Sweeps & the PoLice!!!

By Jay Paulino

The krapitalist army coming for ComeUnity.

   Why? Does the Government want to divide us and sweep us off the streets?

   The reason why is because we are houseless and can’t afford a roof over our heads. We try to survive by sleeping where we are most comfortable and out of the way. The issue is police follow us everywhere we go. I’m in that tough situation at a young age where it’s difficult to Live. I'm in California for gosh sake, it's really expensive out here. I’m at that age of adulting where I'm trying to get myself on the real world path. I graduated from school last year. I can say life is difficult but it’s just the start. 

All of this flooded into my mind as I heard about the devastation coming for East 12 St - one of the largest remaining houseless comeUnities in Oakland. 

  Around the month of April, Tragedy hit the wall once again. The Police and Caltrans sweep a whole street of houseless folks right off their feet and there goes their housing. Wood Street Commons and POOR Magazine, two houseless/formerly houseless, poor people led movements providing street based advocacy, support, solutions and resources to fellow houseless residents of the Bay Area, could definitely help others in crisis. The Problem with the Government now is the pay California Highway Patrol (CHP), San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), Oakland Police Department (OPD), and all of CalTrans get. Some examples that point to this Issue is the Oakland’s Mayor sweep all of these people out and spend millions on homeless people like Where exactly did that money go? I can’t forget about the action where the Government swept Shattuck and 51st street, more people went houseless and the houseless population just went up an extra percent or two.

  The  Lake Merritt sweep is a prime example of the City destroying Community. Look at all of the violent sweeps at the Lake Merritt “Public Park." Where people can’t rest their head at night when there are houseless, not hurting a damn soul. Just trying to survive and these violent street sweep workers, California Highway Patrol (CHP), City Officer Departments are all so ridiculous that they are calling it “Cleaning the Community.” When the Government is destroying lives. When our people are hurting, the Government destroys us and tears us apart, taking their belongings and getting told “You have 10-15 minutes to pack your life in a bag and get on.” You get what I’m trying to put down. The audacity of the Government when there is real crime going on in this world and most of the people talking about how bad the houseless percentage is going up more and more. Government says they’ll fix it but never does. 

Here’s the stupid  “Solution” The City of Oakland had when they made us Houseless Once Again. After bringing up a houseless solution they kicked us to the curb once again. “Wood Street Commons”,”Oakland Homeless Union" and “POOR MAGAZINE’’ are trying to make a drastic change on houseless folks. We would like to work together because the Government isn’t trying to make a change, so we will.

”The feces gushing out of the cabin's plumbing is just the final proof they would rather kill us than listen to us.” concluded Tiny the Cofounder of Poor Magazine/Homefulness. When the City has solutions, they never come through with their solutions. It's all talk!

Why do Police keep sweepin us off the streets? maybe because of the money the government pays Police/State Troopers, CalTrans and the rest of the Government that doesn’t let us lay our heads outside. When there's all of this crime, They just stuck on houseless folks. (HKNH) Keys Not Handcuffs.