Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Three Little-Known City Council Candidate Forums Coming Up Fast + a Copwatch Confab
Not featured or even mentioned in the Sentinel or by the City Council staff, Santa Cruz City Council candidates have been invited to at least three more forums, according to candidate Jay Cabrera. I've posted the info he's given me and added some more of my own. For more details contact him at 332-2486.
THOSE ELUSIVE CITY COUNCIL FORUMS
Tomorrow--Tuesday October 7th, The Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Association are throwing a forum at the Main Library downtown 10 AM to noon. I assume this is open to the public, since their forums usually are, and it's being held in the public library.
Later tomorrow night (as posted in the Calendar), "The Next" is throwing a forum for the candidates 7:30-9 PM at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center (320 Cedar St. #2). It will be held after a live screening of the presidential debate between the two wings of the War Party (the Demopublicans) from 6 to 7:30 PM.
On Wednesday, October 22nd the Santa Cruz Neighbors throw a candidate forum in the community room of the SCPD police station at 7 PM. More info at http://www.santacruzneighbors.org .
BAD SEASON FOR PUBLIC FORUMS AND PUBLIC INFO ON CANDIDATES
The SCPD Candidate Forum of several Fridays ago turned out to be closed to the public. So not only is it really really difficult to get public records from the SCPD, but you don't get to hear what they ask the candidates and what the candidates say in response. Craig Canada, however, extensively answered their questionaire (then was not invited to their "private" meeting). Hopefully he will post his extensive response to the SCPD questionaire on-line, if he hasn't already (I haven't been able to find it.)
Community TV fell down bigtime and didn't video or record the most important forum of the season--the Progressive Forum (People's Democratic Club [PDC], Santa Cruz Action Network[SCAN], and Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender[GBLT]). For details go to http://brattononline.com/index.php?p=289 .
Jeff Smedberg of the SEIU [union] Forum banned any recording and nearly half the candidates apparently weren't even invited. Bonnie Morr, who master-of-ceremonied the forum seemed apologetic afterwards, but did nothing to assure that union members not present would be able to hear the proceedings later (by allowing recording, or putting it up for a vote). There was also some funny business about Ryan Coonerty getting his father, Neal the Supervisor, to intervene on his behalf and change the vote later in executive session giving him an endorsement.
LAST CHANCE TO GET IN ON THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE DEAL
For those interested there's also a Planning Session of the Coalition for a Countywide Community Dialogue on Race, Poverty, Equality & Justice at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 7, City Council Courtyard Conference Room (the room next to City Council chambers towards the City Council offices at 809 Center St.). They ask you call (831) 425-7618 or (831) 459-9349 or email them at skenyatta [at] cruzio.com or parnold [at] bridgemysteries.com or carliecarlota [at] yahoo.com to let them know since seating is limited.
On Saturday October 18 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Cabrillo Horticultural Center 6500 Soquel Dr. in Aptos, Pat Arnold writes, the Coalition will be "working toward solutions at a county-wide dialogue event...to develop actual plans to address institutional racism in Santa Cruz County. During the past four months, public hearings on Racism have been held in four different locations in Santa Cruz County. Testimony was given on experiences of racism in six areas: Police, Immigration, Education, Employment, Housing and Health Care. This conference will address the issues raised at those public [meetings.]"
KENYATTA AND CABRERA INTERVIEWS ARCHIVED
Cabrera was interviewed by Thomas Leavitt and me yesterday and the show is archived at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb081005.mp3 (download and go past the first hour of the show).
Kenyatta was interviewed by Becky Johnson, with occasional questions from me and Whitney Wilde. That interview--in the second hour of the audio file--is at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb081002.mp3 .
Tomorrow--Tuesday October 7th, The Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Association are throwing a forum at the Main Library downtown 10 AM to noon. I assume this is open to the public, since their forums usually are, and it's being held in the public library.
Later tomorrow night (as posted in the Calendar), "The Next" is throwing a forum for the candidates 7:30-9 PM at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center (320 Cedar St. #2). It will be held after a live screening of the presidential debate between the two wings of the War Party (the Demopublicans) from 6 to 7:30 PM.
On Wednesday, October 22nd the Santa Cruz Neighbors throw a candidate forum in the community room of the SCPD police station at 7 PM. More info at http://www.santacruzneighbors.org .
BAD SEASON FOR PUBLIC FORUMS AND PUBLIC INFO ON CANDIDATES
The SCPD Candidate Forum of several Fridays ago turned out to be closed to the public. So not only is it really really difficult to get public records from the SCPD, but you don't get to hear what they ask the candidates and what the candidates say in response. Craig Canada, however, extensively answered their questionaire (then was not invited to their "private" meeting). Hopefully he will post his extensive response to the SCPD questionaire on-line, if he hasn't already (I haven't been able to find it.)
Community TV fell down bigtime and didn't video or record the most important forum of the season--the Progressive Forum (People's Democratic Club [PDC], Santa Cruz Action Network[SCAN], and Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender[GBLT]). For details go to http://brattononline.com/index.php?p=289 .
Jeff Smedberg of the SEIU [union] Forum banned any recording and nearly half the candidates apparently weren't even invited. Bonnie Morr, who master-of-ceremonied the forum seemed apologetic afterwards, but did nothing to assure that union members not present would be able to hear the proceedings later (by allowing recording, or putting it up for a vote). There was also some funny business about Ryan Coonerty getting his father, Neal the Supervisor, to intervene on his behalf and change the vote later in executive session giving him an endorsement.
LAST CHANCE TO GET IN ON THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE DEAL
For those interested there's also a Planning Session of the Coalition for a Countywide Community Dialogue on Race, Poverty, Equality & Justice at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 7, City Council Courtyard Conference Room (the room next to City Council chambers towards the City Council offices at 809 Center St.). They ask you call (831) 425-7618 or (831) 459-9349 or email them at skenyatta [at] cruzio.com or parnold [at] bridgemysteries.com or carliecarlota [at] yahoo.com to let them know since seating is limited.
On Saturday October 18 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Cabrillo Horticultural Center 6500 Soquel Dr. in Aptos, Pat Arnold writes, the Coalition will be "working toward solutions at a county-wide dialogue event...to develop actual plans to address institutional racism in Santa Cruz County. During the past four months, public hearings on Racism have been held in four different locations in Santa Cruz County. Testimony was given on experiences of racism in six areas: Police, Immigration, Education, Employment, Housing and Health Care. This conference will address the issues raised at those public [meetings.]"
KENYATTA AND CABRERA INTERVIEWS ARCHIVED
Cabrera was interviewed by Thomas Leavitt and me yesterday and the show is archived at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb081005.mp3 (download and go past the first hour of the show).
Kenyatta was interviewed by Becky Johnson, with occasional questions from me and Whitney Wilde. That interview--in the second hour of the audio file--is at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb081002.mp3 .
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Missing: What about the Copwatch Confab?
By "Copwatch Confab", I meant the "Community Dialogue" that I mention above.
Hmm, perhaps I'm being too optimistic.
Whether it's an election eve stunt, a lot of papershuffling and talk, or a real move towards Community Control of Police--will become clearer soon.
However, nine months of organizing and several dozen activists represents a lot of time and energy. You don't have to reinvent the wheel here to recognize, document, and take action against police misconduct, racial profiling, selective enforcement, and economic discrimination.
No member of this group has ever contacted me or HUFF, for instance, to run through the years of documentation. Much of this is archived on line at indybay.org/santacruz or through past radio show interviews at http://www.huffsantacruz.org. Police misconduct towards poor and homeless people is an old and well-documented story. The problem is the will to combat it.
If a major priority is not offending liberal "movers and shakers", perhaps that explains ignoring the past work done and the many victims' accounts. But this indicates bad judgment , a lack of seriousness and/or other priorities.
To their credit, the Community Dialogue has been fairly open. Both their forums and their organizational meetings have been open to the public (me included). So I encourage people to post their experiences and see if we can get some real action here against long-standing problems that we can't "talk" or "dialogue" away.
It just seems strange that with so many people involved over so long a period, so little of a concrete nature has been done.
Conflict resolution, mediation, etc. are good solutions for dealing with problems between people in many cases. However when you have an entrenched powerful well-funded organization like the SCPD (and other police groups in the county) in an era of terrorist mythology and drug war hysteria, you need powerful and clear community organizations with the will to back powerful alternatives that may offend the local bosses. Talking nice is not enough. Accumulating stories from folks is not enough unless you do something with them.
There have been plenty of stories and plenty of talk already.
Hmm, perhaps I'm being too optimistic.
Whether it's an election eve stunt, a lot of papershuffling and talk, or a real move towards Community Control of Police--will become clearer soon.
However, nine months of organizing and several dozen activists represents a lot of time and energy. You don't have to reinvent the wheel here to recognize, document, and take action against police misconduct, racial profiling, selective enforcement, and economic discrimination.
No member of this group has ever contacted me or HUFF, for instance, to run through the years of documentation. Much of this is archived on line at indybay.org/santacruz or through past radio show interviews at http://www.huffsantacruz.org. Police misconduct towards poor and homeless people is an old and well-documented story. The problem is the will to combat it.
If a major priority is not offending liberal "movers and shakers", perhaps that explains ignoring the past work done and the many victims' accounts. But this indicates bad judgment , a lack of seriousness and/or other priorities.
To their credit, the Community Dialogue has been fairly open. Both their forums and their organizational meetings have been open to the public (me included). So I encourage people to post their experiences and see if we can get some real action here against long-standing problems that we can't "talk" or "dialogue" away.
It just seems strange that with so many people involved over so long a period, so little of a concrete nature has been done.
Conflict resolution, mediation, etc. are good solutions for dealing with problems between people in many cases. However when you have an entrenched powerful well-funded organization like the SCPD (and other police groups in the county) in an era of terrorist mythology and drug war hysteria, you need powerful and clear community organizations with the will to back powerful alternatives that may offend the local bosses. Talking nice is not enough. Accumulating stories from folks is not enough unless you do something with them.
There have been plenty of stories and plenty of talk already.
The joint City Council candidate forum by the Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce (also the County Visitors Center) is not today at 10 AM, but tomorrow, Wednesday October 8th and runs to noon.
According to Melany at the Downtown Association, it will be on the second floor of the library and there will be a question-and-answer period. The public is invited, but space is limited.
Jay gave me the correct info; I just got confused. My apologies to anyone who went there today in search of Council Candidates. It's tomorrow.
If anyone made a recording of the Progressive Forum held at the Vet's Hall grilling Council Candidates, I'd like to hear it.
According to Melany at the Downtown Association, it will be on the second floor of the library and there will be a question-and-answer period. The public is invited, but space is limited.
Jay gave me the correct info; I just got confused. My apologies to anyone who went there today in search of Council Candidates. It's tomorrow.
If anyone made a recording of the Progressive Forum held at the Vet's Hall grilling Council Candidates, I'd like to hear it.
The third sponsor of the forum tomorrow is the County Visitor's Council not the County Visitor's Center.
Why so many mistakes, Robert? Not checking your facts before you present them??
I don't know why Robert needs to posts about this. Both the "Next" forum and the one at the library were listed publicly and in advance. I knew about them at least 2 weeks in advance, and I attended both. It's hard for Robert to say he didn't know about either one was happening and were "little known", since Craig Canada had to fill in the paperwork for both forums well in advance. Becky seems to know everything Craig is doing in his campaign. And since Robert and Becky speak about all of these things often I cannot see Becky not mentioning these events to Robert.
Not everything in life is a conspiracy.
Not everything in life is a conspiracy.
Robert,
I listen to your show. I enjoy the street interviews, the stances you take on issues surrounding the poor, civil rights and your vast knowledge of the laws. Want I really did not like to the point where I stopped listening to your show was how you treated Mr. Kenyatta. Becky did a very fair job interviewing him and you were unusually accommodating and polite. Great. Then in the subsequent show, you really slammed him unfairly in my eyes. It is no wonder he did not want to be interviewed by you. Its not so much what you pointed out, they were legitimate real concerns. But I think it is unrealistic to bash a candidate during these types of elections for not making more clear stances or having outlined a perfect solution for the causes you take. I think he would be the best candidate we have as far in dealing with the issues you want raised. In slamming him for not having such solutions, and not presenting any yourself that would not be and end all for the candidate is unrealistic and I found it to very rude. Bring him on your show, be nice, then slam him on your next show. It really accomplishes very little. You have a great amount of knowledge but you want everyone to think your way or the highway. I am tired of it and you have lost a long time listener.
Sincerely,
Robert Thomas
SC City 30 year resident
I listen to your show. I enjoy the street interviews, the stances you take on issues surrounding the poor, civil rights and your vast knowledge of the laws. Want I really did not like to the point where I stopped listening to your show was how you treated Mr. Kenyatta. Becky did a very fair job interviewing him and you were unusually accommodating and polite. Great. Then in the subsequent show, you really slammed him unfairly in my eyes. It is no wonder he did not want to be interviewed by you. Its not so much what you pointed out, they were legitimate real concerns. But I think it is unrealistic to bash a candidate during these types of elections for not making more clear stances or having outlined a perfect solution for the causes you take. I think he would be the best candidate we have as far in dealing with the issues you want raised. In slamming him for not having such solutions, and not presenting any yourself that would not be and end all for the candidate is unrealistic and I found it to very rude. Bring him on your show, be nice, then slam him on your next show. It really accomplishes very little. You have a great amount of knowledge but you want everyone to think your way or the highway. I am tired of it and you have lost a long time listener.
Sincerely,
Robert Thomas
SC City 30 year resident
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$40.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network