N E W S L E T T E R ' OCTOBER 15,1997.

401 Main Street, Vancouver V6A 2T7,. (604) 665-2220

former for crime in the citj v v

A premier's prescription Varlcouver is on the edge of urban disasrer, Mike Har-cour-r believes. Actior~ now is in l y tmr i~~c . 1-louse [he homeless. Decriminalize drug addiction. Diverr our-youngfronl idleness' enlbrczcc~.

Grrystone Properties. v Tlie federal, provincial and municipal gov-

;I1lcouver is in is Of crnrnents could enter a partnership with w,,rlclps and livable c,l,cs. yet the" ~rivate-sector groups to acquire and

p ~ o r ;ui~ur~g 115 arc becoming homclcss, d n ~ g renovate Or rep1ace a thousand units annu- i,dd,ctb are iIlut,dating us untier a of ally. not just invancouver, but throughout B.C. crilllillal and too "four yollth The federal government could provide 250 units, are ilnskilled and unemployed and, conse- its Canada Mortgage and Housing CO~P. que~idy, idle. The pro~ince could double its existing housing-for-

,.ctill,.c.rl;lliun ofoltr downto,vn is chils- the-homdess efforts <and provide another 125 to 250 ing low-mconie residents fi.um thcil l~olncs units. The city could bring a lot of leverage to the in the single room occupancy hotels and partncwhip: Its Property Endowment Fund; its land

houses. Heroin and cocaine addicts Imnk: nntl its rcqr~ir-rnlcnt that rnnior dcvclopcrs sct are innicting lnost of the break and enters, ;widl- 20 IW ccnt of thcir proiccts for non-market car thefts, robberies, home invasions and housing or pr.o\idc funds in licu. l'hen business and street prostitution and pimping we are en- the not-for-profit scctor - our unions and churches, during, Inole ,ban 20 per cent foundations and charities -could match the gov- under-skilled youth ;Ire uncniploycd in an in- erllrnent efforts. cre;isingly high-tech and high-skill scrvice- ScCLor C'coIIUIlly. W will v~~~~~~~~ i n [he century -just ': (:o~[I 11 treat our addiction-driven crin~innls two away - be just anolhcr h c r i c a n as a medical and social challcngc. -itv? With thousands homeless? With the 1.h" nlCanS providing adcquatc dctox and coun-

- - ~. ~

dr;g bazaar at MaiF! Hastings spread sellinn scrviccs. That rncaris expcrinientinp with ~ ~ = < h o ~ n t o w f l with no resl- treatment and maintenance initiatives, includin d dcnt's life, home, car safe from drug-addict medically supervised her& distribution to addicts, c~inie? With increasingly embittered and urn- the Swis are doing with their addicts. l ha t means crnplnynhle vouth on the streets with the diverting our youth away from drugs and crime. It homeless and the heroin and cocaine means beefing upour"Kids at Risk"programs; tar- abusers? Must this be our nightmare? geting those professional criminals who control the

Of coi~rse not. If we act now: property-crime forays of drug addicts and youth U I f we build housing for the homeless and with too mti'ch linic on thcir hands; targeiingjolins near-homeless. and pimps arrd insisting o u r j ~ d g c s treat child and O Ifwe decriminalize the use of heroin and Street prostitution as more than jay-walking of. cocaine. fences, as too many of them do now. It means en- U h i d if we expand and acccleratc [he work- larging our alternative schools like Bladerunner and world-pwparation courses and guidance our training programs like'l'radeworks. srrnndnrv schools h a w hegirn to nffer our young women and men. Wa COLIIII add to the "Skills Now" partnership of

&1GHflouRHO03 ~ & w S

* The following motior' was carried at the Sept- ember meeting of the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board: I " THA T the Board 1

declare a public health I I emergency us a result +

ofthe HI V/AII)S epidemic in the Ihwn to wn Eastside ' FURTHER THA T the VR H H respond no later than Oct. 23, 199 7 with u detailed action plan,

I including speciific steps,, timelines, resources ~ and outcomes that will he needed to stop the epidemic. " ... almost every media source (radio, papers, TV) got the first part while ignoring the 2nd - "with a detailed action plan" If front pages do much, the Vancouver 1 Sun stated that "6000 of the 10,000 addicts in the1 downtown eastside.. ." I

from the fact that over '

half of the addicts are 1 HIV+. They were either dense or too stuck with

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our public schools and province's employers. Busi- ness leaders could each commit to mentoring, train- ing and employing one unemployed young person

at risk. Many successh~l n~odels, which we could follow, exist throughout North America.

S o m e peop le will s ay we c a n ' t afford to build housing for the homeless. They will say that the decriniini~liz.~~iori 01' heroin and coca i~ le \vould only encouriigc rilort. ndtlictioi~. 'l'lwy I\ i l l t h a t h i ~ s i n e s s arid govern r i i cn t can't "creatc" more jobs ;~rtific.i.~lly. I I M only a stable investment climate .~nd ;rn effective market do. I answer [his way: We have to take some risks br- cause the future of Vancouver is at risk.

It's u11accept;lblc:

T t w . thousands of honieless people will roan1 Vancouver's streets once the I;lst of thc 7.000 hotel and ~ o o ~ i ~ i r i g - housc roonis i ~ r c ctcniolihc~l 01 tun-

ver tcd, I)cc.;~irsr o u ~ dowri~tncn 13 .I '-wL.-

cess."l'hat can't be the at11 ibuw ol ,I I IL - able city.

TIIA~ only two per cent of the heroin and cocaine cominah~o~Vanrtsuveris se izd-by police; the other 98 per cent g e t s s n o r t e d o r s h o t i n t o ve ins . That ratio has been constant in discus- sions with police during my 30 years as a criminal lawyer, mayor, MLA for Vancouver/Mount Pleasant and pre- mier.

Even the lower figure disguises the fact that most of the seizures are from low-level, street-dealer addicts. Arrest- ing them is like picking chcrries off a tree, whenever the drug squads want to have another big drug bust.

The costs of this endless pathetic cycle oftlr lrg abilsc, cv.imind nrtivil): ar- rest and irnprisorinic*nt is in t l i ~ hrrn- dreds of n~i l l ions o f clnll;~rs, i f not in the billibns of dollars. As well, Vancouver residents pay with security systems. insurance with higher and higherdeductibles and the trauma that comes when a home is invaded, a car stolen, a purse is snatched, a store robbed.

Our drug-use prohibitions aren' t working.

1 m r we couldn't muster the wherewithal to a tack youth unemployment. Business and goverr ment may not be able to create jobs artificially. 01 business and government leaders could providc t t nientoring and workplace cxpcrience our your need to complement the training and skill-devclol ment courses they received at school. Many emplo: e r s have told me over the years tha t skillec work-ready employees are in short supply; tliese arl typically, employers in the rapidly growing compu er, high-tech and tourism-service sectors. OL youth can be successful employees and entreprt neurs.

Let's show some courage and commit ourselves 2

"Friends of Vancouver." U

political stereotypes to separate the 1 500 3. residents still active in their addictions from the other 8500 residents who aren't addicts.

What's also sucking attention are statements from various 'public' figures on how use of junk and coke should be decriminalized - made by Ken Higgins, now Deputy Chief of Police with the very definite (-

permission of the Chief) to let the cops shift any blame - "We iust enforce the law."; made by Dr.Liz Whynot, public health person, but not made by Dr. John Blatherwick, Vancouver's public health person, because his political bosses are going to run for re- election; made bv (!!!) ex-premier Harcourt, who now is no longer in politics. has a secure job, and doesn't have to give a shit about who he mi& piss off. even though he never made anv such statements while premier; and even by the Attorney-General Dosanj, who tried like hell to remain on the fence and repeat statements about not making statements.. .

The details of decent housing, relief from dirc poverty (try living on

S 1 50 a month after rent) detoxes and support are so simple, yet so freek- ing dangerous to politicians who have agreed to promote the corporate agenda no matter what ... I mean, how else can you or I account for this APEC thing that is going to gridlock the entire down town for a week and sell out the sovereignty of every participating nation, all being promoted as the best thing since sliced bread

by Everyone.?! * Just so we don't get

too swollen with pride, we also have the highest incidence of Hepatitis C in the developed world - right here in the D.E.

* APEC has been described in the daily press as a "huge security operation" but Conrad Black et al are making sure that we'll only get what they want us to ... but Ye Olde Carnegie Newsletter & fiiends ... * Friday, October 17, is

the International Ilav f'or the Eradication o f Poverty. A year or two ago it was the Internnt- ional Year for the Eradi-

* Woodwards: FAMA( Holdings, the front company for Kassem Aghtai - he "owns" the building - is going to the

cation of Poverty. and it Development permit I - had as much success as the International Year for the End of Hunger and the Universal Declaration of Rights oi the Child, among others End Legislated Poverty, a BC coalition of over 40 anti-poverty groups, is holding a rallylmarch 'day-long event on Oct. 18, Saturday. If you're extremely lucky, this issue'll have an insert

Board on Monday, October 20th, at 3pm at Shitty Hall. Carnegie's Community Action Project, DERA, PRG, I

EYA and other people 1 I Ire going too so call and

:et involved. There will le a 24-hour vigil at the 1 Yoodwards building I eginning on the 19th nd much support from i I1 over the lower

I

lainland. This is a -

Dropped by only lately to pick up a Carnegie Newsletter. It's an attractive bit of paper which could go far in the near future.

Some contributions seem rather strange to some of us. It shows we aren't all the same people, but we all have a 'hate list' that most of the readership can agree on. Not our kind of people runs City Hall - they seem to be in bed with profit-hungry developers.

There is lots of power when all sorts of people all agree on something. The more poor folks agree on something, the more things change for the better.

Vancouver used to have all sorts of parades and demonstrations. It will be that way again. The number of street people grows with evictions and homeless people are ready for future stands. Poor people don't make revolutions.. the people running City Hall and supporting evictions, they make revolutions.

K.G. Hammond

Whenever I m I n the dumps. I lust sit back and think of my $150 million " ,

i Playin' for a Fool

I Just a walking' down the way

I Steadily thinkin' of what to say

i Words a-rehearsin' in my mind

I'd be tellin' she's one of a kind.

Lips a-tremblin' with deepest fear Constant wonderin' - does she want to hear?

Sun's a-risin' to the east Time's a-tickin' to say the least

Heart's a-poundin' from my love Ears a-cooin' like a dove

I Words a-sayin' like a poem Door's a-closin' from her home

I Not a-forgettin' the golden rule I've been playin' for a fool!

I - Anonymous 4

v

I

I V Threatened

I There is going to be a diabetic support

WU?.Ga nu&7m D a y October 15 5.

This celebration of poets and the importance of poetry has happened annually for nearly 500 years The National Poetry Committee (based in Florida) advocates Oct. 15 as the date for this international event, and 'tis hoped that all poets will share a poem with someone. There is a poetry reading, featuring Abby Wener.

Pamela Meneilly, Alanna Dean and Diane Jarvis Jones at Tygers, 2 133 Granville St. at 7:30 Wed., October 15. It costs $3-$5. Info at 731-7273

starting up at Carnegie Centre. Meetings will be every other Friday at 7p1n in Classroom #2 on the third floor. Posters will go up a week in advance.

For more info talk to Chris Laird.

~t~qraphy and Darkrooh Ingtructior

ig back and he want5 to 3ee y@u...

Enlightenment is the open sky of insecurity. It is the immensity, the unexplored ocean. It is a journ- ey between two unknowns. There is no knowledge Knowledge, the very idea of knowledge, is part of human stupidity. Life is such a mystery, it can't be comprehended.

1 - submitted anonymously.

So, Dan Who Sane? (to Rev. Gary Patterson)

I am the whore of Babylon. I babble on and on and on. I'm walking on clouds to Babylon, To ride on the back of the beast.

Anita Stevens

I I

4

1

ONE HUNDRED YEARS 0 I

1

STRUGGLE

"We need to educate the people about their rights and how to fight for them." I Bruce Eriksen ( I )

One Hundred Years Of Struggle - that's the name of the DERA Co-op tnirral that illustrates events from the history of the Downtown Eastside. The mi~ral is five stories high, and is painted on the walls of an air well inside the DERA Housing CI at 638 Alexander Street.

The history of the Downtown Eastside is a histoly of the struggle for human rights. First Nations people have fought for a just land claims settlement for over one hundred years, and we take inspiration from their example, especially in these dark days when we feel we are losing control of our lives to global economic wars, or mega-projects that overwhelm our neighbourhoods.

In the Downtown Eastside working men and women fought for the eight hour day and the right to form trade unions.

The Vancouver and District Labour Council, one of the oldest Labour Councils in Canada, started in 1889. In 1903, Frank Rogers was picketing

i for the striking United Brotherhood of Railway Engineers when he was shot and killed by a C.P.R. hired guard at the foot of Gore Avenue. In 1918, Canada's first General Strike took place in Vancouver to protest the murder of Ginger Goodwin, a labour organizer from Cumberland, R.C. In 1919, there was another General Smke in sympathy with the Winnipeg General Strike. During the Great Depression of the I%O's, unemployed men in the Downtown Eastside fought f o ~ the right to food, shelter,

C work and wages. In April, 1935, Mayor McGeer read the Riot Act at Victory Square to two thousand unemployed men who had occupied the Hudson's Bay Store. Willis Shaparla was there, and he commented, "When hwibyy Canadians were asking for hod,

McCicer read us the Riot Act." Soon after the occupation of the Camegie Library by three hundred unemployed workers in May, 1935, the men of the Relief Camp Workers' Union began the On-To-Ottawa Trek. Then in June of that year one thousand longshoremen were attacked by police near Ballantyne Pier as a result of a lockout and strike. Longshoremen had been fighting for their own union since the 1890's, and by 1944 they had a strong union that protected their rights. On May 20, 1938, unemployed men looking for reliel occupied the Vancouver Art Gallel the Georgia Hotel and the Post Ofice at Granville and Hastings. Gradually, the occupation shifted to only the Post Office which the police attacked on June 19th. Over one hundred men were hurt in the ensuing struggle. That night ten thousand people attended a rally at the Powell Street Grounds, now called Oppenheimer Park. In September, 1939, the Government of Canada would ask,these unemployed, - -

tear-gassed men to fight for their country. They did fight, and many had the dream of a better Canada after the war was over. In 1995, federal public servants occupied this old Post Ofice.

now the Sinclair Centre, to protest a federal budget that planned to throw fifty thousand of these workers into the anguish of unemployment.

Chinatown and Japantown, called Powell Street by citizens of Japanese background, were also part of the Downtown Eastside. At first people lived in these communities because they weren't allowed to live anywhere else, but as the years went by, Chinatown and Japantown became centres of resistance against injustice, and they shaped their history with courage and endurance.

i From I881 to 1885 Chinese labourers helped build the Pacific Section of the Canadian Pacific Railway. At least six hundred Chinese workers died building that track. In 1887, three hundred white men beat up a camp of sleeping Chinese workers at Coal Harbour. In 1907, another race riot broke out, and a violent mob rampaged through Chinatown and Japantown. During the Great Depression one hundred and seventy-five Chinese people died of starvation in Chinatown. (2)

Altcr thz attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 194 1, the federal government %Wrrir af A p& c .. uprooted the entire population 4 I of ~anadian citizens of Japanese origin, and moved innocent people to work camps with no regard for personal rights or family ties. True, the war was going badly in 194 1. Before the end of the year nearly two thousand Canadians were killed or captured when Japanese troops entered Hong Kong. Panic, and fear of a race riot, may explain the action of the Canadian govenunent, but they do not excuse it. Not one Canadian of Japanese origin was found guilty of any offense against the security of Canada throughout the war. After a long fight for human rights, Japanese Canadians won redress, and on September 22, 1988, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney formally apologized on behalf of the Government of Canada for wrongfully interning and seizing the property of Canadians of Japanese background. Although Japantown never regained its prewar size, the Powell Street Festival, with the help of committed citizens like Takeo Yamashiro,

has become an annual celebration of the Japanese Canadian community, and Chinatown has become a busy social, commercial and tourist centre with a highly respected international reputation.

In 1968, the Strathcona Property Owners and Tenants Association (SPOTA), was formed to stop the disastrous urban renewal plans of City Council. SPOTA stopped the bulldozers and saved Strathcona. Bessie Lee of SPOTA remarked, "We have to remind he Ci@ that when lhey decide to change (hings in a community, they must a11vay.s consider the tolal planning ofthat community, and /he concerns of the people who live in if. " (3) The Downtown Eastside Residents' Association (DERA) would agree with that statement. Since the early 1970's DERA has fought to establish the rights of the community, to change its image from skid road to the Downtown Eastside, and to win much needed services, such as low income housing and health care, for the members of Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood. "The people who live here, they call if [he fhwn[o\vn l:b,st,vi&, " Bruce Eriksen said, and in 1983 -

Mayor Clarcourt of Vancouver presented a civic award to DERA which declared that this citizens' organization had helped to change the perception of part of Vancouver. fonnerly known as skid road, to the Downtown Eastside.

In the 1970's. citizens of the Downtown Eastside won the Carnegie Community Centre for the neighbourhood. Later, they won Crab Park, and took back Oppenheimer Park from the drug dealers. In 1985, they started the Strathcona Co~nmunity Garden which empowered the community through the creative act of planting seeds. Downtown Eastside poets, such as Tora and Bud Osborn, and the Carnegie Newsletter, edited by Paul Taylor, gave a powerful voice to the community, as did the books of Sheila Baxter and "Hastings And Main" - a book that contained the stories of twenty Downtown Eastsiders. This writing showed that human beings could forcefully reject the negative image ascribed tatthem, and replace it with a community of caring that speaks from the heart. In the 1980's, DERA, with Jim Green as organizer,

addressed the right to housing in the Downtown Eastside by building low income housing. The DERA Housing Co-op was completed in 1985, and the Four Sisters Co-op was finished in 1987. By 1997, DERA had built four hundred and thirty-six units of social housing, plus two hundred and nine units of affordable co-op housing. We still need thousands of units of low income housing, and local residents, with help from citizens in other parts of our city and province, are working on that problem on a daily basis. In 1995, the Downtown Eastside, in co-operation with friends all over Vancouver, including many churches, defeated a casino megaproject that would have done great harm to both the community and the City of Vancouver.

Now the Downtown Eastside is under siege from the gentrification that has destroyed many inner city neighbourhoods. The fight for survival is a desperate one as developers, in their haste for profit, dehumanize the people who live here. A discussion paper prepared for the Gastown Improvement Society in 1992, referred to Downtown Eastside residents as "those social service clients who frequent the area." (4) Lindsey Meredith

of Simon Fraser University, when talking of the human beings who call the Downtown Eastside their home, said, "7hey get mosed along; they gel kicked out. ?hose poor buggers are used 10 if. They uhhrqs get di.senJi.anchr.sed " (j) When men of great power deny the humanity of human beings and the history of a community, they tend to think that they can destroy both the people and the place without moral qualms. The Downtown Eastside has a long history, however, and a rugged identity. It is not expendable, and it is not skid road. We are united when we stand in solidarity with those who have fourrht

- - - References: ( I) quoted in Hasson, Shlomo, and David Ley - .i; Nrighborrrh~xxl0r~utrizcrriot1.s and rhr Welfare S~are. published by the University of Toronto Press, 1994 - Chapter 6, "The Downtown Eastside: 'One Hundred Years of Struggle"', page 178. (3) I atrco~r ver :s ( '~ I~ IL I IO) I ' I I - I<acial 1)i.scorrrsr I n ( i r trah, 1875- 1980, by Kay J. Anderson, page 143. (3) an interview with Bessie Lee in the book O/m,irtg 1)oor.s - I bttcor~wr '.s I*i~.si I k f , by Daphne Manlett. (4) Carnegie Action Project Newsletter, Sept. 15, 1996. (5) "Gastown ideal for single women" by Fiona Hughes, 7hr I bttcotr~w (brrrier, Jan. 2 1 , 1996.

tbr human rights for over one hundred years.

On Februaty 14, 1995, Valentine's Day, one hundred people gathered at the Carnegie Centre for the annual memorial march to remember the Native and non-Native women who had been murdered or died from drug overdoses in the Downtown Eastside. The mourners burned sweetgrass, recited prayers, and wept for their "sisters" who had died alone. "They are not alone today, " Margaret Prevost said, she who has given so much of her time and her caring to the Downtown Eastside. In grieving together we are strong. In the ability to grieve lies the power of prophecy for that which is is addressed by that which ought to be.

The citizens of Vancouver can take pride in the long history of the Downtown Eastside. Memory is the mother of community.

Sundy Cirmeron

Questions for the 1997 Survey for First Nations and/or Aboriginal Persons with Disabilities:

Name: Band Number: Mailing Address: contact phone #:

(This is only a sample; not all the original questions) When did you become Disabled? What is your disability? Are you working? What kinds of barriers do you face today? Have you ever been turned down for a job position because of your disability? Education abilities; Grade 12 or other. What kind of training and/or volunteer experience do you have? Were you ever employed - if so, where and for how long? Are you connected with any support groups for the disabled? Is your band giving you any kind of support? I f so, how? Do you have family and/or community support? Are you able to work today, if given the choice? Are you willing to be in a group discussion, talking about your situation with employment and/or being on HPIA? (This ~vould be.fir a short video presentation lo our Chiefs and other oficials of gorernmenr to show them a way of helping First Nations /Aboriginal Persons with a disability.)

This survey is being done by the Friendship Centre at 1607 E. Hastings.

United Native Nations Local 133 in the Downtown Eastside is a group of people working on Native issue that don't get much attention from established agencies. This information comes through Margaret Prevost, president of the Local, and she writes the following: "Our group is willing to work with the community of aboriginal people with disabilities and we're presently seeking partnership with WAND, the Westcoast Aboriginal Network on Disability.

"In the near future we hope to have an office in the community, as most agencies don't disregard us out of choice but because of a chronic shortage of money. We regard alcoholism and drug addiction as disabilities. and must raise concerns about the lack of detoxes, housing, temporary shelter, medical aid and funding. Sam internal stbff has helped us to learn of fights we didn't know we'd have to have, like getting a Society's number, like seeing our name used to get money for a violence program for men by someone who doesn't live here, like being accused of ripping off our own community for funds directed towards First Nations and Aboriginal persons with disabilities. We struggle, like all our sister groups, to stand on our own."

"At present, Board members include Margaret Prevost as President, Fred Arrance as Vice-president, Marlene Trick as Secretary, Jean Travist as Treasurer and seven members at large. You can visit Margaret Wednesdavs between 1vm & 4 ~ m at 12 E.Hastings. or pane her at 293-5981. All are welcome to attend meetings of UNN Local 133; posters with date & time info are in our community and faxed to other groups.'

TRICK ors *

6 TREATY

On October 3 1 the United Native Nations will be hosting a Demonstration March to highlight the needs and nonservice to Urban and Off-Reserve Aboriginal Native Indigenous people in the lower mainland of British Columbia and other parts of this country called Canada. a

We are asking for support from all sympathetic organizations and individuals to march with us on this day and/or write to your Member of the Legislature and your Member of Parliament to demand that the Indigenous Peoples of Canada be treated in a fair and iust manner. a The March will take place without a permit from City Hall, although they will be informed by

letter of our intentions. City Police and the BC Transit Authority will also be informed of the time and route of the demonstration. We fully intend to exercise our ownership to this part of Canada, as both the Land Question and the acceptance of our inherent rights and title have not been

I addressed by the federal government to date. This is a day to gently and in a good way remind the Federal Government, the Provincial Government, the City of Vancouver, The Department of I

Indian Affairs Band Governments, the citizens of Canada and our own people that there is still outstanding business to take care of with the Indigenous People of Canada.

We also recognize and respect the true owners of the land in this city and name these people as the Squamish Nation, Burrard Nation, Musqueam Nation and the New Westminster Nation.

Friday, October31, 11 am. - Marshall at Library squ&e at 300 West Georgia. - Opening Prayer and Speakers through to 12 noon.

12 noon - March to Court House, to the Bentall Centre, to Canada Place. The Rally/March will then tin cup its way through Historic Gastown to Oppenheimer Park where '

we will have a Hallowe 'en Party from 3pm-5pm. There will be food and entertainment. Please honour us bv being present.

If you have a banner - bring it. If you have slogans on placards - bring them. If you have something to say - say it all with pride.

For more infonnation: Tom Oleman at 254-6207 \ Scott at 688- I82 1 -. I

)

the rer

Another 'Potlatch Law' Another 'Indian Act'

Vancouver City Hall is trying to ban Native drumming in city parks. We also want to protest the lack of services for off-reserve and urban Aboriginal people. Come and join us for a rally:

OCTOBER 3 1,1997 at 1 1 :00 A.M. Vancouver Public Library - 350 W.Georgia

We will~narch through downtown and finish at Oppenheimer Park for a party. Bring your drums, your regalia, your rattles, your

voices and all your relations.

We must fight for services and for the rirrht to drum

southpaw(i?.vcn.bc.ca Fax: 684-8442

Dear Gary Groove, Is it true you know Sigmund Freud. Is it true?

Curious

Dear Curious, Yes. I know him fiom an enema encumbrance

conference in Yaletown.

Trashhoper says

Well I'm finally back from my world tour. As soon as I got on the bus from Horseshoe Bay I noticed the fare changes. Come all you bus-riders and Unite! 3 rolls of pennies is all it takes; 75 cents per extra zone sucks so just keep feedin' the box pennies - it really gums things up. Just checked my e-mail and found stuff fiom

Guon, a Chinese dude I met in Mongolia. His English was good but he kept calling me "comrade". Go figure. A tip of the hat to Kathy Grimmson for her story

in the last Ne~tderter - 'Life on the Inside". You are right!

APEC - Asia-Pacific Economic Conspiracy - should be received by the DE Community with a banner welcoming them to our crime-ridden poor- bashed cockroach-plagued drug-crazed neighbour- hood. Maybe they can overcome our problems, keeping in mind that there are no drug problems or poor people or poor children or crimes in Asia. Oh yeah: there is also no pollution, genocide or even murder. 1 know they have the Answer.. to our problems that is.. and maybe they'll share it with Clark or Chretien or Clinton or whoever .....

MACMILLAN-BLOEDEL PROFITS FROM STOLEN NATIVE LAND,

THANKS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNITED CHURCH

,---- -. ! / .*

Z'

I

MacM illan-Bloedel's recent demand for comp- ensation for trees "lost" to parkland is ludicrous, and not only because of the exported jobs and wealth still owed by this company to the people of B.C. MacMillan-Bloedel was the recipient of stolen ancestral native land on Flores Island in 1994, and is now profiting from logging on this land against the wishes of the traditional elders of the Ahousaht people. This land, known as Lot 363, was sold by the

United Church in 1953 for only $2,000 to the grandson of a church missionary, despite the oposition of Ahousaht elders to the sale and their claim that the church never owned Lot 363. The land was acquired by MacMillan-Bloedel in 1994 for nearly a million dollars. Not a penny of this was returned to the Ahousahts, whose hereditary chief, Earl George, had already claimed Lot 363 as ancestral land in 1993. Despite having been accepted as a candidate in

the United Church for ministerial training, Chief George was subsequently barred from such training by church officials by the latter's refusal to fund his education, soon after he had raised the issue of the United Church's sale of Lot 363 and publicly embarrassed the church leadership.

When I wrote a letter to the church objecting to the same land sale, I was fired without cause two months later from my Port Alberni congregation, despite having tripled its size in less than two years. In the same month - during December, 1994 - the same officials who denied Chief George his funding removed me from my pulpit. The Lot 363 scandal was kept out of the public

light after Aboriginal Affairs Minister John

Cashore - who is also a United Church minister - established negotiations between MacMillan- Bloedel, the government and the Ahousahts, without the participation of the United Church, despite their original sale of the land and use of it for fifty years as the location for a residential school. This school was the site of the murder of at least one native student by a church official, A.E. Caldwell, in 1938, according to eyewitness Archie Frank, an Ahousaht elder. (Vancouver Stm,

1 December 20, 1995, --Beaten lo dwth for thcR of a prune") ) As a senior government official, Rev. John

Cashore's rescuing of his own church from public exposure and scandal in this manner has never been questioned as a conflict of interest. The United Church has never apologized to Chief Earl George for preventing him from being ordained, nor given him a reason for refusing to fund his training. Considering that the church spent over $200,000 expelling me from ministry, surely the excuse of a "lack of funds" for Chief George is not viable. Why, then, was this critic of the Lot 363 sale barred from ministry, when he was the firswoastal native elder to seek ordination in the United Church?

MacMillan-Bloedel is connected to the United Church through its funding of the Vancouver School of Theology, where Chief George would have been schooled, and its links with Reverend1 Aboriginal Affairs minister Cashore. The latterVs former parliamentary assistant, Gaye Sharpe, is a United Church official who moved directly from Cashore's employment to the Executive of the provincial body of that church. And her partner, Keith Howard, is the church spokesperson on my -

r j l : tiring and "de-listing", as well as on residential + .k$ school abuses and native land claims!

- b t It has been this close corporate-church-state con- nection that has resulted not only in MacBlo's luc- rative acquisition of Lot 363, but in the expulsion of the land sale's public critics, myself and Chief Earl George, from the United Church of Canada. Its present plan to log Lot 363 in a "'joint vent-

ure" with an element of the Ahousaht band council does not absolve MacMillan-Bloedel from the need to return Lot 363 to the Ahousahts. The United Church, which should never have sold the land in the first place, should adhere to its own policy on native land claims; namely, by buying back the entire Lot from MacMillan-Bloedel and giving it to the Ahousahts, as a concrete apology for its past wrongdoing. Or is colonialism alive and well in B.C.?

(Rev.) Kevin Annett 122 18 McNutt Road

Maple Ridge, B.C. V2W 1 N66 Phone: (604) 462-1 086

JOOfi

Scrotum Tsk Tsk (to Deadly Ribald & Paws for Thought)

Seems that .t people r

getting married just b 4 they

die. LIBRARY SQL'AHE

Anitu Stevens

Slowly the soft grey light of morning

dimmed the fiery stars. The air was fresh with dew

and growing plants. The lake was calm,

the rolling hills were quiet. A loon emerged

from the silent water, its silver necklace glistening.

The lonely cry of the approaching bird summoned me into a dream where the one who called and the one who heard entered the stillness together.

Sandv !vameron

Law blamed

City called the biggest pimp on the street By Greg Middleton Staff Reporter

Canada's hooker laws are making it eas- ier for men to kill prostitutes.

And city hall is the biggest pimp of all. That's what Simon Fraser University crirn-

inology professor John Lowrnan will say tonight as he picks up an award for his 20 years of research into prostitution.

Lowman has just finished a survey of hooker murders since 1960 in the Lower Mainland.

He says the number was rising slowly before the cops busted two Vancouver cabarets for catering to prostitution in the 1970s. But it skyrocketed after a 1985 law made it a crime to discuss selling or buy- ing sex in a public place.

"The police put prostitution on the street when they raided the Penthouse and the Zanzibar in 1975," Lowman said yesterday as he prepared his acceptance speech for the $5,000 Sterling Award.

After the hookers were put out on the street, he said, they stayed there because it was easier for customers to find them and remain anonymous.

And he said the 1985 communication law and police harassment forced prostitutes into darker and more dangerous places to conduct their business.

That made them easier targets for "rnisog- ynistic and predatory men."

In his survey of hooker murders, Low- man found only one prostitute was killed between 1960 and 1978.

Between 1978 and 1980, four Vancouver-area prostitutes were

for murders

The Province Wednesday, September 24,1997 -

killed. Between 1981 and 1985 there were 12. Sixty prostitutes were murdered between 1986, when the communication law began to be enforced, and 1995.

"I attribute that directly to the law," Lowman said.

"- - ,- Lowman noted the city makes money

with about $175 for a therapeutic-massage parlor.

"They are up to their necks in facilitating prostitution on one hand while condemn- ing it on the other," Lowman said. "They are a bunch of hypocrites."

Lowman noted Vancouver's bylaw de- fines a body rub a s "the manipulating, touching or stimulating by any means of a person's body or part thereof but does not include medical, therapeutic or cos- metic massage Ueatment."

"It's the only thing they are allowed to do, according to the city's own bylaw," Low- man said.

"Body-rub parlors are by definition broth- els."

Mayor Philip Owen, who admitted fre- quenting the Penthouse as a young man, said there is no evidence that all body-rub parlors are brothels, something Lowman just laughs at.

Lowman cited police head counts of hookers to show that punitive laws and aggressive policing have done nothing to curb the number of street prostitutes.

In many cases: the unwanted pursuit by someone you have met or dated.

DO NOT NEGOTIATE: If you decide you do not want a relationship, it needs to be said explicitly - one time. Communicating again with someone you have explicitly rejected; your actions do not agree with your word.s. Stopping contact means stopping contact. Below are some examples of how you can be misunderstood, when trying to say no to a date or relationship.

Maybe misunderstood as not yet Hmm.. misunderstood as give me time

Not sure misunderstood as keep trying

If they continue to pursue you - Get a 2nd phone line and only give the number to those who you trust and wish to talk with; - Leave old number with answer machine message (record his calls); use girlfriend's voice on tape.

The Neighbourhood Safety Ol'tice and DEYAS (Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society) have produced two reports on the inherent biases and inconsistencies of Canada's Criminal Code and related Crown policies - related to children

A Continuum of Abuse Yesterday's Child Sex Abuse Victims

q#)4;@~ are Today's Sexually Exploited Children

are Tomorrow's Adult Sex Trade Workers

an J A Cast o f Contradictions

These two position papers are appearing over the failure of Section 2 12(4) of the Criminal Code to stop or even stem the purchase of children for sex.

Between 1988 and 1994,354 juveniles were charged for offering to sell sexual services. During the same period, two men were convicted for be- ing the buyer. The purchase of kids for sex occurs thousands upon thousands of times each year, but the most recent statistics have just 1 7 charges being laid since Nov. 1996. This shows that less than 1 % of potential charges are actually laid.

Also, considering Vancouver has 70% of the child-sex-trade in BC, and that the Provincial Prostitution Unit is based in the Vancouver Police Department, why are Kamloops RCMP nudging so close to Vancouver Police's record of only seven charges? Why can Kamloops RCMP administrators provide the necessary resources for sting operations while Vancouver Police seem unable or unwilling to?

The above information and other excellent tips on handling stalkers (strangers & acquaintances) can be found in The Gift of Fear by Gavin Debecker.

.*

*The issue of children trapped in prostitution is not present or even referred to in one of the latest reports, entitled The Progress o f Canada's Children 1996. Facing this reality is akin to facing the reality of drug addiction as a medical issue; and the reality of housing, poverty, public and non-sectarian education, food, safety and multicultural awareness as interrelated and c0- dependent.

Spirituality is our universal bond.

Rewriting the whatever. Labels. Simply lab- els suited to categorize and pigeon-hole people with

mental health label various symptoms of discon- tent.

Unfortunately, some power-

How does a Jew maintain identity in an area wielding psychiatrists have such a great influence over

where there are no Jewish services? vulnerable, impressionable, sensitive people that they tend

I ANITA STEVENS SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BUL-LETIN to abuse their positions of authority and all for the sake

The mental health system of quick money. And how should be ashamed of itself for lnuch do demand the atrocities it has committed these days?! against In 'pin- So what is all this leading to? jon7 illness is a mflh I shall tell you. I have seen so perpehlated those with a many psychiatrists. Been in limited understanding of hu- and out of so many hospitals.

Been restrained with wrists It is a well-known fact that bound onto a

jnduces psy- hospital gurney. Been involun- ell-known fact tarily injected, certified,

that if one is bullied and badg- "pinked'., cornmined and eredv asked humiliated by the mental questions pushing One'' but- health system. Why? Because I tons inducing a state of crying, was so ad tired and that one may most likely be- hungv ad agv. sought

food, rest, and solace in finding long- wards.

rm solutions, what do quacks ~ , , d where did all his lead? o but administer quick-fixes, To the Downtown Eastside,

I e. an-ps3'chotic and anti- where there are emergency shelters, churches, drug addi-

I first became domewhat cts, alcoholics, pimps, prosti- quainted with the mental tutes, bars and hotels.

- . . when I was a So, how does a Jew maintain child. My parents took me to one.s identity in this area

Anita Haviva Stevens is a r-csitlcnt Riverview Hospital in Coquit- where there are no Jewish ofthe nororltorur~ Errstsiilc Iier lam, BC - a most An area where a Jew opinion, piece hcts hwri intimidating. formidable S~TUC- is definitely going rebel prerriously blishc~l rirdcr the ture, to say the least. 1 believe against the, title of "'lb Have Bwrr \\Jrorrged at times, anti- and TO Hove \Vr.orrgt*c.lf" it1 it was to visit my grandfather Semitic semons in some conderlsetl /bmt in lflc or an who was receiving the churches. Where Vancou- Novenrbo 15, 19!)5 i s s u e ~ f ' l h k . . "treatment" for WIanic ,,,*, first svnaeoeue has been - .. . - - - - - - - . Carnegie Neridcttc~. - " " ion. schizophrenia, depression,

converted into condominiums? Now, has the mental health

system succeeded in its efforts to give people a sense of autonomy, acceptance, confid- ence, self-worth and self- esteem? I think not. What, then, is the solution?

The solution rests in the knowledge that each of us has the golden thread of knowing the difference between right

and wrong. To have been wronged and to have wronged and to have lived through it is to have coped with it to the best of one's ability and to have been on a continuous search for cleansing, absolu- tion and help from sincere, caring, gentle people who have one's best interests at heart. People who will listen and

have the ability to cultivate a trusting relationship over time.

Every one of us is capable of working through our problems and co-existing peacefully, treasuring those moments of honesty and joy within our- selves. We each have our own trajectory and the courage to persevere.

By ANITA HAVIVA STEVENS

What's it all about anvwav? - ~J - ~ J -

Back on the streets, sittn' in some god damn scuzzy cafe. Decorated in the era of Hard Rock & Acid. ALONE! Scattered. Fuck this coffee's cold. Nothin' changes 'cept maybe

Caps to flaps Solid to rats Family to foreign.

What's it all about anyway? Do I? Don't I? Should I? Shouldn't I?

Everything's changed. Not one's the same. Fuck this,coffee's cold! Yeh, it's worth it. Gonna find the man.

Now I'm COLD! Yep, knew it would happen. Heart aches & unshed tears. Where the fick is God now? Did I leave Him? Did He leave me?

Smith-rites & fitts swimmin' in my eyes.

Garbage dancin' in the breeze. No swingsets here. Body aches, mind is racing. Old wounds open, new one Bleed! Yep, knew it would happen.

Fuck U! Fuck me! Where's the trees!

Feet r raw. So am I . Broken glass or is that my dream? And they said there was a pot of gold

at the end of the rainbow. Is that true? Maybe for u.

But what about me? I think I'm wrong.

A whore doin' the shake at the end of the line. U know the place. That place u'll never go. Infested rivers of Blood & Tears flow

angrily in that place. U know them alleys!

R yours paved? Mine might be.

I never notice things like that. Kinda' hard when I'm tryin' so fiercly not to c.

As for that rainbow, Hell, I never believed!

WANTED for crime6 against humanity

I JUST

Old Tan was a drunk and a th i e f NATIONAL

hit I liked him ~ 1 1 . DAYS OF I miss our spiney nights ACTION - In the jail house cell.

FOR EAST TlMOR

Ry Carl y PkFond 1 ed NOV. 12-15

I ~ e w BTAN office The East Tirnor Ale11 Network has opened our first ollicc in dowrltown Vancouver. l'llc East Timor Resource & Action Centre will respond to tllc increasing demand by British Colurnhians for infor~iiation ahout Fast Timor, and provide suplwt for actions in support of Fast Timor.

To I)cgin with, tlw centre will Ix open on m a y , Wednesday ant1 Friday afternoons. We liopc to expand these hours as more volunteers come forward.

The centre is I t~atcd in the historic Dominion Building at lfastin~s and Cambie, on most major hus routes and a sllort walk from Skvtrain and Scahus. See you there!

VANCOUVER

DO IT,

SLAVE

Southeast Asia Post Se~tember 25 - October 8 97

Subcontractors making shoes i n China for Nike and Reebok use workers as young as 13, pay them less than 70 Hong Kong cents per hour and make them toil for up to 17 hours a day in silence, independent observers say.

So says Medea Benjamin, co-direc- tor o f US-based watchdog Global Exchange following a report by two human rights or- ganizations in Hong Kong.

She also accuses Nike o f using hu- man rights activist Andrew Young to "white- wash" abusive working conditions in China,

*Vietnam and Indonesia following previous accusations.

At the Wellco plant In Dongguan, owned by a Korean subcontractor for Nike, children as young as 13 were reportedly do ing sewing and cut t ing work, staf f said.

Chinese labor law says no child un- der 16 may work in a factory.

Workers added that talking durinq work was not allowed, with violators fined up to HK$28.

stop b l d n g

the poor! What is "p~or-basbij,g' 9 Poor-bashing t.cppens when poor people are slereolpd as scapegwted for sccidfs sccialand economic prcblems.

lazy and h hen they are

O f f YOUR LAZY BUTr AND GfT YOURSELF A fOB!!

k-bushing starts from people in positions of pwer, and to justify the crealion of 'workfare', policies

[hen ewrfone gels in on which they tell us will helpcul the delicil and gel people working

Sot redly. Social prgrom spending cclually accounts for very lillle of !he deficit cnd

debt problem, so cu:hng social

about icrcin~ people oii

OWNTOWN STD CLINIC - 219 Main; Monday-Friday, 10a.m. - 6p.m. ~ASTSIDE NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; 8:30a.m. - 8p.m. every 'OUTH NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN 3 Routes dav -4CTIVITIES SOCIETY

1997 DONATTONS &- Rocking Guys-$30 Pau la R.-$30 Diane M.-$15 Wm. B.-$20 Lorne T.-$20 L i l l i a n H.-$25 Me1 L.-$20 Joy T.-$20 S a r a G.-$20 Frances -$25 CEEDS -$I0 Charley B . -$I5 Susan S . -$30 Libby D.-$40 DEYAS -$75 Guy M.-$10 Tom -$20 Rene -$30 Sam R.-$20 Amy - $ l o N e i l N.-$10 Rick Y .-$63 Sharon J . -$50 BCCW -$60 Holden H t l -$5 Joan D.-$5 Mike -$15 B i l l G.-$20 Ray-Cam -$40 Haro ld D.-$19.10 Sonya Sommers -$ lo0 A n i t a S.-$10 Census Wkrs -$200 B.C. PLUM -$lo00 VanCity Chinatown -$ZOO Legal S e r v i c e s S o c i e t y -$I230

- City - 5:45p.m. - 11 :45 p.m. Overnight - 12:30a.m. - 8:30a.m. F Downtown Eastside - 5:30p.m.

THE NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

( Submission Deadline 1 for the next issue:

28 October

NEED HELP?

The Downtown Eastside Residents Association can help you with:

9 Welfare problems; P Landlords disputes; 9 Housing problems; > Unsafe living conditions;

Come into the Dera office at 425 Carrall Street or phone us at 682 - 0921.

DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 24 YEARS.

raise shit a downtown eastside poem of resistance

-the myth ofthe.frot11ier is at1 it~vetlliotr that ra1iot1alize.s the violetrce o f g e t ~ t r ~ f i c ~ ~ f i ~ t ~ mrd diiyp/ncrmetlt"-neil smith, '9

~~r()mittt~ttt omid the a.ywcts of this story which have cntght the imagit~utiot~ are the ma.s.wrcre.s ofittttoceIIt pcF/es, committed agaitrst them at14 amwlg other horrrfic excesses, the nlay.s it) which towtls, provitrces, a,ld

,,hc>/e kitrgdoms have beet1 etrlirely cleared of their tmlive itrhc~bifutits" - bartolome de la casas, 1542

there is a planetary resistance against consequences of globalization against poor people being driven fiom they have occupied in common

land

and in community for many years

and while resistance to and rapidity of global gentrification differs according to specific local conditions we in the downtown eastside in the poorest and most disabled and ill community in canada are part of the resistance which includes the zapatistas in chiapas, mexico the ogoni tribe in nigeria and the resistance efforts on behalf of and with the lavalas in haiti the minjung in korea the dalits in india the zabaleen in egypt the johatsu in japan and these are names for the flood the abandoned the outcasts the garbage people the homeless poor and marginalized people

and gentriffcation has become a central characteristic of what neil smith perceives as "a revengehl and reactionary viciousness against various populations accused of 'stealing' the city from the white upper classes"

and this viciousness and violence brought to the downtown eastside by friendly predators such as builders planners architects landlords

bankers and po%cians is like violence brought to our community by other predators by johns and oblivion seekers by sensationalizing journalists by arrogant evangelizing christians predators like developers and real estate agents who remind of no one so much as gilbert jordan the serial killer who came down here repeatedly and seduced bribed and bullied 10 native women into drinking alcohol until they were dead and one woman revived after a night with jordan though pronounced dead on arrival at st. paul's hospital described jordan as "a real decent-looking person very mild-mannered a real gentleman he looked like a school teacher white shirt and tie I trusted him"

and in bur situation in the downtown eastside the single weapon we wield like the weapon native indian prophets like the weapon ancient hebrew prophets used in situations of vicious displacement and threatened destruction of their communities was the word words against the power of money and law and politics and media words against a global economic system the word "hebrew" originally designated not a racial class but a social class of despised drifters and outcasts who existed on the margins of middle eastern cultures and those advocates those ancient hebrew prophets said

"the wealthy move the boundaries and the poor have to keep out of the way the poor spend the night naked, lacking clothes with no covering against the cold the child of the poor is exacted as security from the city comes the groan of the dying

and the gasp of the wounded crying for help damn those who destroy the huts of the poor plundering their homes instead of building them up those who tear the skin from off our people who grind the faces of the poor who join house to house who add field to field until there is room for no one but them those who turn aside the way of the afflicted who trample upon the oppressed"

and the native prophets of the americas who said

"when these times amve we will leave our homes like dying deer the land will be sold and the people will be nioved and many things that we used to have in this land will be taken from us we have been made to drink of the bitter cup of humiliation they have taken away our lands until we find ourselves fugitives, vagrants and strangers in our own community our existence as a distinct community seems to be drawing to a close our position may be compared to a solitary tree in an open space where all the forest trees around have been prostrated by a furious tornado"

we have become a community of prophets in the downtown eastside rebuking the system and speaking hope and possibility into situations of apparent impossibility

a first nations' man recently told me he had come to the downtown eastside to die he heard the propaganda that thisis only a place of death, disease and despair and since his life had become a hopeless misery he came here specifically to die but he said since living in the downtown eastside what with the people he has met and the groups he has found he now wants very much to live

and his words go directly to the heart of what makes for real community a new life out of apparent death

and this is what we speak and live with our words our weapons

our words like bolts of lightning in a dark night lighting our way our words like tears like rain like cries like hail fiom our hearts feeling with each other in our suffering for each other our words angry as thunder exploding in the ears of those who would ignore or dismiss or inflict upon us what they in their ignorance think is best for us our words defiant as streetkids in a cop's face our words brilliant and beautifid as the rainbow I saw spanning our streets our words of resistance and comfort and commitment like mountains our words prophetic on behalf of the hard-pressed poor

our words buttons t-shirts fliers inserts newsletters pamphlets posters spraypaint slogans stickers placards speeches interviews essays poetry songs letters chalks paints graffiti

for as one prophet said

"when all is dark the murderer leaves his bed to kill the poor and oppressed"

our words

to block the murderers' paths

our words spoken by

jeff and muggs and eldon and kathleen and fiank and maggie and car1 and lori and duncan and margaret and mark and sonny and ken and tied and sheila and liz and tora and terri and ian and chris and bob and leigh and jen and shawn and darren and sarah and irene and cathy and'ann and lorelie and nick and linda and john lorraine and and joanne and judy and allison and Sharon and deb and marg and dan and jean and don and libby and carol and IOU and dayle and mo and barb and ellen and sandy and tom and luke and gary and travis and bruce and paul and deidre and jim and so many others

our words and our presence create a strange and profound unity

outraged at each other disappointing each other misinterpreting each other reacting against each other resenting each other unhealed wounds dividing us when to be about unity is to be caught in a crossfire of conflicting ambitions understandings perspectives

still our words and our presence create a strange and profound and strong unity as in memory of the long hard nerve-wracking battles for the carnegie centre against the casino for crab park against brad holme for zero displacement by-laws against hotel evictions for poor people living in woodwards against condominium monstrosities and for our very name the downtown eastside removed fiom city maps the most stable community and neighbourhood in Vancouver suddenly disappeared but recovered through struggle our name reclaimed but the meetings the pressure

the downtown eastside community besieged and beleaguered

strung-out and dissipated running on constant low-grade burn-out fever - meetings and meetings and meetings a dozen fronts to fight at the same time deal with one and a dozen more appear another dehumanizing media story or a new condo threat a hundred needs crying out all at once a hundred individuals with emergencies crying for a response sirens and sirens and sirens construction noise automobile mayhem Q ; a disabled population a poor and ill population criminalized up against globalization f l :d

pressure cooker emotional atmosphere excruciating questions and dilemmas so much happens so fast how much compromise? how to organize? where to fight? more sirens and screams and break-ins welfare cuts more murders and suicides more bodies on the sidewalks and in alleys and parks ,

space and places for poor people shrinking and the ambiguities of advocacy the rumours the well-founded paranoias the political manipulations exploitations confusions deliberate obfuscations and seduction of the gentrification system the backroom deals somewhere else in office towers and government offices meetings and more meetings and yet beneath the ostensible reason for attending another goddamned meeting is that which truly holds us together holds and has held every real community together

love

love not as passive abstraction or a commodity privatized but love as fiery personal and collective social justice passion love as in our public celebrations love as in our public grieving

love going past fatigue again love taking risks in the face of uncertainty love as stubbornness sticking to community principles love as willingness to go one more length to make one more leaflet love sitting down together one more time love saying hello to hate and fear and goodbye love as resistance, tolerance and acceptance love for this poor beloved community reeling from global upheavals love taking on the consequences of a system producing more wounded more damaged more excluded more refugees more unemployed and never-to-be-employed and love's immense capacity to care and love as courage

like the other day near main and hastings an old white man headed across hastings in the middle of the block traffic roared and blasted in both directions the man was using a cane and moving very slowly

his eyes fixed somewhere beyond it sure looked like he'd never ~nake it but would become another vehicular maiming or death down here and then a native fellow waiting at the bus stop like a matador dodging furious bulls dodged into the traffic and stopped it using his body as a shield

words and courage and love and hope and unity if only we had the means for self-determination instead

"the real estate cowboys. . . also enlisted the cavalry of city government for. . . reclaiming the land and quelling the natives. in its housing policy, drug crackdowns, and especially in its parks strategy. the city devoted its efforts not toward providing basic services and living opportunities for existing residents but toward routing ,

les

of ing an

r

!i4

many of the locals and subsidizing opportunities for real estate development" wrote neil smith about the lower east side of new york

sounds familiar, literal like the day the police showed up on horseback to patrol the I00 block of east hastings horses on the sidewalk where some of the most ill and suffering human beings most drugged and drunk and staggering human beings slipped and stumbled through the huge horse turds left laying on the sidewalk

I remember attending a kind of gentrification summit called by a vancouver city planner to examine the city's victory square redevelopment plan david ley, jeff sommers, nick blornley, and chris olds reached a similar conclusion the plan does nothing to prevent displacement and gentrification but when recently reminded of this verdict the city planner still pushing his plan said "I don't care if god and david ley. . ."

and that's just it the necessity for heeding the prophetic blast and rallying cry delivered by larry campbell now the provincial coroner in the carnegie centre last summer

"raise shit", he said

raise shit against the kind of "urban cleansing" gentrification unleashes it's a war, against the poorest of the poor 1,000 overdose deaths in the downtown eastside in 4 years highest rate and number of suicides in vancouver lowest life expectancy for both men and women fatal epidemics of aids and hepatitis c and lack of humane housing identified as a maior factor

raise ~ h i t when a friend of mine, a gay native man, tells me "I'll try anything to get a decent home I'm gonna become a mental case I'll even go into an institution if it'll help me get a decent home"

raise shit when both young people and hardcore addicts either deliberately infect themselves with h.i.v. or take no precautions to prevent infection so that they have a better chance at obtaining housing income, health care and meals

raise shit when a city cop in a newspaper column says "the locals were at their best fighting and howling" and calls drug addicts "vampires"

raise shit when an extremely influential north amencan theoretician of displacement, george kelling is brought to vancouver by the business people and the police to define and divide our community against itself against panhandlers and prostitutes

raise shit when a city planner in with the convention centre scan says "the voters of vancouver can easily live with 20 to 25,000 homeless people and not even notice it"

and when I think of raising shit I think ofthis basketball team I once played on composed of middle-aged beat-up alcoholics and addicts from the streets who'd been sober for awhile and we entered a city recreational league against teams that were

younger. stronger, faster, healthier and more skilled and though we lost most games by a large margin we determined that no matter what the score each hotshot team we played would know by their fatigue and sweat and bruises that they had been in a game that they were up against an opponent we knew we couldn't outjump or outrun those teams but we sure could raise shit better than they could and amazingly we actually won a few games

to raise shit is to actively resist and we resist with our presence with our words with our love with our courage

we resist person by person square foot by square foot room by room building by building block by block

we resist because we are a community of prophets, of activists, of advocates, of volunteers. and agency workers and we, you and I, us are all that stands between the unique vulnerable troubled life-giving and death- attacked community of the downtown eastside we are all that stands between our vast community and those who would gentti@ and displace and replace it replace with greed the singular leadership we have here where it is said we lack a single dynamic individual leader but we have the most powerful leader there is the most effective leader we can have in this grave situation our community our community itself has emerged as our leader the downtown eastside community itself leads us and it is to our credit that this is so for it is from our prophetic, courageous, conflictual and loving unity that our community raises shit and resists