Anarchonda: Oxymoron

   
Anna Conda (aka Glendon Hyde), candidate for District 6 supervisor, maintains a blog called Anarchonda where she chronicles stories and politics from the finge. She is hoping to make it big in San Francisco politics by championing the voices of the overlooked, underserved, and marginalized.


Recently, she wrote an opinion piece titled "Oxymoron" detailing the disparities be left wing activism and conservative activism ala Tea Party Baggers. She calls us to action demanding that we stand up for what we believe in and take to the streets. Her voice is one of courage in the midst of a swirling pool of mindlessness, consumption, and apathy.

This is a must read for anyone interested in hearing from something other than their own head and fear. It is a message of hope.

***

The richest country in the world has about 3.5 million US residents (about 1% of the population) [correction: according to the Census, the population of the USA is approximately 308 million making it approximately 4.5% of the global population], ...statistics for homeless families are even graver -- 52% were turned down by homeless shelters. Change means stepping up a war and paying more money to Huge Insurance Corporations so that the rich can get richer. Moderate means Right Leaning. Right is using fascist scare tactics to pass unconstitutional laws in favor of bigotry and hate and having very little resistance from the liberal media. Nor any opposition from politicians who are hired by the people to take care of the people. More people know who Kim Kardashian is than who the Vice President is and we can't find funding for schools. Texas; since they buy the most books for schools; gets to help right history for our countries public school system. No wonder we are all as fucking stupid as George Bush!

Continue reading here.

Share |

ADAP Action on City Hall Steps - November 30, 2009

Yesterday (11/30/09), advocates gathered on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall to call on the Governor to fully fund California's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The program, funded by both federal and state dollars, provides life-saving medications to low-income people who are either uninsured or underinsured. More than 34,000 people state-wide depend on the program to manage the disease, keep healthy, and thrive.

Dana Van Gorder, Executive Director of Project Inform, called on the Governor to not "delay the cost of health care" by cutting funding to ADAP adding that the cuts will "cost HIV positive people their health, and even their lives."

According to the press release issued by Project Inform:

Advocates estimate that the states ADAP faces a shortfall of approximately $100 million for fiscal year 2010-2011. Failure to close the shortfall follows the Governor's elimination of $85 million in state funding for other vital HIV/AIDS services earlier this year. It also comes at a time when President Obama has committed to renewing the nation's fight against the domestic HIV epidemic through the creation of a National AIDS Strategy.

Mark Cloutier, Executive Director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said "This country has worked very hard to provide funding to AIDS efforts globally." He found it disturbing and alarming that California is "abandoning that commitment in this state." He said "[Our] work will not be done even if we keep AFAP funds. It is a long-term fight we need to ingage in for the long run."

Other speakers included Jason Villalobos and Stacia Scherich both recipients of ADAP. "Five years ago, I was told that I had full blown AIDS," said Villalobos. "ADAP was the foot in the door between life and death."

Scherich echoed similar sentiments saying "If I don't have my meds, I will die. If I don't have ADAP, I will die."

While much emphasis was placed on what would happen without ADAP, hope still filled the air when speakers talked about how their lived changed because of ADAP. Scherich said because of ADAP she was one of the "lucky ones" and has been "in school for eight years so I can give back to the community."

Cecilia Chung, Chair of the Human Rights Commission, added "[We are] not here today to just speak about our rage...We are here talking about our lives!"

"[I am] part of a generation that has vanished because of the disease," said Bevan Dufty, San Francisco Supervisor of District 8. He brought Villalobos to the podium to show the positive impact ADAP has had noting "[it is because of his] access to anti-retroviral drugs that he is here today."

Ann Donnelly, Director of Health Care Policy for Project Inform, was the last speaker and concluded with by urging everyone to action. "We need the voice of everyone that benefits from ADAP and those that love someone that need antiretrovirals." She encouraged people to get involved in the fight. "Act up! Fight back! Save ADAP!'

For more information on how you can support the fight, visit Project Inform.

Share |

Events, News, Music, Action, Resources, and MORE! (11/12/2009)

EVENT: Massive Men's And Women's 'Cool Cat' Clothes Swap For Fashionably Conscious Cultural (via SFist) Check out this event tonight (11/12/200) at Cell Space. It is from 7pm to 11pm. Cost varies depending on what you bring (clothes, potluck item, or nothing). Great opportunity to empty your closet and get new (at least to you) clothes. 

NEWS: Catholic Church Issues Ultimatum To DC: Allow Us To Discriminate Against Gays Or We Won't Feed Or Shelter The Homeless (via Joe.My.God) On one level I can't believe this. On another, it's not surprising. What is surprising is this: "Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Wednesday. 'The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem.'" How is it that they have gotten away with providing non-secular social services using federal dollars? Where is the separation of church and state? Here is the link to the original Washington Post article. 

NEWS: Candy: First 'Transversal Style' Fashion Magazine Launches (via Towleroad) Yay! A magazine dedicated to "Transversal Style" and all fashionable things celebrating "transvestism, transexuality, cross dressing and androgyny".   

MUSIC: "I'm in Love with the City" (via Lala) I love Belle & Sebastian. This is from a musical that Stuart Murdoch, Belle and Sebastian's front man, is working on called God Help the Girl.

I’m In Love With The City - Go...

INTERVIEW: Brian Eno (via Pitchfork) Brian Eno is a genius. He has created some of my favorite albums. His visual arts work was displayed at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and I was fortunate enough to see it. I really got into him after I read Stewart Brand's Clock of the Long Now, an amazing book about how to create something that looks at the long view (1000 years or more) and takes viewers out of themselves to experience time. Brian Eno's Bell Studies for the Clock of the Long Now Pitchfork definitely inspires me. recently did an interview with him. Click above to read more.


ACTION: Queer the Census (via Queer the Census) This is a call to be counted in this year's census. Click through the link to get a sticker you can add to your census form. It is time to count everyone! 

RESOURCE: Money Tweets: Twitter Meets Financial Education (via Mashable) I've been working on getting more financially literate since July 2009 when I started taking a class with Youth Worker: Collective and Mission SF Community Financial Center. These are some great resources to get you started on the path to financial education. 

HUMOR: Seth MacFarland's Secret (via Huffingtonpost) I laugh at Family Guy, but really all of his shows are the same. Watch this and learn Seth's secret.

Share |