live, dream, fight, kill and die - free
The executive director from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights was the police liaison for today's Oscar Grant rally. Lots of negotiation took place prior to this afternoon to assure that the police would back off. I would say that most of the afternoon and evening were great. Maybe because I was specifically working security did I pay more attention to the things that didn't go well. But for the most part, you had a thousand folks peacefully assembled. I was proud.
Considering how well things went, I still have to say that security was for sure not organized very well. Only team leaders received any real training and participated in strategizing during the last couple of days; the rest of us (dozens of us) showed up at 3 for a rally that was to begin at 4.* Only because three of the people on our team asked our team leader did we have any idea of what our orientation should be. Basically: hold the line; in as non-confrontational a manner as possible, attempt to diffuse and de-escalate anything that looks like it might be a problem on the inside of the line; let people breaking the line know that the cops are gunning for groups splintering off.
Two of the groups who raised a ruckus last week made a verbal agreement with the organizers to keep whatever clearly illegal civil disobedience they planned to engage in four blocks away. I don't believe they honored that agreement.
-Safety orange, or "No justice, no peace."
I'm glad a witness and volunteer at this event decided to share her experience. It's a great read. I wonder if she knew that Dr. Angela Davis had also been there that day...
Still marchin' against the same disgusting abuse decades later... I swear, older black folk must be, like, 60% patience. I ain't doin' it, y'all. I'm tellin' you from now. I ain't gonna be tearin' up my own 'hood when I get fed up, either. I'm headed straight to Hipsterville, Brooklyn, Molotov cocktail in-hand.
Also, in case you're curious, VBS.tv has a saddening 5-part dig into how Israel builds illegal settlements on Palestinian land while bulldozing Palestinian homes that Israel didn't give them permission to build... on Palestinian land.
We know the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict is way too involved to boil down to an easy yes-or-no question, but we think in the case of this sort of sub-issue, the answer's kind of obvious. Especially when you consider the proportion of kids from bulldozed houses who decide to solve their newfound homelessness by blowing themselves up on a crowded street or bus. It's 55% of all suicide bombers, in case you're wondering.
Considering how well things went, I still have to say that security was for sure not organized very well. Only team leaders received any real training and participated in strategizing during the last couple of days; the rest of us (dozens of us) showed up at 3 for a rally that was to begin at 4.* Only because three of the people on our team asked our team leader did we have any idea of what our orientation should be. Basically: hold the line; in as non-confrontational a manner as possible, attempt to diffuse and de-escalate anything that looks like it might be a problem on the inside of the line; let people breaking the line know that the cops are gunning for groups splintering off.
Two of the groups who raised a ruckus last week made a verbal agreement with the organizers to keep whatever clearly illegal civil disobedience they planned to engage in four blocks away. I don't believe they honored that agreement.
-Safety orange, or "No justice, no peace."
I'm glad a witness and volunteer at this event decided to share her experience. It's a great read. I wonder if she knew that Dr. Angela Davis had also been there that day...
Click to viewStill marchin' against the same disgusting abuse decades later... I swear, older black folk must be, like, 60% patience. I ain't doin' it, y'all. I'm tellin' you from now. I ain't gonna be tearin' up my own 'hood when I get fed up, either. I'm headed straight to Hipsterville, Brooklyn, Molotov cocktail in-hand.
Also, in case you're curious, VBS.tv has a saddening 5-part dig into how Israel builds illegal settlements on Palestinian land while bulldozing Palestinian homes that Israel didn't give them permission to build... on Palestinian land.
We know the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict is way too involved to boil down to an easy yes-or-no question, but we think in the case of this sort of sub-issue, the answer's kind of obvious. Especially when you consider the proportion of kids from bulldozed houses who decide to solve their newfound homelessness by blowing themselves up on a crowded street or bus. It's 55% of all suicide bombers, in case you're wondering.