Day 79----

A few days ago a white woman called in a hit on a black birdwatcher in Central Park who asked her to leash her dog, per the park's rules. This woman was a white, New Yorker, liberal, Obama supporter. And yet in an instant she went straight to racism. Saying "An African American man is threatening my life! Send help NOW!" The classic white woman in distress. You know, from all of US history? yeah. And she felt like an ally. Right up till then. Just like me.

A black man was murdered slowly, by a cop, pleading for his life in Minneapolis. The only difference from all the other times was this one was recorded. An eight minute and forty-six second video.

Last night Minneapolis burned in protest. An entire police precinct was taken over. Here in Lower Manhattan seventy-two people were arrested for protesting.

This afternoon bambi and I walked to Foley Sq.--the closer we got, more and more cops appeared from every direction. Prisoner transport busses lined the streets between our apartment and the square. They were preparing for battle. We got about half a block from the actual protest when bambi got too scared. So I took her back towards Columbus Park and tried, so fumblingly, to explain what was happening--that it WAS scary. That it shouldn't be scary. I tried to explain racism, police as the tools of a corrupt government, corrupt government, police, systemic wrongs.

The whole time seeing more and more protestors bravely joining in, walking past police armed for war. Knowing full well, it was all to clear what the polices' intent was... and the contrast of the that slow and steady stream of protestors, armed with masks, hand sanitizer, signs and cameras.

After a long talk, she said, "mama! I won't be scared anymore! Let's go back there. I need to GROWL."

As I'm writing this, the police have begun their attack. And we are fighting back. There are cop cars on fire. They are saying the 88th precinct in Brooklyn has been taken over.