Essay 210

Turning back the clock with MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• A proposal to create state border police led to current police facing off with conflicting demonstrations in Sacramento. On one side, about 300 came to hear politicians and others persuading folks to support ballot petitions. On the other side, about 700 protested the initiatives and denounced the infamous Minutemen. Stuck in the middle were about 24 cops, who ultimately made three arrests. Forget state border police. California needs to beef up its law enforcement just to deal with immigration-related rallies.

• “My optimistic idea of racial unity has been shattered by a group of ignorant individuals…It is a shame we can’t get past the racial stereotypes and barriers,” said the victim of the infamous baseball bat attack in Howard Beach. A lawyer for one of the attackers countered, “It’s nice for him to say we should live in a society where everyone gets along, but it would have also been nice if he’d mentioned that he was in Howard Beach that night for the purpose of committing a crime. He was there to steal.”

• Got Game? The cops in North Carolina do — literally. They booked rapper The Game for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, even zapping his crew with pepper spray. “It’s unfair, man. [The cops’] behavior’s unfair," insisted The Game. “Soon as I wake up in the morning, I’ll be on the phone with my lawyers.” Sounds like fun and games.

• Adman Ernie Schenck initiated an online discussion about the controversial 50 Cent billboards in California. Click on the essay title and check it out.