I intend to attend one of the Bell protests tomorrow

My wife and I went to watch a major demonstration four years ago. She decided she wanted to walk alongside the marchers and I told her she can do what she wants, but I can't, I have to just stand here and watch. I'm not sure she totally understood that fine line between observer and participant because she knows my personal sympathies were with the marchers. Out of the tens of thousands of people there, a newspaper photog I know picked me out of the crowd and walked over to say hi. That made me think I was not being needlessly paranoid.

 

You sure are.

 

I might not go now. I'll have to decide when I wake up.

I don't even plan on holding a sign or marching or stopping traffic; I really just want to bear witness to something interesting and important happening in Manhattan. Out of four people I talked to, one person said it probably wasn't a good idea. I am involved with shaping our coverage and while it would be easy enough to avoid doing it tomorrow, I've done things like issued a standing order to the copy desk to try to avoid making any Bell story headline about Rev. Al.

 

If you won't get fired for doing what you think you should/want/need to do as a person, and you have a good record where you're at, then go.

 

If you're just going to watch the demonstration, you've nothing to worry about. If you plan to participate, that's something else.

Personally, I wouldn't join in a march, but going to witness the hubbub may be interesting.

 

And exactly why shouldn't Al be mentioned when he is the one organizing these marches?

 

Becaue people like you purposely make him the focus of your attention rather than the issue at hand.

Isn't that right Mr. "he helped inflame the crown heights riots and I know it becaue I read it in wikipedia"?

 

Deny it all you want, and it's not just Wikipedia where it came from.
A lot of blood is on his hands.
And he makes himself the focus. Why didn't Bell's family organize this?
Because Al got there first to push his agenda.

 

I forget what year it was, but it was when there were anti-war marches all across the nation on one day and I attended one. Ironically, I was later asked to do a story about the march and declined because, well, I had been there.

Their response? "That gives you the perfect perspective since you were there."

Uhm, yeah...for a column.

 

And I'm from Crown Heights and saw differently.

Al Sharpton has no pull in the carribbean community of Crown Heights to insight a riot which was brewing for over 20 years.

For all of Al shenanigans, people like you make him your focal point to purposely dismiss the issue at hand.

 

His view on Sharpton and his influence in certain areas may be flawed, but two issues...

"People like you?" How would you react if we referred to you as "people like you." Also, no one here is triyng to dismiss the issue at hand.

 

So would a news reporter lose credibility if he went to a game and cheered for the home team? Isn't that the same as a sports reporter going to a political rally?