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"NOW,..... A Conversation About The ARREST!!!!!"
Many of you have asked me what happened on June 26th? I have not shared the complete story because, I wanted to give the other side a chance to do the right thing; without being backed into a corner! Here is my account of what happened on June 26th!!!!!
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court finally acknowledged we were equal! When I heard the decision; I felt liberated, proud and elated; with positive energy, because we finally got there; after so much judgement! I posted on Facebook, that I was going to celebrate in the street and then I was off. I went to Colony Square like I had many times before, dressed for the occasion. I parked my car just like I always did. For three months, I had parked and gone through the mall dressed in character. in those three months, no one ever asked me to leave or told me I was not welcome, there. If they had, I would have gone somewhere else. This day was different, as I was getting ready to leave the building to celebrate; I noticed three security guards rushing towards me, in their faces I was confronted by the hatefulness so many of us have had to endure, especially in the gay black community. Instead of being treated like everyone else, I was confronted with harassment and hate! After they confronted me, I walked away to do my set and be proud of who I am! I got across the street and started my set, I saw a car go by and the people inside seemed to support the celebration of the day; and thanked them for the positive feedback. The crowd was light, but I felt like there was awareness; and everyone could see, that I was shining for equality!
Then, I saw an Atlanta Police Officer approach me in an aggressive manner. I had done nothing wrong and I had committed no crime. He approached me like I was a criminal, I asked him "what the fuck you want?" His disposition changed immediately, from a police officer to the face of institutionalized hatred and his body lauguage turned primal. I felt like he was threatened that someone like me had questioned him. He grabbed me and I pulled away. The he said, "I'm taking you to jail!" He grabbed me again and handcuffed one hand. Then he spun me around and slammed me on the marble seat like I was a harden criminal, he didn't tell me what I was charged with; and he didn't even read me my rights! As he leaned over me securing the other hand; I felt like I had no liberties, no freedom, no political speech and no right to be who I am! The empowering celebration was crushed and my rights were violated by a culture of hate! I was taken to precinct #5, and put in a swivel chair in the lobby with my hands handcuffed behind me. The arresting officer came over and I asked him what I was charged with? He said ,"this could have been different". Other officers came by and asked, "what is he doing here?" One of the other officers in the precinct poked his head out and said, "the story is on the AJC's website, already"; even before I was booked! the arresting officer had calmed down by now, and said there had been a lot of bad arrest in the past, and he asked me; if I would make a statement on my Facebook page saying, they treated me, ok. I sat in that swivel chair, a black gay man, in costume with my hands handcuffed behind my back; and I surrendered. I didn't want confrontation, I just wanted to regain some of the pride, that was taken; that day!
Without my attorney, and without Miranda being read to me; I made a Facebook post to my 5000 fans, in the precinct, typed by the arresting officer, as I dictated to him; on his computer. Some of you may be wondering why I haven't come out sooner, the truth is that we wanted to give the City Of Atlanta and the ADP the chance to drop the criminal charges and admit, that mistakes were made. I am not trying to get money, I am not trying to get officers fired; I just want to be treated equally; and have my rights RESPECTED!!!!! I don't even have a court date yet, and I have been told; it could be a year before I get a chance to go to court to prove my INNOCENCE!!!!!
My friends, here's the TRUTH of the matter concerning; the ARREST!!!!! This is not just about the character Baton Bob, this is about fighting the culture of harassment and hatred aimed at the LGBT community! This is about people with power violating CIVIL LIBERTIES!!!!!
I am appealing to the ADP and Colony Square, to drop all criminal charges against me; and make a public apology, so our communities can move forward in HARMONY!!!!! Again, I am not asking for money or officers to get fired; I just want my RIGHTS, to be RESPECTED!!!!!
I have decided, that I will no longer surrender my CIVIL LIBERTIES; to the culture of harassment and hate!!!!! I am empowering myself to stand up and be counted as EQUAL, I hope some you will stand up with me; "ALL I"M SAYING!!!!!"
RESPECTFULLY,
Baton Bob
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court finally acknowledged we were equal! When I heard the decision; I felt liberated, proud and elated; with positive energy, because we finally got there; after so much judgement! I posted on Facebook, that I was going to celebrate in the street and then I was off. I went to Colony Square like I had many times before, dressed for the occasion. I parked my car just like I always did. For three months, I had parked and gone through the mall dressed in character. in those three months, no one ever asked me to leave or told me I was not welcome, there. If they had, I would have gone somewhere else. This day was different, as I was getting ready to leave the building to celebrate; I noticed three security guards rushing towards me, in their faces I was confronted by the hatefulness so many of us have had to endure, especially in the gay black community. Instead of being treated like everyone else, I was confronted with harassment and hate! After they confronted me, I walked away to do my set and be proud of who I am! I got across the street and started my set, I saw a car go by and the people inside seemed to support the celebration of the day; and thanked them for the positive feedback. The crowd was light, but I felt like there was awareness; and everyone could see, that I was shining for equality!
Then, I saw an Atlanta Police Officer approach me in an aggressive manner. I had done nothing wrong and I had committed no crime. He approached me like I was a criminal, I asked him "what the fuck you want?" His disposition changed immediately, from a police officer to the face of institutionalized hatred and his body lauguage turned primal. I felt like he was threatened that someone like me had questioned him. He grabbed me and I pulled away. The he said, "I'm taking you to jail!" He grabbed me again and handcuffed one hand. Then he spun me around and slammed me on the marble seat like I was a harden criminal, he didn't tell me what I was charged with; and he didn't even read me my rights! As he leaned over me securing the other hand; I felt like I had no liberties, no freedom, no political speech and no right to be who I am! The empowering celebration was crushed and my rights were violated by a culture of hate! I was taken to precinct #5, and put in a swivel chair in the lobby with my hands handcuffed behind me. The arresting officer came over and I asked him what I was charged with? He said ,"this could have been different". Other officers came by and asked, "what is he doing here?" One of the other officers in the precinct poked his head out and said, "the story is on the AJC's website, already"; even before I was booked! the arresting officer had calmed down by now, and said there had been a lot of bad arrest in the past, and he asked me; if I would make a statement on my Facebook page saying, they treated me, ok. I sat in that swivel chair, a black gay man, in costume with my hands handcuffed behind my back; and I surrendered. I didn't want confrontation, I just wanted to regain some of the pride, that was taken; that day!
Without my attorney, and without Miranda being read to me; I made a Facebook post to my 5000 fans, in the precinct, typed by the arresting officer, as I dictated to him; on his computer. Some of you may be wondering why I haven't come out sooner, the truth is that we wanted to give the City Of Atlanta and the ADP the chance to drop the criminal charges and admit, that mistakes were made. I am not trying to get money, I am not trying to get officers fired; I just want to be treated equally; and have my rights RESPECTED!!!!! I don't even have a court date yet, and I have been told; it could be a year before I get a chance to go to court to prove my INNOCENCE!!!!!
My friends, here's the TRUTH of the matter concerning; the ARREST!!!!! This is not just about the character Baton Bob, this is about fighting the culture of harassment and hatred aimed at the LGBT community! This is about people with power violating CIVIL LIBERTIES!!!!!
I am appealing to the ADP and Colony Square, to drop all criminal charges against me; and make a public apology, so our communities can move forward in HARMONY!!!!! Again, I am not asking for money or officers to get fired; I just want my RIGHTS, to be RESPECTED!!!!!
I have decided, that I will no longer surrender my CIVIL LIBERTIES; to the culture of harassment and hate!!!!! I am empowering myself to stand up and be counted as EQUAL, I hope some you will stand up with me; "ALL I"M SAYING!!!!!"
RESPECTFULLY,
Baton Bob
Did you know
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Carry That SMILE
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"An Evening With Baton Bob For The Holidays!!!"
Makes a
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The MISS Clarity Column"When Not To Sue???"
Miss Clarity just had a situation, where a young heifer; that I had hired to re-design my 'business card' failed to follow my instructions and I refused to pay her! And as we go forward in this article, she will referred to as: Miss Emory; simply because she has a degree from Emory University! Now, Miss Emory decided that she was going to file a lawsuit against me to collect a $564.16 invoice that I refused to pay back in November 2011. Along with that she decided to contact the Judge Joe Brown Show; to have the case tried in his court in Los Angelos, CA. The producers contacted Baton Bob to see if he would being interested in paticipating in the show, which I consented to do! Now, during the trial; I had to explain to Judge Joe Brown why I was not willing to pay for the printing of the said 'busniess cards' that Miss Emory designed. I had instructed to Miss Emory that when she found a printing company that was going to print the cards, to give me a call; because I wanted to pay the printer directly. Instead, Miss Emory decided to pay for the printing and put it on her credit card; which I did not want her to do. Later, she sent me an invoice, where she had up-charged me for the printing, which was never discussed. After Judge Joe Brown reviewed all the evidence and questioning; he ruled that she had to eat $218 of her $564.16 judgement!!!.....The Judge's reasoning for his decision were: A. The cards she had printed had my personal email address on them, which made the cards obsolete. I found Vista Print on the internet and had the cards re-designed and printed for $18.66.....B. The Judge felt that the lack of communication on her part was not enough to retify the situation. So, in the end she lost $218. However, the Judge Joe Brown Show paid the judgement; in lieu of my participation!!! Nonetheless, the producer's of the Judge Joe Brown Show were really excited about having the Baton Bob character on their show! They literally rolled out the Red Carpet for John and I. They had requested that I bring a whole suitcase of my costumes to use on the set of the show and they also wanted to shoot film footage of the character out on Sunset Blvd., outside of their studio. AND, A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!!.....So getting back to the title of this column 'When Not To Sue???'.....I HOPE YOU GOT THE ANSWER!!!.....Love and Happiness, Miss Clarity |
Order Baton Bob's HOLIDAY POST CARD SET now for the Holidays
JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
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Set of 10 Postcards (2 of each)
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Baton Bob Appearing in
"Last Vegas" Movie
Click the link below and watch for him in a clip from the movie!
http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50198155#50198155
‘Last Vegas’ cast talks on-set bonding. Four of the biggest names in Hollywood – Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, and Kevin Kline – are teaming up for a new comedy, “Last Vegas.” They chat with TODAY’s Matt Lauer about working together for the first time, with De Niro saying, “We’re having a lot of fun.”
http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50198155#50198155
‘Last Vegas’ cast talks on-set bonding. Four of the biggest names in Hollywood – Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, and Kevin Kline – are teaming up for a new comedy, “Last Vegas.” They chat with TODAY’s Matt Lauer about working together for the first time, with De Niro saying, “We’re having a lot of fun.”
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