Monday, August 9, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
生きている
LIVING LIVID
As you all may well have noticed, this blog has been largely inactive. I've recently re-posted some statements and news articles about the state of the legal battle between Orlando Food not Bombs and the City of Orlando. These topics are pretty near and dear to me, and several other members of YBC and I hope they didn't throw anyone off hoping to scope siqq tarck bike pron. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
That said, there's scheduled to be a protest at City Hall to coincide with the city council meeting on Monday, July 26th at Noon. In case you're unfamiliar, city hall is located at South St. and Orange Ave, downtown.
Would we like to make a distinct presence? Who can make it?
fromd
As you all may well have noticed, this blog has been largely inactive. I've recently re-posted some statements and news articles about the state of the legal battle between Orlando Food not Bombs and the City of Orlando. These topics are pretty near and dear to me, and several other members of YBC and I hope they didn't throw anyone off hoping to scope siqq tarck bike pron. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
That said, there's scheduled to be a protest at City Hall to coincide with the city council meeting on Monday, July 26th at Noon. In case you're unfamiliar, city hall is located at South St. and Orange Ave, downtown.
Would we like to make a distinct presence? Who can make it?
fromd
Friday, July 16, 2010
オーランドの食糧ない爆弾からの声明
A Statement from Orlando Food Not Bombs
"Orlando Food Not Bombs is not going anywhere. We will not slink out of Orlando because a court ruling goes against us. Some accuse us of being "outside agitators" with a covert agenda, but we freely admit that our purposes are both humanitarian and political. Many of us live here, and it is our city, too. We will continue to share food at a location in or near downtown Orlando twice a week, as we have for more than five years. We do this because thousands of hungry people desperately need the food that we provide and because we truly believe that food is a right -- not a privilege.
"The City of Orlando, from Mayor Buddy Dyer on down, has provided ample evidence that it believes that food and human survival are mere privileges. They have repeatedly criminalized homelessness and dehumanized the poor and the homeless. Some of their more outrageous actions have included creating an undercover Orlando police unit to nab panhandlers and arresting an FNB member for the heinous crime of ladling out stew too many times (this involved 15 police officers!). We would love to know how many of our hard-earned tax dollars Dyer and his minions have squandered harassing the hungry, and opposing those who provide them with aid (without using one penny of public money).
"Orlando Food Not Bombs can not and will not stand down and allow an apartheid-like system of injustice based upon socio-economic status to go unchallenged. The court ruling was only part of one battle; our struggle for a freer, more equitable and compassionate society continues. We have partnered with other groups and individuals to organize and advocate in our community around issues such as poverty, jobs, support for the rights of workers and immigrants, gentrification, affordable housing, social services, and police accountability.
"We will hold local public officials accountable for how their decisions affect everyone--not just corporate and business interests and wealthy campaign donors. We will demand that they recognize that the greatness of a city is not measured by how much it can lavish on arenas and performing arts centers, but by how it treats the least among us. We will make the powerful listen and we will make them act.
"In closing, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our lawyer, Jacqueline Dowd. It is only due to Jackie's tireless efforts on our behalf that we have been able to share food at Lake Eola Park these last four years despite the City's anti-homeless food sharing ordinance. We esteem Jackie for her commitment to this cause and to the people with whom we share and to everyone in our community who is disadvantaged."
"Orlando Food Not Bombs is not going anywhere. We will not slink out of Orlando because a court ruling goes against us. Some accuse us of being "outside agitators" with a covert agenda, but we freely admit that our purposes are both humanitarian and political. Many of us live here, and it is our city, too. We will continue to share food at a location in or near downtown Orlando twice a week, as we have for more than five years. We do this because thousands of hungry people desperately need the food that we provide and because we truly believe that food is a right -- not a privilege.
"The City of Orlando, from Mayor Buddy Dyer on down, has provided ample evidence that it believes that food and human survival are mere privileges. They have repeatedly criminalized homelessness and dehumanized the poor and the homeless. Some of their more outrageous actions have included creating an undercover Orlando police unit to nab panhandlers and arresting an FNB member for the heinous crime of ladling out stew too many times (this involved 15 police officers!). We would love to know how many of our hard-earned tax dollars Dyer and his minions have squandered harassing the hungry, and opposing those who provide them with aid (without using one penny of public money).
"Orlando Food Not Bombs can not and will not stand down and allow an apartheid-like system of injustice based upon socio-economic status to go unchallenged. The court ruling was only part of one battle; our struggle for a freer, more equitable and compassionate society continues. We have partnered with other groups and individuals to organize and advocate in our community around issues such as poverty, jobs, support for the rights of workers and immigrants, gentrification, affordable housing, social services, and police accountability.
"We will hold local public officials accountable for how their decisions affect everyone--not just corporate and business interests and wealthy campaign donors. We will demand that they recognize that the greatness of a city is not measured by how much it can lavish on arenas and performing arts centers, but by how it treats the least among us. We will make the powerful listen and we will make them act.
"In closing, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our lawyer, Jacqueline Dowd. It is only due to Jackie's tireless efforts on our behalf that we have been able to share food at Lake Eola Park these last four years despite the City's anti-homeless food sharing ordinance. We esteem Jackie for her commitment to this cause and to the people with whom we share and to everyone in our community who is disadvantaged."
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
FIGHT BACK
I'll apologize first-off for the absence of postings on part of this blog, but a grave, historic problem has arisen:
City of Orlando District 4 Commissioner Petty Sheehan: not our friend and not yours either
SUPPORT
Sharings are at Lake Eola Park (central and osceola)
Wednesday 5PM and Monday 830AM
Cooking Locations can be discussed at a sharing with a volunteer.
Nobody knows how, but the City of Orlando has won their appeal in the precedent setting Orlando Food not Bombs vs. The City of Orlando case, where; in 2008, it was proven that sharing food with the less-fortunate and hungry; marginalized by our economic system - to highlight that marginalization, and shed light on the politics of hunger is considered expressive conduct under the first amendment.
Today is wednesday, our oldest running day of food-sharing, and it's yet unclear what we can expect, so I urge everyone who can to show up to the food sharing to show support and see for yourself the need vs. the disruption to the park the food sharing is (and maybe, what disruption the city's cronies will be responsible for).
The Court Ruling in the 2008 Federal Case pretty much sums it up: 2008 Court Ruling
This is not the end, this is the beginning. My message to the city: YOU CANNOT WIN. Justice will always win in the end. If your whole government must go to actualize this, it can and will. To be fair, I'll warn you now to get a real job or
I'll see you in line on Wednesday and Monday, you fucks.
R.I.P. Pastor Brian Nichols
"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father: prepare to die."
-the princess bride
City of Orlando District 4 Commissioner Petty Sheehan: not our friend and not yours either
SUPPORT
Sharings are at Lake Eola Park (central and osceola)
Wednesday 5PM and Monday 830AM
Cooking Locations can be discussed at a sharing with a volunteer.
Nobody knows how, but the City of Orlando has won their appeal in the precedent setting Orlando Food not Bombs vs. The City of Orlando case, where; in 2008, it was proven that sharing food with the less-fortunate and hungry; marginalized by our economic system - to highlight that marginalization, and shed light on the politics of hunger is considered expressive conduct under the first amendment.
Today is wednesday, our oldest running day of food-sharing, and it's yet unclear what we can expect, so I urge everyone who can to show up to the food sharing to show support and see for yourself the need vs. the disruption to the park the food sharing is (and maybe, what disruption the city's cronies will be responsible for).
The Court Ruling in the 2008 Federal Case pretty much sums it up: 2008 Court Ruling
This is not the end, this is the beginning. My message to the city: YOU CANNOT WIN. Justice will always win in the end. If your whole government must go to actualize this, it can and will. To be fair, I'll warn you now to get a real job or
I'll see you in line on Wednesday and Monday, you fucks.
R.I.P. Pastor Brian Nichols
"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father: prepare to die."
-the princess bride
Friday, April 9, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
重大なクラス
Critical Class
What an eventful Critical Mass this was on Friday February 26, 2010. Good old fashioned hootenanny! Officer Chaplin obviously frustrated by cyclists not listening to his demands decides to take the law into his own hands (he is a cop after all), and started to herd cyclists by using the ol' "cut off and brake in front of them" approach. While frustrated he was, he didn't care to notice how he was endangering citizen's lives with his "hot pursuit" of which he called for "you on the bicycle to pull over". Obviously, this created much confusion as there were a few hundred of us on bicycles. Some listened and others didn't. One particular fellow also named Steve was the victim of Chaplin's plight.
Chaplin under the impression that bicycles are not vehicles accused Steve of obstructing traffic. Which in the second video attached to this post you can see his squad car blocking the intersection of Shady Lane and Edgewater Drive, and a yellow car subsequently having to drive on the wrong side of the road to maneuver around said squad car. While another squad car blocked the turning lane on Edgewater to Shady Lane. The officers made multiple threats that any other cyclist who stopped would also be ticketed for obstructing traffic including those who stopped on the sidewalk, or myself who was directly in front of Chaplin's squad car.
One thing you do not see in the videos is Steve being forced onto the top of Chaplin's squad car hood. And a taunting by one of the officers, to say things directly to the camera to make "it" look more dramatic. Overall, this attack on cyclists rights shows the need of accountability on the abuse of one's position of "power"; in question is Chaplin's and every other police officer's use of intimidation and fear to persecute people because of their choice of transportation. This sad moment in history for Orlando Critical Mass is only the cherry on the cake for a consistently antagonistic and endangering police force trying to control and manage this non-violent, friendly bike ride.
A thought I had after this event occurred is that there was very little solidarity in the moment. Mass listened to the officers demands to keep moving, and in my personal opinion this was a mistake. There were three officers and a few hundred of us. Sadly, when less eyes are watching police often abuse their self-given power to get away with bigger injustices. If Critical Mass is just that a critical mass, every part of that mass is critical, every rider is needed. There were only a handful of us who stayed to observe the police's actions.
Steve wound up being served two tickets for doing something that every other person that rode cold have been accused of. He has been made an example of by those that want to control mass, and for this there needs to be a continued discussion to stop further injustices from happening. This persecution will not stop here, but only if people begin to understand that Critical Mass is a statement. What that statement is up to you. But still we ride!
What an eventful Critical Mass this was on Friday February 26, 2010. Good old fashioned hootenanny! Officer Chaplin obviously frustrated by cyclists not listening to his demands decides to take the law into his own hands (he is a cop after all), and started to herd cyclists by using the ol' "cut off and brake in front of them" approach. While frustrated he was, he didn't care to notice how he was endangering citizen's lives with his "hot pursuit" of which he called for "you on the bicycle to pull over". Obviously, this created much confusion as there were a few hundred of us on bicycles. Some listened and others didn't. One particular fellow also named Steve was the victim of Chaplin's plight.
Chaplin under the impression that bicycles are not vehicles accused Steve of obstructing traffic. Which in the second video attached to this post you can see his squad car blocking the intersection of Shady Lane and Edgewater Drive, and a yellow car subsequently having to drive on the wrong side of the road to maneuver around said squad car. While another squad car blocked the turning lane on Edgewater to Shady Lane. The officers made multiple threats that any other cyclist who stopped would also be ticketed for obstructing traffic including those who stopped on the sidewalk, or myself who was directly in front of Chaplin's squad car.
One thing you do not see in the videos is Steve being forced onto the top of Chaplin's squad car hood. And a taunting by one of the officers, to say things directly to the camera to make "it" look more dramatic. Overall, this attack on cyclists rights shows the need of accountability on the abuse of one's position of "power"; in question is Chaplin's and every other police officer's use of intimidation and fear to persecute people because of their choice of transportation. This sad moment in history for Orlando Critical Mass is only the cherry on the cake for a consistently antagonistic and endangering police force trying to control and manage this non-violent, friendly bike ride.
A thought I had after this event occurred is that there was very little solidarity in the moment. Mass listened to the officers demands to keep moving, and in my personal opinion this was a mistake. There were three officers and a few hundred of us. Sadly, when less eyes are watching police often abuse their self-given power to get away with bigger injustices. If Critical Mass is just that a critical mass, every part of that mass is critical, every rider is needed. There were only a handful of us who stayed to observe the police's actions.
Steve wound up being served two tickets for doing something that every other person that rode cold have been accused of. He has been made an example of by those that want to control mass, and for this there needs to be a continued discussion to stop further injustices from happening. This persecution will not stop here, but only if people begin to understand that Critical Mass is a statement. What that statement is up to you. But still we ride!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Freaky Friday
anyone up for a ride tonight?
jon and i were also talking about trying to find out days that might be more suitable for various reasons, so if not a ride...maybe there is some time when we can get together and discuss such things. i know we are both off on sundays during the day. would this be a good time for everyone?
i know a lot of people have already worked on freak bikes and learned how to weld, etc. i'd also really like to learn this, and i know jon misses the build days. maybe this is something we could also talk about facilitating?
jon and i were also talking about trying to find out days that might be more suitable for various reasons, so if not a ride...maybe there is some time when we can get together and discuss such things. i know we are both off on sundays during the day. would this be a good time for everyone?
i know a lot of people have already worked on freak bikes and learned how to weld, etc. i'd also really like to learn this, and i know jon misses the build days. maybe this is something we could also talk about facilitating?
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