Calendar
There will be a hearing on the joint motion for preliminary approval of the settlement agreement in Ashker v. Brown before JudgeWilken.
Her order for the hearing stated that she was leaning in favor of issuing a preliminary approval.
Everyone is welcome to attend. It’s a public hearing.
Worksession:
Stanford Study: Electronic Control Weapons Study (e.g. Tasers ©)
Public Comment – Items on this agenda only
Here is the Stanford Criminal Justice Center Report on Tasers, which will be discussed:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35320626/2015-10-06%20Agenda%20Packet.pdf
TASING MINORITIES, HOMELESS, AUTISTIC, MENTALLY ILL AND ANY OTHER HUMAN IS NOT THE SIGN OF AN ENLIGHTENED SOCIETY.
NO TO TASERS FOR THE BERKELEY POLICE!
YES TO DE-ESCALATION AND POLICE DE-MILITARIZATION.
Come speak out against the madness. Tell the City Council no to police tasers at Old City Hall, Allston & MLK.
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Taser Fact Sheet
TASERS CAN CAUSE DEATH
Police say that Taser use saves lives because they don’t have to shoot someone if they use Tasers effectively. However, Tasers are NOT AN ALTERNATIVE to using lethal force. Sure, it would be nice, but police are trained to meet a lethal threat with a gun-not a taser. In fact, Tasers are mostly used against unarmed people, not people who could really kill or injure an officer!
From 2001 until February of 2014, the ACLU and the website www.electronic village.blogspot.com have documented 547 Taser related deaths. There have been even more since then.
In May of 2012, the American Heart Association’s premier journal, “Circulation” published a study by Dr. Douglas Zipes, of Indiana University’s Krannert Institute of Cardiology. He found that a shock from the Taser “can cause cardiac electric capture and provoke cardiac arrest” as a result of an abnormally rapid heart rate and uncontrolled, fluttering contractions. Yes, Taser shocks, especially to the chest, can kill.
TASERS DON’T REDUCE IN CUSTODY DEATHS OR OFFICER INJURIES
According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, the main reason to employ Tasers is the belief that they reduce officer injuries and in custody deaths. After a comprehensive study involving 10 years worth of data from over 100 departments from across the country, this myth was disproved. “In conclusion, although considered by some a safer alternative to firearms, Taser deployment was associated with a substantial increase in in-custody sudden deaths in the early deployment period, with no decrease in firearm deaths or serious officer injuries.” (Am J Cardiol 2009;103:877� 880)
MISUSE OF TASERS
After completing an analysis of Phoenix Police Department use-of-force reports, The Arizona Republic found 377 incidents involving the use of a Taser. In nearly nine out of ten of the incidents, the subjects had posed no imminent threat to officers with any weapons.
As of May 28, 2014, the ACLU has called on Baltimore Police to put a moratorium on the use of Tasers since their use by police has DOUBLED since 2009.
According to Gabriel Russell in Law Enforcement Magazine (September 2013), Tasers are so “safe” and “effective” that they are “overused” by police. “So much so that over-dependence on it has resulted in an avalanche of use-of-force lawsuits and unfavorable court decisions across the county.”
TASERS CAN INVITE LITIGATION
Courts have found Tasers constitute the use of “excessive force” and thus violate the Fourth Amendment, provided the Taser was used in an instance when its deployment was unjustified. Victims of Taser use can seek compensation, but only if an agency’s use guidelines are deficient and if training is so poor that it could be considered “deliberately indifferent.
In September, 2009, Taser changed its product warnings. Taser’s ECDs weapons are now branded as “less lethal” instead of “non lethal,” and its training materials warn that “exposure in the chest area near the heart � could lead to cardiac arrest.”<
80-90% of those who are tasered, were unarmed when they were arrested and tased. Most policies guiding Taser use allow police to follow a “Continuum of Force” that directs officers to use Tasers as an alternative to the use of hands, feet and a baton. It also instructs them to use Tasers to overcome “active resistance” by an individual, including behavior that does not pose a physical threat to anyone. This is basically giving police license to use Tasers against little old ladies who ask too many questions (as happened recently in Texas and elsewhere across the country).
POLICE CHOOSING ALTERNATIVES TO TASERS
As taser-related deaths and injuries have continued to rise (as well as the amount of Taser litigation), many departments are starting to abandon the weapon in favor of other means of suspect control. Currently, Memphis, Tennessee, San Francisco, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada have opted to ban the use of tasers by law enforcement. Additionally, a federal court has ruled that the pain inflicted by the taser gun constitutes excessive force by law enforcement. The courts don’t want police to electrocute people with their tasers unless they pose an immediate threat.
TASERS CONSTITUTE A FORM OF TORTURE
In 2007, The United Nations Committee on Torture declared that TASER electronic stun guns are a form of torture that can kill. At the time, it was recommended that Portugal “should consider giving up the use of the Taser X26,” as its use can have a grave physical and mental impact on those targeted, which violates the UN’s Convention against Torture”.
TASER STUDIES BIASED AND SAFETY OVERRATED
Peyman N. Azadani, MD, research associate at UCSF’s Department of Medicine and senior author Byron K. Lee, MD, associate professor of medicine in UCSF’s cardiology division, set out to gauge the accuracy of 50 published studies on the potential dangers of using TASER® products. The new study’s authors report that among the product safety studies they analyzed, the likelihood of a study concluding TASER® devices are safe was 75 percent higher when the studies were either funded by the manufacturer or written by authors affiliated with the company, than when studies were conducted independently.
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE MENTALLY ILL EXPERIENCE PROFILING
A 2011 report by New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) found widespread misuse of tasers. Albany police disproportionately deployed Tasers on blacks compared to whites. In the Albany incidents analyzed, 68 percent involved a Taser being used on a black person, while 28 percent of the city’s population is black. (10-18-14 The Times Union)
Approximately 30% of Taser incidents are against a people with mental illness.
In addition, the June 2014 issue of “The Psychiatric Bulletin” explains that”… the psychological effects of Taser use have not been investigated.”
As a result of our first mobilization (with SURJ) Emeryville City Counsel is holding a special session on policing and use of force. As Part of our campaign against police militirization we need to pack the house and make our voices heard! Please mark you calendars. Additional info to follow.
— APTP
Initially performed in 1965, Bread and Puppet Theater presents a revival of FIRE. FIRE shows six days in a Vietnamese community, followed by a bombing raid and ending with a self-immolation. Dedicated to three Americans who immolated themselves in protest against the Vietnam War, FIRE is performed with life-size puppets that resemble their masked manipulators. (This show may not be appropriate for young children.)
There is also a performance on Friday in San Francisco.
Hosted by Brian Edwards-Tiekert, the host of KPFA’s outstanding weekday show, UpFront.
KPFA benefit http://www.kpfa.org/events
“A century from now historians will take note of a mere handful of scientific luminaries from the second half of the 20th century who changed not just their science but their culture. First among them will surely be Richard Dawkins, unquestionably one of the great minds of our time who is also an eloquent writer.” — Michael Shermer, Scientific American columnist
In Brief Candle in the Dark, Dawkins explores the halls of intellectual inquiry and stardom he encountered after the publication of The Selfish Gene; affectionately lampooning the world of academia, publishing, and television. Studding the pages with funny stories about the great men and women he’s known, Dawkins offers a candid look at the events and ideas that encouraged him to shift his attention to the intersection of culture, religion and science, culminating in that stunning blockbuster, The God Delusion, which was a huge factor in transforming him into the vibrant and controversial public intellectual he is today.
Among Dawkins’ other books are: An Appetite for Wonder, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, The Ancestor’s Tale and The Greatest Show on Earth. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and was the inaugural holder of the Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University.
advance tickets: $20 (1 admission) , $40 (1 admission & one book), $50 (2 admissions & one book) Pre-paid books to be picked up at event. 800-838-3006 or Pegasus (3 sites) Moe’s, Walden Pond Bookstore, Diesel a Bookstore, Mrs. Dalloway’s, S.F. – Modern Times.
Protest TODAY, 5:30 pm, of #KunduzAttack at Market & Montgomery. US bombing of @MSF hospital in #Afghanistan #independentinvestigation
— SF 99% Coalition (@SF99Percent) October 7, 2015
BITTER LAKE, Part 1
By Adam Curtis
Bitter Lake, Adam Curtis’ aesthetically sublime and politically incisive new documentary, was commissioned for BBC’s iPlayer because it is presumably, as Russia Today writes, “too dangerous for television.” After consuming the film by way of a 21st-century samizdat, I can tell you that the propaganda arm of the Kremlin is correct on one score: Bitter Lake is politically dangerous for Western states, especially the US and UK. But it’s also an affront to Russia, and virtually every other state that has attempted to force strategic advantage in Saudia Arabia and Afghanistan. And it is, literally, too dangerous for television: Curtis was given access to years of footage of Afghanistan from the BBC archives. That includes every shot they refused to air on TV.
Film evenings begin with optional potluck refreshments & social hour at 6:30 pm,
followed by the film at 7:30 pm, followed by optional discussion after the film.
Vijay Prashad is a prominent & charismatic scholar and critic of US foreign policy. Two of his 17 books have been named “Books of the Year” by the Village Voice. Currently Professor of International Studies at Trinity College in Connecticut, he was previously Edward Said Chair at the American University of Beirut.
In addition to speaking about Palestine, Vijay Prashad will give an overview of ever-changing events in the Middle East – not to be missed!
Vijay Prashad edited “Letters to Palestine”, tracing the “swelling American recognition of Palestinian suffering, struggle, and hope, in writing that is personal, lyrical, anguished, and inspiring.” For example, after the 2014 Gaza assault, polls revealed that a majority of Americans under thirty found Israel’s actions unjustified.
Benefit for aid to Palestinian children, cosponsored by KPFA, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and Jewish Voice for Peace – Bay Area. Wheelchair accessible. ASL interpreted.
From Cadine Williams: “FACEBOOK FRIENDS AND FAMILY I KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY SHORT NOTICE. MY FAMILY AND I WILL BE HAVING A CANDLE LIGHT FOR O’SHAINE ON 10-07-15 @ 9:00 PM IN SAN FRANCISCO WHERE O’SHAINE WAS KILLED – ON THE CORNER OF JACK LONDON ALLEY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE .
TOMORROW WILL BE ONE YR SINCE SFP TOOK HIS LIFE.”
After all of the pressure from the community, Sheriff Ahern will finally be presenting about his secret jail plan at the Public Protection meeting next Thursday.
We want you to join us and our allies as we flood the room to demand more answers to our questions: Will there be new jail beds? Why a mental health unit in the jail, instead of more services in the community? What better alternatives to incarceration could this money be spent on?
We hope to see you!
Stand with us and our allies as we voice our opposition to the Alameda County Sheriff’s secret plans to expand the jail, and demand that the Board of Supervisors increase transparency and community involvement in their decisions over our public safety realignment funds.
The Board of Supervisors needs to know that we are united, that we are powerful, and that we demand that things change. Please come out and support #JobsNotJails.
“They Were Promised the Sea” is an Award-winning documentary by Kathy Wanza that tells the story of the 1960s exodus that virtually emptied Morocco of its Jewish population. A visually beautiful and musically rich film that explores loss and longing, it also exposes the political manipulation that resulted in the breaking up of communities that had been living together for 2,000 years.
Sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice Ctee as part of our Conscientious Projector series.
Wheelchair accessible.
— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) October 8, 2015
For the first time in fourteen years, artist Peter Schumann and the Bread and Puppet Theater will tour the Bay Area, performing its original play, FIRE, which catapulted the company to international acclaim 50 years ago. Preceded by Fiddle Talk by founder, Peter Schumann
ABOUT FIRE:
“Humans wage war against each other and their own mother: Nature. Essentially war is the ferocious stupidity that insists on the application of brutality for problem solution, whether the brutality is directed at humans or mountaintops. “FIRE” is a chapel against war, where you sit down to witness the effects of war while contemplating its opposite.” — Peter Schumann
In 1965, Schumann and his troupe presented FIRE, a hard-hitting piece about the Vietnam War, to critical acclaim at the Nancy Theater Festival in France. FIRE shows six days in a Vietnamese community, followed by a bombing raid and ending with a self-immolation. Dedicated to three Americans who immolated themselves in protest against the Vietnam War, FIRE is performed with life-size puppets that resemble their masked manipulators. ***May not be appropriate for young children***
This play may not be appropriate for young children.
EVENT DETAILS
6 p.m. Wine Reception & “Cheap Art” sale
7 p.m. Program & Performance of FIRE
Dedication of the Bread & Puppet Archive–150 hours of Bread and Puppet video in archive.org, available for streaming
Fiddle Talk by Bread & Puppet Founder, Peter Schumann
FIRE Performance
8:30 p.m. Bread Reception and “Cheap Art” sale
ABOUT BREAD AND PUPPET THEATER:
Since 1974, Bread and Puppet has spun its magic from a farm in Glover, Vermont, with hundreds of apprentices guided by a philosophy of living and working within available means, making “cheap art” that is easily accessible to the people. This frugal ethos permeates Bread and Puppet’s aesthetic, inextricable from the paper-mache, burlap, twine and cardboard that literally hold the puppets and shows together.
We know the bad news. The climate is changing. But the good news is: Churches are becoming green. In the historic encyclical on climate change, Pope Francis calls for dialog, interfaith co-operation to heal the earth. His repudiation of globalization and market fundamentalism is unambiguous. “The idea of infinite or unlimited growth, that proves so attractive to economists, financiers, and experts in technology, is based on the lie that there is an infinite supply of the earth’s goods…”
Paul Rockwell, columnist for the Montclarion (Bay Area News Group), will deliver an address, followed by discussion on deep ecology and the implications of the Pope’s message. The “Green Friday” program takes place at the Sierra Club Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the program runs from 7:30 to 9:30. Refreshments are served.
Members and non-members all welcome.
Join us in vigil for the 9 killed in the latest mass killing at Umpqua Community College as well as the 74 killed on the streets of Oakland so far this year, including the 3 recently killed near this intersection..
The Oakland/Alameda Chapter of the Brady Campaign will be joining S.A.V.E — Oakland and the Community of Oakland to lift up those killed by gun violence and to call for an end to the gun culture in our city. We will start with a vigil and reading the names of those killed at 10:30. This will be followed at 11 AM by a Stand In to call for the people of Oakland to Say Something about the mass killing that happens year after year in our city and for our representatives at the city, county, state and national levels to work for sensible gun laws.
Help us send the message that Enough is Enough and the guns must stop flowing into our city.
“The future is not a place we are going to, it is something we are
creating. We have a responsibility to create a better world, to leave a
more hopeful legacy for future generations.” -Jane Dorotik, Justice Now
Board Member (imprisoned at CIW)
JOIN US for Justice Now’s 15-year anniversary celebration THIS SATURDAY
at the Omni in Oakland. We are bringing together voices from inside,
loved ones who have returned home, and various other community
members/organizations to celebrate our victories, build the wider
movement, and discuss our collaborative visions of a world without prisons.
EVENT WILL INCLUDE:
-Panel discussion by current and formerly incarcerated folks on the
future of prison abolition
-Workgroups led by amazing ally orgs exploring the intersection of
prison abolition and other social justice movements
-Food, dance, and artwork
-Community/movement building
-Space to honor our ancestors and loved ones who have passed or cannot
be with us
-And more!
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: http://justicenow15.brownpapertickets.com/
APPARENTLY CANCELLED BY THE PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY CALLED FOR IT AND MADE THE FACEBOOK EVENT.
We have probably all seen the sign on Lakeshore advising us that barbecues, amplified music, beer, and fun in general are no longer allowed in the parks around the lake without a permit from the city.
Now the City has decided that musical instruments are also not allowed without prior acquisition of a permit.
What this means is that our public spaces are only truly accessible to those with the resources to procure permission to use them. What this also means is that Oakland residents who have used these community spaces as a shared yard, celebrating birthdays, weddings, graduations, and everything else in the heart of our beautiful city, can no longer continue to do so.
There is no doubt that these changes come as an attempt to make Oakland less hospitable to those who have lived here for years, and more welcoming to newcomers seeking to significantly alter the culture and landscape of the city. There is also no doubt that these regulations will be selectively enforced by the racist, classist Oakland Police Department and City Government.
It is time for our community to rise up and demand that our public spaces remain accessible for use by ALL of us.
In the interest of sending a loud and clear message, please bring your instruments, your grills, your stereos, your children, your dogs, your coolers full of beer, and your love for Oakland to the Lake Merritt Ampitheater Let’s celebrate Oakland’s history of resistance against state repression, and continue our city’s rich tradition of holding each other up in the face of adversity.
Hear:
– Judy Greenspan, Workers World Party, discuss the causes of the migrant/refugee crisis in the Middle East and Africa.
– Alice Dodge Loaiza, Marcha Patriótica – Capítulo California of Colombia, will talk about the peoples of Latin America who have been forced to flee their countries.
STOP the MASSIVE DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLES, VIOLENCE, RACISM, WARS, & DEATH!
Whether through wars of destabilization or labor export programs, tens of millions are displaced from their home countries due to monopoly capitalism’s drive to control the markets, resources, territories, while extracting super-profits. Neoliberal economic policies and mercenary armies are unleashed on countries where imperialism has strategic interests, in order to undermine and overturn economic and political sovereignty.
As we mark the one year anniversary of the Ayotzinapa 43 students who challenged neoliberal economic policies being imposed in Mexico, while the images of 2-year old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach and an overloaded boat sinking off the coast of Libya captures the ongoing reality of refugees fleeing wars of destabilization in the Middle East and Africa due to US-backed mercenary armies seeking to overthrow regimes. Meanwhile the U.S. has seen another spike in the number of unaccompanied minors entering the U.S., with 4600 apprehended at the U.S./Mexico border in August.
Sponsored by Workers World Party
Wheelchair accessible, refreshments provided
www.workers.org
