Last night was the latest installment of an ongoing tug of war between Regency (an out of town development company), the city government, and many in the community who continue to resist the invasion of big box stores, draining of our local economy, environmental destruction, low wage jobs, and the privatization of every inch of our town. The Planning Commission met to approve the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and the initial map of the project, which would be anchored by a Target store. For those who don't know, there are existing Target stores in Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, and Novato, which makes for three, count em three, Target stores all within a 20 minutes or less journey from Petaluma.
Many on the Planning Commission had serious doubts about the EIR as well as the proposed project, which would include no housing, little to no pedestrian walkways, very little office space, 1,500 parking spots, and tons of the same generic chains stores that you are seeing line this country's highways more and more every day. After 4 hours of discussion and a myriad of lies and deceits from Regency's representatives, the Commission reluctantly approved the EIR (most likely a political move to make it look like there's some progress), but held off on making a decision regarding the project itself as is now proposed.
This is an important fight for our community. It boils down to one key question: who has control? Regency has been able to buy off a few representatives (Councilman David Rabbit being one of them) and gain a few dupes who know how to make a lot of noise along their way (check out the Argus Courier website forums to see what I mean).But in the end, the community wants something better. Building another strip mall would destroy our downtown, lead to a dramatic increase and traffic and air pollution in a pre-dominantly working class area (Payran neighborhood, East D. St. area, and the neighborhood on the other side of the free way, where several IMPACT! members live). , create more low-wage service jobs without benefits (further exploiting the labor of our town), and take away more space that could be used for public gatherings, food growing, and other such activities which would build and sustain our community. Let us not be fooled into thinking this community wants a strip mall. In the last city election in 2008, two candidates were voted in who promised sustainable and smart growth, David Glass and Tiffany Renee, replacing the two council members who received the most donations from developers. Now, while IMPACT! does not support electoral politics or politicians in general, we have to be clear about what this means. If we wanted a strip mall, would we not have voted for those candidates would have easily delivered us one?
This fight will continue, as the EIR moves to the City Council for approval in early January, and as Regency continues to attempt its theft of our community and our resources. We must be vigilant and GET ORGANIZED. This is about democracy, who gets to say how we use the resources that we have, and what is in the best interest of our town. Regency has nothing except lust for money and a handful of dupes. We have the numbers, and the ideas on our side. Let's stay informed about this project, and start talking about what we can do. There may be no chance of stopping it at this point, but if we get organized now, if we start bringing together environmental organizations, working people and unions, local businesses, students, and local musicians, and more, we will be able to make sure our community doesn't become some hell-hole, abandoned strip mall town with shit jobs, shit air, and shit culture.
Stay tuned to the blog for more updates on this important issue
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Womyn's Caucus
IMPACT! upheld an important tradition started by previous organizers in Petaluma by having our first Womyn's Caucus on December 3, 2009. Not only is it tradition, but creating these safe spaces is part of IMPACT's vision and statement of principles. Originally, the idea of caucuses developed years ago after some Petaluma folks from various organizations began working with United Students Against Sweatshops(USAS). USAS held national, state and regional conferences to facilitate campaigns and gain more effective organizing skills. A key component were the different caucuses hosted throughout the conference. Now what is a caucus you may be wondering?!
"A caucus is a space to address the oppression of minority and marginalized groups within society and often even within social movements." (UASA)
"Simply put, a caucus is a safe space for people facing different forms of identity-based oppression—sexism, racism, heterosexism, or classism—to meet and discuss how this oppression affects them both within and outside of our organization, personally and politically. Membership in a caucus is self-defined. No one should feel the need to prove their identity; however, it is important that everyone respects the need for marginalized groups of people to have safe spaces. " (UASA)
That said, IMPACT! womyn got together over tea and trail mix to discuss what we wanted from a Womyn's Caucus, why it's important, boundaries, definition of "safety," womyn's issues (personally and politically), different locations to meet so that it's more inclusive to the community, to keep the age range of people attending to high school and college age womyn and to meet twice a month. However, if practical in the future, there was some interest in doing outreach to younger, middle school students.
That said, IMPACT! womyn got together over tea and trail mix to discuss what we wanted from a Womyn's Caucus, why it's important, boundaries, definition of "safety," womyn's issues (personally and politically), different locations to meet so that it's more inclusive to the community, to keep the age range of people attending to high school and college age womyn and to meet twice a month. However, if practical in the future, there was some interest in doing outreach to younger, middle school students.
Ultimately, everyone attending agreed it is critical for womyn to have a safe space to discuss issues of oppression with other womyn. However, we also agreed that it's not enough to just have a space, but rather, it's more effective, healing, and important to have a radical venue that can acknowledge and incorporate other oppressions, is peer based, nonhierarchical and has a focus to build community and leadership.
Our next Womyn's Caucus will be held next Thursday, December 17, Location TBA, and will most likely be a little more silly and fun, so all you interested lady readers, please comment for more info!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Tomorrow Night 12/5: Two Checkpoints in Petaluma!
TWO CHECKPOINTS TOMORROW NIGHT IN PETALUMA- Please call Carl Patrick (338-5318) if you see where they are. These checkpoints are primarily designed to steal the cars of undocumented immigrants, who are prevented from obtaining driver's licenses (last checkpoint in Santa Rosa nabbed 40 cars, none of which were DUI-related). It c...osts thousands of dollars to get your car back when you don't have a license. We need to mobilize!
Two Checkpoints in Petaluma Tomorrow Night!
TWO CHECKPOINTS TOMORROW NIGHT IN PETALUMA- Please call 338-5318 if you see where they are. These checkpoints are primarily designed to steal the cars of undocumented immigrants, who are prevented from obtaining driver's licenses (the last checkpoint in Santa Rosa nabbed 40 cars, none of which were DUI-related). It literally costs thousands of dollars to get your car back when you don't have a license. This is robbery of working people. We need to mobilize!Come out with cameras and signs so we can warn folks about the checkpoint.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Court Solidarity for Burt Family- Mon, Nov. 30th
On Monday November 30, 2009 four members of the October 22nd Coalition and Petaluma CopWatch went to the Juvenile Detention Facility where minor, Raymond Burt’s hearing was taking place. He was charged with gang activity and armed robbery several months ago. Cops had raided his house and planted a gun. The gun charge was later dropped. The court also dropped the armed robbery portion of his hearing, but he still had to face theft and admit to being a part of a gang even though he had no gang relation.
Several months ago, Raymond was approached by another minor who was selling marijuana. Raymond refused, but the kid still pursued him in the hopes that he would change his mind. He then pulled out a fragment of marijuana in which Raymond observed and adamantly refused. The dealer then went to the police, accused Raymond of robbing him $20 dollars at gunpoint. Authorities then arrested Raymond and took him into custody for 5 hours without notifying his parents or reading him his rights. They asked him if he had any ties to gangs, he said no. Authorities then said that if he admitted to having gang ties he can be released, he still refused. Santa Rosa Police then raided his home at gun point. Authorities confiscated his computer, cell phone, and blue jersey (Raymond played on the football team), which is the center piece of his evidence of gang activity. Because he had the word “Crips” written on his jersey they associated Raymond to the LA gang, The Crips, who have no ties with the Santa Rosa or Northern California area. Police planted a gun in his house which police maintained as the weapon used during the armed robbery. Charles remains under house arrest unable to go to school, or wear any “gang colors”(red or blue) which would violate his parole and put him in the Juvenile Detention Center then further jail time as an adult. His next court date is December 14.
Although the judge in this case had previously told Raymond’s mother, Tracy, that friends and family were allowed in the court room, all four of us who came to support were promptly denied access to the hearing. The bailiff said “our shirts probably had something to do with it” (two of us were wearing shirts that said “Stop Police Abuse” on them). After a couple hours of waiting, and negotiating between the public defender and Raymond’s family, Raymond signed a statement admitting to being affiliated with a gang (which he is not), in order to get a lighter sentence (most likely probation). The public defender was certain that the police had enough “evidence” (i.e. had planted enough evidence) to convict him in a trial, which would result in his incarceration. After much pressure from the public defender, Raymond signed the statement.
Last Monday, we learned first hand just how little justice is obtained through this system. A young man is pressured into lying about a crime in order to avoid more severe punishment, and yet if he had lied about not committing a crime, he would be put in jail? How can that be? What kind of justice system threatens and coerces people into admitting to crimes they never committed? And what kind of system allows dirty cops to enter peoples’ homes, plant evidence, detain minors and intimidate them when there’s no parents or lawyers around, and then get away with it because our public defender’s know that they will never be able to mount a case against them?
We will continue to work with the Burt family to expose this case and the crooked cops that framed an innocent young man, so that, as Raymond’s mother Tracy put it, “not one more family has to go through what I went through.”
Several months ago, Raymond was approached by another minor who was selling marijuana. Raymond refused, but the kid still pursued him in the hopes that he would change his mind. He then pulled out a fragment of marijuana in which Raymond observed and adamantly refused. The dealer then went to the police, accused Raymond of robbing him $20 dollars at gunpoint. Authorities then arrested Raymond and took him into custody for 5 hours without notifying his parents or reading him his rights. They asked him if he had any ties to gangs, he said no. Authorities then said that if he admitted to having gang ties he can be released, he still refused. Santa Rosa Police then raided his home at gun point. Authorities confiscated his computer, cell phone, and blue jersey (Raymond played on the football team), which is the center piece of his evidence of gang activity. Because he had the word “Crips” written on his jersey they associated Raymond to the LA gang, The Crips, who have no ties with the Santa Rosa or Northern California area. Police planted a gun in his house which police maintained as the weapon used during the armed robbery. Charles remains under house arrest unable to go to school, or wear any “gang colors”(red or blue) which would violate his parole and put him in the Juvenile Detention Center then further jail time as an adult. His next court date is December 14.
Although the judge in this case had previously told Raymond’s mother, Tracy, that friends and family were allowed in the court room, all four of us who came to support were promptly denied access to the hearing. The bailiff said “our shirts probably had something to do with it” (two of us were wearing shirts that said “Stop Police Abuse” on them). After a couple hours of waiting, and negotiating between the public defender and Raymond’s family, Raymond signed a statement admitting to being affiliated with a gang (which he is not), in order to get a lighter sentence (most likely probation). The public defender was certain that the police had enough “evidence” (i.e. had planted enough evidence) to convict him in a trial, which would result in his incarceration. After much pressure from the public defender, Raymond signed the statement.
Last Monday, we learned first hand just how little justice is obtained through this system. A young man is pressured into lying about a crime in order to avoid more severe punishment, and yet if he had lied about not committing a crime, he would be put in jail? How can that be? What kind of justice system threatens and coerces people into admitting to crimes they never committed? And what kind of system allows dirty cops to enter peoples’ homes, plant evidence, detain minors and intimidate them when there’s no parents or lawyers around, and then get away with it because our public defender’s know that they will never be able to mount a case against them?
We will continue to work with the Burt family to expose this case and the crooked cops that framed an innocent young man, so that, as Raymond’s mother Tracy put it, “not one more family has to go through what I went through.”
Protest Troops in Afghanistan TODAY!
Protest against Obama's troop escalation in Afghanistan, today at 5 30 at Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa. Lets do it!
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