I wrote this article last year for the Republican National Convention protests but any of you Johnny Cash fans out there might find it entertaining and interesting...and maybe you can organize a Man In Black Bloc at your next event! Certainly this idea can be expanded to all protest environments!

Pompadour-and-Guitar Bloc Celebrates Johnny Cash's Legacy at the RNC!
By Kirsten Anderberg (www.kirstenanderberg.com)

Erin Siegal, aka Rine, was listening to Johnny Cash while checking her email a while ago, when she read a post from RNCnotwelcome.org about an event planned to take place during the Republican National Convention (RNC) being held in New York City at the end of August. The event, being held for RNC delegates, is to take place at Southeby's, and will be in honor of Johnny Cash. The event is sponsored by the American Gas Association (http://www.aga.org), a multinational corporation whose membership includes gas companies in Brazil, Korea, and France, among others. Erin says, "It made me really sad…When it was announced that Johnny Cash's name would be tied to the 2004 RNC, my blood boiled. It was just too offensive, too outrageous…Johnny Cash is a people's hero." So, acting like any reasonable activist would, she organized a Man-And-Woman-In-Black Bloc (http://www.defendjohnycash.org), to protest outside the Southeby's event on August 31 at 4 pm, to defend Johnny's good name.

Erin said when she talked to people initially about the Man-In-Black Bloc idea, she got a very positive response. I asked if this was a grassroots movement (tongue and cheek), and Erin responded it was a "concrete-cement movement." "I hesitate to even call this a grassroots protest - there isn't a whole lot of grass in NYC and Brooklyn…It stems from the concrete resistance we hold in our hearts to the defamation of the memory of Johnny Cash. We're passionate. We won't let the G.O.P get away with this. From the cement of the sidewalk up, we're painting and talking and doing everything we can to let people know about this. The city is with us; we just have an enormous responsibility to let everyone know." "Rising up to defend the honor of Johnny Cash," people are asked to show up to peacefully protest out front of Southeby's, wearing black clothing and pompadours, with real or cardboard guitars, hair grease, jailstripes, Johnny posters and records, and posters of your favorite of Johnny's lyrics printed as big as possible. I asked how they were organizing this protest, and she said they were putting up flyers, passing the word along via word of mouth, contacting unions and Johnny Cash fan websites, sending out press releases to media, etc. They need help flyering now, they printed up 4,000 fliers. If you can help put up flyers, contact maninblack@riseup.net.

Their poster says, ""NO CASH FOR THE RICH. Johnny, we won't let the greedy war-hungry Republicans exploit your memory by throwing a party affiliated with your good name." Their platform is clear: "Johnny Cash spoke for the poor and under-represented. The Republicans speak for the rich. Johnny Cash advanced for prison reform. The Republicans lock us up. Johnny Cash sang for our miners, farmers, and workers. Republican economics crush the working class. The RNC has no right to tarnish the memory of Johnny Cash. We will rise up to defend the honor of an American hero." The promo for the Pompadour-And-Guitar Bloc goes on, "The songs of Johnny Cash were beacons of light for those who were unjustly locked up, kicked down, and knocked around. He sang for the poor, the imprisoned, and the oppressed. He sang from his heart. How dare the Republicans think of using the memory of a true people's hero to promote their greedy causes and war-criminal president? Would Johnny support the president's economic policies? NO! Would Johnny support the Iraq war? NO! Would Johnny support the draconian Rockefeller drug laws? HELL NO!" Their poster and website display the classic Johnny Cash giving the finger picture. And I think the Man-and-Woman-In-Black bloc would do that finger some justice.

"I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime, But is there because he's a victim of the times...
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose, In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back, Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black…
I wear it for the sick and lonely old, For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold…" - Johnny Cash

To read the rest of this article, go to http://resist.ca/~kirstena/pagedefendjohnny.html