Calendar

A discussion of the crisis in Greece based on contrasting views by communist writers in Greece and the USA.
Suggested Readings:

Sam Webb, ‘Thoughts on Greece, Syriza and its left critics’, Parts 1 & 2
http://www.peoplesworld.org/thoughts-on-greek-crisis-and-in-defense-of-syriza/
http://peoplesworld.org/thoughts-on-greece-syriza-and-its-left-critics-part/

George Marinos, CP of Greece, ‘On The Situation in Greece and the Anti-People Role of Syriza’
http://inter.kke.gr/en/articles/ON-THE-SITUATION-IN-GREECE-AND-THE-ANTI-PEOPLE-ROLE-OF-SYRIZA/

California Prison Focus invites you to join us for the showing of two short documentaries focusing on the failures of the American prison system as well as the inhumantiy of solitary confinement.

UP THE RIDGE

and

BREAKING DOWN THE BOX

California Prison Focus is a local Oakland-based grassroots organization fighting to end the practice of  torture and solitary confinement in California prisons. All proceeds will support CPF.

For far too long, our political leaders have failed to represent Oakland’s true values. It is time for the Oakland Left to unite, recruit our own candidates and build political power to achieve meaningful change.

At our last meeting we discussed how to:

1) RECRUIT candidates from the progressive community,
2) SUPPORT their campaigns, and
3) WORK toward collective endorsements of a slate of candidates for city council and school board in 2016.

This time we will discuss:

1) Which races to prioritize,
2) The process for selecting candidates,
3) Developing a progressive campaign platform, and
4) What form the growing coalition will take going forward.

Oakland Alliance seeks to unite the progressive movement in Oakland behind a slate of candidates who will challenge the institutional power structure that has failed to represent the interests of the people over the powerful. Come and connect with dozens of organizations interested in building long-term political power and holding our elected officials accountable to the needs of their constituents.

More info on the agenda.

MARCH in Oakland #JusticeForMarioWoods 4pm Sat Dec 5th 14th & Broadway #Oakland #MarioWoods fuck #SFPD fuck #OPD pic.twitter.com/Su1iibykUX

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) December 4, 2015

The last Sunday of every month attendees of the OO GA will get together a little earlier than usual, at 1 PM to share some food with each others and the community.  There should be a table and utensils/plates courtesy of the Kitchen Committee (such at it is), so just bring a nosh to share…  Because of a personal time conflict with ENB we are holding the November feed a week late on December 6th.

The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 2 PM at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway, often on the steps of City Hall. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 2:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland.

OO General Assembly has met on a continuous basis for more than three years! Our General Assembly is a participatory gathering of Oakland community members and beyond, where everyone who shows up is treated equally . Our Assembly and the process we have collectively cultivated strives to reach agreement while building community.

At the GA committees, caucuses, and loosely associated groups whose representatives come voluntarily report on past and future actions, with discussion. We encourage everyone participating in the Occupy Oakland GA to be part of at least one associated group, but it is by no means a requirement. If you like, just come and hear all the organizing being done! Occupy Oakland encourages political activity that is decentralized and welcomes diverse voices and actions into the movement.

General Assembly Standard Agenda

1. Welcome & Introductions
2. Reports from Committees, Caucuses, & Independent Organizations
3. Announcements
4. (Optional) Discussion Topic

Occupy Oakland activities and contact info for some Bay Area Groups with past or present Occupy Oakland members.

Occupy Oakland Web Committee: (web@occupyoakland.org)
Occupy Oakland Kitchen Committee: (kitchen@occupyoakland.org)
Strike Debt Bay Area : strikedebtbayarea.tumblr.com
Berkeley Post Office Defenders:http://berkeleypostofficedefenders.wordpress.com/
Alan Blueford Center 4 Justice:https://www.facebook.com/ABC4JUSTICE
Oakland Privacy Working Group:https://oaklandprivacy.wordpress.com
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity: prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/
Bay Area AntiRepression: antirepression@occupyoakland.org
Biblioteca Popular: http://tinyurl.com/mdlzshy
Interfaith Tent: www.facebook.com/InterfaithTent
Port Truckers Solidarity: oaklandporttruckers.wordpress.com
Bay Area Intifada: bayareaintifada.wordpress.com
Transport Workers Solidarity: www.transportworkers.org
Fresh Juice Party (aka Chalkupy) freshjuiceparty.com/chalkupy-gallery
Sudo Room: https://sudoroom.org
Omni Collective: https://omnicommons.org/
First They Came for the Homeless: https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-they-came-for-the-homeless/253882908111999
Sunflower Alliance: http://www.sunflower-alliance.org/
Bay Area Public School: http://thepublicschool.org/bay-area

San Francisco based groups:
Occupy Bay Area United: www.obau.org
Occupy Forum: (see OBAU above)
San Francisco Projection Department: http://tinyurl.com/kpvb3rv

An activist who was pursued by the City of Oakland for criminal vandalism and restitution is challenging his conviction four years later. César Aguirre was convicted for allegedly smashing the windows of the OPD Internal Affairs and Recruiting Offices during the Occupy Oakland General Strike of November 2-3, 2011. Aguirre has now filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus challenging his conviction based on the prosecution’s failure to disclose material evidence. NLG attorneys Brian McComas and Rachel Lederman will present closing arguments Monday concluding a 4 day evidentiary hearing in the case.

This was a rare, successful, vandalism prosecution related to Occupy and other demonstrations. It was entirely based on far fetched testimony of just one OPD officer who purported to identify Aguirre late at night from a staircase half a block away, amidst danger and chaos. The City of Oakland promptly sued Aguirre in civil court for the cost of replacing the windows. However, the District Attorney never produced any of the police body camera videos or radio communications to Aguirre’s defense attorney in the 2012 trial, nor did the DA reveal the existence of other witnesses.

In the current hearing, Aguirre’s lawyers presented testimony from 6 OPD SWAT officers; 2 OPD Undercover officers; OPD Chief Sean Whent; and OPD Media Relations Officer Johnna Watson; and introduced over a dozen body camera recordings refuting the sole witness’ testimony at trial. During the hearing, it was revealed that OPD destroyed the police communication recordings while they were under subpoena.

This case received a lot of attention at the time, and the Alameda County District Attorney’s office used it as an example of outsiders causing damage to the city and costing taxpayers. Aguirre consistently maintained his innocence. Argument will be presented Monday at 9am, at Courtroom 10, Seventh Floor of the Rene Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.

The SF NAACP is calling a public meeting to discuss the police murder of #MarioWoods Monday 6 p.m.Third Baptist Church, SF

— Anti Police-Terror (@APTPaction) December 7, 2015

Since December 9th 2014 the Community Dinner Project (a group of concerned citizens and volunteers who are working on building a more unified, compassionate and just community), have fed the hungry, distributed needed clothing and toiletries, and provided other assistance to them as needed or requested, in front of Sacramento City Hall every week. We feed around 75-130 people a week! The homeless people who line up and gather near City Hall, are fed a nutritious organic meal by the volunteers, who by feeding said homeless people, are in violation of a local ordinance that criminalizes said feeding. The local ordinance requires a permit to feed that costs over $300.00. This is a sum that exceeds the financial wherewithal of many people and groups, but more importantly, places an inhumane financial burden regarding people in need.

Following the healthy organic meal, a number of concerned citizens and some of the homeless people themselves, enter City Hall to address the city council during their weekly meetings to discuss issues of homelessness and the effects on their lives. We all have been vigilantly advocating for the repeal of the anti-homeless laws in Sacramento (especially the unlawful camping ordinance), and standing in solidarity to discuss and bring to the forefront other important community issues (police brutality, Black Lives Matter, Nestle’ water profiteering, the right to grow your own food (urban gardening), reopening the city park bathrooms, more effort towards housing first (rapid rehousing), raising the minimum wage, and more affordable housing, etc. We believe that by uplifting those who have been ignored by society with healthy food, a positive environment, and a supportive group to help them find a voice to speak out against injustice, we can help usher in a more unified and compassionate City of Sacramento!

On August 6, 2015 the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), issued a statement of interest concerning a federal case over a camping ordinance in Boise, Idaho. In this case, seven individuals are suing the city over their conviction for the “crime” of camping. This case has been ongoing for over two years, and now the Obama administration has weighed in stating that the ordinance in question violates the 8th Amendment of the Constitution of The United States! This is a significant decision regarding the issue of homelessness in our country and we think that the time is ripe to press the City of Sacramento to undo its draconian ordinance that criminalizes homelessness and the right to feed the homeless.

There is also an advisory statement released by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. This statement was to advise communities to stop breaking up homeless encampments. Their reasoning was it makes building productive relationships harder, which in turn makes getting people connected to services to help them get off the streets.

Then there is HUD. In coming months, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected to ask local homeless services officials to educate their communities against criminalization ordinances. Communities who do not comply will risk losing funding!!

In light of the federal governments stance, and the fact that we have been advocating for the repeal of our local camping ordinance, on December 8th, We (@Community Dinner Project) intend to occupy Sacramento City Hall to demand that City Council repeal the Unlawful Camping Ordinance.
Please join us in ending this assault on our fellow human beings and rather than punish those less fortunate, let us be a model city and demonstrate caring and compassion, and social justice for all and find more sustainable solutions for homeless people.

There are three levels of support we are asking for:

First, is to agree that the city should repeal, or place a moratorium on, the unlawful camping ordinance. This simply entails calling, writing, or emailing your council member to let them know you do not want your tax dollars (which is in the millions here in Sacramento) spent on criminalizing homelessness, and would prefer the city take a more active role with rapid rehousing!

Second, is as an active supporter which would include helping with supplies or food, coming down to talk with those who are occupying, jail support if necessary, etc.

Third, is to join the occupation by camping with us, and others, on the lawn at city hall, which is the civil disobedience portion.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-homeless-doj-20150907-story.html

Greetings friends, as you know, Oakland’s in a severe housing crisis.

Causa Justa and our allies have made demands on the City Council, Oakland’s Housing Department and the Mayor to address this issue through policy changes, and most importantly have demanded resources for services, tenants’ rights enforcement and to the creation of deeply affordable housing. We have been successful in getting a very small percentage of the funds necessary, but are constantly told that the City does not have the resources to enforce the laws on the books, or to build housing that meets the housing needs of Oakland’s long time residents.

This is false. The City of Oakland spends two thirds of it’s budget on police, and earlier this year spent an anonymous $750,000.00 grant to expand the police force, it becomes obvious that the problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of political will to address this crisis.

We need your support to pressure the council and let them know that this is unacceptable, and that Oakland residents want to see funding for housing, not for cops!

We are inviting you to come out on Tuesday,12/8 when the Oakland City Council will review a recommendation from the City Administrator to receive a “grant” to fund 15 walking officers.  This “grant” only covers 15% of the cost for these 15 officers, so requires the CIty to use $3 million from a hidden fund and borrowing $7-8 million from the 2017-2019 budget.  You can see the report here.

*The item is number 13 (Subject: 2015 USDOJ/COPS Grant Acceptance), see agenda here for the Special Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency/City Council 12/8.

It’s clear that the City cares more about cops that they do about the working families being displaced, the more than a quarter of the Black community that has been pushed out, and the long term residents living in tents under the freeways. City officials allow this to continue while they go to extreme measures to expand cops.  These are the decisions that fuel gentrification.  The City is spending OUR money on cops, the same police force that killed 7 Black people this year, and who racially profile Black and Brown people on a regular basis.  The police force has been identified as a spending priority at the expense of the Oakland residents who are in need of healthy housing. Why can’t the City use this hidden fund for deeply affordable housing?  Why can’t the City use this fund to pay for staffing to enforce tenants rights, or to repair dilapidated housing?  Why can’t the City borrow $7-8 million from the next budget cycle to address the housing crisis?

The answer is simple – decision makers in the City of Oakland don’t care about the impact of the housing crisis on Oakland’s long time residents, they only say that they do. And we need to make them put the money where their mouths are.

Following the item on the Police grant, item #14, Libby Schaaf along with Abel Guillen will declare a “Shelter Crisis” in Oakland to ease the permitting process to build shelters.  Don’t let this false solution confuse you, building more shelters IS NOT AN ANSWER TO THE HOUSING CRISIS!

What is the answer?

1. We need to put staffing and resources into making sure that we enforce the protections on the books – we have Just Cause evictions and a Rent Adjustment program, both of which are under funded and lack enforcement mechanisms.  We need to enforce those NOW to help KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES!
2. Oakland needs to invest in alternatives to create deeply affordable housing!  We need to start with the LOWEST incomes first!
3. We need to stop rent increases!  Rents in Oakland have more than doubled in some neighborhoods, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

Yes, we are in a STATE OF EMERGENCY – a HOUSING CRISIS! And we need the City to invest in SOLUTIONS!!! And fund housing, not the cops!

Enough is enough!  We are asking you to join us to demand that the City of Oakland address the housing crisis!  And not just with empty rhetoric, but with action and money!

Please fill out a speaker card online, you can get that here.

*City Council meetings start at 5:30pm, but since the item is number 13, I would suggest signing up online to speak and coming to council at 7:30/8pm.

Thank you for your work to fight displacement in Oakland, let’s continue to do that and spread the word!
Hope to see you Tuesday night!

Follow Causa Justa on Twitter – @causajusta1

Teach-In on Coal Exports & Community Struggles

Stop the Coal Rush!

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

No Coal in Oakland has spent the last six months fighting the influence of private developers and coal companies at Oakland City Hall. These special interests want to export millions of tons of coal through Bay Area communities for shipment overseas from a new terminal on the Oakland waterfront.

Their plan is to use public land and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to enrich a handful of private individuals—while worsening our air quality, adding to the global climate crisis, and putting the health and safety of Oakland workers at risk.  Their game has been to make an end run around environmental review and turn Oakland into the biggest West Coast coal port in a 21^st century “coal rush.”

The Oakland City Council has the power to block the dirty coal deal. They set December 8th as a deadline for themselves to take action on this—though action may now be delayed until February.

Join us for a teach-in on December 8th with speakers from Oakland Citywide Network (Oakland’s anti-displacement coalition), Black Lives Matter, and Fight for 15.  A broad intersection of Oakland’s progressive activists will connect the struggle for environmental justice with struggles across the city for social, racial, and economic justice.

Join us or volunteer at: nocoalinoakland@gmail.com

Learn more at:               http://tinyurl.com/OaklandCoalInfo

Take action at:               http://tinyurl.com/CoalPetition

Donate at:                     http://gofundme.com/5w8gwrz78

LABOR DONATED GRAPHICS PRINTING

RALLY organized by San Leandro Students and Families for Education

Tell the school board to teach, not police our kids! Last Tuesday, the San Leandro School District curriculum committee met and put forward to the board a proposed new curriculum funded and created by national law enforcement agencies that will put police officers on San Leandro elementary school campuses to teach a “gang prevention” curriculum during 5th grade class hours, thus taking away time from actual academic teaching. If approved, police officers will be treated as faculty members (not guests), have complete run of campus, be allowed to stop and interrogate children about any matters and attend parent and faculty meetings.

If adopted, the curriculum will set a new precedent of removing curriculum control from our community: it is a strictly controlled federal curriculum that the district cannot amend to adapt it to our children; and in fact, the curriculum is not supported by our community – not one parent spoke out in favor of the curriculum at last week’s meeting!

This curriculum constitutes a taking from our children’s education and our community’s right to control our children’s education. And we don’t need it! Our elementary schools have strong multi-year anti-bullying and conflict resolution training; we offer safety training in middle and elementary school; what we have is much more comprehensive than what is being offered. In contrast, many of our children need real help in core curriculum courses. And we need full reinstatement of programs cut due to budget cuts.

In this moment when there is so much conflict with police, we need real solutions for police accountability and responsiveness to community needs, not a PR campaign targeting our kids.

This curriculum is not how San Leandro should make a name for itself. According to the police presentation at the curriculum meeting, the Alameda County Sheriff wants to roll this curriculum out to all elementary schools in the county! Berkeley police are being trained, even though we confirmed this week that the Berkeley school board has not heard of the program. This new curriculum is being pushed not by parents, but by police despite parents, to open East Bay Schools to surveillance and policing.

Please come on out and tell the school board what our community values. Stop San Leandro from being an early adopter that could influence school boards through the East Bay. Teach not Police!

The Fever is a 2004 psychological drama produced by HBO Films, directed by Carlo Gabriel Nero and based on the 1990 eponymous play by writer/actor, Wallace Shawn.

The film follows the existential crisis of an unnamed urban sophisticate (Vanessa Redgrave) who becomes aware of the nature of world politics, economic exploitation and the vapid consumerism around her. A series of events lead her to visit an unnamed third world country, representing an exotic location somewhere in Eastern Europe, where the entire economy and populace are geared towards the tourist industry.

Doors open at 6 pm for snacks, and movie will start at 6:30 pm. Free Popcorn!

~Sponsored by Liberated Lens~

Demands:

• Public apology from Suhr to Mario’s mother
• SF pay for Mario’s funeral
• SF pay for Federal Investigation
• Identify all officers who fired weapons
• Fire all officers who discharged weapons
• Fire Police Chief Suhr

This Wednesday at 5 pm @ San Francisco City Hall: Demand Justice for #MarioWoods, murdered by #SFPD. pic.twitter.com/2bYKIzuP2K

— CRC Media Corps (@CRCMediaCorps) December 7, 2015

URGENT. All hands on deck:
Police Commission Meets on Mario Woods
NEED HUGE TURNOUT — Bring your groups.

Justice 4 Mario Woods, 26, assassinated by SF Bayview Police, 12-2-15
SF Bayview Police (5 cops, 25 bullets) were captured on video slaying Mario Woods 12-2-15. Citizens are keeping up rolling actions to ensure the firing of Police Chief Greg Suhr and to  indict and jail the five cops for first degree murder in the execution of Mario Woods.

The SF Police Commission meets to review the case at 5:00 PM.

We are ALL planning to show up at the Police Commission hearing with signs demanding resignation of Chief Greg Suhr, and the indictment of the five cops who killed Mario Woods. We need a Ferguson response. Don’t be pacified.

Come out for our sisters and brothers in the Bayview and for every one of us.

Bring signs:

STOP POLICE MURDERS

JUSTICE FOR MARIO

FIRE SUHR NOW

JAIL THE KILLER COPS

INDICT, CONVICT, JAIL

STAND UP, RESIST! SEND THOSE KILLER COPS TO JAIL
THE WHOLE DAMN SYSTEM IS GUILTY AS HELL

STOP MILITARIZATION OF POLICE

Bring pictures of Mario Woods

http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/12/07/police-to-reconsider-use-of-force-policy-after-killing-of-mario-woods
http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/12/05/outraged-community-calls-for-sfpd-chiefs-resignation-over-killing-of-mario-woods
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/12/07/mayor-lee-calls-bayview-shooting-very-upsetting-after-viewing-video/

San Francisco will review and potentially revise the police department’s “Use of Force” policy following the fatal police shooting of Mario Woods in the Bayview last Wednesday, Dec. 2. Video of the shooting, showing at least ten police officers surrounding Woods – who was allegedly armed with a knife – before five officers opened fire, has prompted widespread outrage and calls for SFPD Chief Suhr’s resignation.

Long descriptions of taser abuse by police: taser-stories

The San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network will be hosting our annual International Migrant’s Day. This year’s theme is “Human Rights and Migrant Rights Across Borders”. This is a day of celebration and cultural sharing as well as raising awareness in our community about important issues and engaging in dialogue.

Our two presenters for the night will be covering the Syrian Refugee Crisis as well as Black Lives Matter Movement.  We will be having a variety of performances including, Chinese Lion Dancers, Peruvian Folklorico, and Migrante Musical Group.

Please help spread the word and join us for an evening of food, performances, cultural sharing, and dialogue.

The event is free and open to the public. Translation in Spanish. Arabic, Tagalog, and Chinese will be provided.

The Conscientious Projector Film Series for the 99% presents:
Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune. Plus! We will open with the Debut Screening of the New 2015 (30 Min) Vic Sadot Video:
“Phil Ochs May 1973 Interview: Nixon, Watergate, & S. America” on December 10, 2015 7 PM.

We will screen the 2015 Vic Sadot video made from the 1973 reel-to-real audio “Phil Ochs May 1973 Interview by Vic Sadot & Rich Lang” (30:10). The main feature will follow: “Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune”, a film by Kenneth Bowser released on First Run Features. (97 minutes, documentary, color, English, 2010)www.philochsthemovie.com

Synopsis: As our country continues to embroil itself in foreign wars, PHIL OCHS: THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE is a timely and relevant tribute to an unlikely American hero. Over the course of a meteoric music career that spanned two turbulent decades, Phil Ochs sought the bright lights of fame and social justice in equal measure – a contradiction that eventually tore him apart. From youthful idealism to rage to pessimism, the arc of Ochs’ life paralleled that of the times, and the anger, satire and righteous indignation that drove his music also drove him to dark despair. In this brilliantly constructed film, interview and performance footage of Ochs is illuminated by the ruminations of Joan Baez, Tom Hayden, Pete Seeger, Sean Penn, Peter Yarrow, Christopher Hitchens and others. Trailer: Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune (Documentary) HD http://youtu.be/zbS4ruKw2OQ

This location is wheelchair accessible via the ramp on the Bonita Avenue side of the building.

Sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice Committee
www.bfuu.org/events