Monthly Archives: November 2014

“Violence is as American as cherry pie”

H. Rap Brown, now known as Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, famously proclaimed in the ’60s that “violence is as American as cherry pie.”  Little wonder, in the aftermath of the no indictment of the Ferguson, Missouri white police officer who killed … Continue reading

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From my book, “Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats”: “Stolen Lives”

“Stolen Lives” They march on City Hall, Trailing a long banner, A fragile memorial, Dedicated to mostly young minorities, The fatal victims of police brutality, Of New York’s Finest. As they march they chant: “Police brutality by the hour!” “What … Continue reading

Posted in juveniles, NYPD, police involved shooting, raising black boys, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, Uncategorized, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Mussolini of Manhattan Speaks of Ferguson, Missouri

In light of the protests in the aftermath of the no indictment of the Ferguson, Missouri police officer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, the Mussolini of Manhattan, i.e., former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, stated that police … Continue reading

Posted in Amadou Diallo, Commissioner Broken Windows, Commissioner William Bratton, Ferguson Missouri, Michael Brown, Mussolini of Manhattan | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Blue Knight Riders,” from my book, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats

In light of the Governor of Missouri activating the National Guard, in anticipation of the Grand Jury not indicting the police officer who killed Michael Brown, I decided to post this poem from my book, “Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black … Continue reading

Posted in being a teenager, Ferguson, Justice Chronicles, juveniles, Michael Brown, MIssouri, Murder, police involved shooting, raising black boys, Revolution, Urban Impact | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Alchemy of Transforming Teens?

A week ago in the early morning rush hour I bumped into a young lady on a Brooklyn street in Brownsville. “Mr. Waters!” she said, giving me a hug. Fourteen years ago this young lady was 14 years old, a … Continue reading

Posted in being a teenager, child welfare, ezwwaters, foster care, James Baldwin, juveniles, raising black boys, Sonny's Blues | Tagged | Leave a comment

All creeps, catcallers are not Men of Color

Remember the video posted about two weeks ago by Hollaback, which showed a white woman, casually dressed, walking the streets of New York City and being catcalled, etc? It shows mostly Black men and Latinos engaging in this behavior. Another … Continue reading

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Excerpt from my book, “Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass: Remembering Things Past and Present”

From George Washington to George Bush. From the birth of a nation to a kinder, gentler nation. From Thomas Jefferson to William Jefferson Clinton. From Democratic Republicanism to the New Democrats. From honest Abe to tricky Dick to Slick Willie. … Continue reading

Posted in Black patriotism, Black Shadows and Through the White Looking Glass, John F. Kennedy, Politics, Revolution, Slavery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The New York Post, Commissioner Broken Windows, Chief Banks, and “Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats”

I don’t believe anything written in The New York Post, not even the Sports Pages. Actually, I don’t read the Post.  I went to Alexander Hamilton High School (now Paul Robeson), and know that Hamilton started the Post.   I know Hamilton … Continue reading

Posted in Chief Banks, Commissioner Broken Windows, Commissioner William Bratton, Fist Lady of NYC, Justice Chronicles, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD, Sometimes Blue Knights Wear Black Hats, The New York Post | Tagged , | Leave a comment