Civil Disobedience Training at the LGBT Center

By Brooklyn Bill

When I told my Dad I was going to a civil disobedience training class, he asked, "Is that to learn how not to get arrested?" I hemmed and hawed and didn't really answer Dad's question because I assumed that, of course, the whole purpose of CD is to get arrested.

I learned that that's not necessarily the case. And here are some other things I learned at the class, which was presented yesterday afternoon at the LGBT Center by Act Up veterans Ann Northrop and Brian Zabcik at the invitation of Queer Rising:

Rosa Parks had been trained in civil disobedience at what's now called the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, Tennessee, before she refused to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

If you're arrested for CD, you have to tell the police only your name, address, and phone number. They may ask where you work, whether you're a homosexual, and other personal questions, but you should politely say that you don't have to answer those kinds of questions. And you should have a photo ID with you; otherwise, you'll be sitting in jail for longer than necessary.

Northrop said that being arrested for civil disobedience is boring. Well, the being-held-at-the-police-station part is. She recommends bringing two peanut butter sandwiches and something to read. :-)