On This MLK Day We Must Refocus on Addressing Issues in Our Own Community
Last Tuesday, the City of Davis issued a proclamation acknowledging that today is Martin Luther King Day. In the course of introducing the proclamation, Mayor Joe Krovoza mentioned that it was a bit awkward that there was no one there to receive the proclamation.
It seems in the past there has been, although after discussion with city staff, it does not appear to be a formalized process. This is a lost opportunity to honor people in the community worthy of recognition for such an MLK Day.
Today we will all pause for a moment in our lives to celebrate Independence Day. Aside from the separation from the British Empire, Independence Day embodies the celebration of our most cherished values – freedom, liberty, and equality. And yet even in 2010, some 234 years after the Declaration of Independence that declared, “we hold these truths to be self-evidence that all MEN are created equal…,” the notion of equality is still a work in progress at best.
by Mike Pach – 
Candidate Claimed Such Laws Were Used to Harass Homeless People – 
It had become a burning issue within a segment of the Davis Community, a proposed initiative that would authorize a Co-Op boycott of products made in Israel. Ultimately, the board has unanimously rejected such a boycott in a strongly worded resolution.
One of the issues that has plagued the city of Davis at times has been the perception of discrimination and the lack of tolerance for diversity. Now the Davis Human Relations Commission is conducting a survey to determine the public’s perception on diversity and discrimination issues in Davis that it plans to use as they prepare a Diversity and Discrimination report over the next year.
It was summer of 2005 when then 16 year-old Halema Buzayan was arrested by Davis Police Officer Pheng Ly. Much has happened since that time both within the city and the police department. But one thing that has not happened is that the Federal Lawsuit filed by Ms. Buzayan’s family has not gone to trial. That may finally change shortly as a Federal Judge last week ordered the defense to quit stalling and allow the case to move forward.
As a consent agenda item for Tuesday’s Davis City Council meeting, the Davis City Council will likely unanimously support a resolution to join an amicus brief petition to the Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8. Davis will join a growing list of cities that lack the resources to directly sue to challenge the adoption of Proposition as as the City and County of San Francisco, Santa Clara County and the City of Los Angeles did the day after the election.
In December of 2007, there were two hate crime incidents. One involved the spray painting of two sets of residents. The other involved the vandalism of Holmes Junior High. As it turned out, the second incident involved students of color seeking to either deflect blame or rile up the adults. However, that makes it no less insidious or hurtful to the broader community.