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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2017)
Street Roots • May 12-18, 2017 O p in io n Page 3 We won’t be proxies for anti-immigrant policy ords mean things. Or at least they used to. We shouldn’t give it to them. We shouldn’t become proxies for such destructive policies. That could be a challenge, given the financial Take the word “criminal” for example. It carrot ICE has for cash-strapped counties with costly has been inserted into the debate over immigration, jails to run. Local jails across the country are part of pushed by the Trump administration insistence on IC E ’s scheme to increase space for an aggressive arresting, incarcerating and deporting so-called detention agenda, and ICE is busy identifying more “criminal” aliens. It’s a term that beds in county facilities to house the anticipated rise conjures up the perfect antagonist in detentions in years to come. It’s a new form of if you’re looking to profit from a privatizing our local jails and officers in the m paranoid, divided, us-against-them industrial detention complex. society. It’s important to remember that coming into this Fear and stereotypes around immigration country illegally - crossing the border outside of the enforcement have always been destructive to a proper process - is simply a misdemeanor. And if community, but they seemed to be headed toward a you have been in the country legally and your fever pitch as the Trump administration digs its documents expire, the offense is a civil offense - it is claws into U .S . Immigration and Customs not a crime. Yet, with compounding levels of offenses Enforcement. aimed at ensnaring immigrants, the federal So what does this term mean? government has become a “criminal” making It can mean a violation of people’s constitutional machine. rights, for one. All people in the United States - Oregonians have been letting their voice be heard regardless of your residency or citizenship status - against the invasive tactics of ICE in our are Under protected under the U .S. Constitution. this administration, it means taking basic communities. protections away from people who are Lawmakers can follow suit, pushing back harder undocumented, discriminating against people of with legislation that prohibits unchecked federal color, and ultimately tearing apart families and collusion with local law enforcement. One example people’s lives. to look at is California, which is considering several Because under current policy for undocumented pieces of legislation to establish a due process for immigrants, anybody charged with a crime - even if cooperation between federal and local officials - one they’re not convicted, is subject to incarceration and that protects individual rights and doesn’t exploit deportation by IC E . Even further than that, IC E can police authority. detain and deport anyone they believe might have It’s unconscionable that a nation that owes so broken the law, whether they’re charged or not. And much to immigrants would treat modern day finally, just to sweep all the corners clean, it gives immigrants with such contempt. We have designated immigration enforcement officers individual a population of people of color with a criminal label judgement as to whether someone poses a risk to for the slightest offenses, misdemeanors that would public safety - and should be deported. be a slap on the wrist for a native resident. With so many people in their sights, it’s clear the federal government wants - and is seemingly Basta. demanding - our complicity. Enough. W J t J •> I ; Executive Director Israel Bayer israel@streetroots.org Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl joanne@streetroots.org Vendor Program Director Cole Merkel coie@streetroots.org Operations Director Sarah Beecroft Development Director Sarah Cloud How you can support Street Roots this season 6. If you are traveling out of town with family or ere are 10 ways to support Street Roots and vendors this spring and summer. The more friends, buy an extra copy of Street Roots for the you spread the love about Street Roots and road. Reading Street Roots at the airport, train the more people who purchase the newspaper, the station, on a road trip or by the campfire is bound to spur some great conversation. more successful vendors are. It’s a win-win situation. 7. If friends or family are visiting from out of town. 1. Stop and talk to your neighborhood vendor. Let them know what Street Roots is and the concept ______________________ Introduce yourself and let the vendor know what you like and behind it, and encourage them to buy a copy if they DIRECTOR'S are shopping at Powell’s bookstores or other don’t like about the newspaper. locations where vendors regularly sell. Stay engaged and help us build 8. Let us know about your experience purchasing community. Street Roots Street Roots, both the good and bad. It means the provides a safe place for B y Israel Bayer world to many of the vendors to hear from readers. individuals to engage with It’s equally important for us to know if things aren’t people on the streets in a going well on sales locations. Visit streetroots.org to positive atmosphere. submit your story today. 2. Recruit your peer network and turn them on to 9. Donate to Street Roots. We can’t do it without Street Roots. It’s one of the best ways you can you. Plus, when you give $25 or more to Street Roots support the organization and vendors. through June, you’ll receive a cool pack of Street 3. Tell businesses that you love Street Roots. Ask a Roots buttons. manager or tell the clerk how much you love having a 10. Lastly, pay it forward, Portlanders. The only Street Roots vendor in front of the businesses that way to combat poverty and hate is love. It transcends you frequent. It makes all the difference in the world. all. See someone having a bad day? Offer them a hand 4. Become a Street Roots ambassador and help or a smile. Do something nice for a stranger. Take spread the word. Buy an additional Street Roots and the time to spread your love this spring and summer. introduce the organization to at least one friend or From all of us at Street Roots, we appreciate your co-worker this summer. readership and support of vendors selling the 5. Blast out Street Roots on social media. Have the newspaper. Giving a hand up and getting a great read perfect shot of reading a Street Roots with your in return is our goal. Thank you for making that morning coffee and cinnamon roll? Take a photo and possible. Happy summer! put it on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. H Israel Bayer is the executive director o f Street Roots. You can reach him at israel@streetroots. org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer. Volunteers Jan Bayer, John Barker, Stacey Heath, Anjali Rathore, Zoe Klingmann, Dan Jones, Dennis Hogan, Monica McKune, Susan Wolfe, Lucas Hawthorne, Thomas Buell Jr., Jeanie Lunsford, Yasmin Amirsoleymani, Jason Cohen, Tom Ray, Doug Spangle, Susannah Kamala, Jon Raymond, Diana Richardson, Cherie Manning, Paul and Madeline Gefroh, Mary Anne Joyce, Del Shawn Davidson, Gillian Floren, Mark OlDani, Bridget Brown, Cody Travels, Bianca Butler, Robb Hengerer, Alex Cherin, Jenny Farres, Evan Firsick, Camber Hansen-Karr, Miranda Woods, Henry Brannan, Megan Smith, Luke Scheuermann and Helen Hill. If you're interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application at streetroots.org/volunteer. Or you can call for more information at 503-228-5657. ■ 1
