Birthing Eugene’s OpportUNITY Village

sleep on cardboard, on dirt, on cement:
the official unofficially-counted occupants of
Eugene’s parks, alleys and riverbanks.
No job, no money…go home
to no home.

Homeless survival:
victimized by addicts, vagrants, local laws
forcing police to criminalize
public visibility of private necessities.
In Eugene know the crime of carrying bedding,
(Code 4.815) levies $200 first offense, $500 second.

In the gathering darkness of December 10th, 2012
amid and upon the tiles of Eugene’s Free Speech Plaza
tents are pitched – illegally,
bedrolls unrolled – illegally.

The proactive group, SLEEPS,
Safe Legally Entitled Emergency Places to Sleep,
stages a ‘camp-in’ in moral solidarity
with the world’s billion-plus truly desperate homeless.
A ‘camp-in’ leveraging local concern and legal knowledge
as prelude to the…
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING and

PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION
WORK SESSION:
Homelessness Project
Siting Discussion:

Alan Zelenka’s summarizes,
makes a motion,
a second is heard
and the vote is called:
George, Mike, Betty, Chris,
Claire. Pat, Alan.

6 to 1, the “Yeas” have it.

This evening, from Harris Hall onto Free Speech Plaza
much talk, loud celebration, forgiven illegal occupancy.

Tomorrow bundling bedding, tents and signs.

Tomorrow recharging the tools of nonviolence: laptop, iPad,
smart phone, information, transparency, connectivity.

Demonstrate.
Trespass.
‘Camp-in’ at Free Speech Plaza.
Don’t invite but expect arrest.
‘Protest’ on city land and go to City Jail.
‘Trespass’ on county land and go to County Detention.
Or is it the flip?
Whichever, women always go to jail.

Conestoga Huts win unanimous approval.

communitysupportedshelters.org

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