I promised I'd join the boycott after yesterday's election in NYC. Yesterday's election was SO important on so many levels, yet progressives failed completely on every level. But I also blame the Jews. Yes...I am blaming the Jews on this one as well. Orthodox Jews made a pact with the devil and supported a teabagger over one of their own all because they hate gays. You want to read up on me blaming Jews and progressives all in one breath, click here. It is one more example of progressives dropping the ball big time, but I fear the lesson once again will not be learned. I'd rant more on that here, but there is actually a more pressing issue than either the dKos boycott or the Progressive Fail/Orthodox Jew Stupid in NYC. In my neighborhood there are a series of rapes and assaults since May that I have barely been aware of, but my wife, Joy, has been on top of through her Karate Dojo. I want to spend most of this diary on this in hopes we can right here on dKos push for safer streets in Brooklyn. More below.
TAKE BACK THE STREETS RALLY TONIGHT (Sept. 14th)!
This was sent to me by my wife:
"Take Back Our Streets" rally on Wednesday, September 14th
We are organizing a "Take Back Our Streets" rally on Wednesday, September
14th. We want to come together as a community to speak out against recent
assaults and attempted assaults in South Slope/Park Slope/Windsor
Terrace/Greenwood Heights and surrounding areas.
Meet at 8:00 P.M. outside of the Prospect Avenue R Stop (4th Avenue and 17th
Street). We will march along 4th and 5th avenues and proceed to Detective
Joseph Mayrose Park (17th Street and 7th Avenue) by 9:00 P.M., where there
will be speakers, a self-defense class demonstration, and a vigil.
Bring candles, flashlights, and glowsticks. Signs are welcome, too.
Rain Date: Wednesday, September 21st
You can email us at: safeslope@gmail.com
Event page: http://www.facebook.com/...
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD. I will be at work until after midnight tonight, so can't make it. But please help get people out on the street for this one.
More on the general issue:
While I was paying attention to the recent election, my wife, who is now a Karate instructor for an all-woman/transgender dojo, has been paying attention to this.
From Joy:
So briefly, there have been a series of assaults in the south Slope, Greenwood Heights, Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park - some attempted rapes and one rape. In response to perceived or actual lack of interest on the part of the cops (for instance, there was a video of one of the attacks, and they were unwilling to look at it), the community got together to pressure local electeds to take some action. People (not sure exactly who) went to a community/police meeting last night, and tonight there is a rally, described below. Brad Lander and Sara Gonzalez asked CAE to hold some workshops, so we are holding three (will send a separate email describing those) - one at the dojo, and two in Sunset Park. One will be in Spanish and English.
Tracy and the dojo have been on the news twice so far - once on ABC (will send you the link), and once on NBC.
The news clips...with ads, of course.
First one has Joy in the background. Can't embed so here is the link: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/...
Second video embeds:
From the Dojo Joy trains at, for any women or transgendered people who want self-defense training (Joy is teaching some herself):
Upcoming Fall Classes, pass it on!
If you would like to sign up for any of the classes below, please respond to this email to register or call 718-788-1775. We welcome you to pass this on to any other people who might benefit from these classes.
Teen Programs:
* FREE After-school Karate and Self-Defense for Teen Women & Transyouth (Ages 12-19): Power, Action, Change for Teens begins September 22nd from 4:30-6:30pm, and will continue on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30pm throughout the school year. PACT students practice verbal and physical self-defense skills, and engage in community learning projects. PACT discussions and activities center around topics such as youth rights and women's rights, relationship safety, building healthy relationships, and community involvement. Also, students who have attended PACT for 1-2 years can train to become Peer Educators, and get paid to teach self-defense workshops for children and teens here at CAE and all over NYC! You can read more about PACT on CAE's website, by clicking here.
* FREE 5-week Self-Defense for Teen Women & Transyouth (Ages 12-19): Saturdays, October 15th-November 12th from 12:00-2:00pm @ YWCA of Brooklyn, 30 Third Ave.
Adult Programs:
* 5-week Self-Defense for Adult Women & Transpeople: Saturdays, October 15th-November 12th from 3:00-5:30pm @ CAE, 327 7th Street Brooklyn, NY 11215. The course is FREE to survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, and on a sliding scale based on income for everyone else. Free childcare is available upon request.
* As always, Karate and Tai Chi are offered throughout the year. Please refer to our website for full class listings.
Events
* In response to the recent attacks in the South Slope and Sunset Park neighborhoods, CAE is partnering with Couniclmembers Sara Gonzalez and Brad Lander to provide free classes in Spanish and English at the following times. Please pass on the information and email info@caeny.org or call 718-788-1775 to register in advance. Space is limited.
* Saturday, September 17th, 4-5:30pm - English, at The Center for Anti-Violence Education on 327 7th Street, 2nd Floor (btwn 4th and 5th Aves). FREE CHILDCARE is available. Space is limited, so try to RSVP. Sponsored by Councilmember Lander.
* Monday, September 19th, 6-8:30pm - Spanish and English, at PS10 on 511 Seventh Avenue at 17th Street in Sunset Park. Try to RSVP. Sponsored by Councilmember Gonzalez.
* Tuesday, September 20th, 6-8:30pm - English, at PS10 in Sunset Park on 511 Seventh Avenue at 17th Street in Sunset Park. Try to RSVP. Sponsored by Councilmember Gonzalez.
I should note, to be fair, that Joy and I have had differences with Brad Lander in the past. On this we are in agreement and Brad and Sara have been among the ONLY electeds who have been responsive. I bet some more will jump on board...I hope so. But I recognize that Brad and Sara have taken the lead.
Please help spread the word on this. And also, the Dojo Joy trains at does far more than this. They are the Center for Anti-Violence Education and they depend on donations to operate. People pay on a sliding scale to train there, and many disadvantaged women and transgenered people are allowed to train for free. Please help them out. I hope this can be something Kossacks adopt as a pet project because I know how important their work is and I know how much dKos can do.
Now I am going to piss some people off here right after asking for their help. Because I am joining the Black Kos boycott right now, which means I won't even be commenting on my own diary here...which I consider rude of me, but I also consider it important both to post this diary and join the boycott.
I think the boycott has merit. And honestly the nasty attitude and rude comments the boycott has gotten from many Kossacks disappoints me immensely. Black Kossacks, Jewish Kossacks, LGBT Kossacks and Muslim Kossacks have all expressed discomfort at being here because of comments and rhetoric leveled at them. Their discomfort has all too often been ignored or ridiculed. I love Daily Kos. But I do not like the way the discomfort of minority populations within Daily Kos is ignored and even widely ridiculed. So as of now I join the boycott. People are going to ridicule me for posting this in violation of the boycott, but I said from day one I would post until the NYC election is over and then join in. I am following my word with only the addition of info on the rapes and assaults in Brooklyn which I consider important enough to post no matter what. But now I will join the boycott. Any comments that need more info on the rapes and assaults in Brooklyn I will try to answer, boycott or no. But no other comments, including the inevitable ridicule of me for joining the boycott, will be answered. It isn't because your comments aren't important. It is because the only thing that will make me violate the boycott against racism on dKos now that the election is over is protecting women in my neighborhood.
See you all soon.