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St. Ann's update: Wed. Jan. 28th, 2009: we won
| Message Board > Controversy and Quarantine > St. Ann's update: Wed. Jan. 28th, 2009: we won |
| DAJ User Info... | St. Ann's update: Wed. Jan. 28th, 2009: we won - Got to court this morning after just checking my email saying the ruling was coming down 10 minutes before... I get there just as the judge is saying Tavis, Kristen and I are not guilty of having tents passed 7:00 AM. There is a good article in the VICNEWS (already) and I will reiterate a couple things here. (Camping activists not guilty of bylaw breach, court finds: http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/news/38549739.html ) Apparently, Mayor Dean Fortin is having a news conference at 2:00 (presumably at City Hall). As well, there is a Committee To End Homelessness meeting at 7:00 PM, just down the block at bit on Douglas at Silver Threads (nearer the end on the block), which might be busier than usual. I was impressed with the judge making a point of saying "Whether David Arthur Johnston, Tavis Dodds and Kristen Woodruff are "homeless out of necessity or out of choice or lifestyle," had no bearing". Which, however horrifying to some, opens the 'option'. The whole 'what do I do now' is paramount on my mind... I would like an apology and Centennial Square has the only 24/7 washroom in Victoria. I would like if the city sat down with a map. I would like a well advertised public forum to discuss where to go from here and the feasibility of areas where enjoying the liberty of survival can be legal. Everyone knows what's going on, it is only a question of whether or not viciousness and psychotic behaviour will remain in the public mind as an 'option'... will capitalism ever recognize its mortality and die gracefully or will it continue to flail and do as much damage as possible as it struggles to stay alive? We're really not supposed to be profiteering- look at any forest in Canada. Those checkered marks are clearcuts... I digress... You are nature and you know it. You're free now, Victoria. City Council will make a new bylaw and when that happens it will be obvious whether or not that freedom will remain... a few spots with 24/7 toilets is all it could take. Kristen is co-hosting an event (along with Liz and Paula) that will "celebrate and explore this "homeless rights" stuff---performances, a lecture & discussion, followed by a dance party. Doors open at 7p.m., show at 8 p.m. at the Victoria Event Centre (1415 Broad Street). There is a suggested donation of 25 dollars, for people with means, and people with little or no means are welcome to come enjoy the party for free. Drugs and alcohol are discouraged." in joy and vigilance, David Arthur Johnston Victoria, BC, Canada [email protected] Home page- http://www.angelfire.com/apes/hatrackman Journal of the Occupation of St. Ann's Academy (Victoria, BC, Canada)- http://www.angelfire.com/apes/hatrackman/welcome.htm Crimes of Necessity- http://www.loveandfearlessness.com (from filmmaker Andrew Ainsley. Very comprehensive.) Everything Tent-city- http://tentcity.wikidot.com - Wed, 28 Jan 2009 1:23pm | ||
| BBJones User Info... | Enjoy it while it lasts. You will not get anything else you are asking for and all that this decision means is the City has to go to plan B, or C or D or whatever plan they are on. Keep fighting though, us taxpayers need our hard earned money to go somewhere. Might as well keep high paid lawyers employeed and the courts busy. Ass. - Wed, 28 Jan 2009 1:51pm | ||
| Aidan Logins User Info... | I don't know... people here have been saying over and over for a long time that DAJ won't ever get his way. And yet, over and over, the courts side with him. Because all he's trying to do is sleep and live. And not matter how much you don't like the lifestyle he's chosen it would be against everything Canada supposedly stands for to deny him (or anyone) the right to sleep. Toilets though, who will pay for them? Evil tax dollars? Actually I wouldn't mind my tax money going to this. I don't pay taxes because they fund wars and many many horrible things that I can't forgive myself for helping out if I pay. But if it went to stuff like this instead I wouldn't mind so much. So long as people don't have to pay MORE taxes I think it would be fine, if they find the money somewhere. - Wed, 28 Jan 2009 2:43pm | ||
| BBJones User Info... | Move out of the county if you dislike it's policies so much. - Wed, 28 Jan 2009 3:20pm Edited: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 3:23pm | ||
| Jl User Info... | "Because all he's trying to do is sleep and live." On our dime. And that's fair? "I don't pay taxes because they fund wars and many many horrible things that I can't forgive myself for helping out if I pay." no, you pay taxes so we can have clean cities, good roads, policing etc... Sure dollars go to funding defence/peacekeeping technology, but what country doesn't spend money to advance their military? You can make all the assumptions you want about how the gov't spends the/our tax dollars; but at the end of the day, would you really complain when you see people elsewhere in the world with SIGNIFICANTLY less infrastructure than Canada? If you still do, then find somewhere else to live; otherwise enjoy the benefits of living in a developed country. - Wed, 28 Jan 2009 3:35pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | If you pay taxes, you can have access to a 24/7 bathroom connected to the tax funded sewer system. If you gather enough empties, you can all pool them and rent a Port-A-Potty. If you choose not to do any of these things, dig a hole in the court house lawn and fill it up. They gave you the green light to do it, so you might as well. - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 3:20am | ||
| trevor corey User Info... | Haha. It sounds like Daj took a shit in Mr Hell's cornflakes this morning. - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 3:23am | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | If he were given the chance, he probably would simply because he has no other choice. That's right. CHOICE. - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 4:32am | ||
| DAJ User Info... | St. Ann's update- Thurs. Jan. 29th, 2009: enough time to think - Since the ruling yesterday morning I've been trying to locate the source of my apprehension... the reason the win does not feel like a win. Essentially, the whole thing is a giant steeping pile of horseshit. The judge, corrupt, gives his 'opinion' that the 7-7 thing could stand if it was an actual Bylaw and not a Bylaw Enforcement Policy. In effect, giving the city the ammo it thinks it needs to prolong this thing again. I presume they've taken into account that if they do just continue with not letting people sleep during the day that I'll be obliged to make issue- going to jail. Conjecting, they'll hope that I'll continue to play by signing an undertaking and waiting for another trial... I get the sense that they are hoping to get the thing put aside until the appeal or until the Olympics are over. The fact is this- it is criminally and psychopathically unreasonable to tell people they can't sleep during the day and experience suggests that is exactly what they are going to do. How can it be put in their heads that the ruling does not need imply a tent-city. The basic of the legality here is that a 12 hour a day 'across the board' prohibition on the 'homeless' erecting temporary abodes is as unConstitutional as a 24 hour a day 'across the board' prohibition. The city is already ordered to shell out a six figure payment and will potentially double that with the appeal- all in the name of preventing tent-cities. There ARE ways of adhering to the ruling and the Constitution without sanctioning tent-cities and I dearly hope that instead of taking the route of more ridiculous long legal battles and my own insistences that could land me in jail, potentially until I die, something can be 'come up with' that would benefit all parties and relieve the stress of conflict. (for example- a 24 hour time limit before the tent has to be taken down or only having tents as long as they're being slept in). Something creative CAN be figured out. We CAN get it over with and put it behind us so as to get on with all the other things in our lives that can be dealt with. in greatest hope, David Arthur Johnston Victoria, BC, Canada [email protected] Home page- http://www.angelfire.com/apes/hatrackman Journal of the Occupation of St. Ann's Academy (Victoria, BC, Canada)- http://www.angelfire.com/apes/hatrackman/welcome.htm Crimes of Necessity- http://www.loveandfearlessness.com (from filmmaker Andrew Ainsley. Very comprehensive.) Everything Tent-city- http://tentcity.wikidot.com - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 9:58am | ||
| BBJones User Info... | Haha. You screwed yourself. You're such an idiot. What did you think the City would "think" about this? And who's the one wasting all the money? You do know there are other ways to push for change that don't require lengthy never ending legal battles... moron. - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:28am | ||
| tom User Info... | Dave? You lose. Again. Keep lining the lawyer's pockets with more of your utopia-without-toil nonsense, pal. - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:39am | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | Quite the legacy you will leave behind. "Fought hard over nothing and lost big time." - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 1:48pm | ||
| trevor corey User Info... | It amazes me how this guy gets hot hippie chicks following him around like he is a freaking prophet, and a nice guy like Grimlord can't get laid if his life depended on it. - Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:48pm | ||
| cookingwithass User Info... | I'm curious. Does Mrs. Woodruff feel the same as you about this camping thing? or does she actually care about the homeless people? They are working to make a law basically banning camping on sports fields and parks, walkways etc. So soon Beacon Hill will be immune to it at least. The problem with camping isn't that we want you to be controlled or anything. Tent cities don't solve anything, especially if they are in actively used public areas (begs for mean people to go after your tents etc, if they get fed up, I have heard people talk about it). We want people that can be helped off the streets to get help, not everyone can be helped but those that can deserve it. Adapting and living in tent cities can either slow or prevent that transition. It can also cause other issues. I'm sure that city would have a "mayor" too. I wonder who that would be. The only point I may consider agreeing with is when someone feels horrid or sick, they can set up a tent in the square or another designated area. Shelters would probably be ideal for that but if one just wants to be left alone than a tent may be appropriate. The only problem with that would be making sure drug users or drinkers didn't use that as a crutch for recovering from drinking. I work every day of my life. I have a non threatening cancer and 2 other disorders that make work very hard. I still do it because I actually enjoy it. I would still rather do that than "live free" asking for donations and washing my clothes in goodacre lake or perhaps not at all. Living free doesn't sound good to me at all. I saw some campers complaining they had to wake up at 7:30 (which admittedly sucks) you can feel better knowing many of us have to wake up between 5-7:30 to go to work anyway. We may not have the same rude alarm some of you get, but I am aware not all of you get that nasty wake up. Also, I have seen tent cities work really well. Just not in a tiny ass city like Victoria. If we are so bad over here, maybe you should try one of those cities. - Fri, 30 Jan 2009 7:50am | ||
| James User Info... | I wouldn't like to see a tent city but at the same time I think DAJ has been fairly brilliant in bringing homlessness to a front page issue. Most homeless people have trouble getting work and even then if they get a job they still don't have a home. Getting a home can be a problem for those without a credit history, keeping a job can be difficult if you can't bath and have little in the way of clothes. Some homeless people are just lazy, some ended up in a bad situation by chance, and others are disabled. Downtown is in need of some serious help. If you don't live there it's becoming less & less of a destination. I like the fact that it's walkable but other than that the surrounding areas are supplying pretty much everything you need. The downside to that is that places like Langford which used to be a much nicer Redneck hole have turned into a Calgary like hole where everything is pavement and you have to sit around in traffic just to get groceries. - Mon, 2 Feb 2009 1:28pm | ||
| Mr. Hell User Info... | Calgary. Blech. DAJ should be banished to Calgary. - Mon, 2 Feb 2009 1:39pm | ||
| Mike S. User Info... | Homeless of Victoria and Segregation in the South USA??? wtf. Kristian Woofruff is a massive flake. Any respect I may have ever had for this individual, at the very least for fighting the system and standing up for her beliefs (even if I disagree with them.. ) went straight out the window when she compared the situation in Victoria to segretgation in the south on the news. Woodruff, you are an idiot. You speak and dribble comes out. Make that drivel. Segregation in the south does not comapre even remotely to this situation. Holy fack your are too much. DAJ pass this on. Your old lady is stupid. - Tue, 3 Feb 2009 10:26am | ||
| BBJones User Info... | My favourite part was after their supposed "win" Woodruff was being interviewed on the radio syaing how this isn't about tent cities and how the decision doesn't mean that all of a sudden the parks will be filled with homeless people. But what does DAJ do? He immediately sets up his tent and goes on record saying "I know they will pass a new bylaw but for now I'm going to do whatever I want". HAHA Way to go team! - Tue, 3 Feb 2009 11:18am Edited: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 11:18am | ||
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