by Lindsey Krantz
Why did I join Oakland Privacy?
I joined OP because surveillance scares me.
OP fights back and its camaraderie emboldens me.
I joined OP because mass outdoor surveillance leads to the criminalization of the status of homelessness.
Disproportionate levels of time spent under surveillance contribute to the cruel and unusual punishment inherent in the experience of homelessness.
Follow the federal civil rights case Sullivan et al. v. City of Berkeley and BART, currently in litigation in northern California, for more about Eighth Amendment claims for relief regarding cruel and unusual punishment by members of the group First They Came For The Homeless (FTCFTH).
Furthermore, the Sullivan case includes a claim that defendant City of Berkeley retaliates against FTCFTH for speaking out against this situation and demanding acknowledgement of their dignity.
I joined OP because sunshine is the best disinfectant and this crew has some powerful opposition researchers. Like whoa!
A recent standout: pointing out the existence of an automatic license plate reader (ALPR) at the Highland Hospital emergency room in Oakland shamed the authorities into removing the ALPR.
And of course I joined OP, because the organization is serious and follows through, but is not taciturn.
When you can’t laugh anymore, it’s just not funny, and the chuckles we have support me from getting burnt out.
Here’s to OP.
Lindsey Krantz
Oakland, California