I participated in a protest march this evening. I was proud to be a part of a peaceful protest that stood up and shouted THAT'S ENOUGH (Ya Basta) to killer police in Oakland and throughout the nation. I was proud of the many races, ages and religious groups uniting to shout out in one voice as one people, ENOUGH.
We marched from Oakland's City Hall to the County Administrative Office shouting our slogans of protest and anger over the negligent Killing of Oakland resident Oscar Grant on a Bay Area Rapid Transit platform on New Year's Eve. I listened while speaker after speaker spoke passionately about fighting injustice and lawlessness in the Oakland community, be it negligent officer's or thug citizens. The Message was simple.
I AM OSCAR GRANT!
I heard this chant over and over sometimes finding myself shouting it myself with fist raised....I AM OSCAR GRANT!
And when Oscar Grant's father spoke, he made sure that the young people participating understood the responsibility they took on when shouting out the slogan. He let them know that his son, Oscar Grant III, was a responsible, loving and positive young man. And he would know, because He is Oscar Grant Jr., a man who confessed his transformation from irresponsible youth on the streets of Oakland to responsible citizen today. He was simply a father who'd had enough and was doing whatever it took to bring about a change.
I listened as guest speaker after guest speaker spoke not just revolutionary rhetoric, but laid down some heavy politics on community unity and cool headed strategy to bring about change in the Oakland community. From Father to coach to reverend, speakers rose to the challenge. Even comedian Mark Curry had his say culminating in a wild applause.
I believe the spirit of Oscar Grant was present at the protest this evening. What else could have kept the estimated crowd of over 1,500 from exploding and destroying all in their wake. And justifying it with the fact that it took 14 days for the district attorney to arrest and/or bring in for questioning the Bart policeman who shot and killed Oscar Grant. As one speaker wisely commented, this evening's protest may have been the only reason the district attorney arrested the Bart policeman today, to avoid another night of destructive outburst from the frustrated citizenry. The speaker did add that if and when the final verdict of this case is read and the verdict is not just, then the protest on that evening will be far from peaceful. The Fire Next Time!
My feelings are this: Since when does any police/patrol officer kill a citizen in these United States and not be detained for questioning? Unprecedented?
If a security guard while on-duty shot and killed the son of a district attorney, would the D.A. allow that security guard 14 days to quit his job to avoid any statement, flee to another state for his own so-called safety and not wonder why nobody is telling him anything pending a full investigation which doesn't include the perpetrator? Forget the fact that it was caught on camera from different angles and played on national news networks. Why even O.J. Simpson was contacted out-of-state within hours after the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, and returned to be questioned.
I feel that not only the Bart policeman was negligent and possibly criminal in his actions, but the district attorney and Bart itself were negligent in allowing a potentially unstable criminal to walk away from a homicide and possibly harm other citizens. At least they could've had the policeman submit to a psychiatric evaluation to see if he is a harm to himself or others.
Bottom line is a young man is dead by accident or criminal intent. Can we expect truth and justice from a court who may have been negligent in their handling of this case from the start? Time will tell. Until then I encourage everyone to take a stand against police brutality and judicial injustice everywhere. Peacefully if possible, violently if necessary. Every creature on this earth has a god given right to defend itself against oppression.
"If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation…want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightening. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters…. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."
Frederick Douglass, 1857
Prayers to you, the child you left behind and those grieving you Oscar Grant. May your soul find peace from and forgiveness for the trials placed on its existence here on earth.
