The skinny: Yesterday, Johannes Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter with a gun enhancement for shooting Oscar Grant on New Years Eve 2009. Sentencing - a possible range of 2 to 14 years - will be on August 6th. Today, downtown Oakland is sweeping up the glass from broken storefront windows.
Yesterday, I went downtown at 6pm to listen to what the speakers had to say and it was clear that everyone who was there was not satisfied with the verdict. The crowd was peaceful until I left around 8:00pm. When I got home and turned on the TV, I heard reports of a looted Footlocker and people arrested for failure to dispersed. And then the damage increased. Now, I want to be clear. This was not a riot, even though taggers wrote "Riot for Oscar" on a wall. Graffiti, broken glass and stolen hair extensions and sneakers do not a riot make.
Do not lump everyone together like it was a free for all. It wasn't. Most people who were arrested were for failure to disperse - a peaceful arrest. And youth protesters tried to stop the looters.
Shame on those who looted and caused property damage, as they did nothing except to further the cause of the proverbial man, of the broken system.
As for me, I'm sad, guilty and mad. Sad because so many feel like the system doesn't work for them. Guilty because it probably works for me - I say probably because I'm a white female, but you can never be sure even if you're a white male. And mad that the system doesn't work for everyone - how is it that in a case where race was a factor, there were no African-American jurors - that perspective is necessary - has your momma ever told you to how to act with the cops? told you to put your hands where they can be seen and say yessir, nosir and be as polite as you can? mine didn't, but ask a black teenage male if his mom has and bet the answer is yes; how is that we live in a world where someone could consider a man face down and subdued by two officers a threat; how is it that even tazing someone in that position is an okay thing to do. I'm mad at the MSM who sensationalizes a dent on a car like it's the worst thing that's happened to Oakland and reports nothing about justice. Did anyone, anyone, anyone report on what happened at the half a dozen youth centers around the city? The family does not think justice is served (and frankly neither do I) - I want more reporting on what justice looks like.
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