street roots
10
O c t 28, 2011
. J ■ J s L « '
Seattle eases rules for
church homeless camps
I am w h at I am
Jeremy simmons
I am what I am
Afro American
A native head of hair black as night
As black as my African side
I am east west south north
A child of Oregon raised by Portland
Sailed over by boat tied together with chains and hung by ropes
Slayed for land given for any man
Two survivors deceived by one liar
I am a survivor walking along streets filled with secrets beneath
Ripped from my culture my siblings the jungle in the heat
L ost. . . stolen . . . languages and traditions that wasn’t up for thé keep
Don’t know my real name but I am what I am
The sun in the sky to depths of the moon at night
The triangle trade is where I was made
Those were the days that everything changed
Those were the days that seem like they’ll never go away
I am here and my bloodline was once there and somewhere near.
T h e D ro n e an d th e T our B u s
By Mike Hastie -
While Americans take a tour bus to see the nation’s capital,
a U.S. Government drone heads to Afghanistan to kill enemies
of the American Empire.
The pilot of the drone is somewhere in Arizona,
believing that drones save American lives.
A man about to receive a lethal dose for committing .
mass murder 10 years ago says a prayer for his country.
Mike Hastie was a U.S. Army medic in Vietnam
SISTERS
OF THE
ROAD
SSEA
Announcing!
Nominations for the
Genevieve Nelson Nonviolence
and Economic Human Rights
Award are now open!
Candidates for this award will have demonstrated a
capacity for creative, compassionate nonviolence and
demonstrated action towards creating a world where
resources are shared based on need, not greed and
violence. .
must also provide space to keep perishable
food cold and products to keep thè area
eligious organizations in Seattle that
clean.
In a statement released after the vote,
want to host a homeless encampment
Mayor Mike McGinn said, “I want to thank
no longer have to seek a permit,
thanks to a new law that some homeless the City Council for recognizing the
fundamental right of religious institutions to
people oppose.
care for people in need.”
The Seattle City Council gave its blessing
But not everyone agrees with the
Oct. 3 to an ordinance that allows Seattle
religious organizations to provide shelter to
legislation.
Jarvis Capucion, a resident of Tent City 3,
an encampment or tent city without
says that while the law makes it easier for
obtaining a perm it The legislation,
originally proposed by Councilmember Nick religious organizations, the requirement for
private or public groups to obtain a permit
Licata, passed with a unanimous vote.
The new legislation eases the burden on
to house an encampment creates a burden.
churches, synagogues and mosques seeking
Capucion, who is also a board member of
SHARE/WHEEL, a grassroots organization
to use their property to fulfill a mission to
support homeless people. Churches are also of homeless and formerly homeless people,
no longer required to notify neighbors of
says there aren’t enough churches in
plans to host an encampment Secular
Seattle that have the space to host a camp.
entities that wish to create space for
Earlier this month, SHARE had to close
encampments are still required to obtain a
15 shelters when the Federal Emergency
permit
Management Agency, or FEMA, cut its
While all churches can now forego
funding. The funding has since been
permits to host camps, only encampments
restored to reopen the shelters, but has yet
deemed as “transitional” can put down
to arrive. ‘
stakes on religious property. The legislation
Capucion has seen space issues play out
defines a transitional encampment as one
at Tent City 3, where he’s lived for the past
with tents or similar shelter that provides
18 months. The encampment — which
“temporary quarters for sleeping and
signed à consent decree with the city in
shelter.” Even though the encampment may 2002 that allows it to be hosted by either
only provide temporary quarters, there is
religious or private groups without a permit
no limit onhow long an encampment can
until March 2012 — has shuffled from
stay on church grounds.
churches in Seattle to those in Shoreline
An encampment must meet a number of
and Tukwila. At the end of this month, Tent
requirements: t can house no more than
City 3 will move to Shoreline once again, to
100 people; the site must provide toilets,
a church that has room for its 100 residents.
running water and garbage collection; and it
The new law goes into effect Nov. 2.
must observe all health requirements issued
Republished from Real Change Newspaper,
by the city, county and public health
Seattle, Wash.
department. Cooking facilities, if provided,
BY ROSETTE ROYALE
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R IT E R
R
CENTRAL CITY
concern
Changing Lives
All are invited to submit nominations for leaders in
our community who have made an impact in the areas
o f Nonviolence and Economic Human Rights. Go to
Building Communities
sistersoftheroad.org!programs/nvehr-award/
Creating Opportunities
for our
nonviolence and economic human rights statement;
and to print a nomination form. Nominations due
Friday, Nov..t8, 2011.
Nomination forms can be emailed to: award@sistersoftheroad.org;
mailed or dropped off at 133 NW 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97209
www.centralcityconcern.org
503-294-1681
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IN T E R N A T IO N A L ®
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Roots and keeping our vendors warm in the morning!
Thank you!
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w hat’s happening.