Today is International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). IOAD is a global event that aims to raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death. It also acknowledges the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have met with death or permanent injury as a result of drug overdose.
SOME INFO ON HARM REDUCTION AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION (NYC SPECIFIC):
Here is a link that has listings of pharmacies and providers in NYC that will distribute Naloxone (sometimes called Narcan) without a prescription to anyone over the age of sixteen. Naloxone is a medication used to counter the effects of opioid overdose. We need to fucking take care of each other without bias or passing judgement.
Medicaid covers the cost. People can also pay out of pocket. If someone cannot afford it, the pharmacy will have a list of opioid overdose prevention programs where Naloxone can be obtained for free.
Although, Naloxone can be administered to counter the effects of opioid overdose, 911 should still be notified. In New York State callers are granted immunity protections from charge and prosecution for possession of drugs up to and including an A2 felony offense (possession of up to 8 oz of a controlled substance); alcohol (for underage drinkers); marijuana (any amount); paraphernalia offenses; and sharing of drugs (in NY sharing constitutes a “sales” offense).
Harm Reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs. Recognizing that social inequality and injustice magnify drug-related harm and limit the voice of our most vulnerable communities, Harm Reduction works to uphold every individual’s right to health and well-being and their competence to participate in the public policy dialogue.
Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?
No, I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end.
I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality.
If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldn’t have to draft me, I’d join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So I’ll go to jail, so what? We’ve been in jail for 400 years.
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. And shoot them for what? They never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn't put no dogs on me, they didn't rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them for what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail.
72 years ago today the United States took direct action to murder 130,000+ Japanese citizens in Hiroshima, Chūgoku. The thousands who did not die in the initial assault suffered the effects of the subsequent fallout for months and years until they finally succumbed to the painful effects of radiation.
Kawamoto was a 13-year-old student at a middle school only about a half-mile from the site of the explosion. In the moment of impact, most of his classmates were instantly killed. Those left alive cried out, or sang to try to attract the attention of anyone who might help. The horror, however, had only just begun:
"But then the singing and the cries grew weaker. My classmates were dying one by one. That made me very frightened. I struggled to free myself from the broken fragments, and looked around. I thought that gas tanks had exploded. Through a hole in the roof I could see clouds swirling in a cone; some were black, some pink. There were fires in the middle of the clouds. I checked my body. Three upper teeth were chipped off; perhaps a roof tile had hit me. My left arm was pierced by a piece of wood that stuck in my flesh like an arrow. Unable to pull it out, I tied a tourniquet around my upper arm to stanch the flow of blood. I had no other injuries, but I did not run away. We were taught that it was cowardly to desert one’s classmates. So I crawled about the rubble, calling, ‘Is there anyone alive?’
Then I saw an arm shifting under planks of wood. Ota, my friend, was moving. But I could see that his back was broken, and I had to pull him up into the clear. Ota was looking at me with his left eye. His right eyeball was hanging from his face. I think he said something, but I could not make it out. Pieces of nails were stuck on his lips. He took a student handbook from his pocket. I asked, ‘Do you want me to give this to your mother?’ Ota nodded. A moment later he died. By now the school was engulfed in flames. I started to walk away, and then looked back. Ota was staring at me with his one good eye. I can still see that eye in the dark."
I am joy in the face of death. The depth of the sky, lost space is joy in the face of death: everything is cracked open. I imagine the earth turning dizzyingly in the sky. I imagine the sky itself slipping, turning, and disappearing. The sun, comparable to alcohol, turning and bursting breathlessly. The depth of the sky like an orgy of frozen light fading. All that exists destroying itself, consuming itself and dying, each instant only arising in the annihilation of the preceding one, and itself existing only as mortally wounded. Continuously destroying and consuming myself within myself in a great festival of blood. I imagine the frozen instant of my own death.
Georges Bataille, The Practice of Joy in the Face of Death
We won't feel the full impact of today's excesses until decades from now. Even if all of humanity were to immediately adopt a "zero impact" lifestyle (or better yet, to spontaneously go extinct), the planet is projected to warm for the next century. No matter what we do (and keep in mind that what we as a species will probably do is carry on as usual), the oceans will warm and rise, deserts with spread, and untold numbers of species will go extinct. For those of us who are young today, the human suffering we witness and experience will only amplify. We are on a trend towards wars, famines, epidemics, and natural disasters, with the deaths and displacement of millions of people.
To face the future realistically, we can't pretend that our compact fluorescent bulbs and low-flow shower heads will somehow redeem us from the global ecocide we are committing. So what does it mean to be a human being who deeply wants to create something better? What does it mean to be an anarchist?
We are not going to save the world as a whole and it doesn't make sense to delude ourselves into thinking otherwise. At the same time though, embracing pessimism doesn't mean we need to fall into cycles of paralysis, depression, or asocial curmudgeonliness.
The one place we can seriously dismantle hierarchy is in our relationships to the people immediately around us. Transforming the way we interact with each other, building sustainable long-term relationships, and engaging in projects that bring us joy and meaning are not the same as instigating a global revolution, but that doesn't mean they aren't valuable and important and more worth fighting for than trying to change everything.
Many of us grew up without healthy models for relationships, or without enough love and social connection to feel secure as adults. Although we wish to create something better in the ways we treat our friends, lovers, partners, and comrades, when we try to build new ways of being and relating, we may feel that we're making things up as we go along, or find ourselves replicating the fucked up dynamics we were socialized with. Often, changing our relationships to other people means changing our relationships to ourselves and understanding where our habits, reactions, and and emotions are coming from.
This isn't easy to do, especially when there is stigma attached to our feelings and experiences -- we need to treat ourselves as well as others with compassion.
With respect to projects and finding meaning, it's important to remember that abandoning hope for total change doesn't remove value from doing things that feel important or bring us joy. Some people may believe that attempts at change are worthless and prefer to retreat into their own snarky, intellectual worlds. But when an action disrupts the tedium of everyday life or improves someone's access to healthcare or prolongs the existence of an ecosystem, it is not worthless, even if boredom, death, and ecocide continue elsewhere. Even when we fail to make the changes we want, there is value in action that brings us new human connections and gives us reason to keep living.
As human beings, some of our greatest strengths are our adaptability and our social nature. If our futures are grim, that gives us a good reason to enjoy our lives as much as we can now, to cultivate a sense of joy in ourselves and those around us while bracing for what may happen later on. Now more than ever, we need to find each other and form connections, to have a community where we not only enact our values but can share skills and knowledge and look out for one another in the decades to come.
In a decaying society, art, if it is truthful, must also reflect decay. And unless it wants to break faith with its social function, art must show the world as changeable. And help to change it.
These suggestions come from the National guide summarize the rules to which the police are theoretically subject. However be careful, the police, the courts, government can and do ignore these rules when they feel like it. Sometimes, police retaliate against people for exercising their rights. These suggestions from the police are theoretically ignore these rules when they fee tips may help you on in court. And sometimes they won't. But even though the counted on to follow its own laws, it may be helpful to know what these laws so you can shame particular state or deal with particular situations. Always use your best judgment you aren't doing anything wrong, there may be no be excessively paranoid or escalate a potentially in encounter with a police officer who is jus an ugly by acting suspicious and refusing to say The avoid giving information of Providing this information you into inactivity or make paranoid. The vast majority radical projects proceed with no interfere from the police. The police hassle and arrest people because they hope that such repression will frighten the population into submission. We can take reasonable precautions while continuing the fight for liberation.
Never Talk to the Police
Anything you say to an FBI agent or cop may be used against you and other people-even he questions seem routine or harmless. You don't have to police or investigators the street, if you've been arrested, or if you're in jail. (Exceptions: Your name, date of and known as additional minor which are not in your right to remain silent Also, in some you can get an charge for refusing to identify yourself after a police stop based on reasonable suspicion) Only a judge has the authority to order you to answer questions. Many activists have to answer questions, even when ordered by a judge or grand jury, and subsequently served jail time to avoid implicating a for the threaten serve you with a grand jury talk to Don't be intimidated. This frequently empty threat, and if they are going to subpoena you, they will do so anyway. If you do receive a subpoena, call a lawyer right away.
Once you've been stopped or arrested, don't try to engage cops in a dialogue or accusations you are nervous about simply refusing to talk, you may find it easier to tell to contact your a lawyer is involved, the police sometimes back off. Even if you have already answered some questions, you can refuse to answer other questions until you have a lawyer don’t lie to the police or give false information to the police a crime. However, the police are allowed to lie to you- don’t believe what they say if you've been arrested, don't talk about anything sensitive in police cars, jail cells or to other inmates you a probably being recorded.
What To Do About Police Harassment On The Street
f the police stop you on the street, ask, “Am l free to go?" lf yes, walk away. If not, you are being detained but this does not necessarily mean you will be arrested. Ask, Can you explain why you are detaining me? To stop you, cops must have specific reasons to suspect you of involvement in a specific crime. Police are entitled to pat you down during a detention. If the police try to further search you, your car, or your home, say repeatedly that you do not consent to the search, but do not physically resist
What To Do If Police Visit Your Home
You do not have to let the FBI or police into your home or office unless they have a search warrant. If they have an arrest warrant you may limit entry if the person surrenders outside. In either case Ask to inspect the warrant. It must specifically describe the place to be searched and the things to be seized. You do not have to tell them anything other than your name and address. Tell the police that you can not consent to the search unless it is also inspected by a lawyer lf the officers ask you to give them documents, your computer, do not consent to them taking it However physically trying to block them from searching or seizing items may escalate the situation. You have a right to observe what they do. You should take written notes of their names and what they do. Have friends act as witnesses
What To Do If Police Stop You In Your Car
you are driving a car you must show your hands and proof of insurance, but you do questions. Keep your hands where the police can see them and Consent to a refuse to consent search. Police may separate passengers and drivers from each other to question them, but no one has to answer any question
What To Do If You Are Arrested
Repeatedly tell the police l am going to remain silent, I would like to see my lawyer If you suffer police abuse while detained or arrested, try to remember the officers badge number and/or name You have the right to ask the officer identity himself Write down everything as soon as you can and try to find witnesses. are injured, see a doctor and take pictures of the injuries as soon as possible
Searches at International Borders
Your property (including data on laptops) can be searched and seized at border crossings without a warrant. Do not take any data you would like to keep private across the board If you have to travel with electronic data encrypted back up of any encrypt it before crossing and make an encrypted back up of any data before crossing in case your computer phone is seized.
Police Hassles: What If You Are Not A Citizen?
n most cases, you have the right to a hearing with an immigration judge before you can be deported. If you voluntarily give up this right or take voluntary departure, you could be deported without a hearing and you may never be able to enter the US legally again or ever get legal immigration S Do not talk to the ICE, even on the phone, or sign any papers before talking to an immigration lawyer. Unless you are seeking entry into the country, you do not have to reveal your immigration status to any government official. lf you are arrested in the US, you have the right to call your consulate or have the police inform the consulate of your arrest Your consul may help you find a lawyer. You also have the right to refuse help from your consul
Police Hassles: What lf You Are Under 18 Years Old?
Don't talk to the police-minors also have the right to remain silent. You don't have to talk to cops or school officials. Public school students have the right to politically organize at school by passing out leaflets, holding meetings and publishing independent newspapers as long as these activities do not disrupt classes. You have the right to a hearing with your parents and an attorney present before you are suspended or expelled Students can have their backpacks and lockers searched by school officials without a warrant. Do not consent to any search, but do not physically resist.
Common Sense Activist Security Measures
Don't speculate on or circulate rumors about protest actions or potentially illegal acts. Assume you are under surveillance if you are organizing mass direct action, anything illegal, or even legal stuff. Resist police disruption tactics by checking out the authenticity of any potentially disturbing letter, rumor, phone call, or other form of communication before acting on it. Ask the supposed source if she or he is responsible. Deal openly and honestly with the differences in our movements (race, gender, class, age religion, and sexual orientation, etc. before the police can exploit them. Don't try to expose a suspected agent or informer without solid proof. Purges based on mere suspicion only help the police create distrust and paranoia. It generally works better to criticize what a disruptive person says and does without speculating as to why.
People who brag about, recklessly propose, or ask for unnecessary information about underground groups or illegal activities may be undercover police but even if they are not, they are a severe danger to the movement. The police may send infiltrators/provocateurs posing as activists to entrap people on conspiracy charges of planning illegal acts. You can be guilty of conspiracy just for agreeing with one other person to commit a crime even if you never go through with it-all that is required is an agreement to do something illegal and a single overt act in furtherance of the agreement, which can be a legal act like going to a store. It is reasonable to be suspicious of people in the scene who pressure us, manipulate us, offer to give us money or weapons, or make us feel like we aren't cool if we don't feel comfortable with a particular tactic, no matter why they do these things. Responsible activists considering risky actions will want to respect other people's boundaries and limits and won't want to pressure you into doing things you're not ready for. Doing so is coercive and disrespectful-hardly a good basis on which to build a new society or an effective action
Keep in mind that activists who spend all their time worrying about security measures and police surveillance will end up totally isolated and ineffective because they won't be able to welcome new folks who want to join the struggle. We have to be aware of the possibility of police surveillance while maintaining our commitment to acting openly and publicly. Smashing the system is going to require mass a as well as secretive covert actions by a tiny clique of your trusted friends
More info contact the National Lawyers Guild: 415 285-5067 or 212 679-6100, read The War at Home by Brian Glick or Agents of Repression by Ward Churchill
