GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

GOOD NEWS: Its been rescinded as of Jan 18th
BAD NEWS: It ever existed in the first place

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OMG I can't believe this. How on earth in 2006 can black people really claim that braids and locks are "unprofessional" and or faddish. I would agree that all hair should be maintained neatly, but to say natural styles are "unprofessional" WTF??!!!

This thing with the Baltimore Police force takes it to another level.

Black people we can't continue to sell out our community and culture like this. Braids, cornrolls and locks are not FADs they have been part of our community for decades. True some people let their hair get a little fuzzy, but hell I've seen bad weaves, jacked up fades, and all other kinds of mess. Am I crazy or can anyone see how retarded this policy is?

Its funny I read this today b/c as I was dropping off a file to the printer I walked by an old job of mine. Tom's Oyster Bar in Downtown Detroit. Years ago I was hired there to bartend. I was wearing braids at the time, zillions to be exact and decided to take them out. As is my custom, I refuse to take time off work or spend hours and hours taking down my hair so I put on a gelee/headwrap throughout the process. Mind you I had worn this head wrap plenty of times to the job, but normally it was black. I also wear it wrapped such that there is a knot at the nape of my neck similar to a "bun." This is my version of what to do on a bad hair day b/c my natural hair will not be kept in a regular ponytail.

Anyhow this particular day I wore a white wrap and all hell broke loose. I went into the back office calmly explained that 1) I was not wearing a Hat and 2) I in was in the midst of taking out my braids and could not simply remove the wrap as my hair would be unsightly. I even went as far as to take it off and show my mgrs the state of my hair. (They were of course shocked and confused by this b/c they thought the braids were my "real" hair, roflmbao)

I then explained the amount of time it would take to finish removing the braids and requested the next day off so I could finish the job. They refused. I offered to only wear the black wrap seeing as I had worn it many times b/f without causing a stir and they also refused. I was told there was a "no hat' policy and while I pointed out agian that I was not wearing a "hat" I was told to go home and come back the next day without the wrap and with "presentable" hair.

"They" the white mgrs went as far as to bring in the black mgr "a man" and asked him if it was true that it would take me over 8 hours to remove the braids. He looked at me, looked at them and said "No."

I was soooooo angry and when I asked him about it he said he didn't want to get himself in trouble and therefore sold me out (TOM!!!). Needless to say I did not get the braids out in time to report to work the next day and seeing as I will not go out in public looking like some sort of retard I called in and explained. I was told not to report back to work and that my services would no longer be required.

Blatant case of cultural insensitivity and a sell-out brotha, but more than that shows how jacked up the world continues to be. I hope the concious people of Baltimore continue to protest this ridiculous policy.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: SOULFLOWER- DOWNLOADS FINALLY AVAILABLE!!!!
Date: Jan 31, 2007 4:08 AM


I just got this info tonight and had confirmed it with some of my folks in the political community, so I posted the info I was given. It was very hard for me to believe that an entire city would be forced to comply with this general order which states that you can no longer wear cornrows,braids,twists or dreadlocks in Baltimore. It made no sense to me. With further investigation I found that this order was not intended for the general public but rather for The Baltimore police force and from what I've been told, other city workers. It may not be as outrageous, but these laws and restraints have been known to start small and grow. This is still very much UNACCEPTABLE. The petition is closed but there are still city representatives that need to be addressed. Below I've posted two articles I've found. One from a Baltimore news station and another building on how they took an officer with dreadlocks off the street and put him behind a desk.

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/10470167/detail.html

http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/10470167/detail.html