Larry: Exposing and denouncing civil rights violations by the local government is not "intellectualizing". Criminalizing poor people for the act of sleeping, preventing them from protecting themselves from the elements, and banning self-run encampments contribute to premature deaths (as with Robert Wagner).

Good for Burt Muhly to drive supplies to Nicaragua (so did I in the 80's with Bikes Not Bombs). But meanwhile back in Santa Cruz, Muhly as Mayor in 1978 colluded with the SCPD in institutionalizing the worst Sleeping Ban in the state (MC 6.36.010a).

It's the old "Act Globally, Oppress Locally" syndrome that "progressive" Democratic Party politicians have endlessly repeated here.

Protest, education, organizing, and political pressuring are not the equivalent of putting a yuppie bumper sticker on your SUV.

Check out what the "Yes Men"--a satirical group--did to expose Dow Chemical on the Bhopal massacre/disaster recently (see Democracy Now 9-6).

Sure HUFF is local and small-time, but no one else is publicly raising these issues.

The City Council and police are not "messengers", but active participants--who many of us believe are selling out their progressive constituents by continuing to deny local human rights while babbling about them elsewhere.

For those who'd like to challenge Mayor Rotkin, check out the hypocritical Human Rights Day meeting of Rotkin with other notables noon December 10th in front of the County Building/Courts on Friday.

Again, a tip of the hat to Larry, for his candor in using a real name and speaking up in a forum where many disagree with him.