Adriel Hampton

Let Us Remember the Fallen As We Prevent Future Wars

As we remember all of the men and women who have died on the battlefield and in active military service, it is also important to think about the many risks we face today when America’s military engages in and escalates violent conflicts overseas.  

Let me be clear: The world is living through a perilous, dangerously tense time. Donald Trump’s repeated threats of nuclear annihilation loom over the Korean peninsula. In recent months, America has shredded the Iran nuclear deal and waded militarily into the conflict in Syria. Washington continues to supply repressive regimes like Saudi Arabia with military hardware, deepening the destruction and blood-letting in Yemen.

All of this is taking us in the wrong direction from building a world on the principles of peace, not war. Memorial Day was initially known as Decoration Day and originally honored those lives lost while fighting in the Civil War. Later, Memorial Day became a day to remember all those Americans who died in military service. But I believe this day should also serve as a moment to reflect on the ways we can and should avoid military conflicts and the tragic loss of lives everywhere caused by war and destruction.

I have always taken an anti-war approach to U.S. policy. In the 1980s, I was involved with the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) working to stop U.S. intervention in El Salvador. And as the Mayor of Richmond, I was a member of Mayors for Peace, where I co-sponsored national resolutions to stop funding wars overseas and start putting money into our communities instead.

The fact is, there are so many opportunities we could seize in our towns and cities today if we rerouted billions of dollars we spend annually on military endeavors, and funded creative, innovative projects and social programs in their place.

For instance, the U.S. House of Representatives – with no less than 131 Democrats signing on – just passed this year’s National Defense Authorization Act that budgets an eye-popping $717 BILLION for military spending. Did anybody do the math on how many tens of millions of hungry, under-housed, under-schooled Americans could be fed, housed and schooled with just a portion of that money? I wish they had.  

Our society has so much potential to do more, rather than less, with all of our skills and creativity. It will take political will and vision to shift away from war so that we prevent more precious loss of American lives, and lives across the globe, in the future.

Anti-war activism has a history, and we must draw on that history today, more than ever, to mobilize for peace across all corners of the globe.

by Adriel Hampton

Gayle McLaughlin is the Only Lt. Governor Candidate 100% United with Renters

Hi, I'm Gayle McLaughlin, I'm the former two-term mayor of Richmond, California and a corporate free candidate for lieutenant governor of California.

With the primaries just around the corner, I want to talk with you about an issue that keeps me and so many Californians up at night. Housing.

There are few things that matter more than having a roof over our heads. It's right up there with having enough food to eat and having safe water to drink. Yet in 21st century America and especially in our great state of California - which is now the fifth largest economy in the world - housing is becoming a nightmare.

California is losing our working families, our young people, our seniors, our artists. Everyday people are being priced out of our cities because they can't afford the skyrocketing rents. Our great state is losing the people who make it great.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Yet establishment politicians keep telling us, "Landlords can charge whatever the market will bear." They say, "You can't tell people how much they can charge for rent or how much a housing developer can charge for his units! This is America!"

Well, I say we can fix this problem BECAUSE this is America. Because this is California. This land was built on a dream, but our dreams aren't achievable if we are struggling simply to stay where we belong. Working people deserve the right to rent affordable homes. We deserve it more than developers and landlords deserve windfall profits.

The time for hands-off laissez-faire "let the market do its thing" thinking is over when it comes to housing. We've been there done that. California, it didn't work. But today there is a powerful renters movement comprised of working families, students, retirees, neighbors, and friends, taking hold across the state and I am the only candidate for lieutenant governor who stands 100% united with renters demanding affordable housing for all!

So, how are we going to do it? Well, we're going to roll up our sleeves and make a few big changes to housing policy. As Lieutenant Governor, I promise to use every ounce of influence I have to level the playing field for renters in two important ways:

One, by expanding rent protections throughout our cities and, two, by building more affordable housing.

Let's start with rent protections. The fact is most cities in California don't have rent control. But other cities HAVE passed rent control ordinances. However, even in those cities with rent control there's a big problem. It's called the Costa Hawkins Act. Costa Hawkins, which passed in 1995, puts restrictions on the housing units subject to rent control. This includes - preposterously - any structure that was built after 1995 or after a city's rent control ordinance went into effect. For cities like San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles - which passed rent control in the late 70s and early 80s - it means any building built in the last four decades is exempt from rent control.

We need to repeal this law and that's just what we're going to do.

Nearly 600,000 signatures for a ballot measure to repeal Costa Hawkins were turned in last month. People that signed these petitions - and so many more Californians understand that we're at a crucial moment that can shift the tide for renters.

Repealing this unjust Costa Hawkins Act will put protections in place for all renters in our rent-controlled cities and, on top of that, we absolutely need to establish rent control laws in towns and cities that have yet to implement such laws.

Now, I'm not naive. I'm highly aware of the steep challenges cities face when they try to pass rent control. But we passed the law in Richmond. The Richmond City Council voted to establish rent control in 2015 making us the first California city in 30 years to do so. And when we did the realtor industry came after us with a vengeance, forcing the City Council to repeal the ordinance and put it on the ballot.

Well, we held strong and Richmond residents voted overwhelmingly to establish rent control in 2016. Was it easy? Nope? But each city that passes rent control gives encouragement to other cities. People are feeling encouraged by Richmond's leadership.

Today, more communities are fighting to keep the dream of an affordable California in their towns and cities. They are fighting in Santa Ana, in Long Beach, in Glendale, in Inglewood, and in Pasadena. They are fighting because they know they can win.

But rent control isn't enough.

Another major focus for me as Lieutenant Governor will be to build more truly affordable housing.

I intend to do what previous state officials haven't had the courage to do - stand up to developers, devise incentives, and demand that more of our state's new housing be built below market rate.

Right now too many units are not being built for our struggling working families. They're not for that neighbor you saw loading up a u-haul yesterday. They're not for the parents working two, three, sometimes four jobs to cover preschool and medical costs. No, those new units are more and more being built for an exclusive group of people who can afford them.

I am pleased to endorse the new San Francisco Community Housing Act. This act will fund municipal housing with a progressive parcel tax, exempting owner-occupied homes making less than the median income. The homes will be permanently owned and maintained by the city and will be overseen by a community council of tenants elected by tenants. This is the type of affordable housing measure we need to see statewide!

Californians, we are at a crossroads. We can stand by and watch as the housing crisis becomes more of a nightmare. We can shrug our shoulders and simply pay sometimes up to 60 and 70 percent of our income in rent forgoing other necessities we can simply watch as the extreme inequality in our state widens and opportunities for all but the most fortunate among us shrink, or we can act.

We can say we've had enough of real estate developers ruling the day. We've had enough of landlords being able to jack up rents without restrictions. We've had enough of establishment officials being funded by real estate lobbyists.

A renters movement has begun and we're not turning back! As your Lieutenant Governor, I promise to fight every day to push the renters' movement forward and to stand up for the right of every Californian to an affordable home.

I promise this because I love this state and all its people. I hope you'll join my campaign and tell everyone you know who loves California to come out and vote in the primary on June 5th.

Thank you very much.

by Adriel Hampton

Celebrating Our Strength on International Women's Day

I recently became aware of a wonderful quote by Harriet Tubman, the leading abolitionist in the Underground Railroad:

“Don’t ever stop. If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.”

Tubman’s line still speaks clearly to us today, on International Women’s Day, reminding us to “never stop” fighting injustice and inequality in its many forms, as we challenge corporate control and work to create a truly democratic society for all.    

While she was best known for her efforts to establish racial equality, Tubman also fought for women’s rights alongside the nation’s suffragists, making her a forerunner of the modern feminist movement. As we celebrate this historic day in Women’s History Month, it is important to remember the victories we have won – and the many visionary as well as ordinary women who sacrificed to make our opportunities possible.  

We still have far to go. Sexism remains embedded in our economic and political systems, and in our society and culture overall. The Harvey Weinsteins and Donald Trumps who have spent decades grossly exploiting and abusing women are only now beginning to feel the limits of their power, thanks to our movements for social change.

But as millions more people stand up and proclaim #MeToo, both here and around the world, gender equality gets that much closer to becoming a reality. The #MeToo movement shows the degree to which women have reached a level of courage and confidence to speak our truths and reveal the history of repression and abuse we have felt.

As the Mayor of Richmond, in 2008 I started an International Women's Day event called Sisters in Solidarity, which brought together Bay Area women to network and celebrate our local, national and international accomplishments. This celebratory tradition continues more than a decade on, and this Saturday, March 10, Richmond will hold its 11th Annual Sisters in Solidarity event!  

The objectification of women in our society is still a daily fact. We are disrespected and harmed, both directly and in subtle ways, through advertising, entertainment, in the workplace, in the home, in the political arena, and in our daily interactions. Men, too, are harmed by this objectification.

On the other hand, when sexual relations, work relations, political relations and family relations are based on genuine respect and equality, our society and culture are greatly enhanced.

It will take the ongoing hard work of organizing to make sure that women achieve our due equal rights, and, as your Lieutenant Governor, I intend to do everything in my power to support gender equality – which includes supporting more women leaders in all areas of society.

Across our state, all of us must fight for pay equity, full reproductive rights, paid family leave, free childcare, zero tolerance for sexual harassment and abuse, and gender balance in political and social structures. There are many layers of systemic oppression that we need to overcome together, including sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, xenophobia, ageism, disrespect and abuse of children and youth.

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate who we are, how far we’ve come – and to remember that when we fight together, we win.

Please join my campaign for California: gayleforcalifornia.org/donate

by Adriel Hampton