Streetvibes March 2006 Edition by Streetvibes Newspaper

March 2006

STREETVIBES Peace, Unity, Freedom and Community Art in Over-the-Rhine by Brenda Zechmeister, Arts Program Coordinator Peaslee Neighborhood Center Over-the-Rhine Enter the Community Education room at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and you’ll find several beautiful mosaic panels in various stages of completion. At regularly scheduled times, you’ll see groups of varying ages, such as youth from Lighthouse Community Services, adults from Our Daily Bread, or men from City Gospel Mission’s Exodus program learning the art of mosaic making and creating public art pieces that will be installed in Over-the-Rhine. None of them have had any previous mosaic-making experience before, and many of them have never thought of themselves as artists. The program is The Over-the-Rhine Community Art Project, an ongoing collaboration of Peaslee Neighborhood Center and the Art Academy of Cincinnati with Overthe-Rhine schools, churches, and agencies. The initiative began in 2001 after riots heightened racial tension in Cincinnati’s inner-city neighborhood of Over-The-Rhine. I had shared the idea of building community through art with Michelle Markert, the Art Academy’s Director of Community Education, as a pro-active response to further understanding and promote a positive side of Over-the-Rhine. The two of us wanted to develop deeper relationships within the neighborhood and produce useful, beautiful works of art. The purpose of the project is to be a community-building instrument that brings together a diverse group of people whose common goal is to create works of art. This

artwork uses the themes of peace, unity and freedom to enhance the beauty of the neighborhood. With the guidance of lead artist Suzanne Fisher, this community-driven project involves neighborhood participants at every level of the artistic process. Neighborhood resident, Lisa Haynes, is Artistic Assistant. This year’s projects include making additional mosaic panels for the Over-the-Rhine Freedom Trail and Imagination Alley, a pocket park on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine. The theme for the Freedom Trail was inspired by Martin Luther King III’s visit to Cincinnati in

honor of the 40th anniversary of his father’s march on Washington and his “I have a dream…” speech. Mr. King III spoke about Over-the-Rhine being the key spot for change in this city, change that could lead to true freedom, equality and economic justice for everyone. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of these issues while also increasing awareness of the work that each participating organization is doing to bring about Freedom to our community. The projects in Imagination Alley (located on Vine Street between 13th and 14th streets in Over-the-Rhine) promote the themes of Peace and Unity. To date, mosaic panels adorn a wall and an archway entry to the park. Soon, more panels will be installed on planters and benches. Later this summer, the panels currently being created will be installed in a sidewalk through the park. Our first project, a park bench entitled, “I Have a Dream of Peace,” is installed in Washington Park. To date, over five hundred participants have enjoyed coming together to design and create beautiful mosaic works of art that promote the themes of peace, unity and freedom. Our Daily Bread is one of the groups coming this year. One of their staff members, Cookie Vogelpohl, has shared that they are “so very excited about being a part of the Freedom Trail and the mosaic project! The entire staff has been involved from the very beginning, from coming up with the message we want to express about ourselves and our commitment to the people of Over the Rhine and vicinity. It has been so interesting watching and listening to the

Mosiac cont. on page 8

Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless

Streetvibes Streetvibes, the TriState’s alternative news source, is a newspaper written by, for, and about the homeless and contains relevant discussions of social justice, and poverty issues. It is published once a month by the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. Becoming a Streetvibes Vendor is a great way for homeless and other low-income people to get back on (or stay on) their feet. Streetvibes Vendors are given an orientation and sign a code of conduct before being given a Streetvibes Vendor badge. Vendors are private contractors who DO NOT work for, or represent, the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homleess. All profits go directly to the vendor. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a group of shelters, agencies and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Cincinnati through coordinating services, educating the public and grassroots organizing. GCCH Staff Georgine Getty - Executive Director Allison Leeuw - Administrative Coordinator Monique Little - Education Coordinator Kelly Carr - VISTA Chris Dourson - AHA Coordinator John Lavelle - VISTA Melvin Williams - Reception Susan Smith - Volunteer Streetvibes Jimmy Heath, Editor Photography Jimmy Heath, Berta Lambert Cover Suzanne Fisher directs OTR mosaic project

Streetvibes accepts letters, poems, stories, essays, original graphics, and photos. We will give preference to those who are homeless or vendors. Subscriptions to Streetvibes, delivered to your home each month, can be purchased for $25 per year. Address mail to: Streetvibes Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 421-7803 e-mail: streetvibes@juno.com web: http://cincihomeless.org

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Inquiry into Government Spying on Nonprofits behalf of seven organizations, while Expands expressing dissent or engaging in press release from the ACLU of On Feb. 1, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) expanded its inquiry into government spying on U.S. nonprofit groups by filing multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with the Department of Defense (DOD), in order to determine the full extent of monitoring by the Pentagon. The new ACLU information requests seek information on four national groups and several local groups in six states. Further review of documents already released to the ACLU reveals that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has used reports by right-wing groups in its investigations. The ACLU requests seek all documents maintained by the DOD, including its TALON database. TALON, which stands for Threat and Local Observation Notice, was launched in 2003 to track groups and individuals with “links” to terrorism. Leaks to the media in December 2005, however, revealed that TALON was also being used to spy on peace groups. The ACLU requests also seek details on whether TALON records have been or will be shared with other agencies. In a statement released by the ACLU, announcing the new FOIA requests, Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson said, “Unchecked government spying has a chilling effect on free speech and causes Americans to think twice before

lawful protests.” In January, after the uncovering of TALON and other spying on domestic groups and the outcry it sparked, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England ordered intelligence personnel to get “refresher training” on collection and use of information on U.S. citizens. The groups identified in the ACLU’s recent FOIA requests are the American Friends Service Committee, Veterans for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, Greenpeace and dozens of groups in California, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. A press release from the Maine Civil Liberties Union said the group found evidence of FBI interception of communications from members of the Maine Coalition for Peace and Justice. It joined the recent FOIA requests to DOD, asking for information on three peace groups and itself. In California, students at UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley learned in December 2005 that they were the subject of TALON investigations. An ACLU of Northern California press release, announcing that its request for further documents, said, “Students should be able to freely express themselves on campus without fear of ending up in a military database.” An ACLU of Pennsylvania press release said its FOIA requests were filed on

Florida said the chapter sought DOD information on nine organizations and four individuals. Meanwhile, a review of previously released documents by the ACLU and National Public Radio (NPR) showed that the FBI is using research reports about environmental groups from right-wing think tanks in conducting its domestic surveillance of nonprofits. NPR’s Living on Earth guest host Jeff Young described searching through nearly 2,000 pages of FBI documents and concluded the FBI investigation of the environmental group Greenpeace depended “pretty heavily on research done by a couple of think tanks that are very conservative, pro-business, antiregulation in their mindset and their mission.” The two groups were identified as the Capital Research Center and the Washington Legal Foundation. Capital Research Center’s website says the group analyzes “organizations that promote the growth of government and in identifying viable private alternatives to government regulatory and entitlement programs.” The Washington Legal Foundation’s site says its mission is “advocating freeenterprise principles, responsible government, property rights, a strong national security and defense, and a balanced civil and criminal justice system.”

Recognize Attacks Against the Homeless as bats on the Fort Lauderdale campus Hate Crimes Norris Gaynor and aggravated of Florida Atlantic University. The Cooperative Feeding Program of Fort Lauderdale is calling for the state to recognize attacks against the homeless as hate crimes. In a news conference scheduled for later today, local and national representatives will speak about the recent beatings of three homeless men in Fort Lauderdale that killed one of them. Three teenagers face murder charges in the death of 46-year-old

battery charges in the videotaped beatings of Jacques Pierre, 58, last month. They are also suspects in the beating of Raymond Perez, 49. Thomas Daugherty, Brian Hooks and William Ammons are being tried as adults. Police said Ammons admitted he shot Gaynor in the torso with a paintball gun while Daugherty bashed Gaynor’s skull with a bat. Daugherty and Hooks were also caught on surveillance video beating Pierre with

First Success for Fair Day Labor Coalition by Randy and Vincent A group working for better conditions at Cincinnati’s temporary labor halls met with Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory at the “Mayor’s Night In” on February 7th. Three of the members of this group work at the labor halls. They informed the Mayor and his Chief of Staff about the transportation fees workers pay to go to work and submitted a proposal on how to improve the conditions though

legislation. He commented that he had heard nothing about the problems with the labor halls and was very interested in the proposal. All in all, his reaction was very positive, and he resolved to look into the issue more to see what can be done. If interested, please contact the Fair Day Labor Coalition at 621-5991. Worker meetings are Wednesdays at 9:00AM at the Cincinnati Interfaith Worker Center (1415 Walnut Street).

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Miami-Dade County’s homeless trust has also gotten involved by starting a campaign to protect the homeless and push the state legislature to treat attacks on the homeless as hate crimes. The trust wants to have a hate crime provision added as an amendment to an existing bill. The campaign is targeting the homeless as well, encouraging them to report attacks similar to the ones that occurred in Fort Lauderdale.

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Homeless News Digest

Compiled by Jimmy Heath

San Francisco officials have agreed to stop sending homeless people to Humboldt County without notifying their counterparts in the far northern county. The agreement reached last month resolves a dispute that began after Humboldt County officials learned that San Francisco had sent at least 13 homeless people north on one-way bus tickets over the past year. San Francisco officials said they will inform Humboldt officials whenever homeless people are sent there through the city’s Homeward Bound program. The program has given more than 960 homeless people one-way tickets home where friends or family members are willing to help after they return. In Fort Worth, Texas a 52year-old homeless man died last month after he was struck by a car while trying to cross the street in the 3400 block of Lancaster Avenue East. Ronald Leech died shortly after being transported to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. He had been staying at The Presbyterian Night Shelter, according to police. Police are looking for a 1990s model two-door beige Cadillac in connection with the accident, said Sgt. Rodney Bangs, of the Fort Worth Police Department’s Traffic Investigation Unit. Bangs said a witness saw the car leave the scene. “They clearly knew they struck someone,” Bangs said. “They could have stopped and they didn’t.” In Ansley, MS a homeless man who has lived peacefully for years in a secluded patch of woods here before allegedly assaulting two men with a machete is a decent, welleducated man, according to locals. Wayne Stephen Parks, 57, has been living in the wilderness in this south Mississippi town for the past five years, in a makeshift tent. It is the site where he allegedly “hacked” two men with a machete last month following an argument at his forest quarters. The story in this small community is a bit different: Hunters say Parks was defending himself and his land. “He was a good man to me,” said Roy Necaise, 37. “We’d go

back there and visit him all the time; he’s never hurt nobody.” Kevin LaFontaine, who also hunts deer in the same woods, said Parks would sometimes leave to get food and supplies, but that’s it. “I hunted all around him, and we’ve never had any problems,” LaFontaine said. Authorities believe the victims were passing through town earlier that day on a train, which often stops in the area to switch tracks. County investigator John Luther said three men allegedly spent the day with Parks, but only two were assaulted. The men were treated for machete wounds at Hancock Medical Center. “They tore his camp up, and destroyed the water and food that FEMA gave him,” he said. “To me, he was defending himself.” In Texas, Phil Lipnick flipped through a half-dozen envelopes marked with places Galveston’s homeless are known to frequent. “We’ll go through these, and if we run out, we’ll come back here for more,” he said. Lipnick, project coordinator for The Jesse Tree’s homeless management information system, was among more than 20 volunteers fanning out across Galveston Island last month for the Gulf Coast Homeless Coalition’s annual survey. At least some of the volunteers, he said, would be out past midnight. “The count is done to get a baseline on how many homeless we actually have in our community and what we need to do to alleviate homelessness,” he said. The coalition is made up of 20 agencies working with the homeless in Galveston, Brazoria, Liberty and Chambers counties. The count is a requirement for coalitions seeking to obtain funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A homeless man already in police custody for allegedly breaking into a shoe repair shop has confessed to as many as 100 burglaries in the downtown area, authorities said. Andrew Larry Austin, 56, was arrested about 3:30 a.m. Jan. 11 after officers found him looking into a garbage can about two blocks away from Model Shoe Renew on Shattuck Avenue. The store’s front

glass door had been shattered, and — according to police — Austin had slivers of glass on his hat, jacket and gloves and stolen property and burglary tools in his possession. After questioning Austin, police initially tied him to about 50 commercial burglaries in Berkeley. In subsequent interviews, Austin has admitted to committing at least 50 more burglaries, police said. In Springettsbury Township, Pa. a homeless man was found dead last month under the Mt. Zion Road railroad overpass at Concord Road. Police said the 50-year-old man died from being out in the cold weather. His name is being withheld until his family is notified. In South Florida, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is demanding that the state attorney’s office charge a 17year-old boy accused of beating three homeless men as an adult. Thomas Daugherty is being held without bond at a juvenile detention facility for his alleged involvement in the beatings. Daugherty, along with Brian Hooks and William Ammons, both 18, face murder charges in the death of 46-year-old Norris Gaynor and aggravated battery charges in the videotaped beating of Jacques Pierre, 58. They also are charged in the beating of Raymond Perez, 49. Police said Ammons admitted he shot Gaynor, who was black, in the torso with a paintball gun while Daugherty bashed Gaynor’s skull with a bat. Daugherty has been held in juvenile detention since his arrest and was ordered to undergo a psychological examination. In Miami, following a sermon about respecting the dignity of all people, parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church said Sunday they supported pressing charges against a homeless man for sleeping inside the Fort Lauderdale church and eating canned goods from its donation basket. Orienthal Bowens, a 36year-old drifter from Georgia, spent 16 months in a Pompano Beach lock-up until Jan. 23 when a judge sentenced him to time served. ‘’We don’t mind [homeless people] sleeping here, but when they start destroying things - it’s like, would you let someone continue to stay in your house who was doing that?’’ said Michael Hargrave, 56. “[Bowens] wasn’t a nice guy.” It’s unclear why it took so long for Bowens’ case to come to trial. Though one thing is clear — he

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remained behind bars at the Joseph V. Conte Facility because he couldn’t come up with a $1,500 bond. “That in itself is disturbing to us — that he spent so much time there,’’ said the Rev. Sherod Mallow. Last month, Mallow posted a letter to his congregation on All Saints’ website defending his decision about Bowens. The church, he tried to emphasize, is a place of tolerance and kindness. Bowens wasn’t just sleeping at the church or taking food, Mallow said. The homeless man had also lit a fire in the balcony during one overnight stay. And parishioners said he had harassed them. Church member Beth Welker, 39, said Bowens made her uncomfortable. “People were scared of him,’’ she said. Five days a week, homeless veterans show up at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix and get a simple bag lunch. But sometimes a turkey sandwich and a banana is more than it seems. In addition to providing sustenance to people who don’t eat well, the lunch allows social workers to start a dialogue with the vets. The daily interaction allows staff members to check up on them and get them involved in programs to make sure they are taking their medications and staying off street drugs. Six months ago Westside Food Bank hooked up with the veterans hospital to provide the meals. They serve about 35 a day. “I’m having a pretty rough time right now. I’m on the street,” said James Aylor. “A lot of the halfway houses and shelters do not feed you well. This helps take the hunger pangs away.” Aylor, 49, served in the Army in 1974 and 1975. Now he comes to the hospital a few days a week to attend meetings and pick up a lunch. That is what Michael Leon was hoping for when the program began. “First of all, these people are hungry,” said Leon, the health care for homeless veterans coordinator at the hospital. “The lunches serve as an outreach mechanism.” Leon said that sometimes a homeless veteran will hang around without ever talking to anybody. “It is frustrating for them to be so close without taking advantage of the programs we offer,” said Leon, a social worker and a veteran. There are 3,000-4,000 homeless veterans in the state, according to Leon, the majority of them in the Valley.

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The Incantation I dream of singing with the kids by Koichi Yoshida Big Issue (Japan) vendor Mr. T and I were casually chatting outside Osaka station, when suddenly Mr. T recited “Back issue! Come on! Come on! Come on!” and clapped his hands as if in prayer. Somewhat taken aback I asked what he was doing. Mr. T replied that it was an incantation to sell back issues of the magazine. Sensing my incredulity, Mr. T insisted that it worked and that he had, in fact, sold 10 back issues, not once but twice thanks to this incantation. I remained skeptical, but later on that evening my office received a call from an excited Mr. T. A customer had bought 20 back issues! The next time I visited Mr. T, I asked him about the incantation. He said there were three tricks to using it: 1. chant “Back issue! Come on! Come on! Come on!”; 2. Only use the incantation when it pops into your head suddenly; 3. Don’t do it everyday. It seems that the day I visited Mr. T was a “back issue” day.

by Naoki Koide Mr. Hori sells The Big Issue in a residential area about seven kilometers south of the center of Sendai. While there is a large shopping mall, most of the people who pass by are commuters hurrying to work and school. Few people have time to notice The Big Issue. Ironically, a group of elementary school students were the first to pay attention to Mr. Hori. Initially, Mr. Hori was hurt by their unfriendly stares, but he mustered up his courage and explained that this was his job. By making the effort to talk to the students they accepted Mr. Hori and began to chat with him. Hearing of Mr. Hori’s efforts in cleaning up the area around him and watching out for the students, a local teacher even called on Mr. Hori to thank him. One day, a child he recognized walked past singing to himself, “big, Big Issue”. Mr. Hori was struck by an idea: he would write a song about The Big Issue! Though his musical past was distant, Mr. Hori had recently received an old guitar from a street musician friend, Mr. Nii (who wrote the music for “Look at My BIG ISSUE”),

and had just started to get a feel for it once more. Mr. Hori wrote the lyrics of “Look at my BIG ISSUE” to show how he feels when he is selling The Big Issue. Riding the sound of the arpeggio chords, Mr. Hori’s Big Issue sales pitch always seems to lead into the song, calling people to the street: “The info mag that was born in England and spread to Japan…” A lot of memories flow through Mr. Hori’s mind as he plays his guitar: when people from Osaka or Tokyo have remembered his face and have greeted him; when a university student bought a magazine from him as a good luck charm for a job interview at the local convenience store; or the time when it became tradition for university students wanting to pass their exams to buy a Big Issue from Mr. Hori. There was even a time when Mr. Hori reported a suspicious-looking car that had hit a pedestrian on the corner right in front of him. Compared to vendors based amongst offices and public buildings in the city center, Mr. Hori’s location is a tough one. Putting a positive spin on it, however, he says that he sees the same people at the same time

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everyday, so his face is quickly remembered. Mr. Hori was forced to start living on the streets five or six years ago after suffering from the effects of the recession. Before that, he had worked in machine manufacturing and security. Mr. Hori says that selling The Big Issue has made him think about things that didn’t even cross his mind when he worked for a company– how daily sales are affected by customer interaction, for example. “That makes it all worthwhile,” Mr. Hori says. Traveling about 6 kilometers by bicycle to his supplier, Mr. Hori starts at 6am and on busy days will make a second trip to the supplier and back to his sales base in the afternoon. Mr. Hori only takes a few magazines at a time and his sales are limited, but he savors the joy of each sale. “I still have a long way to go”, says Mr. Hori, “First I just want to increase my sales by five copies a day. What is more important, though, is what I’ve gained from The Big Issue in terms of courage, connections and compassion. The song is my way of giving something back. It was the kids who inspired the song, so I would really like to sing it with them”. Of the one million people living in Sendai there are more than 200 without homes. Despite the harsh winters, this number is on the increase. The homeless are both young and old, and there is an increase in women on the streets. Homeless woman have become more noticeable recently. I have no greater wish than the desire for each person living on the streets to take even the smallest opportunity and use it constructively as a step towards independence – just like Mr. Hori and his song. Translated from Japanese by INSP volunteer Kathryn Johnson, Australia

by Booger Love When someone needs a hand of a friend, they can’t be found. No one to talk to, walk around with. All you want is someone to talk to. When there is a pain in your heart, all you need is friend you can talk to. To tell them your troubles, so you don’t lose you mind.

Only $15 We will send your Streetvibes T-shirt to your door All proceeds benefit the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless and the Streetvibes newspaper. Call 513.421.7803 x 16, or come in to our office at 117 E 12th Street in Over-the-Rhine Page 4

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We give up on everything sometimes, When we are down.

More Poetry on Pages 14 and 15

Drop Inn Center Roll Up Your Sleeves, America! president used the words ‘the societies and our market’s by John Lavelle Update Middle East’ when he didn’t really “addiction to oil” should be I’m sure many people have * Cross Town Help Out: Thanks to all the volunteers from Xavier and UC who participated in the Cross Town Help Out. They helped the men in the recovery program here at the Drop Inn Center repaint and uplift their dorm rooms. * Summit on Homeless Individuals: The Partnership Center convened key staff and board members from all the agencies working with homeless individuals (people not currently with their family...) all day on January 27th. After presenting updates on how each group fits into the fabric of the system, we brainstormed on needs and goals across the system. We also heard a presentation from City Ministries on their proposed CityLink project. Hopefully, the information presented will help in determining what possible unmet needs could be addressed through that project. The Drop Inn Center also presented on our need for Permanent Supportive Housing for the Long-term Homeless. * Budget Status: Although we were successful in meeting last year’s level in our Holiday Drive (thanks to your help!), we still are facing a tough six months due to state cutbacks as well as greatly increased energy costs. We will be trimming some part time and on-call positions as well as cutting back on some of the food we buy. If you know of any grant or funding sources, please let us know. Also, if you know of any sources of prepared food we could use for meals, we would appreciate it. Cold Snap Effects: Just briefly, this past weekend our average census was 242, up from 224 for the previous week, due to the cold weather.

seen the humorous picture of Uncle Sam proclaiming “Roll Up Your Sleeves, America” as he gleefully injects gasoline directly from a gas station pump into his exposed arm, parodying the vintage war propaganda of classic Uncle Sam and his female counterpart, Rosie the Riveter (“We can do it!”). How appropriate this seemed, when during President Bush’s January 31, 2006, State of the Union Address he acknowledged that “America is addicted to oil” and that we must John Lavelle “break this addiction.” For the first time that night I stopped screaming at the television and lent a heartfelt ear to what our country’s “elected” leader had to say. “Breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach another great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025,” he stated. Even a raging cynic such as myself had to stop for a second and give Bush his due…provided that he actually follows through on any of this. However, hearing all this from an oil profiteer is a start, right? Right? Well, the morning after, his administration was quick to make clear that they were not ready for a committed relationship with reduction of oil dependency. In reference to the quote above by President Bush, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said on February 1 that: “This was purely an example.” Oh. From Knight Ridder writer Kevin G. Hall: “Asked why the

mean them, one administration official said Bush wanted to dramatize the issue in a way that ‘every American sitting out there listening to the speech understands.’ The official spoke only on condition of anonymity because he feared that his remarks might get him in trouble.” In other words, we really shouldn’t take the president literally. Well, time to roll up your sleeves, America. A week later in Houston, the heart of Bush’s home state, Exxon Mobil Corp. Senior Vice President Stuart McGill said that the United States should stop trying to make ourselves energy independent and that we will always be reliant on foreign imports. “Realistically, it is simply not feasible in any time period relevant to our discussion today…No combination of conservation measures, alternative energy sources, and technological advances could realistically and economically provide a way to completely replace those imports in the short or medium term.” So, according the largest publicly traded oil company – who just posted the largest quarterly profits ($10.71 billion, despite two damaging hurricanes) of any company in U.S. history – energy independence is impossible and just plain bad. And while we’re on it, Exxon Mobil very recently asked a federal court to wipe out its $5 billion in fines for the 1989 Valdez oil spill. The issues surrounding our

important to all Americans. Perhaps the most seminal way in which average Americans have felt the impact of the oil economy is at the gas pump with surging and fluctuating prices. Even Americans who do not own automobiles and take the bus should be wary of increased fares for public transportation – even small increases can be devastating to the tight budgets of low-income individuals and families. Along with sheer market economics, we have seen very clearly in the past 30 years or so how closely petroleum is tied to our national security. Regardless of anyone’s feelings on why we went to war with Iraq in 2003, one must admit that the ensuing conflict has had a grand effect on the oil industry. Despite their multifarious ties to terrorist threats, Saudi Arabia has carried on largely unchallenged. Many theorize that this is due to them being one of our largest exporters of oil. The increased production and popularity of hybrid automobile models is promising, as consumers realize that they are economically and environmentally responsible. In the spirit of the market, some are finding that new energy resources can be profitable and responsible. Nevertheless, Americans are still addicted to oil. And much like the case with “big tobacco,” it will take years of lawsuits and legislation to force most oil companies to invest in reducing dependency on their damaging and limited product. Until then, roll up your sleeves, America! Thanks to Juicio Brennan for his compilations of resources on his website. Check it out at: www.juiciobrennan.com

The Orange Bicycle

placing a box filled with magazines on the bike rack and carefully covering the side with a poster Mr. Toyomura’s bike is transformed into a sales promotion machine. The sight reminds me of the bicycle salesmen of old who would sell tofu or put on shows for children. It gives Omotensando a distinctive atmosphere. My biggest surprise, however, was to see Mr. Toyomura polishing his bicycle with CRC5-56 oil everyday before work. It startled me and made me think of a craftsman polishing his tools before starting work. Today, the sparkling orange bicycle will once again be carrying Mr. Toyomura’s hopes on its handlebars.

Back on Track

I couldn’t get a regular job. Streetvibes really gives people like me a chance to get back on their feet. I can now save money, pay my rent and get my baby back. The Streetvibes Program has really turned my life around. It gives the homeless hope and faith again. I give a huge thanks to the people who purchase Streetvibes. I would not have been given the chance to get myself back on track without your donations. Keep donating to Streetvibes. You could change someone else’s life with only one dollar. Just doing a little turns out to be a whole lot. God Bless all of you.

by Mariko Ikeda It takes Big Issue vendor Mr. Toyomura one and a half hours to ride his bicycle to his sales base in Omotesando, Osaka. That’s three hours both ways – with 100200 magazines weighing down the bicycle, it’s a battle just to pedal. To struggle like this everyday, Mr. Toyomura must be a man of great determination and will power, as well as having awesome quadriceps. Mr. Toyomura’s beloved bicycle is not just his transportation, however, it is also a sales tool. By

by Tiffanie Schaffer I give all thanks to the Coalition for the Homeless for the Streetvibes Vendors Program. It really has changed my life. I wasn’t always homeless. I came from a good home with money. As I went out on my own I made some bad choices. I found myself 21, homeless and with a baby. I was homeless for three months. Then I found the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. I heard about the Vendors Program and became a vendor in the first week of January. By the first week of February I had an apartment.

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Thanks Susan

streets, for our young people, the elderly and my homeless friends. by Ms. Mary Gaffney My homeless friends come around the office each Wednesday To the purchasers of afternoon for a full Streetvibes and my meal and desert from homeless friends, this a special lady who is now the third serves and donates month of the New these delicious meals. Year, and we have Also, there are always seen the appearance pastries on hand for of the groundhog. He the walk-in homeless. saw its shadow, but Susan is her name and we will see what’s Miss Mary Gaffney she is a very down to what in the coming earth person. She is months. always jolly. She always uses a I do hope during this parking meter but never asks for a beginning of the New Year we will donation. Inside of three weeks she hopefully see a new beginning of has received two parking tickets, at more safety on our neighborhood

New Report Finds a Widespread Epidemic of Hate Crimes/ Violence Against Homeless People by Michael Stoops, Acting Executive Director, National Coalition for the Homeless The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) released its 2005 report tracking the widespread epidemic of hate crimes/violence against homeless people. The report entitled, Hate, Violence, & Death on Main Street USA: A Report on Hate Crimes and Violence Against People Experiencing Homelessness in 2005 is NCH’s seventh annual report on this issue. The report documents incidents that occurred in 2005 against homeless persons by housed individuals who were overwhelmingly teens and young adults. A seven-year historical analysis of NCH’s reports is also available. For a complete copy of all seven reports, please go to: (www.nationalhomeless.org). This latest report continues to maintain the same goals and objectives as in the previous ones: * To compile the incidents of hate crimes/violence that NCH has received and reviewed in order to document this alarming trend against people who are homeless. * To make lawmakers and the general public aware of this serious issue. * To recommend proactive measures to be taken. The report also includes information about model legislative/organizing/ public educational initiatives in California, Florida, Maine and Washington, DC The 2005 report documents hate crimes/violence against homeless people in the following 38 cities from 22 states and Puerto Rico.

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Battle Creek, MI Berkeley, CA Boston, MA Broward County, FL Camden, NJ Cave Junction, OR Cheyenne, WY. Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Dade County, FL Davenport, IA Daytona Beach, FL Detroit, MI Duluth, MN East Palatka, FL Fairbanks, AK Fairfield, CA Holiday, FL Holly Hill, FL Indianapolis, IN Kansas City, MO. Los Angeles, CA Myrtle Beach, SC New York, NY. Orlando, FL. Pascagoula, MS Portland, ME Roosevelt, NY Sacramento, CA San Antonio, TX San Francisco, CA San Juan, PR. Springfield, IL Staten Island, NY Stockbridge, GA St. Paul, MN Tucson, AZ Virginia Beach, National Coalition for the Homeless 2201 “P” St., NW Washington, DC 20037-1033 Phone: (202) 462-4822 x19 Fax: (202) 462-4823 Email: mstoops@nationalhomeless.org Website: www.nationalhomeless.org

$25 dollars each, with no complaints. Sometimes it takes her a while to unload the food and ingredients! I do hope that she can find somewhere nearby to park her car where the homeless don’t always have to watch her car for tickets because they always look forward to her meals. She also supplies the office with coffee, creamer and sugar and pastries for in the mornings. My hat goes off to you Susan, for the kindness and concern you have shown to our homeless visitors. This month, this article is dedicated to Susan for the concern you show for your fellow man. May God forever bless you. I am very proud to have a friend like you and my homeless friends. They really appreciate your kindness. Until next time, thanks to you and my friends.

Send your letters or comments to Streetvibes, 117 East 12th Street, Cincinnati Ohio 45202, or email to Streetvibes@juno.com

21 YEARS SERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Empowering our neighborhood children through peace, art and education Peaslee Neighborhood Center 215 East 14th Street Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

(513) 621-5514

Beaten Homeless Man Remains in Critical Condition A homeless man remained in critical condition in South Florida after being severely beaten by three suspects at a convenience store pay phone, police said. Thomas Kotowski, 36, was found bloody and barely conscious last month outside the H&M Discount Beverage Store at 1361 Ave. E. He was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center. Riviera Beach police were searching for the three attackers, described as young men or teenagers. In some ways, the attack resembled the deadly beating of a homeless man January 12 by three Broward County teens. Video of a related attack that night was broadcast worldwide, drawing attention to the plight of the homeless. The motive for the attack was not known. Police say one of the unidentified attackers was using a pay phone outside H&M Discount Beverage when Kotowski approached him about 6 p.m. and asked to make a call. The man said no. Kotowski waited nearby until the man’s call was finished, then stepped to the phone to make his own call, police say. That’s when the first man struck, pummeling Kotowski repeatedly.

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A moment later, two other attackers joined in, investigators said. Together, the three beat and kicked him bloody, then ran off after someone called 911. Kotowski has lived in the area for years, running up an arrest record on charges ranging from cocaine possession and resisting arrest to trespassing and shoplifting. During the past six years, the National Coalition for the Homeless has documented 386 attacks on the homeless, including 156 deaths, although experts agree the actual numbers are probably much higher. Last month, Moses Prophet, a 58-year-old homeless man, was shot and killed on 55th Street in West Palm Beach. Police say he knew his killer and that his murder was prompted by an argument. Violence against the homeless is nothing new, but the issue has taken on new currency in recent months. “This is not an increasing phenomenon, but what has happened since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans is the invisible class has suddenly become visible,” said Alan Clapsaddle, associate pastor at Westgate Tabernacle, which operates a homeless shelter. “Before, this stuff would have been unnoticed. Now it’s becoming visible.”

Citizens X by Joanne Zuhl Most of us think the picture on our ID is embarrassing enough, but how about having your residence listed as “under the Burnside Bridge?” That’s what has happened to one man who prefers to remain anonymous for this story. He says he knows of one other person in the same situation. “Talk about embarrassment,” the man said of his ID. “You go out for a job application, they see that and they laugh at you. I’m 48 years old. This is the first time I’ve been homeless, down-and-out like this, and I can’t get a job.” “I’ve got to do something, I’ve got to work,” he said. “I was brought up to work and work hard and now I can’t work. I never had nothing like this happen to me before. I don’t know how to take it.” Despite the man’s embarrassing setback, he’s fortunate to have a state ID at all. For many people living on the streets, or extreme poverty, an ID card is an elusive item, and one that holds the key to housing, employment, social services and civil rights. “Basically, since 9/11, without a photo ID you’re a persona non grata in our society,” said Ed Johnson, an attorney and homeless advocate with the Oregon Law Center in Portland. “There’s a whole range of things you can’t do. Not only can you not get permanent housing, there’s a lot of temporary emergency shelter you can’t access without photo ID. So, if you find yourself on the street without a photo

ID, getting off the street, as an essential priority, is almost impossible.” Likewise, a state photo ID is the key for accessing disability assistance, medical insurance, food stamps and other government-based social services, according to Johnson. Employment? “Forget about it,” Johnson said. “You’re not going to get any steady employment without a photo ID.” To get a standard state ID through the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, you need some other form of ID: a drivers license, proof of address, employment, Social Security, birth records and the like. And the streets are a lousy place for keeping records. “When you’re moving around, things get lost when you don’t have a stable place to keep your things,” said Fern Elledge, director of the Community Service Center at Transition Projects, Inc. “I hear stories from a lot of people that the police took their ID and they didn’t get it back. And for women leaving domestic violence situations, lots of times the abuser will keep the ID as part of keeping control. People are vulnerable, things get stolen. There are just lots of reasons.” Transition Projects, or TPI as its known, assists people in getting photo IDs through the DMV. TPI will help people locate the necessary records, such as birth certificates, and pay the state’s $25 to $30 fee for the ID. TPI can only afford to serve four people in the morning and four people in the afternoon. “People come early to get in line, and usually

we have to turn people away,” Elledge said. The combination of 9/11 and concerns about identity theft has made getting IDs even harder in recent years, according to Elledge. Picture IDs are prerequisites to accessing other forms of ID, including Social Security cards and birth certificates, in some states, Elledge said. In some cases, living relatives can help people get birth certificates, but not everyone has that option available. “There are some people we just can’t help,” Elledge said. Debbie Eagle had her backpack – carrying her birth certificate, ID, Social Security card and tuberculosis card — stolen from her on the streets. That was five months ago and she doesn’t have the money to gather all of the documentation she needs to get them restored. “I don’t have any picture ID,” said Eagle, who is hoping to hold out until mid February when she’ll have money to begin relocating documents. Deborah Mandley bounced between the DMV and the Social Security office for more than a week trying to get her ID replaced after it was stolen. She was recently released from prison and had her inmate ID and little else. Getting the necessary documentation cost her valuable time, money she didn’t have, and possibly a job. “I needed my ID in order to get a second job interview,” Handley said. “I didn’t have my ID so I didn’t get the second interview and I didn’t get the job.” She has since gotten her ID, and is now looking for a job. Eric Sevos, manager of the Royal Palm for Cascadia Behavioral Health Care, says he’s also seen the barriers to getting ID cards increase, and he fears that they are only going to get worse. “It’s a catch-22,” Sevos said. “You need a birth certificate to get a photo ID, but you can’t get a birth certificate without a photo ID.” The process, which in difficult circumstances can take months or years to get primary documentation to get an ID, is a stressful one for all those involved. Sometimes there’s no resolution at all. “I’ve seen clients who have lost their IDs, and the level of anxiety, and sometimes panic, rises,” Sevos said. “I think that like a lot of things, the safeguards are necessary and practical, but when they get applied to the homeless population, or folks who don’t necessarily have as much of a voice in political and economic affairs, people get lost in the shuffle.” In a 2004 report, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found that state laws, particularly those instituted in the wake of post Sept. 11, have created unreasonable barriers to acquiring identification, and as a result

Streetvibes

are exacerbating and prolonging homelessness. After Sept. 11, at least 43 states considered some form of legislation or rule change to restrict access to drivers licenses, according to the report. In 2003, approximately 117 state bills were considered that similarly intended to restrict access The NLCHP issued a survey to service providers across the country, focusing on three primary areas: barriers to accessing services and benefits, problems with law enforcement, and lack of adequate funds to pay for identification. NLCHP surveyed 56 service providers in fifteen states that serve a total of 25,647 clients per year. The providers surveyed range from homeless shelters and food pantries to transitional living facilities. The survey found that large percentages of clients were being denied basic benefits because they lack photo identification. In one month, more than half of those applying for SSI, Food Stamps and housing or shelter services, and 45 percent of those who applied for medical services, were turned away for lack of photo ID. Among its recommendations, the law center says states should waive the fees for obtaining ID for people who are homeless, and use logical verification, when appropriate, such as a mother’s maiden name. While most people take for granted their documents of identification, there is also the benefit of simply being stable — of being known in the community. People on the streets often lack that more subtle form of identification, and can simply disappear from the social network. That extended disconnect can make the process of attaining an ID very intimidating for some people. “They’re just further outside of the mainstream,’ said Brad Taylor, an outreach worker with Cascadia’s Project Respond. “So they have to operate outside of that, and staying indoors is more challenging, finding ways to make money is more challenging.” Taylor said he comes across people every day who don’t have an ID or are having trouble getting one. If someone has an ID one day, he said, the person’s often lost it or had it stolen by the next time he sees him. Mental health issues also complicate the process. There are some people who simply don’t know their own names, Taylor said. “We’ve had police do fingerprints just to find out who they were.” Patricia Barrera, director of Community Education with the Lola Greene Baldwin Foundation, works with women escaping prostitution. Prostitutes are vulnerable to having their identification stolen by pimps

Citizens X cont. on page 9 Page 7

Mosiac cont. from page 1 staff talk about the project and being really involved with the idea and the design.” Another participant, Joseph, says “This place gets better and better! Plus, pretty; not so many places are this pretty for us.” Cookie goes on to say, “The trips to the studio to take part in putting the chosen colors into place and anticipating the gluing and grouting of same, has been a real source of community building among the staff. It has been that for all of us, and at the same time, finding that creative part in each of us, and being able to celebrate that with others. The staff has also become very interested in studying the other mosaics already being displayed around the neighborhood! We are all very excited about finishing ours; it has been a wonderful experience to work with such dedicated, talented professionals who want to tell our story. Amen.” I think Ed, another mosaic art student, sums it up very nicely: “I heard about the picture that is going to go outside; I know it is going to be good. Everything is good here.” Recently, the project was awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Fine Arts Fund, Summerfair, Inc., the George B. Riley Trust, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and the LaBoiteaux Family Foundation.

Artist Suzanne Fisher directs work on a mosaic project

Street Paper vendors in Russia inspire modern classical music piece A classical music concert took place at Herzen University in St Petersburg on 5th February, within the framework of a project called ‘the New Music Initiative of St Petersburg’. The project represents a dialogue between classical and modern music. The participants of this particular concert were the St Petersburg State Orchestra and two British composers, Peter Dyson and Marcus Tristan Hitcock. Peter Dyson was born in Huddersfield in Yorkshire in 1949 and came to study at the State Conservatoire in St Petersburg 10 years ago. He has lived in the city ever since, considering it his own and writing music for St Petersburg. “Life in Russia has definitely had a bearing on my music”, says Peter, currently teaching a course

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called ‘British Cultural Identities at the beginning of the 21st century’ at the St Petersburg University. “I would call my music a reflection of the time and milieu in which I am living. I consider it to be social realism.” Peter Dyson titled his narrated piece for orchestra and clarinet, ‘Conversations and Observations: The reflection of a homeless street paper seller in winter’. Dyson explains his reasons for the theme of the project: “Many people’s rights are limited here, the authorities neglect the elderly, the ill, the homeless and the hungry. I composed the music about homelessness because I can understand what it means to stand in the freezing cold all day in order to sell even a few street papers to earn enough to live. So the least we

can do for a homeless vendor is buy a street paper from him” Dyson’s narrator starts by painting a picture of life on the street, and by the final movements, the audience understands that he is actually a homeless street paper vendor. He speaks about what is happening in that part of the city and in society in general. The concert finishes with the words

“Sometimes, when the sun is setting, I hear music ….” And then it becomes clear that the narrator is the composer himself. Many of the homeless vendors of the St Petersburg street paper ‘Journey Home’ came to enjoy the concert and had the opportunity to sell papers during the interval.

National Homeless Civil Rights Organizing Project (NHCROP) 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 homelesscivilrights@yahoo.com Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (513) 421-7803

Streetvibes

The Big Issue South Africa calls for Low-Income Children Are at full enquiry into beating Health, Developmental, and Izak van Staden, who lives at “I hope that the relevant Educational Disadvantage, U.S. a shelter in Cape Town, was taken to authorities will conduct a full hospital after being beaten at the investigation into this incident and Chartbook Says Wynberg Military Base. He is in take necessary disciplinary action critical condition. Richard Ishmail, managing director of The Big Issue homeless streetpaper, South Africa has called for a full investigation into the incident. “In the past six months, there has been a series of attacks on homeless people in Cape Town some of which were fatal - and the time has come to protect the rights of this vulnerable group and to seek justice against those who perpetrate crimes against them.

should it be required. By doing so, they will be sending out a message that homeless people deserve to be treated with respect like any other human being,” he says. “Attacks on homeless people worldwide have become a growing phenomenon. Organizations, government and members of the public must collectively raise their voices to protest against the abuse of homeless people.”

Got The Vibe?

This chartbook highlighting the major findings of the 2003 first National Survey of Children’s Health was released by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The book includes many positive findings about American children, but it also reports on conditions of children who are particularly vulnerable to health risks, such as children in lowincome families. Compared to children in higher-income families, children in low-income families are less likely to be in excellent or very good health; they miss more days of school due to illness; they are more likely to have moderate or severe emotional or behavioral problems; and they are more likely to live in

neighborhoods that do not feel safe or supportive. Since mothers in lowincome families are one-third as likely as higher-income mothers to be in excellent or very good physical and mental health, their ability to care for their children is adversely affected. The book’s data show that children in lowincome families are put at a health, developmental, and educational disadvantage compared to higherincome children. http:// www.mchb.hrsa.gov/thechild/ index.htm

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Citizens X cont. from page 7 and Johns as a means of exerting power and control. Barrera’s organization focuses on advocating for the victims, and goes with them to help them get a replacement ID at the DMV. “They are up against people who pass judgment on them and people who think they are nothing but filthy whores,” Barrera said. “Often they are treated disrespectfully if they’re not with an advocate. So we go with them to help them get their ID. It seems to go more smoothly when they have an advocate.” Barrera said the more experienced people at DMV are generally very receptive to helping people get their ID, provided they have something verifying who they are. While 9/11 takes a lot of the rap, David House with the DMV says identity theft is the primary reason for tougher ID requirements.

This beautiful, original artwork depicts the vibrant role that Streetvibes plays in downtown Cincinnati and neighboring communities. Created by local artist and activist Mary Ann Lederer in collage form, this colorful 18" X 10" reproduction can be yours to own for only $10. Commemorating Streetvibes 100th issue, proceeds from this limited time offer will go to support the Streetvibes Program and Vendors.

“We have to be safe rather than sorry,” House said. “ID theft has been getting bigger and worse for decades. It’s an arms race, essentially. So we have to constantly update the card, our procedures and our requirements for documentation.” In the past four years, the lists of allowed identify verification documents has shrunk, House said, and employees have undergone training in fraudulent identity measures. For people who are homeless, individual field office managers can make exceptions, but House said he believes those are very rare. Regarding the address of “under the Burnside Bridge,” House said that’s one of the exceptions allowed. “We will do that under circumstances where somebody has no actual mailing address,” he said. House recommends that the man who’s ID names the Burnside Bridge as a residence request a change of address from the DMV, which is free of charge.

Buy Streetvibes From Badged Vendors Only! Streetvibes Vendors are required to sign a code of conduct and agree to abide by all the rules of the Streetvibes Vendor Program. If a Vendor misrepresents or breaks the rules, she/he may be removed from the Program. To report a Vendor, call 4217803. ext. 16

Visit the Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless website at - http://www.cincihomeless.org Visit the Streevibes archives at - http:// www.cincihomeless.org/content/streetvibes.html Streetvibes

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Got The Vibe?

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Visit the Greater Cincinnati Coaltion for the Homeless website at - http://www.cincihomeless.org Visit the Streevibes archives at - http:// www.cincihomeless.org/content/streetvibes.html Streetvibes

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A New form of kidnapping About a month ago there was a woman standing by a mall entrance passing out flyers to all the women going in. The woman had written the flyer herself to tell about an experience she had, so that she might warn other women. The previous day, this woman had finished shopping, went out to her car and discovered that she had a flat. She got the jack out of the trunk and began to change the flat. A nice man dressed in business suit and carrying a briefcase walked up to her and said, “I noticed you’re changing a flat tire. Would you like me to take care of it for you?” The woman was grateful for his offer and accepted his help. They chatted amiably while the man changed the flat, and then put the flat tire and the jack in the trunk, shut it and dusted his hands off.

The woman thanked him profusely, and as she was about to get in her car, the man told her that he left his car around on the other side of the mall, and asked if she would mind giving him a lift to his car. She was a little surprised and she asked him why his car was on other side. He explained that he had seen an old friend in the mall that he hadn’t seen for some time and they had a bite to eat and visited for a while. He got turned around in the mall and left through the wrong exit, and now he was running late and his car was clear around on the other side of the mall. The woman hated to tell him “no” because he had just rescued her from having to change her flat tire all by herself, but she felt uneasy. Then she remembered seeing the man put his briefcase in her trunk before

shutting it and before he asked her for a ride to his car. She told him that she’d be happy to drive him around to his car, but she just remembered one last thing she needed to buy. She said she would only be a few minutes; he could sit down in her car and wait for her; she would be as quick as she could be. She hurried into the mall, and told a security guard what had happened; the guard came out to her car with her, but the man had left. They opened the trunk, took out his locked briefcase and took it down to the police station. The police opened it (ostensibly to look for ID so they could return it to the man). What they found was rope, duct tape, and knives. When the police checked her “flat” tire, there was nothing wrong

with it; the air had simply been let out. It was obvious what the man’s intention was, and obvious that he had carefully thought it out in advance. The woman was blessed to have escaped harm. How much worse it would have been if she had children with her and had them wait in the car while the man fixed the tire, or if she had a baby strapped into a car seat? Or if she’d gone against her judgment and given him a lift? I’d like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to the ladies only; but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it on to them, as well.

State of Union Address Foreshadows Fiscal 2007 Budget President Bush’s annual State of the Union address on January 31 foreshadowed his plans for the Fiscal 2007 budget, which will be released February 6. Most significantly, the President proposed expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), tax-free savings accounts created in the 2003 Medicare law that can be used to pay deductibles and out-of-pocket costs of health care provided through a high-deductible health insurance plan. Many economists and analysts point out that HSAs offer the greatest benefits to those at the highest tax brackets who need help with health care the least. HSAs drive up the cost of health care for low-income and sicker people who would be more likely to stay in traditional lower-premium plans. Further, higher out-of-pocket costs will induce many lower-income people to avoid

seeking necessary care, which could eventually result in health problems that are more costly to treat. The idea behind HSAs is to create a greater incentive for people to avoid unnecessary health care costs, but research shows that the vast majority of health care costs are spent on the ten percent of people who have major illnesses or disabilities, situations in which health care cannot be safely avoided. Critics also argue that some ways of expanding HSAs could even encourage employers to stop providing coverage, making health care further out of reach for the average worker. (For more information, see the recent paper released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities at http:// www.cbpp.org/1-31-06health.htm) The President’s speech included other proposals that could affect services for moderate- and

low-income families. The President pledged, as he has in previous budget cycles, to reduce or eliminate a number of programs his administration deems to be not successful. He will propose to save $14 billion in fiscal 2007 by eliminating 140 programs. The President called for reducing or eliminating 150 programs last year and 65 programs the year before that and each time Congress has largely declined to do so. The sorts of programs targeted for elimination last year included the Safe and Drug Free Schools program, Upward Bound for low-income high school students, and Hope VI funding for revitalizing public housing. Although funding has been cut for these programs, Congress rejected the President’s plan to eliminate them. The President also announced a proposal to “train

70,000 high school teachers to lead advanced placement courses in math and science, bring 30,000 math and science professionals to teach in classrooms, and give early help to students who struggle with math so they have a better chance at good, high-wage jobs.” This proposal would be one prong of his American Competitiveness Initiative, which would also increase federal funding for scientific research and make permanent the research and development tax credit. Educators generally agree with the need for more focus on math and science, but the new initiatives are hardly adequate to make up for other shortfalls in federal education policy, such as underfunding the Leave No Child Behind Law by $40 billion over the past five years.

Costs of Making Tax Cuts Permanent Would Grow to Unsustainable Levels Notwithstanding the country’s swelling deficits and debt and long-term fiscal challenges, the President now insists on making all the tax cuts enacted between fiscal years 2001 and 2006 permanent. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has estimated that the overall cost of the tax cuts enacted to date, plus interest on the debt they create, would total $3.2 trillion through 2016. If extended, Bush’s tax cut policies would cost the country another $3.3 trillion over the same period, and the total cost would be $6.5 trillion through 2016. Costs would be higher in subsequent decades.

To put this figure into some perspective, the annual cost of the tax cuts would equal the cost of 10 government agency budgets combined: agriculture, labor, education, veterans affairs, transportation, HUD, justice, state, interior, EPA, and energy, when the tax cuts are fully in effect. The size of the Social Security shortfall, emphasized by the President, “pales” when compared with the cost of making the tax cuts permanent. “Just the cost of the tax cuts for the top one percent of households … is nearly as large as the entire Social Security deficit.” Go to http:// www.cbpp.org/2-6-06tax.htm

“Don “Don’’t Leave Home W ithout IIt...” t...”

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Streetvibes Vendor Code of Conduct About the Greater Cincinnati All Vendors Sign and Agree to a Code of Conduct Coalition for the Homeless and Report Any Violations to GCCH - 421-7803 Streetvibes.... Vendors must not tell customers 1. Streetvibes will be distributed earned. This program has helped for a $1 voluntary donation. If a customer donates more than $1 for a paper, vendors are allowed to keep that donation. However, vendors must never ask for more than $1 when selling Streetvibes. 2. Each paper purchased from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) costs 25 cents. Papers will not be given out on credit. Old papers can not be traded in for new papers. 3. Streetvibes may only be purchased from GCCH. Never buy papers from, or sell papers to other vendors. 4. Vendors must not panhandle or sell other items at the same time they are selling Streetvibes. 5. Vendors must treat all other vendors, customers, and GCCH personnel with respect. 6. Vendors must not sell Streetvibes while under the influence. 7. Vendors must not give a “hard sell” or intimidate anyone into purchasing Streetvibes. This includes following customers or continuing to solicit sales after customers have said no. Vendors must also never sell Streetvibes door-to-door. 8. Vendors must not deceive customers while selling Streetvibes. Vendors must be honest in stating that all profits go to the individual vendor.

that the money they receive will go to GCCH or any other organization or charity. Also, vendors must not say that they are collecting for “the homeless” in general. 9. Vendors must not sell papers without their badge. Vendors must present their badge when purchasing papers from GCCH. Lost badges cost $2.00 to replace. Broken or worn badges will be replaced for free, but only if the old badge is returned to GCCH. 10. Streetvibes vendor meetings are held on the first weekday of the month at 1pm. The month’s paper will be released at this meeting. If a vendor cannot attend the meeting, he or she should let us know in advance. If a vendor does not call in advance and does not show up, that vendor will not be allowed to purchase papers on the day of the meeting or the following day. Five free papers will be given to those who do attend. 11. Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in termination from the Streetvibes vendor program. GCCH reserves the right to terminate any vendor at any time as deemed appropriate. Badges and Streetvibes papers are property of GCCH, and must be surrendered upon demand.

The mission of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) is to support a street newspaper movement that creates and upholds journalistic and ethical standards while promoting self-help and empowerment among people living in poverty. NASNA papers support homeless and very low-income people in more than 35 cities across the United States and Canada.

Streetvibes Vendor: 75 Cents (75 cent profit goes directly to the vendor)

Homeless Coalition

25 Cents

Printing and Production: 25 cents (this cost does not cover expenses)

The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (GCCH) was formed in May of 1984 for one purpose: the eradication of homelessness in Cincinnati. What started out as a coalition of 15 volunteers meeting weekly in an unheated church basement has since grown into a Coalition of over 45 agencies and hundreds of volunteers dedicated to improving services for homeless individuals, educating the public about homelessness and empowering homeless individuals to advocate for their civil rights and housing needs. Streetvibes is a tool of GCCH used to help us achieve our goal of ending homelessness. On the one hand it is a selfsufficiency program geared towards the homeless and marginally housed individuals who are our vendors. Streetvibes vendors buy the paper for 30 cents per copy and sell it for a suggested one-dollar donation, keeping the profit that they have

hundreds of people find and maintain housing. The vendors also sign a code of conduct stating that they will behave responsibly and professionally and they proudly display their official Streetvibes badge while selling the paper. Our vendors put a face on “the homeless” of Cincinnati and form lasting friendships with their customers. On the other hand, Streetvibes is an award-winning alternative newspaper and part of the international street newspaper movement. Focusing on homelessness and social justice issues, Streetvibes reports the often-invisible story of poverty in our community. Streetvibes is also proud to include creative writing, poetry, articles, photography and interviews written by homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Streetvibes enjoys a loyal reader base that respects the honest portrayal of the joys, sorrows, and challenges facing the people of Cincinnati.

Streetvibes is a member of the:

The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) unites street papers sold by homeless and people living in poverty from all over the world. INSP is an umbrella organisation, which provides a consultancy service for its partner papers and advises on the setting up of new street papers and support initiatives for marginalised people.

Where Your Dollar Goes... The Streetvibes program maintains a minimal overhead cost so that our vendors can keep as much of the proceeds as possible. Please call our office at 421-7803 for more information about the program. Many thanks for your support.

Slumlord Survival (Real Change News, USA) by Cydney Gillis So much for holding bad landlords accountable: If Zane and Renee Morris can’t get any help under the state’s one-year-old antislumlord law, there’s a good chance no one else can, either. After six years of living in a duplex in the town of Spokane Valley, Zane, his wife Renee and their three children were being evicted Jan. 31. It’s not what they did, but what they asked their landlord to do: fix an ant infestation so bad that, to wash, “We have to take out the bath mat and hose out the bathtub,” Renee Morris says.

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Streetvibes

Numbers by Cindy Sheehan The now famous black shirt with white lettering that I was wearing on January 31st to the State of the Union address originally read: 2000 Dead. How many more? That shirt was made by Veterans for Peace on the occasion of the 2000th U.S. soldier killed in Iraq. That tragic number was reached on September 25th, 2005. About four months later, on the morning of January 31st, before my fellow peace activist and partner in patriotic dissent, Ann Wright, and I set out for our day’s adventures, Ann put masking tape over the zeroes in the 2000 and wrote: 242. Thus changing the number to 2242, which was the upsetting casualty total for that day. Before I set out for my fateful trip to the Capitol Building, we discovered that the number had sorrowfully risen to 2245. While Ann and I were giving the People’s State of the Union address that afternoon with Congressman John Conyers, courageous Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey and Katrina rights activist, Malik Rahim, three more American families were sent into a tailspin of loss, grief and despair from which they will never fully recover. The number on my shirt was changed to 2245. 2245 Dead. How many more? As of January 31st, at least 2245 North American families had paid the ultimate price for this administration’s stupid and careless policies in Iraq. Thousands upon thousands of our young men and women have been wounded, some

Slumlord The ants are the end of a long trail that includes dry rot, moisture, serious mold and an electrical short in the $625-a-month, four-bedroom unit, which is paid for by Section 8 federal housing assistance. At 32, Renee has had two strokes and Zane’s work options are limited by a back injury. The Morrises believe the landlord owes them $2,000 in moving assistance under a law dubbed the Slumlord Accountability Act, which the legislature passed one year ago to help low-income tenants like the Morrises. Without the $2,000, Renee Morris says, the couple and their children, ages 15, 12 and 10, will end up homeless. But just try getting the money. Despite contacting a myriad of city and state officials, “We can’t get anyone to tell us how to enforce it,” Morris says. Whether the family is entitled to the money, says Siobhan Ring, director of the Tenants Union, a nonprofit tenant advocacy group that pushed for the anti-slumlord act, depends on the building code in the

grievously, for the arrogance of empire. Innumerable Iraqis have been slaughtered for just going about their lives that day and for the heartless and supercilious policy of “fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here.” Today, in the City of Brotherly Love, I attended an awards ceremony for the Shalom Peace Center where I was given an award for being a prophetic voice. (It’s not an easy job). But, that’s not the important thing. The important thing is that one of my friends and biggest supporters brought some masking tape and a marker and many of the attendees were wearing about four inches of tape with the number 2250. That means five more angels were sent to an early grave, five more Mothers were unjustly and needlessly given a life’s sentence of pain, five more Fathers will be beginning an odyssey of mostly silent heartache: countless families ruined for our country’s preemptive foreign policy against imaginary enemies. I believe that whether one supports the wars of aggression of the malicious empire that is taking away our civil liberties as it is sending our young people off to kill and be killed, or whether one opposes preemptive murder, we should all be honoring our children who have given their lives nobly for such an ignoble cause. Numbers frighten people. The number of crosses that the Veterans for Peace put up each Sunday on some California beaches scares the living daylights out of the people who support George and his murderous policies. These people

claim that the VFP are making a political statement and want the numbers to go away and not disturb them. Being confronted with numbers, faces, and reality is too much for some people. As a former math teacher, I know that many people have an unreasonable fear of numbers. The number of our war dead in Iraq is very fear inducing. I know numbers are very alarming especially when there is no logical reason for them. We know George Bush went AWOL from his dangerous ‘Nam duty in the Alabama Air National Guard. I suppose he was fighting them in Alabama so they wouldn’t have to fight them in Massachusetts. We know George Bush did not have the tiniest bit of the courage of our troops when he wouldn’t meet me face to face on his adoptive turf of Crawford, Texas. Now the world knows that he doesn’t even have the fortitude to face a t-shirt. As humans, we all know that it is very hard to face one’s mistakes, especially when undeserving people have paid a horrible toll for that foolishness. But what am I talking about? From failures in his business life to compound, harmful and inexcusable failures in his public life, George Bush has never even admitted a mistake, let alone faced one. Well, it’s time George faced this mistake and is somehow made to feel intense shame for the biggest mistake of his miserable mistake filled life. I call on people that are for peace and justice to wear the number on their chests every day…near their

hearts. To honor our dead, but to also confront the ones who are waging this war, and supporting the wagers of death, but who won’t risk their own flesh and blood for the crimes against humanity that are perpetrated on a daily basis. I implore everyone in the U.S. to remember that each number in the grisly count represents a living, breathing, wonderful, loving and indispensable member of a family, community, and our nation. They are not just numbers. They were human beings before they were exploited for oil and greed. Wear the number for our dead. Wear the number for their families. Wear the number for our wounded. Wear the number for our children still in harm’s way whose confusion about the mission is growing and who only want to come home. Wear the number for people who will be in the way of the future wars of aggression that the war criminals in DC are already planning. Wear it for the people of Iraq who only want us to go away. Wear the number for peace. To find the number each day go to: www.iCasualties.org Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Specialist. Casey Austin Sheehan who was killed in Iraq on April 04, 2004; Founder and President of Gold Star Families for Peace (www.GSFP.org) and author of Not One More Mother’s Child. Cindy is also the very proud mother of Carly, Andy, and Janey Sheehan who hold down the fort in Vacaville, California.

given jurisdiction and how the inspectors there interpret it. On Dec. 29, after a month of asking the unit’s new property manager, Moland Management, to fix the problems, the family filed a building code complaint and contacted the local Section 8 administrator, the Spokane Housing Authority. A city inspector came out and issued the property manager a notice to fix the ant problem in five days. Moland responded by calling in an exterminator, who wrote a report stating no pest control could be done until the floor and walls were replaced. The same day they filed the complaint, the Morrises found an eviction notice posted on their door. Outside of Seattle, a landlord doesn’t need any cause for eviction, so the notice might have been legal — except that state law prohibits retaliatory eviction and, as it happens, Section 8 rentals do require a just cause. On Jan. 6, Morris says, Moland sidestepped the law simply by giving the family a new eviction notice citing “economic reasons”: The

Morrises have to vacate so that Moland can replace the bathroom floor and walls as ordered by the exterminator. Siobhan Ring says it’s a common switch for a landlord to make. “It is illegal for a landlord to terminate tenancy in retaliation for a tenant asserting her rights,” Ring says. “But the landlord can come up with a non-retaliatory reason like ‘Oh, I need to do all this work.’” In order for the Morrises to qualify for the moving assistance — which the anti-slumlord act sets at $2,000 or three times the monthly rent, whichever is greater — Ring says a code inspector from the city of Spokane Valley would have had to declare the unit uninhabitable. But, under Spokane Valley code, “The infestation did not rise to a level that it would require that declaration,” says city spokesperson Carolbelle Branch. According to Branch, the city had no jurisdiction to order the landlord to pay the moving assistance. Since then, the Morrises have contacted the Northwest Justice Project in hopes of suing Moland Management, which represents

landlord R. Ryan Properties. They’ve also been frantic in looking for help to move. The state turned them down for $1,500 in emergency cash known as a “diversion grant,” but a private nonprofit called the Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP) has offered to put the family up in a motel for 30 days. Bob Peeler, the Morrises’ counselor at SNAP, says he sits on a local homeless commission that includes 45 agencies but had never heard of the anti-slumlord law. That’s a problem the family has run into over and over. With eviction day just around the corner, Renee Morris said her children are stressed out and having trouble sleeping. Her grandmother just paid for a storage unit for the family’s belongings, but Morris says she’s worried five people, two dogs, and a cat aren’t going to fit in one motel room. “How are we going to manage to live like that for 30 days?” Morris asks. “Granted, we won’t be living on the street, but it’s all because these rich people can’t divvy up a couple thousand to help us get out of this dump.”

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Real Man

The Homeless Man by Angela C. A homeless man Scavenges In trash barrels And envies People who look down on him With scorn As they hurry home To their evening meals. He crouches In a rat infested corner, Content to be with creatures That don’t cringe At the sight of him.

Angel by Erin C. Although I was young I remember. . . Memories shared, Games played, Times spent talking, All in the distant past now That you are gone away, Watching from above, Loving, caring, An angel in the heavens My grandpa

Faith by Tiffanie Schaffer Life is a struggle and even a fight. Sometimes you feel hopeless. You may find yourself shelterless. But remember, you are never homeless. Home is where the heart is. Keep the faith.

by Tina Bapp It’s a grey night, clouds roll in. It’s cold. Yet in your home, you are safe. You fail to notice the storm. You fail to feel the frigid night air. You fail to notice. You’re all to consumed with your warm life. Your work. Your Family. Your Home. You fail to notice. On this grey night, the family hovering, in the tiny damp corner, the baby wet, the mother coughing, the father distraught. Unemployment hit. welfare reform hit. The cold hits hardest. On this grey night, are you going to notice?

Day of Silence by Dan T. Dedicated to Sgt. Andrew K. Farrar killed in Iraq on his 31st birthday. A line of black marches on hallowed ground. The pipes call out to him Though he cannot hear. The pipes play a tune he holds dear. A tune all can hear. We lost a brother on that day. We honored him as the pipes did play. His boys close, so young, so cute. All silent for the twenty-one gun salute.

by Ron O’Neal It’s hard to be a real man Most of us can, but some of us can’t Some of us take the word ‘man’ so lightly But why do we hold on to our freedom so tightly A real man has to make so many hard choices No matter what someone else says, or how loud their voices It’s hard to understand why they stay on top They must have the strength of a rock They live life, one day at a time It’s a wonder they don’t loose their minds They have to make choices, right or wrong No matter what, they remain strong They’re always there for family and fiends They’ll never give up, even if the world comes to an end I only wish to live my life like a real man And I know with God’s grace and mercy, I can How would you like to be a real man? Not just me, anyone can

I Will Never Be Homeless I will never be homeless, It won’t happen to me. I will never be homeless, I’m doing so well, don’t you see? I have a good job, a nice house and a car, I have everything I need to go far. I am not like those Welfare bums, To whom prosperity never comes. You know, the ones who don’t want to work, Any kind of physical labor, they shirk. All they want to do is drink, Some are not clean, and they stink. Then, I see a man, lying in the street, A tattered coat around him and no shoes on his feet. But, I sense that something is wrong, That somehow, this man does not belong. So, I decide to stop to say hello, And ask him why he fell so low. He once worked on a street called Bay, Making good money every day. Then, one day his job was gone. He was told, “just go on home.” He soon just didn’t care, His purpose in life no longer there. He lost his family, his home, and his car. In just a few months, he fell so far. So here he was, on the street, With a tattered coat around him and no shoes on his feet. Then I saw the lines on his face and the pain in his eyes, I will never be homeless, will I?

Writers! Submit your Poetry to STREETVIBES email your writing to

He lies just six feet away. I swell up with tears. For this is the thing I did fear. The pipes played loud and proud on that silent day. If only you had been there as the pipes did play.

Streetvibes@juno.com

Page 14

Streetvibes

Our Greatest Fear

The Weighted Hour

by Nelson Mandela (From 1994 Inaugural Speech) Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

by Michael Henson There is an hour when the world is too weighted for us to bear. When the minutes press on us like the stones of Salem. An hour when the slant light falls to ash. When the red-eyed liar gnaws at the ear. When there is no end to the drone of engines. And there is no end to the sad parades. And hour when anger clots the lungs. When there seems to be no hope. Then I look to the lonely crow. There, in his cold rooms high above the red tips of the maples above the strung powerlines above the cell phone towers. He is a black ship in a vast bottle. He works his wings in short bursts against the wind, then coasts for a time, works in a burst, then coasts again. Then I want to think myself the crow, eagling across a broken heartland. Far below me, the asphalt ribbons and the bulldozer scars. Far below me, the suburban checkerboard, Far below me, the gash of abandoned factories. Far below me, the rivers that choke with the runoff of the poisoned farms. Far below me, the small men who walk green fields hitting small white balls. Far below me, strip malls and theme parks. Far below me, the broad separate roofs of the houses on streets that meander like the tunnels of the mole. Far below me, the close-packed roofs of the projects. And I am sad, for I see nothing that looks like home. The horizon is wide and far off. At the line where the sun sets, I see the gray fences and the leaning stalks of corn. The light leans to the earth’s back door. I search the dusk for my brothers and my sisters. I call them in a voice of husks and gravel.

What the World Is Made Of by Brittany Owens What the world is made of, children Playing in dirty streets. What the world is made of, Trash Left by passing individuals. What the world is made of, single Mothers struggling to give her child The simple things in life. What the world is made of, homeless Begging on the corners. What the world is made of, more polluted Air outdoors than an indoor cramped space. What the world is made of, dreams, Hopes, and wishes crushed in a single moment. What the world is made of, people wishing This was not what the world is made of.

Berta’s Art Corner

The Clock by Kevin G. The Clock Ticks, Counting out bits of time. Monotonous and never ceasing, making minutes seem eternities or a day of fun only a minute long. It is our master, we its slaves. From its place on the wall the clock rules our modern world, counting the seconds toward eternity.

Dancing in the snow - Sculture at Clifton and Ludlow Avenues (Burnet Woods)

Streetvibes

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357-4602

Formed in 1984, The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless is a membership organization. Our member groups serve the homeless through emergency shelter, transitional living facilities, permanent housing, medical services, social services, soup kitchens, and mental health/addiction services. The Coalition also consists of individual citizens who want to take an active role in ensuring that Cincinnati is an inclusive community, meeting the needs of all of its citizens. Join the fight to end homelessness; contact the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless at (513) 421-7803, 117 East 12th Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

SHELTER: Both Anthony House (Youth)

SHELTER: Men City Gospel Mission 241-5525 Garden St. House 241-0490 Joseph House (Veterans) 241-2965 St. Francis/St.Joseph House 381-4941 Mt. Airy Center 661-4620 Volunteers of Amer. 381-1954

SHELTERS: Women and Children YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter 872-9259 (Toll Free) 1-888-872-9259 Bethany House 557-2873 Salvation Army 762-5660 Welcome Hse. 859-431-8717 Women’s Crisis Center 859-491-3335

If you need help or would like to help please call one of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless members listed below.

OTHER SERVICES: AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati 421-2437 Appalachian Identity Center 621-5991 Beech Acres 231-6630 Center for Independent Living Options 241-2600 Churches Active in Northside 591-2246 Cincinnati Health Network 961-0600 Community Action Agency 569-1840 Contact Center 381-4242 Emanuel Center 241-2563

TREATMENT: Both N.A. Hopeline 820-2947 A.A. Hotline 351-0422 C.C.A.T. 381-6672 Talbert House 684-7956 Transitions, Inc 859-491-4435 VA Domiciliary 859-559-5011 DIC Live-In Program 721-0643

TREATMENT: Men Charlie’s 3/4 House 784-1853 Prospect House 921-1613 Starting Over 961-2256

TREATMENT: Women First Step Home 961-4663 Full Circle Program 721-0643

HOUSING: CMHA 721-4580 Excel Development 632-7149 Miami Purchase 241-0504 OTR Housing Net. 369-0004 ReSTOC 381-1171 Tender Mercies 721-8666 Tom Geiger House 961-4555 Dana Transitional Bridge Services, Inc 751-9797

Caracole (AIDS) 761-1480 Friars Club 381-5432 Drop Inn Center 721-0643 Haven House 863-8866 Interfaith Hospitality 471-1100 Lighthouse Youth Center (Teens) 961-4080 St. John’s Housing 651-6446

Need Help or Want to Help?

MIDDLETOWN/HAMILTON (Butler County) St. Raphaels (Food Bank/Soup Kitchen) 863-3184 Salvation Army 863-1445 Serenity House Day Center 422-8555 Open Door Pantry 868-3276 New Life Baptist Mission (Soup Kitchen) 896-9800 Hope House (Homeless Families/Singles) 423-4673

Freestore/ Foodbank 241-1064 Fransiscan Haircuts 381--0111 Goodwill Industries 771-4800 Coalition for the Homeless 421-7803 Hamilton Co. Mental Health Board 946-8600 Mental Health Access Point 558-8888 Hamilton Co. TB Control 632-7186 Health Rsrc. Center 357-4602 Homeless Mobile Health Van 352-2902 House of Refuge Mission 221-5491 Legal Aid Society 241-9400 Madisonville Ed. & Assis. Center 271-5501 Mary Magdalen House 721-4811 McMicken Dental Clinic 352-6363 Our Daily Bread 621-6364 Peaslee Neighborhood Center 621-5514 Project Connect, Homeless Kids 363-1060 St. Vincent De Paul 562-8841 The Emergency Food Center 471-4357 Travelers Aid 721-7660 United Way 721-7900 VA Homeless 859-572-6226 Women Helping Women 872-9259

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