"Books not Bars"

[Kevin Robert Dean]

From:  bonvibre <bonvibre at adelphia.net>
Date:  Thu Jul 26, 2001  11:52 pm
Subject:  Hip Hoppers Get Arrested Fighting Prisons
To:  

 

Hip Hoppers Get Arrested Fighting Prisons

http://www.daveyd.com/FullArticles\articleN838.asp

Lots of folks on the Hip Hop front have been stepping
up
their political game, so to speak. This was proven
beyond a
shadow of a doubt yesterday [7/24/01] in the city of
Oakland. More then 200 headz from a number of Bay Area
Hip
Hop organizations including Youth Force Coalition,
Books
Not Bars, and Let's Get Free, as well as a number of
local
recording artists, showed up to a hastily called
emergency
meeting put together by the Alameda County Board of
Supervisors. Many of the people who came through took
a day
off from their summer jobs to voice their opposition.
The
issue was Alameda County's attempt to build what is
being
described as a super prison for youth. This facility
would
be the largest one of its kind in the entire country.
It
would be larger and cost more money per capita the
juvenile
facilities housed in New York, Chicago and other big
cities. This super prison for kids would cost
somewhere in
the neighborhood of half a billion dollars to build
and
maintain. The Hip Hop community showed in force at the
Supervisor's meeting, wanting to know why some of that
money couldn't be put towards programs that would help
direct kids away from jails. One person suggested that
the
money could be put towards a super counseling center
for
kids, so they could get help with their problems.
Someone
else suggested that the money be put toward job
training
programs and support services.

Three of the five Alameda County supervisors who
support
this new prison pointed to decaying conditions inside
the
50 year old juvenile hall facility in the city of San
Leandro which sits right outside Oakland. They also
noted
that the current site sits on an earthquake fault
line.
Hence their solution is to move the hall 50 miles away
in
rural suburban area called Dublin and turn it into a
state
of the art super prison for kids. It should also be
noted
that one of the supporting supervisors pointed out
that
this new and improved facility would have no
provisions or
resources to enhance and encourage rehabilitation.

During the yesterday's meetings, one of the
organizers, Van
Jones, spoke passionately to the county supervisors.
He
encouraged them to do what they ask young people to
do,
which is to stand up to peer pressure and not do the
wrong
thing just because someone throws money in front of
them.
He told the supervisors to stand up to the pressure of
the
powerful prison lobby. He also reminded them that just
because the county received a ton of money to build
this
super prison, did not mean they had to go through with
building it. The packed chambers enthusiastically
cheered.
He also took the supervisors to task for holding a
meeting
at the last minute so as to avoid public input around
this
project.

Another speaker, was a young West Oakland cat named
YT, He
explained how bad things were in his high school
[McClymonds High, where MC Hammer went to school]. He
wanted to know how come the county could find millions
of
dollars for a super prison for his classmates but
could not
find money to fix up his school. He pointed out that
the
bad conditions in his school hadn't changed since his
older
cousins and uncles attended. His words were sobering.

Perhaps the meeting's most shining moment came when
Los of
the rap group Company of Prophets spoke. He was still
fuming at the bad treatment he and others had received
prior to the meeting. When headz showed up early that
morning, they were greeted by baton weilding sheriffs
who
attempted to intimidate them. Initially they were told
they
could not come to the meeting because there were too
many
people. They became incensed when they saw older white
people and business people being allowed to cut the
line
and go through unbothered. Some of the youth who were
vocal
about their desire to attend, found themselves being
pushed
and shoved by the sheriffs. The officers were forced
to
stop when the media showed up with cameras and tape
recorders. One of the deputies actually tried to lay
hands
on me, until one of his colleagues who recognized me,
let
him know I was on the radio. At that point, I was then
treated with respect and told I could go through some
private entrance. Only when the news cameras were
shining
on the officers and a couple of lawyers spoke out did
the
deputies allow the large group to go in. It was from
this
upsetting experience that Los drew upon when he spoke.
His
words reflected the simmering anger many people were
present felt from being mistreated. He started off by
asking which officer in the room was willing to pull
out
his bullyclub and start acting bad with all the people
in
the room watching. No one moved. Los then kicked a
dope
freestyle about police brutality and prisons. All the
time
he was rapping, he kept staring at the deputy who had
tried
to swing on him earlier. It was amazing to hear a
freestyle
being kicked at a county supervising meeting... the
supervisors sure seemed surprised.

Unfortunately, three of the supervisors, Scott
Haggerty,
Alice Lai-Bitker and Gail Steele did not embrace a
proposal
that was introduced by their colleague, supervisor
Keith
Carson and supported by Nate Miley. Carson kicked off
the
meeting by introducing a proposal that basically
called for
everyone to slow down and for the county not to rush
into
building the new prison. He wanted an independent
study to
determine if such a large juvenile facility was
needed.
Many of the Hip Hop organizations were willing to
support
Carson's proposal. They felt it would be a great place
to
start a dialogue and would allow a process for those
who
would be most impacted by this to offer some input.
When
Carson's fellow supervisors rejected the proposal in
the
face of all that proposition, folks got heated. Headz
were
not trying to hear all that and let their
disappointment be
heard loud and clear. People began chanting 'Books Not
Bars' as many of the Hip Hoppers staged a sit-in right
there inside the council chambers. It was at that
point
sheriff deputies got brutal.

On the footage we got, you see over-aggressive police
manhandling cats. Headz were being thrown to the
ground and
handcuffs being applied so tightly that one guy's
hands
turned blue. All in all, nine people got arrested. It
was
sad to see some of the supervisors go for the money
and not
the kids. A solemn promise was made publicly by
protestors
that those supervisors who voted for the building of
the
prison would not have a job next election, and that
their
cowardly actions would be exposed far and wide. One of
the
first courses of action that will be taken is a huge
Hip
Hop Rally and Concert in front of Oakland's City Hall
[14th
& broadway] this Saturday July 28th. Called the Summer
Jam
to End the Prison Scam, more than a dozen local Hip
Hop
groups ranging from Company of Prophets to Aya de Leon
have
agreed to come and perform. Even Mad Lion, who has a
show
the night before, has been contacted and is trying to
see
if this event will fit in his schedule. Dozens of
organizations will be out in force passing out
information
and making sure folks are aware of the madness that's
going
on with the county supervisors. Folks are absolutely
determined to do everything within their power to not
have
this superprison built....For more info call Rachel
Jackson
at (415) 951-4844 x28, Fela Thomas Youth Force
Coalition:
(510) 451-5466 x301 or Van Jones Ella Baker Center for
Human Rights, (415) 951-4844x25.

One a side note...As young person after young person
spoke,
I kept wondering where were all those people who show
up at
conventions and seminars complaining about the Hip Hop
community being apathetic. Perhaps they were waiting
to
read about this huge turnout in their
local newspapers. The sad thing was, even though the
Oakland Tribune is literally blocks away from the
County
office, the paper didn't cover this [at least in their
online editions]. Even though nine people were
arrested in
the council chambers, one would not know this from
reading
the local paper...hmm. Why wasn't it covered? It's
four am
as I'm writing this piece so I can't call anyone to
find
out. At first, I thought the Oakland Tribune wasn't
there,
but I noticed stories about the contentious
redistricting
meeting that followed right after the arrests. There
was no
way they couldn't have known about the vocal
opposition to
the building of this super prison. Even some of the
local
TV stations covered the event.

What was interesting to note, while political actions
taken
by the Hip Hop community were ignored, what the
Oakland
Tribune did cover was the ransacking of a 7-11 store
over
the weekend after a party. So while 200 headz showing
up at
a county supervisor meeting in the middle of a hot
summer
day gets no newspaper coverage, an incident that
involved a
handful of people that took place three days ago is
sitting
there for all to read. Thank God I have a radio show
and
this newsletter to help get the word out. I make
mention of
this because, it's important that folks understand how
lack
of coverage has a snowball effect. Many TV news shows
and
talk radio shows get their ideas from the local
papers. The
opportunity to get such an important issue out to the
masses for public discourse is lost. Even the
opportunity
to change the false perception that many have about
Hip Hop
and young people in general is omitted from the
equation.
Its likely that some TV newscast or radio talk show
will
pick up the Tribune read about a 7-11 being looted and
they
will in turn do a show about how bad youth are.
They'll
never know that 200 Hip Hoppers spoke out at a
supervisor's
meeting.

In closing, I will add that the building of this super
prison for youth is the continuation of a disturbing
trend
here in the Golden State. It is one where many elected
officials are addicted to the financial incentives and
political strength derived from punishing and
scapegoating
youth. California is ranked # 41 in money spent on
education and ranked # 1 in money spent on prisons.
All
this is happening at a time when youth crimes in Cali
as
well as across the country are at all-time lows.
Please
believe it folks... prisons are big business in Cali,
and
those who are controlling the purse strings seem to
have
their eyes on the large number of black and brown
youth who
now make up the majority of the state's population.
What
took place yesterday afternoon at the Alameda County
Supervisors' meeting falls in line with all the other
Draconian measures being passed by some of these
politicians.

Over the past five years, Cali has been hit the
passage of
the infamous Prop 21 bill, which would lock up
14-year-olds
in adult prisons and give the police all sorts of
extraordinary wire tapping and surveillance powers for
suspected gang members. The bill also allows law
enforcement to use their discretion to classify three
or
more people standing around, dressed in similar
clothing,
as a gang. Anyone convicted as a gang member under all
the
sweeping new laws included in Prop 21 would have to
register like a sex offender. Failure to register
would
result in automatic 18 months in jail. This bill came
at
the heels of the three strikes law. Shortly after Prop
21
passed, Cali residents were hit with another blow when
Democratic Governor Gray Davis refused to sign a bill
that
would force the police to collect racial data, which
is
needed to end unfair police profiling and the
phenomenon
known as 'driving while black or brown' -- the very
real
risk of being pulled over by the cops because of your
race.
If that's not enough, another infamous Cali resident,
Ward
Connerly, (known for leading the charge to end
affirmative
action with the passage of Prop 209) is trying to put
a
proposition on the ballot that would forbid any state
agency from collecting racial data. He says he wants a
colorblind society. However, should it pass, it would
be
virtually impossible to prove racial discrimination
because
collecting racial data would be forbidden. The
onslaught
has been relentless. But at each turn, these measures
have
been met with stiff opposition, especially in Alameda
County. The latest situation will not dampen anyone's
spirits. If anything, I think it will increase
everyone's
resolve. Mark my words, those who voted for this
superprison will pay a political price for their greed
and
folly.

Major props are in order to Run DMC. While Hip Hoppers
in
Oakland are fighting against prison building, Rev Run,
DMC
and Jam Master J are over in London trying to help end
racial violence. Over the past few months there have
been
some serious racial clashes between whites and south
Asians. An anti-racism concert called Respect 2001 was
the
outgrowth of the troubles. Run DMC have been asked to
headline what will be a free event. Many of the city's
elected officials will be on hand.

Rev Run's older brother Russell Simmons is taking his
political activities a step higher. As promised during
the
recent Hip Hop Summit, A Hip Hop Political Action
Committee
has been formed. Called the Hip-Hop Summit Action
Network,
the organization will be headquartered within the
offices
of The Source Magazine in New York City. There will be
field offices in Washington DC and in Los Angeles. The
board members will include Minister Benjamin (Chavis)
Muhammad, who will serve as executive director. Other
members include, Reverend Al Sharpton, Sean P-Diddy
Combs,
Source Magazine owner Dave Mays, and labels heads
Kevin
Lyles [Def Jam], Kedar Massenburg [Motown], Steve
Rifkind
[Loud], Steve Stoute [Interscope].

This new political action committee will no doubt
attempt
to fill a void and bridge a gap that currently exists
between the traditional Civil Rights organizations and
the
Hip Hop community these labels reach. The HHSAN will
be
lobbying politicians on various issues and will donate
money to their campaigns. They will also host a panel
discussion this September during the Black
Congressional
Caucus Week in Washington DC. While the forming of
this
Political Action Committee is good, it's interesting
to
note that the board members are mostly record label
owners.
Hopefully the committee is expanded to included
artists who
are on these labels and their unique interests and
perspectives will be voiced and reflected within the
advocacy work of the HHSAN. In any case, for those who
have
been sitting on the side of the road trying to avoid
politics, be ready...cause things are gonna heat up.

 


=====
Kevin Dean
Buffalo, NY
ICQ: 8616001
http://www.yaysoft.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger
http://phonecard.yahoo.com/