PHOTO/NEIL FITZPATRICK
Editor’s Note: Mike Zint, of ‘First they came for the homeless’ and the Berkeley Post Office Defense, spoke at a victory celebration there, where he has been the main organizer of a 24-hour vigil in defense of the commons and for homeless rights. Because of the ongoing campaign to save the historic old Post Office building from being sold to a real estate company owned by California Senator Dianne Feinstein’s billionaire husband, financier and former slumlord Richard Blum, a judge stopped the sale and slowed down the push to privatize. These words were transcribed from a video of Mike’s speech. [Sarah Menefee, for the People’s Tribune]
Berkeley, CA — What we have here is an occupation, a fight for the commons, a fight for homeless rights. We have a literature table, we have a free box, we have a community garden. Here in Berkeley a lot of things are happening with the homeless situation. The community is really upset about the development of the Berkeley area, they don’t want the big buildings and high rents, they don’t want the post office to be turned into a hotel. These are things the people are going to have to continue to fight.
People need to understand that Charlie, Karma Bear, me, Lilith have dedicated six months of our lives to maintaining this 24-hour occupation. We are not ready to break this vigil down yet because we have the right to exist. We have the right to shelter. Our species is the only one that denies shelter to members of its own species. If we don’t have these tents health issues pop up. I’m not ready to give up. I think this is a beautiful building. I think that it’s worth fighting for. I think the post office is worth fighting for.
The future is really not looking good in our country. Our government is taken over by corporations, lobbyists run everything. It’s money, profit before people, and we need to put the message out that paper is not more important than people. Berkeley has led the way in the fight to save the Post Office. There are other post offices in jeopardy. And you guys show the country that they can do what we’ve done. We can win this. Thank you.
