No Place For Hate

Five years old; Floralita Street in Sunland

A funny thing happened on the way to being someone I thought I should be, I became myself and wasn't displeased with the result.

I've been writing what I think everyone will read; but what drew you here was what I wrote before I worried about pleasing everyone. I started out as an activist and that suits me. Now I get to be who I really am... hell, why make this blog if not to write what I please? The key is: I am the writer of those things others read and sometimes say they don't. I don't care about that, what matters to me is that I am true to my self. I write because I have something to say. It's icing on the cake if you read it, but I'll write it either way.

Let me say right now: The Foothills Forum is disturbing and disturbed. Remember those evil old people with no life who ratted you out to parents; put concrete bumps on the sidewalk because your skates were too noisy; and spyed on you and your boyfriend when your parents weren't home so they could tattle-tale, but you knew they really got off on looking in your windows?! Those people are writing on the Foothills Forum. They label, accuse, convict, and condemn. They attack the homeless mercilessly. They call people vile names and accuse them of prostitution, drug use, and perversions without a shred of evidence.

Oh I know they'll get what they deserve which is the same hate they dish out. I promise. I've alerted authorities beyond our little police department to the vigilante justice one imbecile (pictured with his catch of the day) rallied everyone to join him in: driving the homeless out of town by citizen task force (emphasis on force, Kelly Thomas advocates, take note); or the spying and sneaking and peeking Frankenstein is fond of, and then theres the Sunset guy: creator of 27 different kinds of trouble and solution to none. Thank god I'm "banned for life" I might've tried to find a happy medium among these idiots.

The Foothills Forum allows hate speech and advocates pugilistic verbiage from those Mike Wilken the owner and creator has little control of, but dearly loves to egg on for more hits to his site. When someone gets hurt, and they will, blame Mike. He has no love for his FF members; he has emailed me they are all "bat-shit crazy" yet they dance to his tune and kowtow for his favor, less they be suspended for a week and suffer withdrawals.

You know how you discover a truth sometimes and wish you hadn't but it just won't go away? This is a truth, there is something seriously wrong with the hate advocated on the Foothills Forum. So where does this leave us (or me)? At the beginning... it's a long road to right the wrongs. I hope I'll glance to the side while I'm on it to see I'm not alone.

Also read http://brockbajer.blogspot.com/2011/08/bums-in-bushes-drinking-liquor.html and http://brockbajer.blogspot.com/2011/08/assembly-bill-312-advancing-civil.html

What?! It's Obvious Governor Brown: AB 312 Needs Your Signature!

Not acceptable; I just received an email from Scott Lay who is Assemblymember Lowenthal's aide, that Governor Brown has failed to sign AB 312. What a dodgey thing to do; sidestepping the issue... why? Because the homeless (who have no address for voter registration) can't vote?

Lay has assured me AB 312 the Assembly Bill to protect the civil rights of Californias homeless from 'hate crimes' "will pass with or without Brown's signature" but I expect my elected representative to take a strong stand on the issues that concern me... and 157,000 others (the number of homeless in California).

I will keep you apprised of AB 312's progress. You can contact Assemblymember Lowenthal (who authored this Bill) to express your interest and concern at http://asmdc.org/members/a54/

"Bums in bushes, drinking liquor"...what is 'hate speech'?

“Cockroaches and scum”

  “Half-naked crack heads”

    “Damn ninjas in the dark”

      “Tweaks, junks, and drunks”

        “Hobo zombies” and “Stray Cats”

It sounds like a joke but it's the farthest thing from it! What have you posted on your local forum? Have you vented against the homeless? Devised ways to drive them from your community? Demanded they not be fed? It doesn’t matter when you wrote these regrettable remarks; search engines will bring them to the top. Would your post be an example of “hate speech”?

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) defines hate speech as “speech that advocates or encourages violent acts of crime or hate” and/or “speech that creates a climate of hate or prejudice, which may in turn foster the commission of hate crimes.” A website that uses hate speech is called a “hate site”.

A “hate crime” is a criminal offense committed against another person because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or association with any of these groups. Soon, homelessness will be added to that list in an unprecedented move for civil rights. According to the staff for Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal who authored AB 312 “the homeless bill” will become law on January 1^st, with or without Governor Brown’s signature.

Back to what you should not have posted: when law enforcement investigates crime, part of that investigation includes gathering and recording information about the motivation behind the crime. This information is included in reports that are sent to prosecuting attorneys. Although currently protected by free speech, hate speech can be motivation. Think about what you wrote…

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) in Washington D.C. is compiling a study on hate crimes against the homeless and how and where and why they originate. When interviewed about our homeless population and their future here in LA County…the conversation naturally turned to the tide of resentment voiced on the local forum and the drive to run the homeless out of town. Even the objections to feeding them is listed as a form of hate according to their study titled Hate Crimes Against The Homeless, America’s Growing Tide of Violence.

Following that conversation I contacted Mike Wilken “Admin” of The Foothills Forum. On July 12 I wrote him “The forum is attracting a lot of outside interest right now and people should watch what they put in print” to which he quipped, “Vague references to ‘outside interest in the forum’? Come on, you can do better than that.”

 I tried again, writing “I have become very careful with the printed word and suggest others do too, you never know who’s printing your posts” to which Mike snipped, “Maybe I do!” Well maybe he doesn’t.

So maybe you’d like to rush back at this point to The Foothills Forum and reread that post you wrote and edit or delete it? I’m not saying you shouldn’t have your opinion, I'm saying that is not the place for it…

...Back so soon? What?! Ten people quoted your post in their replies… well it’s too late now and being screen shot, printed, noted, and cataloged. There are numerous studies being conducted where the highest numbers of hate crimes originate. Since California has the second highest incidence of such crimes in the nation I guess you stand a good chance of being quoted in a government study.

But you’re safe behind your avatar right? Nobody knows who you are, not really… Oh wait, didn’t somebody demand that everyone stop “hiding behind avatars”? Whoa! You are screwed. Not to mention the most important point of all: any weak minded individual with a personality disorder who reads your words and acts upon them (even if you “didn’t really mean it”) will credit you with the idea to harm another because you wrote about it in a forum…

Doesn’t that just make you feel safe at night, to know some “bums in bushes, drinking liquor” are in harm's way because of you? That thread alone received 2500 views and 85 posts. Somebody’s certainly motivated.

Assembly Bill 312: advancing the civil rights of the homeless

As Assembly Bill 312 wends its way through the system with revisions and approvals, it finally made its way to the desk of California Governor Jerry Brown on July 25 for his signature, but tragedy could not wait for new civil rights to be afforded to the downtrodden.

AB 312 is a civil rights bill making hate crimes against the homeless a violation of their civil rights by recognizing this growing tide of humanity as a distinct group against whom any abuse targeting their homelessness is a “hate crime”.

But the death of Kelly Thomas, a homeless schizophrenic at the hands of Fullerton Police on July 5 has brought new awareness of the deadly attitudes stalking the homeless. To be honest the Bill may not have given Thomas any greater protection because revision made to the Bill while in consideration was written into AB 312, exempting law enforcement personnel from its requirements.

Kelly Thomas however, has given a face to the homeless. Thomas was beaten by Fullerton police while he resisted arrest for questioning for car break-ins and robberies. He is believed to have been ‘off his meds’ at the time. He went into a coma and died five days later. Thomas’ father, Ron Thomas was at his side but Kelly never regained consciousness before dying.

Assembly Bill 312 specifically adds homeless persons to the list of individuals protected from violence and intimidation under the Ralph Civil Rights Act. By adding homeless persons as a protected class, they would have the ability to bring a civil action for damages, attorney fees, and other appropriate relief if there is an infringement of their rights. It also provides a comprehensive definition of a "homeless person."

The author of this bill, Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach has indicated that on a national level, there has been an increase in violence towards homeless people. A report entitled, "America’s Growing Tide of Violence," notes that California has the second-highest rate of violence against homeless persons in the nation:

"There are an estimated 157,000 homeless people in California, perhaps the most vulnerable population in the state. Of those 30,000 are veterans. The homeless are more likely to suffer from mental and physical illness, and less likely to receive medical treatment. Even worse, they are the population most likely to be the target of violent attacks. In the last year alone, homeless people have been set on fire, stabbed, shot, and beaten with baseball bats."

Assemblymember Lowenthal from her office in Sacramento stated today “You don’t give up your rights just because you don’t have a home,” she said. “Nor do you stop being a person whose life is valuable. You would think everybody already knows that, but, sadly, they don’t.”

Among the supporters of AB312 is NAMI California (National Alliance on Mental Illness). In a letter of support for AB312 Frances Tibbits, Chair of NAMI California Legislative Workgroup states “Many people with mental illness suffer homelessness, through lack of treatment and our society’s lack of commitment to treatment and shelter for all.

“It is not a crime to be homeless, yet crimes are increasing against people of this status. It is very reasonable that homelessness should be a named status for which people shall not be subject to violence or intimidation. Existing law lists the following named protected statuses: political affiliation, sex, race, color, religion, marital status, sexual orientation or position in a labor dispute. Some can be changed, some cannot, but all are deemed worthy of named protection. People who are homeless deserve that protection.”

There are no opponents to the bill. Governor Brown has until August 25 to sign the bill. Californians can let Governor Brown know their views regarding AB312 by contacting him at http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php