While the tabloids are having a field day hamming up the “massive” protests planned by the carpetbagging hatemongers from the Westboro “Church”, this YouTube video by “ejballa4life” shows that their “posse” is pretty tiny compared to the army of Brooklyn Tech kids shouting them down yesterday.
Brooklyn, you crazy and beautiful mosaic, we love you!
Out About Brooklyn posted this raw footage on Vimeo which gives you a pretty idea of what went on:
Westboro Baptist Church Protest at Brooklyn Tech from OutAboutBrooklyn on Vimeo.
Way to go, kids!!!
Thanks for the emphasis on the Brooklyn Tech students — which was exponentially the story, that day. There easily was over 200 of them, and they chanted and held their own signs & wore makeshift stickers on their shirts to “end Racism” and promoting love & understanding. The makeup of the these kids was pure Brooklyn diversity at its finest – and being right there, I can attest to their restraint and honest delivery of a message (that the Kansas hate mongers simply don’t have to capacity to absorb).
There were a few kids that ventured too close to the Hateful Display, and NYPD warned them off sometimes threateningly if they didn’t back off fast enough — that’s where people like myself came in, standing nearby to explain to teens why the Police needed to safeguard a periphery, and keep them out of anything heated. That afternoon, I’d walked over to scout what this group was about, and what we might expect on Sat. at 8th Ave. and Kane St. on Saturday, at local synagogues. I expected far worse. And can see the answer is to ignore them and allow the NYPD to run the show vs. this intolerance that tries to grasp at any straw in hopes someone would be offended. (It’s a sad and rehearsed act, these people are up to. It just won’t work, here, nice to say.)
You also surprisingly did catch me on ‘tape there… at 4:18 of your video, standing 15 ft away from this demonstration (dead center, blue dress shirt, hands on my hip enduring this senseless scene). But again, the silver lining was the youth of Brooklyn and that left any rationale adult there, with a very positive, lasting impression.
Sorry, it was at the 0.13 sec freeze… of that 4:18 video.
Whatever. Great job by the students! We’re feeling better about the future, aft that display of civic concern, response and responsibility.
Where I can appreciate the students taking a stand, the use of the “N” word by students of all races was not impressive, much less the homophobia some of them demonstrated. Also, as much as I like NWA , the use of “F#ch Tha Police” confused the filmakers point, if there was one.
lifer – agreed… the “Skins” generation is crazy quilt indeed.