Written by John
Stewart
‘Justiceville’ is
on “The Secret Tapes ´86”, Homecomimg Records, 1986 and “Airdream Believer
– A Retrospective”, Shanachie, 1995.
In lieu of an
introduction, I searched the net and found something you might want to read.
Airdream Believer
version
Capo 2nd fret
(C) (Em)
(Spoken)
This in from Los
(C)Angeles, a group of homeless people built a town
of cardboard and
plywood (Em)shacks on a vacant lot in downtown Los Angeles.
They were evicted
to(C)day and their houses bulldozed down –
the city
considered them a health (Em)hazard.
They were moved,
however, to the sidewalk ten feet away,
(C)where they
remain today.
Many of them were
women and children.
They (D)called
their town Justiceville.
(Sung)
Hey (C)Mama, (D)
have you seen the (G)dream? (Em)
(C) Have you seen
the (D)highway
(G) Where the
(G/F#)El Dorados (Em)scream?
Hey (C)Mama, (D)
have you seen the (Em)dream?
And hey (C)Mama,
(D) did we have a (G)light? (G/F#) (Em)
(C) Did it shine
in our front (D)window
(G) In the
(G/F#)middle of the darkest (Em)night?
Hey (C)mama, (D)
have you seen the (Em)light?
Yes I (D)have and
it's burning (Em)still (hold)
Oh
(C)Jus(G)tice(D)ville, (C) all they (D)wanted was a (G)home.
(C)Jus(G)tice(D)ville,
(C) a little (D)place to call their (Em)own,
Where no one can
(D)throw the stone.
Justice(Em)ville. (C) (Em) (C)
Hey Mama, (D) have
you seen Crazy (G)Joe? (Em)
(C) I hear he
talks to (D)Angels
(G) And
(G/F#)folks that he don't (Em)know.
Hey (C)Mama, (D)
have you seen Cr(Em)azy Joe?
Hey (C)Mama, (D)
do we have a (Em)dream?
(C) Will we have a
(D)home someday
(G) Where it's
(G/F#)always safe and (Em)clean?
Hey (C)Mama, (D)
do we have a (Em)dream?
Yes, we (D)do and
it's burning (Em)still…(hold)
Oh,
(C)Jus(G)tice(D)ville, (C) all they (D)wanted was a (G)home.
(C)Jus(G)tice(D)ville,
(C) a little (D)place to call their (Em)own,
Where no (C)one
would (D)throw the stones.
Justice(Em)ville.
Justiceville, (C)
(D)
Justice(Em)ville,
Justice(C)ville,
(D)
Justice(Em)ville,
(C) (D)
Justice(Em)ville,
(C) (D)
Justice(Em)ville.
© John Stewart,
All Rights Reserved
Charlie Woodward,
Art Faller &
janhauenstein@gmx.de
February 2005
From:
http://www.bfi.org/Trimtab/t499a.htm
Dome Village In
Los Angeles
Ten years ago in
Trimtab we reported on Ted Hayes, homeless activist and his Justiceville, USA.
We’ve been following his work over the years and spoke with him recently on the
phone. Hayes and his organization, Justiceville/Homeless USA, a 501(c)3
nonprofit organization, has transformed an unsightly 1 1/4 acre homeless
encampment site in downtown Los Angeles into a community of formerly homeless
people allowing them to become more productive, industrious, and responsible.
In April of ’93, ARCO, under the then leadership of CEO and Board Chairman, Mr.
Lod Cook, led the way with a contribution of $250,000. Mayor Richard Riordan
endorsed the project and smoothed the way for progress through the city
bureaucracy. The Village opened on November 5, 1993, providing housing and
supportive service for 18-24 individuals and families. The 20 foot Omni-Sphere
domes “stand as symbols of innovative solutions which depart from the way
things have ‘always been done.’”
Their most recent
addition is the CyberDome, a new computer education center. The computer
education center is housed in a special 20 foot Survival Sphere Dome designed
by Craig Chamberlain. The Dome Village has been sponsoring regular computer
education classes since February 1998 which have provided positive results for
many residents. Student volunteers from USC have assisted the Dome Village
Program Director with teaching. It is hoped this program will be greatly
expanded in 1999. A number of USC/CyberDome special events are planned such as
“Cyber Teach-Ins” which will bring volunteers together with homeless and youth
from the community for educational programs.
Hayes feels they
have learned many good lessons from the current Dome Village. For their next
project they plan to improve the domes by using an insulated structure.
Currently the cities of Miami Beach, San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley have
expressed interested in setting up dome villages in their cities.
Hayes has also written
the “National Homeless Plan” to “stop outlawing homelessness and to break the
homeless cycle.” The Plan advocates the appointment of a cabinet-level
Commissioner of Homeless who would have the task of coordinating a National
Commission on the Homeless. The Commission would work with HUD and other
government agencies to implement real solutions to transition people from
homelessness to active economic participation (as outlined in the Plan). The
Plan has been submitted to President Clinton and has gained support from
Representative Richard Gephart, the Mayor of Los Angeles and others. For a copy
of the full Plan visit their web site at members.aol.com/homeless. You can also
reach Hayes at e-mail: homeless@aol.com or (213) 892-9011, fax (213) 892-9068. The
Dome Village is located at 847 Golden Avenue in Los Angeles.
And here´s
something more current: