[van-announce] QUAK to Revisit Poor Bashing Business May 2nd.

[resist admin]

From: QUAK <quak at resist.ca>
To: quaklist at lists.resist.ca
Subject: QUAK Disrupts Poor Bashing Business
Date: 28 Apr 2003 08:38:45 -0700

QUAK will be repeating this successful action this Friday, May 2nd.  If
you'd like to come and support we will be at T-Bone Clothing (on Davie,
near the corner of Burrard) at 4:30pm.


QUAK Disrupts Poor Bashing Business

On Friday, April 11, a QUAK flying squad paid a visit to T-Bone
Clothing, a men's clothing shop in the "gay village" of Davie St.  But
this was no shopping spree.  QUAK dropped by to expose and oppose poor
bashers within the queer community.

In a recent issue of Xtra West (a Vancouver gay newspaper) T-Bone
Clothing bemoaned the presence of panhandlers near their business.
Some of T-Bone's words to describe panhandlers were "bums dangling cute
little cups from a string", "such a disgraceful mess of a street", and
"these lazy-ass bums sleeping or begging".

These attacks on the poor were followed by an announcement from
Vancouver-Burrard Liberal MLA Lorne Mayencourt that he was pursuing a
private members bill regarding "aggressive panhandling".  A move which
has been widely criticized, including by gay board members of the
traditionally conservative local Business Improvement Association and
the Community Policing Centre.

This law and order approach to poverty is modeled after Ontario's
Conservative Party and their "Safe Streets Act".  There are already
laws to "deal" with someone being aggressive or assaultive.
Panhandling laws only put more power into the hands of police to harass
the poor; they create laws to "deal" with people being homeless or
panhandling.

QUAK blocked the front window display of T-Bone Clothing with a banner
reading "BIGOTS: stop the war on the poor".  In an hour and a half,
hundreds of pedestrians on both sides of the street had been leafletted
regarding T-Bone and Lorne Mayencourt's poor bashing and not one
shopper entered the store.  It was a clear message to T-Bone Clothing
and others that these attacks on marginalized communities will not be
tolerated.

This is part of an on-going campaign to defeat Lorne Mayencourt, the BC
Liberals, and the businesses that profit from their attacks on poor and
working people.  Mayencourt, a gay politician, has already eliminated
queer youth program funding, health care for the trans community, those
with disAbilities and people with HIV / AIDS, the Human Rights
Commission, rent controls and his riding's Residential Tenancy Office
(in which 80% of residents are renters), and a host of other social
services.

These attacks must be stopped before they starve, evict, layoff, bash
or kill anymore of this province's most vulnerable people.  QUAK will
continue to work in coalition with other groups and individuals
fighting against those who attack the poor, queers, and other
marginalized communities.  For more information contact QUAK - Queers
United Against Kapitalism: quak at resist.ca or 604-682-3269 ext.9915.