March for Human and Economic Rights

(August 04, 2003) Twenty-some of Rochester's poor decided to stand out against poverty
and the practices of the
Monroe County
Department of Human and Health Services (DHHS) today. They met at
noon at the Liberty Pole to gather for a march and to present their
grievances to all who were willing to hear, stating, "It's time for poor
people in our community to unite and demand our rights to thrive and
live at a standard of Human Dignity, Respect, and Equality." The march
involved members of both Poor People United and the Rochester
Poor People's Coalition and proceeded from the Liberty Pole to the
DHHS offices at 691 Saint Paul Street.

(August 04, 2003) Twenty-some of Rochester's poor decided
to stand out against poverty and the practices of the href="http://www.monroecounty.gov/org658.asp?storyID=2831">Monroe County
Department of Human and Health Services (DHHS) today. They met
at noon at the Liberty Pole to gather for a march and to present their
grievances to all who were willing to hear, stating, "It's time for poor
people in our community to unite and demand our rights to thrive and
live at a standard of Human Dignity, Respect, and Equality." The march
involved members of both Poor People United and the Rochester
Poor People's Coalition and proceeded from the Liberty Pole to the
DHHS offices at 691 Saint Paul Street.

Upon arrival at the DHHS offices, the peaceful protestors
were met by security guards and approximately ten href="http://www.rochesternypolice.com/contactus.htm">Rochester
Police Department officers. The protestors continued
to assert their rights to peaceably assemble and to
petition the government (agency) for redress of grievances,
and no arrests were made, even in the face of the recently declared href="http://www.iknowrochester.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=D730DAC9-B260-4EFB-A12E-2F496C73F686">"aggressive"
police campaign. Perhaps the police had been called merely to defend
the protestors Constitutional Rights?

Background

There are over 96 thousand Monroe County citizens living in
poverty, with Rochester, New York being ranked eleventh in the United
States in child poverty. Ninety percent of the students in the href="http://www.rcsdk12.org/">Rochester City School District are
eligible for a free lunch program. Over 24 thousand people are unemployed
in Monroe County which has led to people sleeping underneath bridges,
in the subway bed, in parking ramps, and on benches. Many have spent
the entire winter in these places, having been turned away from shelters
due to lack of available beds. Some have been forced into prostitution,
choose crime, and use drugs to escape. One-third of the homeless suffer
from mental illness. Many who receive welfare benefits aren't receiving
enough to meet even their basic needs. With utility bills being high,
many have had to choose between paying the light bill or the rent.
These are some of the reasons those protesting chanted "Hey hey, no no,
sanctions have got to go!"

"Sanctions? What's this, another article about Iraq?"

While the United Nations is indeed
mentioned soon, no, this is a story about events right here on the streets
of Rochester, New York. A "sanction" is issued to an individual who
fails to meet DHHS requirements. It declares them ineligible for any
basic services until they meet compliance. The mandatory time period
associated with a sanction ranges from 30 days to 18 months. Imagine the
damage that can do to a person that has no other means of support.
Most likely they will find themselves either homeless or in jail.
No wonder the protestors were chanting "Sanctions equal homelessness."
It's fortunate that the few confused by hearing this have never had to
experience sanctions themselves.

By sanctioning an individual without providing minimal assistance,
DHHS is violating that person's human rights. By denying
an individual emergency assistance, DHHS betrays the public
mandate to provide a safety net for all. The United Nations' href="http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html">Universal Declaration of
Human Rights states:

Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 22.

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security
and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international
co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of
each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable
for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 25. subdivision 1

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health
and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing,
housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to
security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood,
old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Protestor perspective

"We are marching to demand the lift of sanctions
Sanctions ==
Homelessness
and all the inhumane treatment of our community."

• The Right to a Living Wage Job
• The Right to Food Clothing and Shelter
• The Right to Medicare
• The Right to Recovery
• The Right to Education

"It's time for poor people in this community to unite and demand
our rights to thrive and live at a standard of Human Dignity, Respect,
and Equality."

DHHS perspective

A representative from the DHHS who declined to identify herself
consented to be interviewed on condition of anonymity. She said that
six employers came for one hour each, six hours total during the month
of July, to hire those in the DSS waiting room for such positions as
"oil change technician" and "janitorial" jobs. She was uncertain what
employers might be scheduled for August or how many.

When questioned about the impact of today's protest, she said that
DHHS clients could potentially have been intimidated by the protestors.
Additionally, four security guards were taken away from their other duties
in the building to stand outside in the sun to face the protestors on
this (admittedly) oppressively hot and humid day.

Other than wishing for a return to the air conditioning inside, I wonder
if any of those guards are reading this and if so, what they thought of
this unexpected change in their day. (Or you, do you have a reaction?
Feel free to post a reply.)