The War on Workers Intensifies

As Republican reactionaries wage their battle against the most fundamental of women's rights and Rush Limbaugh flaunts his pathetic ignorance, the war against workers, unions and the most basic of protections such as job security, paid sick time and health benefits continues at every level.

Teachers are the latest public enemy and the drive in New York to evaluate them publicly based on the test scores of their students is gaining momentum. At long last teachers are speaking out and being published in the mainstream media. "Confessions of a 'Bad' Teacher," appeared in the New York Times and "What Value is Added by Publicly Shaming Teachers?" appeared on the Huffington Post.

My own workplace, a large library system in that city by the bay, has joined the trend, shamelessly hammering the relatively few employees who are still working there. Everyone who could retire, has done so and I must add that I am hoping to join them shortly. In the meantime, and it is mean time in every sense of the word, threatening and provocative emails arrive in our inboxes almost weekly, warning us of how we will lose our employment if we conduct any sort of political activity, even on our own time, from work computers.

Oh, did I forget to add that we are in contract negotiations?

The latest threat letter was specifically geared to employees on part-time requisitions (of which I am one) who are seeking extra hours through a substitute-finding database linked to all the Library Branches. I'm not going to bore you to death with direct quotes from this unsavory document but I can sum it up like this: Employees are not permitted to search for extra hours on work time, even during their own breaks. And employees who use any combination of sick leave on their regular work hours when they are scheduled to sub in a given week, will be penalized by not being allowed to use the sub service for time periods ranging from 1 month up to six months.

I am aware that some people, to get more work hours, sometimes schedule themselves for seven days a week of work, followed by another seven. So you can see why someone who is working this way may need to use some sick time to keep going. Oh, did I tell you how much work we have because we are so understaffed? Or how stressed out and crazy members of the public have gotten since the economy went into the toilet.

Well if I didn't, just use your imagination!

(Disclaimer: This entry was written on my own time, at home from my personal computer) 

Dogs of War--Two Famous Greek Strays

Kanellos Preparing for a Foray

Loukanikos in Action

Greeks have been taking to the streets in massive numbers to protest meltdown of the Greek economy as well as austerity measures that include massive layoffs of public sector workers, wage reductions of 20 percent and elimination of promised pensions.

Tear Gas Doesn't Phase Loukanikos

Now two loyal protesters on on the Greek streets are finally getting their 15 minutes of fame.  They are two stray dogs of Athens: Loukanikos and Kanellos. Both are fiercely committed and militant political animals. Photographs show that while Loukanikos has been active for many years and can be seen in photos dating back to 2008, Kanellos is more of a Johnny-come-lately to the struggle.

Both canines are skilled at intimidating the police by barking. Loukanikos will bravely enter the fray to attack tear gas canisters, which he bites vigorously. Kanellos seem to put more of his focus on strategy. These puppies are taking the internet by storm and fast becoming role models of revolution.

Repression and Responsibility in Oakland

Prayer Flags, Protesters and Police

I attended a workshop about legal issues that activists in the Occupy movement, specifically Occupy Oakland, are facing. It was eye-opening to say the least. I found out the DNA samples were taken from some of the 400 protesters arrested on January 28th, "Oakland Move-In Day."

The FBI and Homeland Security are directing a large part of the repression at this point. The specter of Grand Juries being impaneled looms as well.

The violations committed against those arrested are many and range from people being kept in handcuffs for many hours, imprisonment of 25 people in a cell designed for 2 where there was not room enough to sit. Denial of medications and refusal to allow use of bathrooms, denial of attorney visits were the norm. Many folks were detained all weekend on bogus charges that will never come to court except, hopefully, as a class-action suit. It is essential to remember that all these "police procedures" were used against people who had committed no crimes and were simply exercising their first amendment right to free speech.

One 27 year old man who threw light, wind-born seedpods in the direction of the police is being held on eight felony charges. His bail has been set at $400,000. The seedpods never reached the cops due to their lack of weight. His mother describes the action as equivalent of to trying to "throw popcorn."

At this workshop the importance of responsible Internet posting was also stressed. Some photos and videos have already been used to identify people for "questioning" even though they were not engaged in illegal activities, and to arrest those that were. The posting of photos and videos should be confined to exposing illegal police activity. Everything else can be kept as a historical record to be shared at a later date.

It is also imperative that all blogging and writing that is posted on the web not incriminate anyone or expose inside information that could jeopardize the safety of others.

I have been through many political battles but, in the one we are waging now, it is literally true that the whole world is watching. Those of us both chronicling and participating have an ethical responsibility to "do no harm" with the new tools that the technological revolution has afforded us.

The Difference Between Nonviolence and Pacifism

Nonviolent Teachers March

A tremendous amount of controversy is being stirred up in Occupy Oakland by the tactics of a small minority of demonstrators, some calling their group the "Black Bloc." I agree with the assessment some have put forth that throwing things and provoking the police to respond violently is counterproductive and endangers everyone participating in an action, particularly the least mobile demonstrators who are often children and the elderly.

Having said that, I would like to clarify my feelings on the philosophy of nonviolence, which is the one I subscribe to, versus the philosophy of pacifism which I do not.

Nonviolence to me implies a commitment to never, at this juncture of our movement, initiate violence in any situation. I believe in this ideal. However, in a situation where violence is instigated against me, I will respond appropriately to the best of my ability. For example, if someone grabs me on the street to rob or injure me, I will try to defend myself by any and all means available. In contrast, a pacifist might attempt to transcend the ordeal entirely, even if it means sacrificing his or her own life.

There is undoubtedly a place for escalating struggle in the political arena. To overthrow fascism and dictators such as Hitler, Mussolini and Franco, it is totally reasonable to utilize all physical force necessary. Here, in the USA we are not there yet and I sincerely hope that we never arrive.

But our situation has been volatile and ripe for fascism since the onset of the massive economic crisis. This explains the rise of the insidious Tea Party Movement. But in an environment of stress and struggle, many outcomes are possible. The first option is happening right now and it involves a situation where the masses rise up in peaceful unity to prevent a villainous and hateful regime from taking control. Our very lives depend on its success.

If we fail, the second option arises. This occurs when groups of people are systematically scapegoated for existing problems. It relies on deep-seated prejudices and fears to divide and conquer, thereby obliterating the genuine forces of thievery and greed that caused the suffering to begin with. If a large group of people fall for this level of hatred and misinformation, I can only hope the response will be immediate in timing and appropriate in scale.

Free Speech, Civil Rights and Transparency

It Seems Obvious to Me...

The day following the arrest of filmmaker Josh Fox for attempting to videotape a "public hearing" on the environmentally toxic practice of  hydraulic fracturing (fracking), combined with the arrest and detention of at least six credentialed journalists at the Occupy Oakland protest on January 28th, It is evident that our first amendment right to free speech is a relic of days gone by.

Another nail in its coffin was provided yesterday, February 2nd, when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco overturned a previous ruling to release the tapes of the Proposition 8 hearings of 2010, presided over by Justice Vaughn Walker.

It was unprecedented that the videos were held back from public view in the first place and the obscenity is only compounded by this decision. The whole affair begs the obvious question as to why the constitutional right to equal protection is being withheld from LGBTs in the first place. The long stalemate since the hearing a year and a half ago illustrates the reticence of the powers that be to grant full rights of citizenship to all of its citizens.

Although Proposition 8 a just a statewide, California issue, providing full and equal rights for all is a federal issue that must be addressed nationally. Instead we must wait for the lens of history to look back upon this era of open discrimination with shame. Perhaps hindsight is always 20/20, but our present vision is myopic as hell!

Pre-Occupied in Oakland

Shields made out of trash cans
protect Occupy Oakland warriors

Occupy Oakland is back in the streets an up against what is arguably the most vicious police force in the USA.And O.P.D. is once again up to its old tricks.

Saturday's march was called "Move-in Day and the plan was a takeover of a deserted commercial space to convert it into a community center where all sorts of activities like workshops, films and meals could take place. Granted, it was a bit of an overreach but a center of this kind would be a wonderful opportunity for outreach to the various communities of Oakland.

The march atmosphere was more animated and festive than most political protests. Seasoned Occupiers held makeshift shields made of garbage cans with peace signs or anarchy symbols painted on them. The sight of them under a  mobile row of Tibetan prayer flags gave the whole event the air of a fiesta in Latin America.  

Many marchers, including myself and my partner, had no idea where the chosen building was located. It was kept secret to prevent the police from interfering with the plan. The problem was that many police actually knew more than the marchers did.

There were quite a few logistical errors associated  with the selection of the mammoth Henry J. Kaiser convention center building as a move-in target, the biggest one being the construction occurring on the roadway beside the building along with the cyclone fences in front of it. The two rows of cyclone fencing created a trap for those of us directly behind the police line and in front of the building. When the cops started throwing flash-bang grenades and announced that we had one minute to disperse, there was nowhere to go.

Some folks had pulled apart the fencing as far as it would allow, creating a triangular hole that one person at a time could squeeze through. The young people were very thoughtful and courteous and let their aged comrades (Deborah and I) through almost at once. Fortunately for all of us, the cops held off on resorting to stronger weapons on their captive audience and after some sound and fury everyone was allowed to move on.

Just around the corner a few minutes later, the larger confrontations began and some of the trash-can warriors not only held their ground, but actually began advancing on the police. That is when the smoke bombs and teargas canisters began exploding and all hell broke loose.

The mass arrests didn't occur until later in the evening and I can't report on them first hand because we departed in the afternoon. On Sunday at a gathering in Oscar Grant Plaza, I learned that nearly four hundred people were surrounded by police and arrested outside of the Oakland YMCA in direct violation of their first amendment rights although the YMCA did help quite a few folks escape through their back door. Police claim their intentions were illegal ones, i.e.: the intent to take over a building. So, I guess it's official: thought crime is now against the law.

The mainstream media is making much ado over a flag-burning inside Oakland City Hall. It's helping Jean Quan  acquire much-needed political capital by championing her motherly protection of the city from wild and crazy radicals.

Supervisor Ignacio De La Fuente wins the award, hands down, for scariest politician. He has called the Occupy protests "domestic terrorism." Now you know how they're planning to use the National Defense Authorization Act. Indeterminate detention with no right to trial. I see a bleak image is appearing in my crystal ball...

Eroding Teacher Seniority Will Bust Unions

Same Stuff, Different Day

The right-wing debate against public employees has shifted and now it is teachers that are being targeted on all levels. From the privatization of education through charter schools, to misguided movies like "Waiting for Superman." Educators have become the new enemy, responsible for everything from the massive disobedience and lack of discipline of students to the failure of the public education system in this country.

In poor and working class communities the problems of poverty, parental neglect (often due to financial necessity), and the lack of motivation of the students themselves are some of the reasons for this systemic breakdown. But as with other union targets before them, all logic is being tossed aside, replaced with the easy out of a new dog to kick.

Even Obama who is now waxing populist in deference to the Occupy Movement, has raised  and praised the idea of "replacement teachers" as a cure-all for the ills of the education system. This is presented as a simple formula in which the "best" teachers will be rewarded while those who no longer have "passion" and have outlived their usefulness, will be let go. Ending teacher tenure is their new rallying cry.

In reality, terminating the seniority system will destroy the teacher's unions and erode job security, benefits and pensions for the whole profession. It serves as a crack in a door that was previously shut tight, a perfect way to break in and destroy a highly organized, predominantly female, group of professionals. Doing away with seniority means that all ongoing employment decisions will be subjective and open to the ebbs and flows of bias and personal prejudice. Older people will be discarded for their "lack of energy." Teachers who take too much initiative will be replaced for their lack of obsequious and deferential behavior. Unpopular minority group status (LGBTs, blacks, latinos, etc.) will be used as factors in decision making. The list goes on and on but the end result is that people will lose their livelihoods at the whim of those in power.

The teachers who survive this reorganization will be young and full of vigor. But the burn-out rate is high in teaching and, given four or five years in the classrooms, especially those of inner city schools, even the hardiest young, bright-eyed idealist will lose some of her enthusiasm and spark. And so teaching will become a stint kind of job, much like service in the military.

Indiana is now poised to join Southern states in passing a "right-to-work" bill (Brave New World Speak for massive anti-union legislation), the tenured teacher is poised to be a relic of the past.

All union jobs and protections will go the way of the dinosaur if we end seniority protections for some workers. We must stand with our educators in ensuring that they don't have an ax hanging over their heads as they try to perform an already difficult job.