Join us at the City Council meeting on Zoom to demand that they Defund OPD’s general fund budget by 50% ($150 million). Let them know where you think the $150 million should be invested and what kind of programming keeps the community safe!

City Council now takes public comment on all agenda items at the beginning of the meeting. Please log in or call in right at 12:00 PM to place yourself in the queue to speak. The City Clerk will call your name or phone number when it’s your turn to speak. You will need to unmute yourself when you are called. At the beginning of your comment, please note that you are speaking on agenda item #2 (FY2020-21 Midcycle Budget Amendments). You will be given a limited time to speak (most likely 1 minute). If you can’t tune in to the meeting, leave an “eComment,” but please note that they close eComment 5 minutes before the start of the meeting. See below.

Please see below for instructions on how to participate and comment.

• To observe the meeting by video conference, please click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86191306486 at the noticed meeting time.

• To listen to the meeting by phone, please call the numbers below at the noticed meeting time: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
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Webinar ID: 861 9130 6486
If asked for a participant ID or code, press #.

Instructions on how to submit public comment:

• eComment. To send your comment directly to Council members and staff BEFORE the meeting starts please click on https://oakland.legistar.com/calendar.aspx and click on the “eComment” link for the corresponding meeting. Please note that eComment submission closes five (5) minutes before posted meeting time.

• To comment by Zoom video conference, click the “Raise Your Hand” button to request to speak when Public Comment is being taken on an eligible agenda item at the beginning of the meeting. You will be permitted to speak during your turn, allowed to comment, and after the allotted time, re-muted. Instructions on how to “Raise Your Hand” is available at: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205566129 – Raise-Hand-In-Webinar.

• To comment by phone, please call on one of the above listed phone numbers. You will be prompted to “Raise Your Hand” by pressing “*9” to speak when Public Comment is taken. You will
be permitted to speak during your turn, allowed to comment, and after the allotted time, re-muted. Please unmute your self by pressing *6.

Zoom connection link

The uprising against racism and police violence that erupted in the aftermath of the police murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor has been bolstered by important contributions by workers and their unions.

Bus drivers and other public transit workers have refused to move arrested protesters and police. Teachers and other public education workers have agitated to kick the police out of our schools. And longshore workers stopped work on East and West Coast ports to demonstrate opposition to racist police violence.

What role can workplace actions and organized labor play in the anti-racist struggle? What can socialists and other radicals do to contribute to further workplace action and organization in support of the ongoing movement? How can union members organize to isolate the police unions and drive them out of local and national union federations? What does the history of racism and anti-racism in the U.S. labor movement tell us about our struggle today?

Join East Bay DSA’s Socialist Night School on Tuesday, June 23 at 7pm on Zoom as we discuss these questions and more, with a talk from featured speaker Ashley Payne.

Priority Readings

“Moment of Reckoning”: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Cornel West & Bakari Sellers on Nationwide Uprising (video, ~38 min) Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Cornel West are two of the leading voices of the socialist movement in the U.S. today. In this clip from June 1, they discuss the ongoing nationwide uprising against police violence and frame it as a concentrated expression of resistance to racism, social domination, and extreme inequality.

“To Break the Power of Police, We Need to Mobilize the Power of Labor” by Paul Heideman (article, ~1300 words) Paul Heideman argues in this article that the participation of labor unions is crucial to the success of struggles against racism and police violence.

Additional Recommended Readings

“It’s Time to Make Black Lives Matter in Our Unions” by Bianca Cunningham (article, ~1200 words) Organizer Biana Cunningham reflects on her experience in unions and the history of the labor movement and argues that unions must prioritize racial justice.

“The Most Effective Way to Stop Police Terror is Action at the Point of Production,” interview with Clarence Thomas (article, ~1500 words) Former Secretary Treasurer of International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 10, Clarence Thomas, discusses recent political strike action against racist police violence conducted by longshore workers at West and East Coast ports.

“What about Racism?” by Keeanga-Yahmatta Taylor (article, ~1900 words) Taylor refers to the writings of Karl Marx and the history of the U.S. socialist movement to argue that the struggle against racism is central to defeating capitalism.

“The Legacy of Black Reconstruction” by Robert Greene II (article, ~1700 words) Robert Greene II reflects on the major themes of W.E.B. Du Bois’ classic book, Black Reconstruction in America. Du Bois argued that the Civil War was won due to a “general strike” of enslaved Africans, making him the first to place the self-activity of Black workers at the center of U.S. history.

Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84783105991?pwd=Tlk5SENqWHFHV216M1lSZkRtUGk2dz09

 You can register for the event here.

Join us for We Keep Us Safe: From Police & Prisons to Care & Community with author, community leader, and lawyer Zach Norris and Thrive co-hosts Aryeh Shell & Bethsaida Ruiz.

We are at a historic moment. Our collective response to police violence and systemic racism is creating an opportunity to make a radical shift from a culture of fear and punishment to one of public health and true safety. As we work to transition away from police and prisons to systems of care and community, how can we bridge our divides and dismantle the mentality of us versus them? What are the actions we can take now to #defund our police and prison systems, and to redirect resources to health care, housing, education, living-wage jobs, and programs that support the well-being of our families and communities?

This conversation is part of Medicine for These Times, an online series by Thrive East Bay to nourish our bodies, hearts, minds and spirits as we navigate this time of crisis and opportunity.

WHERE: Online on Zoom (link shared when you register)

If you’re unable to watch this conversation LIVE, a video recording will be shared with those who register for a ticket.

INVITE A FRIEND: Please feel free to invite your family and friends, and invite folks on Facebook here.

We look forward to you joining us!

Full Agenda

Select Agenda Items:

IX. Status of Consensus Policy Changes and OPD Special Order (SO) 9025 on Suspension of
the Carotid Use of Restraint
The Commission will ask for a status update on pending policy changes related to Warning
Before Shooting and Shooting at Moving Vehicles. The Commission will consider and may
vote to approve SO 9025 on suspension of the carotid restraint. This is a new item.

X. OPD General Order (DGO) on New Crowd Management Use of Force Restrictions and
Mutual Aid Protocols. The Commission will discuss and may vote to approve a new DGO presented by OPD in response to the Commission’s request on June 18, 2020. This is a new item.

XIII. Use of Force Ad Hoc Committee Update
The Use of Force Ad Hoc Committee will provide an update of progress to date on the
drafting of a new OPD Use of Force policy, including planning for future opportunities for
public input and outreach. No action to be taken on the policy itself.

XIV. Draft Ordinance on Acquisition and Use of Controlled Equipment
The Commission will discuss and may vote to approve a draft ordinance regulating the
acquisition and use of controlled equipment by the Oakland Police Department, and to
forward the draft ordinance to City Council with a request for immediate adoption.

Last night at Oakland City Council, multiple council-members lamented the difficulty of putting community first response models into practice. We’d like to introduce Oakland to Anti Police-Terror Project Sacramento ‘s pilot program, MH First & prepare our city for an MH First Oakland launch. The People need COMMUNITY FIRST RESPONSE NOW

So we’ll be recruiting, and that means training. We got you!

This training prepares MH First responders for dispatching to assist folks experiencing mental health episodes and other crises. It includes mental health first aid, basic first aid, and cop watch. No experience necessary. Medical and mental health students and professionals are encouraged to join.

MH First is a project of Anti Police-Terror Project Sacramento. Our purpose is to interrupt and eliminate the need for law enforcement in mental health crisis first response by providing mobile peer support, de-escalation assistance, and non-punitive and life-affirming interventions, therefore decriminalizing emotional and psychological crises and decreasing the stigma around mental health, substance use, and domestic violence, while also addressing their root causes: white supremacy, capitalism, and colonialism.

If you are interested in joining the team, but are unable to attend this training, please use this link to provide us with your contact information:
https://www.antipoliceterrorproject.org/contact

Topic: MHFirst Training
Time: Jun 27, 2020 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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   Produced and promoted by Michael Moore, Planet of the Humans critiques the mainstream climate change movement while proffering solutions of its own. This recent movie on climate change has in turn precipitated both a defense by some current climate activists as well as still more trenchant analyses on the causes and solutions to global warming.

This program is at the Marxist Library addresses, from a left perspective, themes raised in the movie regarding climate change and its solutions. Our speakers represent diverse backgrounds of technical competence.

   Sandeep Agarwal is an engineer with many years of working with the solar power and energy storage. Sandeep will take a critical look at ideological basis of fiscal policies like green new deal and carbon pricing which are being promoted to accelerate global decarbonization.

   Sharat Lin is a medical physicist and political economist. Sharat will argue that the ongoing transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy must not only make use of every possible aspect of decarbonization, starting with the low-hanging fruit and “bridge technologies,” but must drastically reduce non-fossil greenhouse gas production through lifestyle changes mobilized through state and institutional intervention.  We cannot automatically assume that small is better or that socialism will solve the problem that capitalism has created.

   Roger Harris is a biologist and a retired consultant, who has worked assessing the environmental impacts of oil, gas, geothermal, co-generation, electric, wind, and solar energy developments. Michael Moore’s movie, pointing to the depleting finite resources on the planet, blames human population growth as a fundamental cause of environmental degradation. Roger will present the perspective that there may be too many superrich people, but that the ideology of overpopulation is a justification of unequal social relations and is not scientifically valid. Climate justice suggests that we consider the “climate debt” that the industrialized countries have as the main contributors to global warming.
You need not have viewed Planet of the Humans to benefit from joining us at this webinar. The one-hour and 40-minute movie, however, can be viewed free at https://planetofthehumans.com/.

Press Conference: In Midst of Mounting Pressure and Day of Action, Oakland Council President Kaplan to Reopen Budget Vote; Commit to Join Bas, Labor, Community to Defund Police

Members of the DSA Green New Deal Committee will discuss chapter 4 of “A Planet to Win”.

Anyone who has read the chapter is encouraged to attend.

Details
Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88237561151?pwd=S0FocjZ3TjBzeU5vVE5ySHJDZVZTUT09

National CODEPINK is calling for us to organize car caravans and other peace actions on July 4th with the theme being “Independance from War.”
For this banner drop action, we’ll have these messages on banners:
DEMILITARIZE, and MAKE AMERICA LOVE AGAIN.
Thanks to our friend, Barbara for generously offering to make these banners while being totally “sheltered in place!”

All are welcome to join, though we’d most like to be joined by those of you who could walk or ride your bike to the location. (Bernal/Mission/Noe/Glen Park) We already have a smallish crew and plan to stay socially distanced. Please let me know if you’d like to join us: mhubert7 [at] earthlink.net

I also have PEACE and VOTE banners that we could use, and there’s another bridge, within sight (Richland Ave.) that could accommodate additional banners.
********************************************************
(Wearing a mask and socially distancing required)
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On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass, who escaped slavery in 1838 at age 20, gave one of his most famous speeches, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” to the Ladies Antislavery Society of Rochester, New York. We will begin by listening to actor and activist Danny Glover reading a six-minute selection from the speech during a performance of Howard Zinn’s “Voices of a People’s History of the United States“ on October 5, 2005, at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, Los Angeles. <https://vimeo.com/1275332>

Following a brief introduction by ICSS member Gene Ruyle, we will have a group discussion of the speech and its significance for today. Come prepared to share your views!

The full text (over 2800 words) of the speech may be found at:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2927t.html

Moderator: ICSS Member Sharon Rose

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Every time protests erupt after yet another innocent black person is killed by police, “reform” is meekly offered as the solution. But what if drastically defunding the police – not reform – is the best way to stop unnecessary violence and death committed by law enforcement against communities of color?

The alternative is not more money for police training programs, hardware or oversight. It is to dramatically shrink their function. We must demand that local politicians develop non-police solutions to the problems poor people face. Instead of giving them more money for pointless training programs, let’s divert that money into building up communities and individuals so we don’t “need” violent and abusive policing.

What is the origin of the modern police force? What functions do police serve in a capitalist society? What does defunding the police actually look like? Could society really function without the police?

Join us on Zoom as we discuss these questions and more, with a talk from featured speaker Brian Bean.

Priority Reading

Interview with Alex Vitale “Policing Is Fundamentally a Tool of Social Control to Facilitate Our Exploitation” Jacobin (10 min read) **New York-based sociologist Alex Vitale weighs in on the  failures of police reform efforts and why reducing police power is one of the best solutions available for combating systemic racism and advancing working-class interests.**

Other Recommended Readings/Videos

Brian Bean The Socialist Case Against the Police Rampant (30 min read) **Police don’t solve, stop or prevent crime because they were never designed to. Cops are the tools of the bosses, from the day they were invented to today**

Brian Bean Abolish the Police Rampant (30 min read) **Cops are not part of the working class and perform no socially beneficial function. Only good things can result from abolishing the police.**

Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84783105991?pwd=Tlk5SENqWHFHV216M1lSZkRtUGk2dz09

Zoom Link
Webinar ID: 979 4670 3278
Password: 611741

In 2019, with your support, we passed AB 857, the Public Banking Act, empowering cities and regions to create our own banks. In 2020, economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing local governments across the state to cut staff, services, and vital programs at a time when they are most needed. We must bring desperately needed funds into urban and rural communities ignored by Wall Street banks.

AB 310 proposes emergency COVID-19 relief by transferring 10% of California’s Pooled Money Investment Account (PMIA) into the existing California Infrastructure Bank (IBank). It then requires the IBank to convert into a state depository institution which can leverage funds and lend directly to cash-strapped local governments and small businesses. A California State Public Bank can offer emergency lending and credit to community banks and credit unions, rescue small businesses, and help historically marginalized communities.

We only have 2 months to move this bill through two committees in the Senate, the Senate floor, two committees in the Assembly, and the Assembly floor.

With such a short window, we’re targeting outreach and endorsements to: local government, Democratic central committees, labor, civic organizations, credit unions and community banks, and national, regional and statewide organizations. Just as we did on AB 857, we’ll also coordinate lobbying outreach to over 90 Senate and Assembly offices – except this time, we will do almost all of it virtually.
The California Public Banking Alliance is a grassroots, people-powered effort led by a team of volunteers. We need your help once again in the fight to take on Wall Street and bring about economic recovery for the people of California!

Support the CA State Public Bank with 3 action steps below. Endorse AB 310, send a letter to the Senate from your organization, and use our Action Network letter to email your State Representatives directly. Reach out to calpba@gmail.com with questions, ideas, and support.

3 ACTION STEPS TO SUPPORT A STATE PUBLIC BANK:

1. Endorse AB 310: Organizational Endorsement Form
2. Email your Legislators via Action Network
3. Send a Senate Support Letter from your Organization
Links to our subject-specific one-pagers, fact sheet and FAQ are below, along with our template resolutions.

AB 310 RESOURCES:

We are asking OUR HOUSED neighbors to contribute hygiene supplies, canned food, bottled water, rain gear, tarps, garbage bags, $$ et al on July 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 & 12 to be redistributed on July 19 to encampments in North Oakland dealing with the COVID 19. We will sanitize and package your donations add a hot packaged meal and fresh fruit to the care kits to be distributed to North Oakland Encampments and surrounding encampments.

In order to properly sanitize and maintain social distancing we are collecting the materials a week prior to when we distribute 500 hot meals and care kits. Overflow resources will be distributed by sister orgs throughout Oakland.

Been to a “Heading for Extinction” Talk or seen us in the media? Want to get more involved? Attend a Zoom (video) Orientation Call! Note that this call is phone friendly! If you want to call in by phone, you can call in using the zoom meeting number (disclosed once you sign up).

Sign up here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIkcuuhqzMoG9Gkaji1tKcqCT_J6bDAEEqc

We are asking OUR HOUSED neighbors to contribute hygiene supplies, canned food, bottled water, rain gear, tarps, garbage bags, $$ et al on July 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 & 12 to be redistributed on July 19 to encampments in North Oakland dealing with the COVID 19. We will sanitize and package your donations add a hot packaged meal and fresh fruit to the care kits to be distributed to North Oakland Encampments and surrounding encampments.

In order to properly sanitize and maintain social distancing we are collecting the materials a week prior to when we distribute 500 hot meals and care kits. Overflow resources will be distributed by sister orgs throughout Oakland.