If I don't buy and you don't buy it..WE GON Shut it DOWN!!!!

So finally my reaction the protest at the NY Post headquarters last week...
I probably should have written this right after, BUT I was waiting for pictures...don't worry they'll soon come, for now though my thousand words will have to be worth a picture...

As I arrived the first thing I saw was an NYPD van, a squad car and SEVERAL COPS! Well that right there was almost THE END of this post. Yet I realized that may have been the purpose of all this police activity, to scare us away, or "keep us in line", so I kept on towards my destination. As I arrived I saw few people and I got worried, I thought we would appear as a few fanatics, causing a commotion. "Where is everyone??" "Doesn't this matter?"...I waited on the side, texting a friend who were supposed to meet me there, wondering whether I should have made a sign, should I go to work afterwards?...then I saw her...

A woman who could be my grandma...marching..With. Her.CANE...chanting..."Shut Down the Post" in a strong, clear voice...I could stand to the side no LONGER! I had to add my voice to hers, and the faithful few. I stopped worrying, stopped looking around and starting marching..I mean that's what I came for RIGHT?

Soon, I was in it full blast! And about that sign...I got one...then 2 then I had 3 and even one a POLE!!! About the faithful few, soon The Rev. (Al Sharpton that is) showed up a whole SLEW of folks...including MY BIG SISTER Lin, and then it was really on, as we re-fueled each other and pointed out hopeful signs all around us...I even came up with my own protest chant ("Hit em' where it hurts...pull your ADS!') not bad for my first time.

I listened to the leaders speak...most importantly I listened to the PEOPLE speak. I saw a little boy with a sign 3 times his size, and a little girl whose face was a serious as any adult, her mother said coming was her idea. I was moved and inspired, this certainly will not be my last protest/rally/march/demonstration...I still have a healthy dislike of the NYPD but I refuse to allow myself to be intimidated...

I often say whats on my mind...I tell friends, and family how I feel about the issues, I stay informed, I even share with the children in my life in hopes that they too would feel encouraged to speak up for what they believe, but it felt good to be part of one BIG voice...

Stay tuned...

NY Post/No They can't because..Yes We Did!

So by now most of us should have seen the highly inflammatory cartoon featured in the NY Post. It features Police holding a smoking gun after having shot and killed a raging Chimp. The caption makes a blatant referral to Pres. Obama.

As a practice I make it a habit to stay away from protests and demonstrations. Not that I have anything against protests and demonstrations in theory, it's simply an internal mechanism of self-preservation to stay away from any venue where the NYPD will be making a scheduled appearance. This stems from growing up with trigger happy, baton waving, evidence planting NYPD of the 80's and 90's, not the so-called "Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect" of this day and age.

However, yesterdays posts in the NY Post was just TOO much! We did something GREAT during this last election. For once I was proud to be an American. For once when someone said "We the People" , I felt like they could be talking about me. The overt racism of a someone referring to a chimp as the President of the United States makes Me the People too restless to contain. I am offended not as an African-American (although the AA in me is slowly headed towards Brooklyn-mode) I'm offended as an AMERICAN...period!

I have a sinking sensation that this isn't the first of such filth, and it won't be the last. However, it is the first I have seen and it will be the last I put up with. I stand behind the vote I cast in November, and I stand behind the work this country has done, therefore today February 19, 2009, four days after my 28th birthday, I will be attending my first protest/demonstration in front of the NY Post headquarters.

Stay tuned...