Protest in the park (Teacher chains himself to bench over Iraq War)

[RamboLiberal]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/20/MNGJ9HBUTH18.DTL

Hyim Jacob Ross chained himself to a park bench in Oakland on Monday in what he said was the start of a five-day fast to protest the prevalence of inequality and injustice in America when the country is spending so much on a war.

Ross, a musician, teaches music at Coronado Elementary School in Richmond and ethics, spirituality and inter-personal communication at two synagogues in the East Bay.

"The war in Iraq is putting our nation into incredible debt and draining enormous financial, social, economic, industrial and political resources," said Ross, who is in early 30s and was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland.

All that spending comes when 2 million California children are hungry and the state's prison population is at an all-time high, he said.

[Charlie Brown]

1. We need to support this guy

Hold a vigil or keep him company. Something.

[fed-up]

2. Actions speak louder than words!! n/t

[dooner]

3. "People have got to stand up "

It's going to take a lot more of this.

[twaddler01]

4. Indeed

A lot more

[f-bush]

5. Excellent! My heart goes out to this guy...

I remember protesting against the first bush and getting the crap kicked oout of me because of it and then the Tacoma cops laughing about it.

It takes courage to go front and center, specially in these nazi like times!

[dooner]

6. Photo of Teacher chained to bench in Oakland, CA

Richmond teacher goes on hunger strike
By Eric Kurhi, Contra Costa Times, 2/21/06

<snip>
Since setting up camp Monday morning, Ross said hundreds of people have come by and that the support has been overwhelming.

"A lot of kids have come by, given me a hug and said 'Thank you," Ross said. "One Vietnam vet came over and just silently put his arm around me. It's those kind of experiences that make this worthwhile."

Mike Weathern was one such supporter. The Vietnam War veteran was keeping Ross company on Tuesday morning.
"I came to hang out with Hyim," Weathern said. "It's important. The government has to put more money into our schools."

Ross, who is in his early 30s, has been granted use of the nearby theater's bathroom and has a tent to sleep in. He is drinking water and juice brought by supporters. But he said his first night out was "pretty cold."

"It's supposed to get warmer, which is good -- the longer I go without solid food, the harder it's gonna be to keep warm."

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/13926885.htm

[nofoil]

12. What happened to good old fashioned sit ins?

This guy is a true hero, and a tribute to his generation. I'm in my mid-30's, and I have to say that I am deeply saddened that the passionate protests of the late 50's to early 70's have become a thing of the past. Why all the apathy? This guy should not be sitting out there alone. Where are the college kids and young adults? Why aren't they hanging out of their windows and screaming in outrage? Is this all because of the media? The school system? Kent State? What? What is it that makes one generation so strong and vocal and the next one positively apathetic? I'm in DC, right down the street from the White House, and the protests here are for the most part quite lame these days, sparsely attended, getting little attention.

By the way, this guy says he's cold. I hope somebody in the Bay Area brings him an oil heater, battery-powered electric blanket, or something. You out there Oaklanders?

[Massacure]

13. There is plenty of rebellion in my experience.

Last year our principal got fed up of people wearing hats, and so every time a person got caught, their name was put into a hat (of all things, the damn hypocrites) and 10 lucky people were supposed to have three days off of school for "insubordination" (the school administrators say suspension is a bad thing). Anyways, when the 10 people got their vacation, half or 2/3 of the student body wore hats on the first day of the suspension. The suspension was called off the second day and all records of it were supposedly destroyed, provided the administrators are not lying.

A large amount of people do not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance at my school. When a substitute criticized us for it last year, our class spontaneously got up, turned our backs to the flag and sang "Oh, Canada!".

We have a big banner with the name of everyone who died in the war in Iraq for when the military recruiters decide to come visit and recruit during our lunches. A band of students is always there chanting "Bush lied, thousands died". Just for fun, sometimes I taunt the army dudes about how the air force's A-10s could own all their tiny abrams, or I'll mention how a Ranger's stinger can own low flying gun ships to the air force recruiters. It's fun to play the tensions of the various branches of the armed services.

The form of rebellion may have changed, but it is still around, at least at my school. And I love being a senior who gets to rally the underclassmen to it. ;)

[nofoil]

16. Wow!

I am just in awe. Sounds like you are going to a FANTASTIC school. Way to go!

[dooner]

7. more photos...

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?o=0&f=/c/a/2006/02/20/MNGJ9HBUTH18.DTL

[petgoat]

8. Visit Hyim Thursday Night

on your way to the Grand Lake Theater for the
Question 9/11: a Call to Action event.

http://www.communitycurrency.org/Feb23.html



Sponsored by the Northern California 9-11 Truth Alliance

Hosted by: Janette MacKinlay, 9/11 survivor, Speaking on “Art to Activism”



Door Open at 6:00 p.m.

Program begins at 7:00 p.m.

Reception & distribution of activist kits 9:00 p.m.


The Evening's Hostess- Janette MacKinlay, 9-11 Survivor
(click on photo to read Janette's letter to the Northern California 9-11 Truth Alliance)

Films to be shown:

World Premiere:
‘Flights 11, 175, 77 and 93: The 9/ll Commission’s Incredible Tales’ Featuring Dr. David Ray Griffin,
author of The New Pearl Harbor- Disturbing Questions about the Bush Administration and 9/11 and The 9-11 Commission Report- Omissions and Distortions.

“9/11: Attack or Godsend?”
A Dutch Television documentary (dubbed in English)


Activists Kit – A Call To Action
Presentation by Ken Jenkins



Citizen’s Counter-Coup
An on-line campaign


Presentations by Carol Brouillet- Co Founder of Northern California 9-11 Truth Alliance


David Kubiak- 911truth.org International Campaign Advisor,



and Gabriel Day- 9-11truth.org National Outreach and Networking Director



Tickets are $10 and available at-

The Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand Avenue, Oakland, California

At co-sponsoring bookstores-

Black Oak Books,
1491 Shattuck, Berkeley,

Walden Pond Bookstore,
3316 Grand Ave., Oakland,

Pegasus/Pendragon Books
5580 College Ave. Oakland,
and 2349 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley

http://www.communitycurrency.org/Feb23.html

[EFerrari]

9. Excellent!

I hope you get a good turnout!

:hi:

[petgoat]

10. Thanks. Email the link to your friends!

Also, there's a 9/11 film series in Oakland Wednesday nights at the Humanist Hall,
390 27th Street, between Telegraph & Broadway.

Here's a page on the films they showed in Feb:
http://www.humanisthall.net/Cal-February-FilmSeries.html

In March the series will go on, but I'm told the films will show at 7:30 instead of 7:00.

[EFerrari]

11. Will do! It's sounds like a great program.

:)

[Earth_First]

14. There ought to be individuals copying this action NATIONWIDE!

This ought to be a call to action for activists nationwide to follow suit.

Kudos to Mr. Ross.

[Doremus]

15. He's a hero and an inspiration. I can't chain myself outside in this

weather, but I certainly can when it warms up ... and I just may! In the meantime, I'm running for precinct committee chair and will be campaigning like a fiend for Sherrod Brown and other worthy Ohio Dems.

It starts with each of us doing what we can.

Bravo, Hyim!

[goforit]

17. Wow, What courage and inner fiber!!!

[kineneb]

18. huzzah for my former townsperson!

Richmond, CA is a true study in economic contrasts, and many people who live there "get it". They have been battling the results of extreme poverty there for sometime. The "wealthier" folks live up on the hills and the poor live on the flatlands, near the old town area. North Richmond has an incredible number of the very poor- people that were never reached by the relative "good times" of the 1990's. These are the remnants of the population who came west to work in the WWII shipyards. When the manufacturing jobs left in the 50's and 60's, it left a permanent economic vacuum which has never been filled. As time went on, more and more businesses left the area, until the area began to look like a war zone. And it often seemed like a war zone- the crack era saw many drive-by shootings. Richmond still has a high murder rate. Commuting out of the area for job seekers proved difficult; the area was poorly served by the local mass transit systems. I think this is slowly improving, but only after fighting various agencies.

I am sure Mr. Ross thought about all of this when he started his protest. Just think what a difference just a small amount of the money being wasted in Iraq could do in a city such as Richmond.