An Unjust Law

During trial, the local judge addressed the jury...

Ladies and gentlemen, before Ms. Dabkowski gives her first argument, I am going to take judicial notice of certain facts.  Judicial notice is a process where I can receive evidence if it is considered indisputable and these next facts, I've determined, are indisputable, so you are to consider them as having been proven.  The law recognizes that sleep is a physiological need, not an option for humans.  It is common knowledge that the loss of sleep produces a host of physical and mental problems.

The judge also claimed there was no right to sleep, that the Constitution protects political rights but not physical rights.

Sleep Is Not A Crime

I was arrested for sleeping at a protest (via California Penal Code Section 647(e)).

647.  Every person who commits any of the following acts is guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor:

(e) Who lodges in any building, structure, vehicle, or place, whether public or private, without the permission of the owner or person entitled to the possession or in control of it.

We were protesting the Santa Cruz, California sleeping ban.  Santa Cruz thinks it should be illegal to sleep between the hours of 11 p.m. and 8:30 a.m., or use a blanket to keep warm at night (even if awake).  At the time of my arrest I was in a small sleeping bag, resting on top of a thin foam mat, protesting the Santa Cruz sleeping ban (via the act of sleeping).  There are a lot of other silly ordinances and laws involved, and I hope to ridicule them in detail here, but right now the topic is being arrested for sleeping.

Legalize Dreaming

On July 4th, 2010, a protest began.

On October 28th, 2011, I decided to write about it.

Publicly.