As I mentioned in the tail end of my last post, ima see Nas tonight man. Who cares if I woke up at 4am coughing up a lung! Who cares if I just walked out my last class damn near vomiting! Tonight’s a big ass night and I’m not going to let nature’s defiance hinder life’s luxuries. After my longest day of the week, I’m gonna watch my boys bury Dirk and his wack ass team in the Oak. Promptly after that sweet victory some folks and I will be smashin’ out to the city. (Um, did I mention I’m hella sick? Oh yeah. Anyway, sometimes you just have to go hard.)
On that note, I failed to mention how hard I went on Tuesday. Long story short: the immigration rights protest on campus mobilized and we all shmobbed to Downtown BART. We were greeted by a lovely cluster of police who were not feelin us. Our plan was to take a train to the Civic Center in SF and meet up with the congregation of people that were already there rallying. But, things rarely work out that flawlessly—especially when you’re a fat ass group of (colored) college students. We were threatened with arrest if we boarded. So, the majority of us said fuck it and hopped the gates, while some stayed behind. Above the platform was a flashing sign that read “TRAIN WON’T STOP.” Those unaffiliated with the entourage (and probably unaware of May Day) were mighty pissed—especially commuters .
To get that money and accommodate the needs of our fellow riders, BART administrators stopped the train anyway…at the very end of the platform and with backup police demanding proof of ticket purchases at the door. Being the crafty, intelligent students we are, however, a few of us had old tickets and entered the train. We then collected everyone’s tickets and sent someone off the train to hand them out to our associates. They came on and we repeated the aforementioned steps a few times, until all 30-40 of us played the pigs and kept it moving. Aware that our arrival at the Civic Center stop was anticipated, I suggested we get off a stop early to avoid another altercation, and walk a couple of blocks. It worked out beautifully. We marched past curious faces until we met the mass of fellow peaceful protestors. An energy-consuming adventure, but worthy endeavor no less.
It’s a beautiful thing to watch people come together as an expression of wanting something more. To see change. To let all else know we will not settle for things the way they are. I’ve felt a little discouraged and let down by my peers since entering the over-hyped, over-credited realm of higher education, so this day was a reassurance I, personally, really needed. The institutionalized racism and strife we face today is all too often overlooked. My generation has been too silent, and much of that is attributed to fear. Even at Berkeley, the stomping grounds of some of the most active figures in history, no one wants to open their fuckin mouth. What many fail to realize, though, is that the radical sentiments of the 60’s— powerful in that respective era—aren’t necessarily the only forms of effective protest and resistance. We are in an age where race, class, and gender frame every facet of life. Subtly. Blatantly. Constantly. To allow time to pass us by and to let brilliant minds waste away is self-destructive. Any act of resistance; spoken, written, danced, whatever the fuck it is, is far better than doing nothing. Just as contagious apathy seems to have inundated America, its antithesis, contagious activism needs to emerge. Soon. And from all generations alike.
Anyway, this was not intended to become a half-assed, inarticulate, pipe-dreamy political rant, but I had to throw something in there to complement my go-hard-day-one story. I noticed than most MOGgers are a few years older than me, so I thought I’d interject a little blurb on what goes down with lazy ass college kids today. (Believe me, I’m tryna step my game up.)All right, with that said: I believe. Go Warriors. Here’s one of my favorite Nas songs off The Lost Tapes.
.paz. y ♥
PS: I always think it's hella ridiculous when folks assume since I'm a female I wouldn't appreciate him as much. People have this weird stigma and they can't seem to a) listen to his lyrics and b) get past his 'hard' exterior. Trippin'. People need to just shut up and listen.
My Trusted MOGs
...sometimes you just have to go hard. wrong every time you have to go hard! great post
My Trusted MOGs
Congratulations on the Warriors beating my Mavs. The team and the crowd definitely deserved it. Bastards.