to hear about the outcome of everyone’s hard work. We had reports from College of Alameda, Merritt College, Berkeley City College, Cañada College, Chabot College, DeAnza College, Diablo Valley College, Laney College, San Mateo College, Alameda High, Galileo High, Berkeley High, El Cerrito High, Oakland High, CSU East Bay and the California Faculty Association and UC Berkeley.
From the meeting it seems clear that most people had a very rewarding experience both at individual schools and at the various marches and rallies on March 4. There were a lot of positive comments about the rallies on March 4th, especially in San Francisco . People raised many possible activities for the future. We discussed the importance of doing more outreach where we are and ways to get more people involved and different ways we could mobilize our forces against budget cuts. Let us know what you are planning.
There will be an Against Cuts table at the Monday, March 22 Sacramento protest organized by the student governments of the Community Colleges and the CSUs. We will also have a table at an event on Friday, March 26 at Mission High School in San Francisco , where Indian activist and author, Arundhati Roy will be speaking. Come find us at any of these events and help out.
Spring Breaks are coming over the next few weeks, so everyone get some well-deserved rest. We will write more in a couple weeks.

Humboldt Communities For Justice and Peace

Works include holding marches and protests, sending out  reports and research studies, exposing media bias and holding this government accountable.
Press Contact: Jack Nounnan [707-442-8733] [jnoun (@sbcglobal.net]


2011-02-22 "Our stand against U.S. Navy weapons tests massively destroying ocean life" press release by Jack Nounnan from "Humboldt Communities For Justice and Peace":
 In this past Saturday's Feb. 19 Rally in Eureka  - we acknowledged how this government has ignored our greatest concerns for over 2 years past and we agreed that all avenues being exhausted, saving Great Ocean Life is left in our hands.
 Rally organized by: "Communities For Justice and Peace, Humboldt.Co.", inspired by the efforts of "Agricultural Defense Coalition of Mendocino" [http://www.agriculturedefense.org/], and the "Coalition Against Naval Weapons Testing and killing of Marine life" which is connecting with native tribes, environmental, legal and other groups nationwide.

 A Declaration -
 As a group, we are resolved to advocate nonviolent direct action in face of U.S. Navies blatant cruelty and killing. (A rally in Mendocino  took a similar stand)
 A mission statement: As certain as the Golden Rules voyage (see below) inspired the first Nuclear Test Ban Treaty by setting out  to engage  ultimate threat of nuclear testing, we must attempt to intersect with U.S. Navy in their testing areas.

 Beginning This Campaign -
 Join us by calling and connecting with people owning boats among our locals . . . and friends in all coastal regions of our country effected by these tests, encouraging them to be part of this search for those who own boats and can be part of a flotilla . . . numbers of boats  from all coastal areas. . . to intersect with U.S. Navies testing, in bringing wider public notice of this extermination of precious ocean life. For this government to go on with its rationales for eliminating ocean life is not an option! It promises to end certain ocean life cycles and all the marginal to worse ocean deterioration which follows.
 We will continue to urge this government to act, as we have in California through Rep. Mike Thompson and our Senators, while, for example, Thompson's most recent  correspondence sights only his past efforts, while all of this wrecklessness and slaughter go right on.
 As in any action of civil disobedience, our reasons go beyond these present and unacceptable national policies. In refusing to include care and maintenance of great oceans, this government demonstrates it is not fit to fulfill  responsibilities demanded by our times and in no way  reflects our greatest concerns.
 *Thus we begin that we begin, in earnest. . . making our calls and sending our messages by every means we can muster. . .  in arousing awareness of this campaign in finding those who can help in any given area along our coasts... and readying  ourselves to sail into Naval testing areas. We've been living in a quasi dark age mentality for ages regarding our responsibilities of care for oceans and their life forms.

 Our Inspiration:
 The 30 ft. sailboat Golden Rule changed the world with her epic voyage into the Pacific and is now  being refurbished  in Eureka, Calif. and inspires us to act!
 It sailed in  1958, with Albert Bigelow at the helm, a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy who commanded three combat vessels in World War II. He set out with four crewmen aboard this small sailboat from San Pedro, Calif., to protest nuclear testing in waters off the Marshall Islands, located in the western Pacific Ocean between Guam and Hawaii.
 The boat was boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard twice in Hawaii, and the Golden Rule crew were arrested before it could make it  to the testing area, but  this action, together with what followed brought on the Nuclear Treaty. The incident stands out as one of the finest examples of nonviolent protest, together with great exposure to the world at large, which brought on such incredible demand-government responded!

 Stage 1  - Present focus -
 Reaching out  to caring people of California, Oregon and Washington, the eastern seaboard, Gulf coast, Hawaii and Marianna Islands, spreading this message as much as possible, which is only as good as what all of us can do!...... to friends, friends of friends, those in other coastal areas... to find those with seaworthy  craft, maybe fishermen who may be aware of how the Navy's "take' (kill) has been cumulative and undermining of their own livelihoods.
 This is a stunning issue, a whole teaching in itself. . . so be prepared with your best set of facts and feelings in reaching others. Good Resource info [http://www.agriculturedefense.org/].

 Stage 2 - Strategies and logistics for carrying out this mission -
 If we feel we can muster and have decent communications/coordinating among  a close knit group of those in any specific coastal areas, then forming some idea of how to go about this..all of us committed/rooted in  non violence as we  proceed with any  direct actions.
 Time is of essence :  Every region is essentially a self contained area and should be among those who know and trust one another. . . each immediate group deciding its own focus/action/time line and taking care to keep such plans known only within that particular group.
 Meeting to organize in each area;  discussing all implications and credible ways to proceed;  any info on Naval scheduling of departures from bases involved with testings;  working on plans and your crew scheduling of  calendared time slots over the next months.  Listing all needs of equipment, personal gear needed, food, etc. scheduling those involved where they have time. Attempting to ascertain  how much support we have for this.
 We ought to acknowledge what all this will take.    Only if we  feel such an action is right...feel confident we're able to follow through, have the time, are able to work closely together on strategies in the best sense supporting one another in considering an action.  It's going to take some real doing.
 Greater numbers of us involved gives us far better chances.  It gives us more opportunity to know what the Navy is up to in regard to these tests in our own areas. And our greater numbers will help in case of government action against any one member or team.
 Remembering all of this work in outreach is best for arousing public awareness and  continues building greater strength to demonstrate against these government atrocities.
 It means mustering enough in any given group  who urgently feel this is a the right course, beyond mere emotion it invokes.
 Preparation means having a good sense of media contacts... both locally and beyond, among national environmental groups and the press. And considering the very best strategy... for when to be in touch with these media connections.
 Let us begin and see where this takes us, keeping in touch best we can and welcoming the best ways to go about  carrying out such plans.

 What our world already faces:  (A quick review) World  Summit  On Biodiversity  calls for immediate action to save life on Earth.                   
TOKYO (AFP) -  Oct 10, 10'.
 Delegates from  193 nations gathered  to confront the rapid loss of animal and plant species that allow humans to exist,  a "defining moment" in the history of mankind, aimed at survival of diverse species and ecosystems threatened by pollution, exploitation and habitat encroachment. "We are destroying the very foundations that sustain life on this planet.". . . estimates of Earth losing species 100 to 1,000 times the historical average. "We're on the verge of a major extinction spasm," said Russ Mittermeier, president of Conservation International.

 Non violent resistance:
 "Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as cooperation with good" said Gandhi throughout his life. Later Philip Berrigan told us:
 "We have to practice nonviolent resistance to imperial America, as a way of life."Resistance is not just a periodic fling, but a day to day process. Gandhi insisted that if people wanted independence, they had to start acting like they were free...and thus seeing what all was involved and what was robbing them of their liberty.

 Non violent code:
 + Our attitude is one of openness and respect toward all beings
 + We will not use violence, either verbal or physical
 + We will not carry or use alcohol or drugs other than for medical purposes during actions
 + We will carry no weapons
 + We will strive to create an atmosphere of calm and dignity
 + We will not condone senseless acts of sabotage.
 + We promise to practice finding  humor in most  all concerns and pay attention to maintaining our awareness and our balance.

 **Update:  U.S. Naval war against ocean life should be intimately tied to  upcoming protests  to end wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq!


2012-03 press release by Jack Nounnan from "Humboldt Communities For Justice and Peace":
 "We seek the democracy you've  endlessly  spoken of, but never seem to mean, We march together with this profound  and impassioned public outcry ... Joining  with Americans everywhere, all of us wanting that you absolutely know!
 We're  sickened by  your violent practices against humanity abroad and here at home.
 We're appalled  by your wasted  fortunes on these incorrigible  wars,   literally condemning our chances for  funding our overwhelming domestic choices.
 We loathe massive productions meddling with earth, now demanding quick responding efforts, but seeing  you're obsession blinds ...and toward responding, you're never inclined.
 We see we face this never ending... ever disintegrating-usurping of our rights and very lives!
   We know too, we won't  endure too well, just choosing to ride this through. Thus it dawning ( or was it being compelled)  to finally see  how maybe, after all, It's our moment, 'our' history...and how, of course, it's written by what we do !
 "Yes" and embracing our part, our share in all  this  emerging scenario And together making our way, empowered by fuller meaning of our devotions and our part in destiny."
 Bothering to be public to gather and to grow!
   We have no intention whatsoever of forgetting who we are! Thus we'll celebrate as well Mar 20,  as surely as the people of South Africa  danced before those powers refusing them recognition, never forgetting their good will nor natural exuberance and fun .
      **Everyone  much encouraged to volunteer and bring cloths in fairly good shape for the Haitian peoples, so call [707-442-8733]**
 "Of course it's family friendly and an exceptional time to have our kids involved!"
 See you Saturday!