Mark your calendar: March 18th at 11:30 am (PDT) is the Tiny Houses for the Homeless Rally in front of LA's City Hall: https://www.facebook.com/events/242764772727461 Special guest speakers include: Dean Ryan (Film Maker/News Producer) https://www.facebook.com/ContrabandFilmsLLC Sean Stone (Actor/TV Host) http://thelip.tv/show/buzzsaw Adam Kokesh (Author/Activist) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kokesh Marisol Medina (Tiny Homes Architect) and Elvis Summers (Tiny Homes Architect and Founder of Starting Human) https://www.facebook.com/mythpla and http://www.startinghuman.org Brian Engelman (The New American Media) http://www.thenewamericanmedia.com and more! And I must apologize, it's been a week since my last petition update: https://www.change.org/p/curren-price-curren-price-reverse-your-order-to-confiscate-and-destroy-tiny-homes-for-la-s-homeless/u/15715619 Unfortunately, it did not get sent out (I've been holding off until it was sent). After several days, I submitted a bug report to Change.org and they informed me: "It does appear the update may have been sent for review ... we do not have an estimated time on when it will be delivered, but it usually takes 48 hours." I've heard nothing since. So, I thought I'd sent out this update. First up, I need to thank Denise Keeran who pointed me to this must-read article by Veronica Harnish: http://www.vox.com/2016/3/8/11173304/homeless-in-america In it, the following six facts should open the eyes of anyone who STILL looks down on homeless people: 1) More than half of Americans have zero dollars in savings. 2) A common problem like a car repair (that a higher-income person can deal with using a credit card) can "wipe out people living in poverty and put them on the streets, or, worse, keep them there." 3) In 2010, over a third of working people with jobs that fail to pay a living wage had "at least some college education or a degree." 4) Twenty-five percent of homeless people are employed but just don't earn enough to afford rent. 5) Seventy-one percent of San Francisco's homeless population were once residents with homes. 6) Homeless souls are a whopping 13 times more likely to be victimized (with homeless women being especially vulnerable to violent/sex crimes). As stated by Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow: "Since 2000, rents have grown roughly twice as fast as wages, and you don't have to be an economist to understand why that is hugely problematic." Clearly, chronic poverty is the trap here. An now it appears that without a home or money, the City of LA (and others) are trying to dehumanize the homeless population. It's in the language they use, the private committees that have been set up, and in what Dean Ryan recognized as "black ops in full intimidation mode". George Palaziol (a resident of San Pedro) was appointed by LA's City councilman, Joe Buscaino, to the Community Homelessness task force. A task force for the community that (for some reason) is private! And I found Mr. Palaziol's abusive commentary on numerous articles. He even left me nasty comments on my piece Why Removing "Tiny Homes" is Detrimental to LA's Homeless and Society: http://roserightswrongs.blogspot.ca/2016/03/why-removing-tiny-homes-is-detrimental.html Most of us are just one or two pay cheques away from being homeless. And this is a global problem. When I watched the following video by TheRulesOrg, my jaw dropped: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWSxzjyMNpU Later, I stumbled across a a video by Camp Constitution which was published on Nov 12th, 2012. If you watch it, you'll soon realize that this Agenda 21 whistleblower is telling the truth about her personal account of the Rio Conference in 1992: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2o82bi3oMc I feel it is imperative that we hold all of those in a position of power to respect and enforce the UN's Universal Declaration of Rights: http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights Because if we are coerced or forced (out of fear, lack of money or property) to conform to whatever an "elite" group wants, we cannot live in peace. We will have lost everything – we will have lost our freedoms. But it's not too late! Your voice needs to be heard for those who have none. Here are some more of your comments that the City of LA (and the world) needs to hear: "Every person deserves to have some form of shelter to protect them from the elements. We have money for wars, but can't feed or shelter those less fortunate? Get it together America! Taking these homes is wrong. If it's an issue for them to be in "public land" then move them to a delegated space that is appropriate. There's plenty of buffer land or places that go vacant that could be used to better serve the needs of our citizens!" ~ Tanya Wood, Suisun City, CA "This is so wrong, and you are an ass for doing this." ~ Wyvonne Colombo, Santa Rosa, CA "What a wonderful innovative idea that the city should have jumped on and instead shut down and traumatized people who already have nothing." ~ Colette Henderson, Louisville, KY "The logic behind the decision to remove these people's homes is ridiculous. They are unsafe? A well ventilated structure with a roof, walls and locking door is unsafe but taking that from them and having them live on the street is not unsafe? This is obviously about more than safety. Repeal this act/bill/law or whatever you are using to justify your actions and let these people have something halfway decent in their lives." ~ Tony Hancock, Chambersburg, PA "Because I hear we live in civilization, not a jungle... not everyone has apparently gotten the news." ~ Victor Munoz, Seattle, WA "I am signing. I met a woman through Facebook that is homeless and she lives in Texas. I feel so sorry for her, it's not her fault she is homeless. She's a very sick person physically. She was a nurse and can no longer work. Because of this, her husband ended up getting a divorce. He got the home because she couldn't afford to pay the payments and now she is homeless (she lives in her car and a old tent). She has tried to rent a small house couple of times but without a job or a place to live – no one will rent to her. They have told her she can't stay in the parks any longer. She says she is tired and doesn't want to go on. My heart just goes out to her." ~ Helens Olguin, Antioch, TN "The heartlessness and lack of humanity toward the homeless in your city is openly on display. Taking away shelter without offering an alternative for living space shows a blatant self-serving agenda." ~ Denise Henderson, Yakima, WA "Shelter is a basic human right. This man did what the city of Los Angeles refuses to do." ~ Tara Roeder, LIC, NY "I was homeless once between jobs for 5 months. The homeless need help and humane treatment. Curren Price needs an alternative solution other than 'seek 'n destroy'. If confiscated, [these Tiny Homes] should be returned to Elvis Summers. If anything, find a piece of land where they can be legally parked (like old abandoned hotels, motels or houses). Being homeless not criminal." ~ Angel sexton, Boron, CA "Indeed, taking their shelter without offering alternative shelter should be considered a human rights violation." ~ Chance Rush, Grapevine, TX "NO ONE DESERVES TO BE ON THE STREETS. NO!!!!! ONE!!!!!" ~ Amy Nielsen, Coarsegold, CA "The right for housing should be automatically given to those who make up the disenfranchised of our city. Those homes cost "YOU" nothing. The sweat and tears did not come from "YOU". It gives people dignity when they own a home, regardless of size, placement or cost. The homeless population of the city have a right like everyone else:to be treated fairly, to be respected for who they are, too be given the chance to improve their lot in life. How would you feel if someone just came along, threw you out of your house and then labeled it "BULK TRASH "??? Not so good huh? But if course, that will never happen, right?????. Ummm, think again. THERE, BUT THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD, GO I." ~ Vivian Scranton, Carson, CA "I support Elvis' humanitarian act." ~ Julieta Kaas, Vasteras, Sweden And for those of you with a friend or family member that hasn't seen this petition, please ask them to "sign for a homeless person". Sadly, most of the over 40,000 homeless souls in LA will probably never have their voices heard or their signature counted. Thank you for caring, Rose