Friday, February 18, 2005

The blogosphere goes Zen

Or goes cosmic. Or enters a new dimention, maybe.

Whatever you call it, Jerry Brown - former California governor, current mayor of Oakland and future California state attorney general - has just started his own blog.

It's called simply Jerry Brown.

This one is sure to be interesting.

Part of the Zen idea is "living in the moment." Since Jerry's current "moment" involves being both Oakland mayor and candidate for attorney general, it's appropriate that his first two posts have to do with his approach to violent crime in Oakland.

The first one is In Defense of Oakland's Probationer Curfew, responding to a group that had criticized his policy of having a curfew for people on probation. He says in part:

The assertion that 80 percent of parolees are homeless is as baseless as the claim that Oakland does nothing for probationers. In fact, Oakland is home to some of the most progressive probationer/parolee rehabilitation programs in the nation. Unique among cities, Oakland sends staff into state prison to help inmates train and prepare for life on the outside.

I invite Critical Resistance to step back from the ideological edge and assist us in turning lives around. Men and women leaving prison need lots of help, and activist energy could be creatively engaged.

In his second post, he talks about Oakland On the Rise 02/17/05

I’m glad to see all the lively responses to my entry into the blogosphere. I welcome the robust debate. And, I will say that Oakland’s doing great. Crime is down, new housing is springing up all over town, the bar scene is coming alive and the arts are thriving. The new Oakland School for the Arts has taken up residence right behind the old Fox Theatre in downtown.

The blogosphere will never be the same again. Brown may turn out to be this medium's first genuine "blogosopher."

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