San Diego Free Press

Grassroots News & Progressive Views

Tattoo Research Program Raises Legal, Ethical, and Privacy Concerns

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SDPD Raid on Strip Club Detained Workers, Forced Them to Pose Nude to Photograph Tattoos.

By Dave Maass & Aaron Mackey / Electronic Frontier Foundation

Tattoos are inked on our skin, but they often hold much deeper meaning. They may reveal who we are, our passions, ideologies, religious beliefs, and even our social relationships.

That’s exactly why law enforcement wants to crack the symbolism of our tattoos using automated computer algorithms, an effort that threatens our civil liberties.   [Read more…]

Anti-War Legend and Boxing Great Muhammad Ali Dies at 74

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“My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America… How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.”

By Jon Queally / Common Dreams

Boxing great Muhammad Ali, known around the world as a humanitarian who spoke out forcefully against racial inequality, social injustice, and the Vietnam War during the 1960’s, has died at the age of 74.

The news of the athlete’s passing was confirmed by several news outlets late Friday night as well as a brief statement released on behalf of the family.

“After a 32-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, Muhammad Ali has passed away at the age of 74. The three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer died this evening,” said family spokesperson Bob Gunnell in the statement.
  [Read more…]

Looking Back at the Week: May 29-June 4

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This week’s edition of Looking Back at the Week features articles, commentaries, columns, satire, and other work by San Diego Free Press regulars, irregulars, columnists, at-large contributors, cartoonists, and sourced writers on: the police overreaction to anti-Trump protestors and the militarization of Barrio Logan, dreaming big for Bernie, third time being the charm in Fallujah, remembering Bud Sonka, officer misconduct and use of force, architects panning Chargers convadium, and lots of other inspiring (and sometimes depressing), grassroots news & progressive views from San Diego’s friendly, neighborhood, all volunteer, slightly funky, community news site.   [Read more…]

Geo-Poetic Spaces: Hijacked

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A madman
has taken over the plane
forcing sheep
in business suits destined for Germany
to fly from Vienna to London
where they are herded
into Heathrow’s overcrowded stalls
for half a day

If they have 25 pounds
it will be sheered from their coats
for a bottle of water
and greasy bread crumbs
said to be fish   [Read more…]

Architects Pan Charger Football Stadium Proposal

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Costs and Environmental Risks Create Risks for Taxpayers, Says Local AIA Chapter

American Institute of Architects San Diego / UrbDeZine

At first glance, the recent East Village Convadium proposal has many appealing qualities: it is an attractive, modern complex with many interesting features. However, the Charger’s owners hope to capitalize on the recent trend in California and use the ballot initiative process to “expedite” California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, and for good reason. The flash and hype of the ballot initiative covers many significant, unanswered questions about potential cost overruns and environmental impacts that may cost San Diego taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Like many San Diegans, the American Institute of Architects San Diego (AIASD) would like to see a NFL franchise remain in San Diego. However, our 900 member organization is dedicated to advancing good urban planning and design in San Diego, and we have many concerns about the current Convadium proposal. We also feel it is critical to remind San Diegans there are better alternatives.   [Read more…]

Did San Diego Police “Overreact” During Anti-Trump Protests or Did They Simply Follow “The Zimmerman Plan”

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Police presence at San Diego Trump rally, May 27, 2016

Is it true that San Diego Police overreacted during the anti-Trump protests in downtown last Friday, May 27th, or did they simply follow Chief Zimmerman’s plan to corral demonstrators and push them into Barrio Logan where they could make arrests – arrests made out of the lens of the national media?

I attended the protests and was downtown for about 6 hours that day a week ago. The following observations and opinions are my own. What I did see and experience has led me to believe that the police manipulated the anti-Trump protesters in order to declare an illegal assembly – which then gave them the authority to make mass arrests – arrests police made largely out of sight – and in the ethnic Chicano- Mexican-American community of Barrio Logan.
  [Read more…]

Progressive Primary Procrastinators: It’s Time to Vote!

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UPDATED: Bernie Sanders in San Diego on Sunday.

If you haven’t voted in San Diego yet, now is the time to get focused, and I’m here to help.

While there are many candidates and issues on the ballot, let me remind readers that a Yes vote on Proposition I will have the most immediate impact locally. More than 170,000 hard-working San Diegans will get a badly needed, overdue raise and access to five earned sick days a year.

What I hope to do here today is offer one-stop shopping for those of you just getting around to making your ballot box decisions.   [Read more…]

Mexico’s President Responds to Trump’s Racism …

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… South Bay Guide for California’s Primaries, and 308-Space Parking Structure Built In County’s Most Walkable City

There is less than a week until the California Primaries, South Bay. How will you vote? See inside for a useful guide on:

– Federal Candidates,

– California State & County Representatives,

– South Bay Local Elections,

– Candidates of Chula Vista’s District 4.   [Read more…]

What’s In a Name? Women, Marriage and Identity

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By Anne Haule / Musings of a Boomer Feminist

Juliet could not marry Romeo because of a long-standing family feud between her family (the Capulets) and his family (the Montagues). She laments that if it weren’t for the name “Montague” their love could survive – “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Brides from the 80’s to the present do feel that names matter and often put much thought into whether of not to take their husband’s birth name or retain their own.

The heterosexual tradition of the wife taking the husband’s name is based on English common law that held a husband and wife are one “person” under the law – resulting in the end of the wife’s separate legal existence – along with all her “single person” rights. Wives were considered “chattel” and were essentially owned by their husbands. This name change heritage is the reason many feminists beginning in the 70’s retained their birth names.   [Read more…]

African-American Women Now Top the List of Most-Educated Group in the Country

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A new study finds that African-American women achieve the highest outcomes of any demographic by race and gender.

By Kali Holloway / AlterNet

Statistics on black women and education have shown them leading all other gender and racial groups for a few years now. More than half of all black women specifically between the ages of 18 and 24 are enrolled in college, and black women overall outpace other race and gender groups in terms of college enrollment, according to the National Center of Education Statistics/U.S. Census numbers.

While those figures are noteworthy, a new report goes beyond mere enrollment numbers to show that black women also have the highest numbers where degree-earning is concerned.   [Read more…]

California Countdown: Clinton Calls Out the Crazyman in the Contest

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Sanders Voters Scarce So Far

With the deadline for primary voting less than a week away, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came to San Diego to talk foreign policy.

This talk wasn’t about what she would do as President. It was all about The Donald, who–as far as I can tell– mostly formulates his ideas by playing upon fear or flight fantasies based on too much TV drama.

Who knows what Trump believes? And that may well be the scariest part of his persona. We do know that he seems incapable of moderating his passions in the face of a perceived threat, like a reporter asking a tough question. He’s also apparently never been wrong. About anything.   [Read more…]

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