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Indybay Feature

Open letter to Berkeley's John Caner

by Thomas Lord (lord [at] basiscraft.com)
A recently shared video shows a downtown Berkeley "hospitality ambassador" showing aggression towards and then repeatedly hitting a man who offered no provocation. Poor people, including unhoused people hanging out in Berkeley are considered by the Downtown Berkeley Association to be a problem and the "ambassador" program is run by the assocation as a "solution". John Caner who is CEO of the association sent a letter to the Berkeley homeless commission. I've quoted his letter and openly replied to him here.
I have gotten a forwaded message from John Caner that reads this way:

"The DBA and Block by Block will be conducting an extensive evaluation of our training and hiring process, to insure this kind of event does not happen again in the future. We also will be reaching out to BPD, Berkeley Mental Health, and other parties to get their advice and counsel, and probably expanded involvement in our training program.

This has been a painful couple of days for the Berkeley community. We take full responsibility and are deeply sorry for what happened. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through this
process."


I replied to the forward, and added John Caner to the "to" line, as follows:

When John Caner says:

"The DBA and Block by Block will be conducting an extensive evaluation of our training and hiring process,"

he tacitly asserts DBA will not reconsider the mission or purpose of the Ambassador program.

John and everyone, let's assume we all wish to be compassionate. Nevertheless, at the same time, John and the DBA want to advance the ambassador program and so-called quality of life regulation. It may be -- I would argue it is -- INCOMPATIBLE. One can be compassionate. Or one can pursue the DBA mission in this area. One can not do both at the same time, no matter how well intentioned one is.

Why would I argue that? Well, that's a longer discussion I'm happy to have. But let's just for now note that DBA and John simply ASSUME their proposed regulations and their ambassador program can be compatible with compassion. The assumption needs to be reviewed carefully.

John: real public public restrooms, lockers, seating, and even showers could do more to restore mutual respect and civility downtown than your ambassador program or proposed regulations ever could. You
should not be reconsidering your hiring and training practices. You should be redirecting funds to projects that might actually work.
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