Stand Against Sit Lie

Rebecca Bowe at the Guardian has written a great post on the Sit-Lie proponents’ Wednesday press conference.  It’s definitely a must-read.  We found it particularly interesting that at the same press conference we were assured from one speaker that the law was not “an attack on the homeless,” then told by another person that he supports the ordinance because it may “reduce the overall homeless population in San Francisco.”

Psst, a little free advice to the pro-on-sit-lie camp, work on the messaging.

As one can see in a video of KTVU’s report on the press conference, proponents managed to rally a full 12 members of the community to show up in support.

Rebecca wraps up the post with one of our favorite lines of the year thus far:

“We have met the proponents of sit / lie, and we can safely say that they are not having as much fun on the city sidewalks as the law’s opponents.”

ALL HANDS ON DECK! MAY 10 HEARING ON SIT-LIE!

HEY!!!  If you haven’t heard yet, the most important day for Sit-Lie yet is coming up and we NEED you!  There will be a public hearing for the Sit-Lie ordinance at 10AM on May 10th in the main chambers, 2nd floor, San Franicsco City Hall.  Please let us know if you can make it at info@StandAgainstSitLie.org.

We had another spectacular day on the sidewalks yesterday! A huge thanks and congratulations to everyone who participated.

More than 2 dozen events were held around the city including a day laborer and domestic worker sit-in, a drag show, poetry workshops and readings, tea parties, BBQs, brunch gatherings, musical performances, sidewalk art, sidewalks sales, and lots more.

Once again we got LOADS of attention from our fellow San Franciscans and visitors to our city and as always the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.  It seems almost no one we run into on the sidewalks seems to think Sit-Lie is a good idea.

We also got lots of attention from the media again including coverage from the Associated Press, NBC 11, KPFA, KPIX, KTVU,  and Univision.

Below is a video from San Francisco video blogger Diane Harrigan.

Lots of photos and discussion on our facebook page.

SIDEWALKS ARE FOR PEOPLE PART II

FUN AGAINST SIT/LIE

SATURDAY, APRIL 24

ALL-DAY / CITYWIDE

We’ve got another day of fabulous events on the San Francisco sidewalks and fabulous weather planned for tomorrow.

If you are planning to hangout on the sidewalks tomorrow please register your event so we can get it on the map.

We’ll set you up with signs and flyers for your event.  You can also download signs, flyers, and media talking points.

Please take pictures of your event and post them on our facebook page and in our flickr photo pool.  Videos are great too!

A SAMPLE OF APRIL 24 EVENTS

View the event list for times and details.

View the event map.

Rally against Sit/Lie at 24th and Mission
Author Sidewalk Reading at Market and Gough
BBQ at Marin and Illinois Streets
Another breakfast party! at 5th Ave. and Clement
Drag Show and Lemonade at 631 O’Farrell Street
Tea on the Sidewalk at 1504 Church at 27th
Sidewalk Sale at 2710 Harrison at 23rd Street
Sitfest at 6th and Fulton (parkside)
Poetry Workshop While Sitting With and Lying on Pachamama in the Mission on Florida between 23rd and 24th
Harm Reduction & Cookies at 16th and Mission
Music to Sit and Lie by at Castro and Market
Sit-in at 3358 Cesar Chavez St.
Barbecue!! at 1581 Masonic

Last night we won big as the governing board for the San Francisco Democratic Party voted overwhelming to pass a resolution opposing a sit/lie ordinance and instead endorsing a “restorative justice” approach to address conflicts on our city’s sidewalks.  Dozens of members of the public spoke in support of the resolution and against the sit/lie ordinance.  Not one member of the public spoke in favor of sit/lie. Public comment was moving and very convincing.  Great job everyone!

Gabriel Haaland, made a very powerful argument in favor of the resolution he authored (see the video below) and so did several other members of the committee.  Although a two members of the committee spoke in favor of sit-lie, they did not attempt to explain why a law banning sitting and lying on the sidewalk was necessary when a number of laws already exist that address violent and threatening behavior and obstruction of sidewalks.

C.W. Nevius, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and a big fan of sit-lie, sat in the back of the room and sulked. It will be very interesting to see if he tries to spin this big defeat for sit-lie in his favor or if he just ignores all together.

SIDEWALKS 4 PEOPLE PART II

Now it’s time to celebrate another victory by having fun on the sidewalks this weekend.  Plan to do something fun on the sidewalk and be sure to put your event on the map.

We had a fantastic weekend on the sidewalks!

On Saturday, the Brass Liberation Orchestra played on the Haight drawing big smiles and big crowds as we educated hundreds of people on the sit/lie ordinance, getting many of them to sign cards to show their opposition to the ordinance.

The Homeless Youth Alliance had their silkscreen operation set up on the Haight as well.  The response from passers by was overwhelmingly positive.

This momentum will continue with two very big things happening this week:

1.) The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) will vote Wednesday on a resolution opposing the sit/lie ordinance.  PLEASE ATTEND this meeting and show your support for the resolution during the public comment at 6pm  in the basement auditorium of the California State Building, 455 Golden Gate Ave.

2.) Saturday is Sidewalks 4 People Part II! The first Sidewalks are for People event in March was a HUGE success, so we’ve decided to do it again.  Please invite your friends, family, and neighbors and do something fun on any sidewalk, anywhere in the city, at any time during the day.  Click here for more information.

Contact us at info@StandAgainstSitLie.org to get flyers and signs (like the one on the right) for Saturday.

Gabriel Haaland has introduced a resolution to the San Francisco Democratic Central Committee opposing the sit/lie ordinance.  The DCCC, will vote on the resolution on Wednesday, April 21, at 6 p.m. in the basement auditorium of the California State Building, 455 Golden Gate Ave.

Please attend the meeting to voice your support for this excellent resolution.

Co-sponsors of the resolution include Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Supervisor David Campos, Supervisor Chris Daly, Supervisor Eric Mar, Aaron Peskin, Hene Kelly, Rafael Mandelman, Michael Goldstein, Joe Julian, Jane Morrison, Jake McGoldrick, Michael Bornstein, and Debra Walker.

Rebecca Bowe at the Guardian has posted a great piece about the debate over sit/lie among some of the DCCC members.

Haaland has posted the full text of the resolution on Fog City Journal.

Here is an great new video that Caitlin Ryan made about the first of many Sidewalks for People day.

Sidewalks Are For People (FINAL CUT) from Caitlin Ryan on Vimeo.

Click on the image to put your 4/24 sidewalk event on the map!

Sidewalks for People Part II

Saturday, April 24

We’ve got the new map up for Sidewalks for People Part II.  Enter your event and once it’s been approved, we’ll put it on the map!

Also be sure to RSVP on the facebook invite.

:::WHAT::: SIDEWALKS ARE FOR PEOPLE is a monthly citywide celebration of San Francisco’s public space, its vibrant and diverse culture, and its tradition of tolerance and compassion.  People from all walks of life, across the city, will be doing what they love on the city’s sidewalks: barbecues, chalk drawing, chess, yoga, reading, knitting, jumprope, playing music, painting, tea/coffee parties, sunbathing, meditating, DJing, hanging out, tai chi, hot tub parties, dancing, anything — you name it!

::: WHERE/WHEN ::: Gatherings will be happening all day in multiple locations across the city. People can post their events or find other events on the official map which will be posted soon at www.StandAgainstSitLie.org.

::: WHY ::: The Board of Supervisors will soon be voting on a law that would make it illegal to sit or lie on the sidewalk anywhere in San Francisco.  We think it’s a really bad idea to criminalize the act of sitting in public space. We think public spaces are safer when people are encouraged to use them to meet with neighbors, friends, family and others from the community. We like how our sidewalks reflect the diverse, vibrant culture of our city. We believe in freedom of expression, the right to peaceably assemble, and the pursuit of happiness on our sidewalks!

We acknowledge and empathize with legitimate fears or frustrations that people encounter and regret that powerful media and business interests have taken advantage of this to push forward such a backwards law. We are interested in participating in dialogue around real solutions.  For starters check out, A Very Different Approach to the Sit-Lie Law by Gabriel Haaland.

::: WHAT CAN DO FOR SIDEWALKS ARE FOR PEOPLE? :::
Anything you want! Be creative — or not.  It doesn’t matter! Just be sure to have fun on the sidewalk and invite friends, family, and neighbors to join you. Please avoid obstructing the free flow of our fellow San Franciscans! Take pictures and shoot video to document your event.  Post your event on the interactive map at StandAgainstSitLie.org so that we can show that people all across our fair city love our public spaces.

We will provide you with some basic materials to hand out to curious pedestrians, along with tools to support you in orchestrating this in the most effective way.  Other than that, we leave it up to you to organize the best event that you can.  You can do whatever you want, but please do something!

CONTACT: info@StandAgainstStiLie.org if you have questions or would like to offer your skills and passion to help put this event together.

Click on image to download a flyer for April 24

FLYER PDF

That’s right, we had so much fun at the first Sidewalks are for People event that we’ve declared it a monthly celebration!

Please help us spread the word. Get your organizations, friends, family, and neighbors together and do something fun on the sidewalk Sat. April 24th.

Download a flyer and post it up at your office and in your neighborhood businesses.

RSVP on the facebook event invite.

Join the Stand Against Sit/Lie facebook group.

We’ve had a spectacular couple of weeks turning the tide against sit/lie.  With all our positive media coverage, including the big debate broadcast internationally on BBC World service, we’ve definitely shifted the momentum in the right direction. But the proponents of Sit/Lie are gearing up for a big fight and organizing to get the ordinance on the November ballot.  Let’s keep the momentum against sit/lie strong.

See you on the sidewalks Saturday April 24!

Internationally-broadcast debate caps week of big setbacks for Mayor and Police Chief

Well the word about Mayor Newsom’s draconian and absurd sit/lie law has reached all the way across “the Pond.”

First there was a story in the Independent.  Then we had the opportunity to debate sit/lie on BBC World Service Newshour.  Too bad the Mayor himself couldn’t join us on the air to defend his proposed ordinance.  Perhaps the proponents of the law are starting to get a little embarrassed about how poorly this law is holding up under scrutiny.

The past week has been awful for Mayor Newsom and Chief Gascon.  First there was a media storm about our huge, all-day, citywide event on March 27 where more than a thousand San Franciscans protested Sit/Lie by holding one hundred celebrations on the sidewalks.

Then, the Planning Commission, where the mayor has a majority of his hand-picked appointees, said that the law would directly conflict with scores of policies in the City’s General Plan.  In other words it’s in direct conflict with what this city is about.

Also last week, a reporter on the Haight couldn’t find a single supporter of Sit/Lie among a random selection of people who live and work there.  Most fascinating was the SFPD patrol officer she spoke with.  He said straight up he did not support the ordinance. He said it would be ineffective, a distraction, and might even endanger officers because it would divert officers needed in other areas of the city.

Incredible.  Even the mayor’s hand-picked appointees and the Chief’s own officers are coming out against this law.  Or maybe it’s not so incredible — because  the Sit/Lie ordinance crumbles so easily when confronted with simple logic that we’re basically going to win every debate we have with its proponents.

Speaking of debates, apparently the folks over at BBC World Service thought this law was so “bloody mad” that they needed to expose it the WORLD.   The Brits edited out some of our best bits, but we still won handily and as Diana Louise  mentioned on our facebook page, it appeared the host, Mary Ann Sieghart, totally had our back! : )

Big thanks to Gabriel Haaland, Bob Offer-Westort, Joey Cain, and Boris Delepine for all the help prepping for the debate.

JOIN US ON SATURDAY, APRIL 24 FOR THE NEXT SIDEWALKS 4 PEOPLE EVENT ON A SIDEWALK NEAR YOU!