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Rotkin Responds to the ACLU Scandal: Signature Hypocrisy of Phoney "Progressive" Politics
One of the longest threads on indybay recently has been "Activists ask ACLU to Help End Sleeping Ban". The discussion there exposes and documents an important and profound hypocrisy that has been central to Santa Cruz "progressive" politics for two decades. Organizations and individuals which newcomers might think would be most "liberal", "socialist" or "progressive" are actually the opposite on local issues. I encourage folks to go to http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/26/18443532.php?show_comments=1#18446049 & read Rotkin's latest remarks.
In the midst of an expanding murderous war in Iraq and a likely attack on Iran, Rotkin's City Council has its first meeting of the fall.
It refused to direct staff to prepare an FYI examining its own investments to see if any war profiteering is involved.
It funded redoubled efforts to seize and destroy the survival gear of its poorest community members in the Pogonip (Chief Ranger Wallace's avowed policy of destroying homeless tents and campsites in the teeth of the Fresno Kinkaid decision).
It refuses to open up the most elementary sanitary facilities (24-hour bathrooms) out of a sick paranoia towards the poor and/or hypersensitivity to the bigoted sensibilities of downtown merchants.
It readied itself to seize more public space by closing off the Parking Lots to public assemblies (http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/06/18445965.php) after moving to set the stage for selling off Scribner/Scope Park across from the Town Clock.
It went into closed door session to authorize the sabotage of the Measure K (Lowest Priority for Marijuana Enforcement) passed by 63% of the voters. As for the authorized Measure K Commissions hearings--endlessly postponed (the latest was scheduled for 6 PM September 13, but abruptly canceled, according to Commission member Anita Henry).
It refused to back a small rise in the minimum wage downtown, not to mention gutting trailer park rent control, and forget about real rent control or renter protection.
The more we understand exactly where the Rotkin Council sits and where the Rotkin ACLU sits, the closer we'll be to pulling out the chair and finding some new answers and some new people.
HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) will be speaking at City Council. Homies for the Homeless may be initiating another Sleep-Out at City Hall on Tuesday the 11th. The latest Bush snowjob will roll over Congress next week or the week after. How about beginning a sleep out on City Hall as part of a Vigil Against Two Wars--the War on the Poor in Santa Cruz and the War Against the Iraqi People?
It refused to direct staff to prepare an FYI examining its own investments to see if any war profiteering is involved.
It funded redoubled efforts to seize and destroy the survival gear of its poorest community members in the Pogonip (Chief Ranger Wallace's avowed policy of destroying homeless tents and campsites in the teeth of the Fresno Kinkaid decision).
It refuses to open up the most elementary sanitary facilities (24-hour bathrooms) out of a sick paranoia towards the poor and/or hypersensitivity to the bigoted sensibilities of downtown merchants.
It readied itself to seize more public space by closing off the Parking Lots to public assemblies (http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/09/06/18445965.php) after moving to set the stage for selling off Scribner/Scope Park across from the Town Clock.
It went into closed door session to authorize the sabotage of the Measure K (Lowest Priority for Marijuana Enforcement) passed by 63% of the voters. As for the authorized Measure K Commissions hearings--endlessly postponed (the latest was scheduled for 6 PM September 13, but abruptly canceled, according to Commission member Anita Henry).
It refused to back a small rise in the minimum wage downtown, not to mention gutting trailer park rent control, and forget about real rent control or renter protection.
The more we understand exactly where the Rotkin Council sits and where the Rotkin ACLU sits, the closer we'll be to pulling out the chair and finding some new answers and some new people.
HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) will be speaking at City Council. Homies for the Homeless may be initiating another Sleep-Out at City Hall on Tuesday the 11th. The latest Bush snowjob will roll over Congress next week or the week after. How about beginning a sleep out on City Hall as part of a Vigil Against Two Wars--the War on the Poor in Santa Cruz and the War Against the Iraqi People?
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