“Get yourself together,” says Ted Hamm, longstanding editor of the Brooklyn Rail. “What’s wrong with you? Are you high? They’re gonna frisk you. There’s gonna be metal detectors. Make sure you don’t have anything in your pockets to get us in trouble.

“We got cold Coronas! We got cold Heineken! We got whatever you need out here! Ice cold!" is the chant that permeates the air above the sand along Coney Island and Brighton Beach.

Just make him stop speakin’ Spanish. That’s all I’m sayin’. We can’t go on like this son. Wit’ this guy speakin’ Spanish everyday in his press conferences man. Givin’ directions about Swine Flu in Spanish.

“It’s gonna hafta be a city-wide rent strike man. That’s what it looks like. Bloomberg puttin’ the rent up. People can’t pay,” explains Marvin Edgerton, 44, of Crown Heights, three days after the Rent Guidelines Board voted in favor of the largest rent increase since 1989 for the city’s rent-stabilized apartments.

“It’s gonna hafta be a city-wide rent strike man. That’s what it looks like. Bloomberg puttin’ the rent up. People can’t pay,” explains Marvin Edgerton, 44, of Crown Heights, three days after the Rent Guidelines Board voted in favor of the largest rent increase since 1989 for the city’s rent-stabilized apartments.

“Is that Johnny Cash?” one asks.
“Is that Billy Graham?” asks the other.

“That’s Reverend Billy,” explains a church member, “Just listen.”

“At the bridge today,” explains a man waiting for the R train at 36th street in Sunset Park, on April 1st. “I been here eleven years. Luchando cada dia….It’s a day to show pride.”

For decades, beach goers have relied on an army of venders to supply them with beer, water, pretzels, ICEEs, cotton candy, and anything else that can be carried through the sand.

Twenty-five years ago, on April 29, 1980, charter buses from Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Harlem brought protesters to the downtown offices of Governor Hugh Carey for one of the most unique protest marches in the history of New York City.