C.L.A.E.R.'s response to Obama's stimulus package

In evaluating the recently passed economic stimulus project, The Community Leadership and Emergency Response (C.L.A.E.R.), and the Sunnydale community, can’t help but wonder when we will see a comprehensive anti-violence package. The Obama stimulus plan will not create jobs quickly enough to end the bloodshed in our community.

As we enter this New Year, the city of San Francisco has already seen six homicides. The current economic crisis, coupled with the lack of jobs and adequate housing for our community, creates high tension in San Francisco’s Southeast sector, and this tension leads to increased violence. Mother’s lose sons, babies lose fathers, and young men lose their lives. An economic stimulus package has no relevance to those who are dead. This package does not provide our community with sufficient employment opportunities, job training, or a chance at an education.

As drug addiction, AIDS, gun violence, and lack of safe housing threaten the urban community, we at the CLAER project demand the immediate announcement of an Obama Administration anti-violence plan. The health of the family unit, and the safety of our community hangs in the balance.