ACLU Santa Cruz Annual Membership Meeting

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Date:

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Time:

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Event Type:

Meeting

Organizer/Author:

R. Jesse McLaren

Email:

rjessemclaren [at] hotmail.com

Location Details:

Louden Nelson Community Center (Center & Laurel Streets in Santa Cruz)

ACLU-Santa Cruz is having its annual membership meeting, including a debate: Obama's Report Card on Civil Liberties. The event is free and open to the public.

The Santa Cruz Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is having its annual membership meeting on Wednesday, November 18th, from 7-9pm at the Louden Nelson Community Center (Center & Laurel Streets in Santa Cruz).

Following a brief business meeting to elect a new Board of Directors, receive suggestions from members on next year’s work for the S.C. ACLU, and receive a brief report on the past year’s activities and a memorial recognition for former Board Member Mardi Wormhoudt, we will feature a debate and community conversation: OBAMA'S REPORT CARD ON CIVIL LIBERTIES: Debating the Question: A Disappointing Civil Liberties Record vs.

Advancing Civil Liberties in the Face of Difficult Constraints.

The event is free, and open to the public. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.aclusantacruz.org

For more information: http://www.aclusantacruz.org

Added to the calendar on Wed, Oct 28, 2009 1:48PM

§ACLU-NC SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CHAPTER ANNUAL MEETING & DEBATE

by R. Jesse McLaren

Thu, Nov 12, 2009 3:22PM

Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Cedar Street (x Laurel), Santa Cruz

HOW IS PRESIDENT OBAMA DOING ON CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES?
The Santa Cruz County Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California (ACLU-NC) is bringing you two great speakers to debate this topic at our annual meeting. Spencer Critchley, Monterey County Democrats Communications Director, and Julia Harumi Mass, ACLU-NC Staff Attorney, will debate these positions: Obama: Advancing Civil Liberties in the Face of Difficult Constraints vs. Obama: A Disappointing Civil Liberties Record.
We will open with a short business meeting, including a report on the past year's activities from our current chair, Martine Watkins, and a vote to elect our board for 2010. We will include some remarks memorializing Mardi Wormhoudt, who was serving on our board at the time of her passing last month.
Following this, Mike Rotkin will moderate the debate, after which the floor will be opened for questions and comments. This promises to be a fascinating and valuable evening for all of us. The event is free and open to the public. We hope to see you there.

http://www.aclusantacruz.org

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§Local Civil Liberties Report Card for Rotkin and the SCACLU: F

by Robert Norse

Tue, Nov 17, 2009 11:34PM

ISSUE: Santa Cruz City Sleeping Ban MC 6.36.010a banning homeless sleep from 11 PM to 8:30 AM
ROTKIN: Has supported the ban since his election to City Council in 1979
OTHER ACLU'S: Supported successful lawsuits against the Sleeping Ban in Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, and elsewhere.
SCACLU: Refuses to take a position against the ban in spite of repeated requests over the last 20 years.

ISSUE: Homeless Use of City Sidewalks
ROTKIN: Supported laws banning sitting on 95% of all sidewalks downtown and 100% elsewhere where buildings adjoin.
OTHER ACLUS: Challenged Berkeley, Portland, and L.A. Sitting Bans
SCACLU: Brief challenge in 1994 followed by silence as the laws became harsher in 2003 and 2009.

ISSUE: Homeless Begging
ROTKIN: Supported and helped pass laws that make holding up a sign asking for food silently after dark a crime.
OTHER ACLUS: Helped challenge the S.F., Salinas, and Berkeley Panhandling ordinances
SCACLU: Deafeningly silent.

ISSUE: Repressive Rules at City Council Limiting Public Comment
ROTKIN: Initiated 2005 limiting discussion of Consent Agenda items to 2 or 3; arrested an activist for trying to speak on a 4th item in 2005; supported Councilmember Coonerty's no-speaking-without-Council-OK in 2009
OTHER CALIFORNIA CITY COUNCILS: Allow public to pull Consent Agenda items and speak on them without "getting permission"
SCACLU: No action supporting those silenced by the Coonerty-Rotkin Councils nor any change in the rules.

ISSUE: No Homeless Parking at Night Areas
ROTKIN: Supported such proposals on the West Side, downtown, and in Harvey West
SCACLU: Silence

ISSUE: Right to attend an ACLU General Meeting in 2007 with an "End the Sleeping Ban" sign
ROTKIN: Attempted to arrest activists carrying such signs in.
SCACLU: No rebuke of Rotkin for his repressive behavior; signs allowed in 2008.
[see "Activists ask ACLU to help end sleeping ban' at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/26/18443532.php?show_comments=1#18446049]

ISSUE: Anti-homeless ban on sitting on public benches for more than one hour
ROTKIN: Supported the ordinance.
SCACLU: More silence.

ISSUE: Defanging "Lowest Enforcement for Marijuana" Measure K by removing police recordkeeping requirement
ROTKIN: No opposition; regularly chairs the Public Safety Committee supposedly overseeing the SCPD
SCACLU: Still more silence.

ISSUE: Ending the Santa Cruz Citizens Police Review Board (in 2003)
ROTKIN: Voted in favor.
SCACLU: No audible opposition

ISSUE: Banning public assembly in public parking garages as well as making sitting in your car reading a book illegal
ROTKIN: Supported the ban ("Parking Garage Trespass Law") (though opposing it for parking lots)
SCACLU: Supported the ban (though opposing it for parking lots)

ROTKIN'S OTHER BAD ISSUES; Expanded police budget, expanded triple fine zones during holidays, "party at your peril" law, burying a "no selective enforcement" resolution, supporting parks and recreation harassment of homeless in the Pogonip with increased funding, banning all new medical marijuana club applications for 6 months
SCACLU: Silence.

for more on Rotkin's record, go to http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/11/05/18326773.php

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