Sleep Is a Necessity Not a Crime

Why Bunny's shoes? I don't understand?

Bunny's along with property managers at Palomar and Borders as well as Manthri Srinath of Lulu Carpenter's contributed four declarations to the City Attorney's successful attempt to make sleeping a jailing offense for Miguel de Leon and Anna Richardson, two homeless musicians.

See "Santa Cruz seeks injunction against homeless couple" at http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_11964700?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

and

"Judge signs order prohibiting couple from sleeping downtown" at http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_12483386?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

Bunny's and the other businesses are also members of the Downtown Association (DTA) which backed changes in the law furthering the criminalization of homeless people downtown. The DTA supports the Sleeping Ban law which criminalizes all homeless people every night after 11 PM who fall asleep or cover up with blankets.

We are encouraging stores to dissociate themselves from these policies. Those that do, we will encourage people to shop in. Those that don't will hopefully face questions from their potential customers, at the very least.

Robert says "Those that don't will hopefully face questions from their potential customers, at the very least."

This sounds like economic terrorism or extortion at the very least.

Be careful.

"We are encouraging stores to dissociate themselves from these policies. Those that do, we will encourage people to shop in. Those that don't will hopefully face questions from their potential customers, at the very least."

Robert, are you prepared to find out from the community, customers, and potential customers, that they just might support the ordinances? I'm just saying that could be the flip side and a result you've not anticipated. You've not been very good lately at anticipating the reaction from the community at large. You may want to think about this one.

In its latest the issue, the Santa Cruz Weekly presented this story: "After the Sh*tstorm" at http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/06.10.09/news-0923.html.

I responded with the following letter, which I also posted at the Sentinel hatecorner at http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-cruz-sentinel/TS9GH3T7KF0LRK45P/p10#lastPost

I encourage folks to write letters to the media and support the Pledge as well as the coming weekly protests downtown.

Dear Santa Cruz Weekly:

Thanks for covering the successful resolution of a local human rights controversy at Jack's (“After the Sh*tstorm”, 6-10). Even more thanks HUFF workers Rick, Valerie, and Bernard; to mediator Brent Adams; to Jack's co-owner, Connie Hutchinson ; and to Shiney, Gabe, Christina, Aaron, Daniel, and all the other street activists who helped bring the issues into public view. These folks made possible the swift and peaceful resolution of homeless discrimination concerns that now need to be addressed more broadly in Santa Cruz.

I also thank Ronee, Tanya, Rev. Joel, Miller,, and the many volunteers at Calvary Episcopal who make their Monday coffeehouse and ministry a truly valuable experience. It's too bad that their enlightened policy has been now significantly marred by a standing trespass order against homeless-looking people sitting innocently on their laws. The fact that Mayor Mathews led this anti-homeless campaign is an even darker reality.

Removing large swaths of public space from use in order to “disappear” homeless people is a bad practice. In 2007, Tthe Matthews Council, under the leadership of Ryan Coonerty, removed ten square blocks (all the public parking lots and garages) from public use. Further criminalization of the poor has followed through the constriction of public space on the sidewalks for such harmless behaviors as sitting, peaceful sparechanging, political tabling, and street performing

The latest chapter in this thinly disguised attack on the visible poor is the “No Sleeping” Injunction against two homeless musicians downtown. I encourage the business community to reject the city-wide Sleeping Ban law, which other larger conservative cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno) have overturned. Thanks to those stores that have signed the Non-discrimination Pledge. Visitors and residents should ask some hard questions of those that refuse before they spend their money there.