Definitive Statement In Support
Of Alcatraz Conversion Project
The San Francisco
Vote on Feb 5th, 2008 for rejuvenating Alcatraz Island is
an historic opportunity to show our community's support for
turning the tides on 150 years of militarism, punitive incarceration,
and macabre tourism. It is an opportunity for us to state
unequivocally that we feel that it would be better for all
concerned to have a symbol of our higher values sitting in
the center of our beautiful San Francisco Bay, one which people
from around the world would come to visit, and actually go
away inspired.
It is a chance
to state our assessment that the crumbling structures of war
and prison currently atop Alcatraz Island are not a National
Historic Treasure to be saved and subtly glamorized, but are
rather a National Historic Wound to be healed.
Its fruits will
in time represent, as a widely visible testament, a positive
cultural/pyscho-spiritual transformation.
If we as a people
think that we cannot, in this time of acquiescing to unprecedented
militarism and war spending, create and allocate the expertise
and relatively small resources to make this small but inspiring
testament to peace and human wisdom a reality, then we are
left with much larger questions about ourselves and our values
as a culture than whether to vote "Yes" on this
simple initiative.
Logistically and
financially this long-view project is within our capacities.
That is without question, we have done much more with much
less in the past. So then, what are the real questions posed
by this vote?
We are voting here
to reveal the true mind and heart of the people, to get the
dialogue going, and to, against all odds, turn Alacatraz Island
into a beacon of light.
Now that's history.
Give Peace a Chance.
Vote "Yes" on Proposition C
Response To Editorial.."A
Vision For Alcatraz",
Editor-In response to your recent editorial, "A Vision
For Alcatraz", I would like to point out that two of
the main features of our proposed new regenerated Alcatraz
includes an International Center For Non-Violent Conflict
Resolution along with a bold statue of St. Francis welcoming
all to the S.F. Bay Area.
The fear based belief held by many of our "opponents"
that this would be an economic burden for San Francisco and
somehow subtract from the current tourist trade is from my
perspective illogical . In reality, the economic benefits
of this our proposed 21st century majestic, visionary project
will be immensely positive. The New Alcatraz , a place of
light, beauty and freedom will become an artistic, educational
and spiritual mecca which will attract millions of people
from all over the world who will thoroughly enjoy being "
Inspired, Delighted, Healed and Enlightened".
Propostion C, is confronting the good people of San Francisco
with a simple choice: Do we really want an old and decaying
prison to continue to be a prominent landmark for the San
Francisco Bay Area, or do we want to take this opportunity
to create a New Alcatraz, one which will mark a new emerging
paradigm committed to progressive, enlightened values ?!
To us, the choice is obvious. It will be most interesting
to see what the people feel and think about Propostion C.
In closing, I would like to remind all of us that " "Where
There Is Vision, We, The People , Shall Prosper"
