Berkeley

OP-ED: Stem The Tide of Diabetes – Vote Yes On D

Published

11 years ago

November 3, 2014

Oakland Post

By Max Anderson

QUESTION:

Big Soda is spending millions of dollars to defeat Measure D. What is your personal connection to this issue?

Long before Big Soda decided to lay siege to any community that dared oppose its unhealthy crusade to saturate our communities with cloyingly sweet beverages and its billion dollar ad campaigns, my family suffered the ravages of diabetes.

My mother died at the age of 57 from complications of diabetes, including kidney disease and blindness. Every one of her four children has suffered from the disease.

Diabetes has cast a swath of disease and disability across a larger and larger demographic of families in this country and beyond.

The principle purveyors of this epidemic are the giant soda companies and their stockholders who prey upon the youngest and most vulnerable among us — costing us billions of dollars in healthcare, and leaving in its wake the damaged bodies and broken lives of more and more families.

The scientific evidence of the connection between sugary drinks and disease are legion and unshakable. Even big soda dares not contest the evidence.

QUESTION:

As you just noted, Big Soda spends little time or money denying the health risks of sugary drinks. Instead, most of their attack on D is to raise wording issues. As a health professional, can you address the issues at stake?

Here is the connection between sugary drinks and disease:

Increased consumption of liquid sugar is causing, not just correlated to, epidemic levels of metabolic diseases, most notably Type 2 Diabetes Melitus;
Robert Lustig, UCSF pediatrician, describes liquid sugar as a chronic toxin when consumed in excess. A 12 ounce can of soda is too much for any child to consume, and causes liver damage.
Dr. Lustig said: “Due to sugar consumption, our children are getting the same diseases as adult alcoholics.”
Health community professionals and nutritionists agree that the reduction in consumption of sugar sweetened beverages is central to curbing the incidence and prevalence of diabetes among children.
Eliminating diabetes among children must be the focus of our efforts.

QUESTION:

Berkeley seems remarkably united in the face of this well financed negative corporate media campaign. What is at stake for Berkeley and nationally if Measure D is passed by the voters here?

The Yes On D campaign is endorsed by every elected official and every candidate running for office in Berkeley. Our community is remarkably united on this issue. The Ecology Center, Healthy Black Families, League of Women Voters (Berkeley, Albany & Emeryville), Berkeley NAACP, Latinos Unidos de Berkeley and the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club are among the many organizations supporting Yes on D.

It is within our power to establish a much more promising and healthy future for our children and our community. The corporations behind big soda care only about profits, and have no interest in the health of our children and our communities.

Max Anderson

We must stem the tide of diabetes, obesity and heart disease by taking this first significant step of leveling a 1 cent per ounce tax on the distributors of sugary drinks. In doing so, we will have begun to reassert the rights and responsibilities of our communities to end the corporate control of our families and our neighborhoods.

Max Anderson is a member of the Berkeley City Council, District 3.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Berkeley Measure D OP-ED Opinion Soda Tax

Up Next

OP-ED: Dan Siegel Is the Candidate Who Will Address the Issues

Don't Miss

Len Raphael, Candidate for City Auditor

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

The Case Against Probate: False Ruling Invalidates Black Professor’s Estate Plan, Ignoring 28-Year Relationship

Zakiya Folami Jendayi, beneficiary of Head’s estate, states that “The errors, ranging from misstatements of fact, omissions of critical evidence, and reliance on false arguments and testimony, formed the basis of Judge Sandra K. Bean’s ruling against me, Dr. Head’s previous student, mentee, sorority sister and long-time friend,and despite the fact that I was her chosen, power of attorney, Advanced Healthcare Directive agent, trustee, executor and sole beneficiary.”

Published

4 weeks ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Dr. Head and Zakiya Jendayi, Their 28 year old friendship was ignored by Probate Court Judge Bean who ruled in favor of Dr. Head's estranged sister's. One sister could not identify Head, in a picture shown while under oath.

By Tanya Dennis

Part 5

In a shocking miscarriage of justice, a California probate judge issued a Statement of Decision on March 28 riddled with numerous documented errors that invalidated the estate plan of esteemed Black Studies professor Dr. Laura Dean Head.

The ruling from the Alameda County Superior Court’s probate division in Berkeley has sparked outrage from advocates for probate reform, community members and civil rights activists, who say the decision reflects deep flaws in the probate system, blatant disregard for due process, and the wishes of the ancestors. Judge Sandra Bean’s ruling reflects a repeated outcome seen in Black and Brown communities.

Reading court transcripts, the most egregious violations according to Jendayi reveal a pivotal point in the ruling that rested on a letter from Dr. Stephan Sarafian of Kaiser Permanente, who misidentified Dr. Head as male, misstated the day, month, and year, and asserted Head lacked capacity.

Under cross-examination, he reversed his opinion and admitted under oath that he never conducted a mental evaluation, did not diagnose Dr. Head with incapacity, did not write the letter, and stated he merely signed it “in case it was needed in the future.”

Despite Sarafian’s perjury, on Oct. 17, 2024, the California Court of Appeal upheld the lower court decision that relied on Sarafian’s discredited letter to invalidate Dr. Head’s estate plan, ignored Jendayi’s requests to impeach his testimony and dismiss Sarafian’s testimony and letter that both the Kaiser Grievance Department and the Medical Board of California denounced.

In her ruling, Judge Bean agreed with the false argument by attorney Leahy, which alleged that Jendayi provided the names of the beneficiaries to Head’s estate attorney, Elaine Lee. Bean made this decision despite Lee’s sworn testimony that Dr. Head had met with her alone, behind closed doors, and made the independent decision to leave her estate to Jendayi.

According to court records, Judge Bean reversed the burden of proof in the undue influence claim before any of Jendayi’s witnesses testified, forcing Jendayi to disprove allegations that were never substantiated by witnesses or records.

Bean ruled: “Respondent took Dr. Head to her apartment where she assumed complete control of Dr. Head’s day-to-day care, medical care, and all aspects of her life.” Jendayi proved that statement was false.

Bean also ruled that Respondent controlled Dr. Head’s necessities of life, food, and hospice care, despite zero testimony or documentation supporting any of those claims.

The court reduced Jendayi’s role to “a friend who, at best, cared for Dr. Head during the final two months,” totally ignoring 28 years of friendship, testimony, evidence, letters of recommendation, emails, and medical records.

Exhibits confirming Dr. Head’s intent and capacity, including the discredited medical letter, Exhibit 90, were omitted or misrepresented in the judge’s final decision.

Jendayi says, “The injustice within the probate justice system is devastating, traumatizing and financially depleting. It’s nothing short of legalized crime!”

Jendayi is now appealing to the Supreme Court of the U.S. with a petition citing denial of due process, judicial misconduct, and systemic bias in probate courts.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

2 months ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

3 months ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.