Comments on: Update on Oscar Grant Police Killing – Protests in Oakland Yesterday

By: Wordsmith

Wordsmith — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:56:30 +0000

I cannot tell you how many current military and those no longer in who come to us (my workplace) for counseling (and other medical issues) because of PTSD. I'm not real sure why they don't go to the VA. I will say this, from what I see on charts, etc., they' are f*cked up big time. Between what they saw, what they did – and the Iraqis aren't even the problem. But the Iraqi invasion – that's another issue I cannot even discuss rationally. Because there was absolutely NO reason for all of this.

And no, they should NOT be on any police force anywhere.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:51:49 +0000

Lord knows this is the truth.

By: blksista

blksista — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:32:56 +0000

These ex-soldiers should not be utilized for American cities. Why? Because they think that they can get away with atrocities that they perped on the Iraqis. That's all we need.

By: Wordsmith

Wordsmith — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:56:30 +0000

I cannot tell you how many current military and those longer in who come to us (my workplace) for counseling and other issues because of PTSD. I'm not real sure why they don't go to the VA. I will say this, from what I see on charts, etc., they' are f*cked up big time. Between what they saw, what they did – and the Iraqis aren't even the problem. But the Iraqi invasion – that's another issue I cannot even discuss rationally. Because there was absolutely NO reason for all of this.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:51:49 +0000

Lord knows this is the truth.

By: blksista

blksista — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:32:56 +0000

These ex-soldiers should not be utilized for American cities. Why? Because they think that they can get away with atrocities that they perped on the Iraqis. That's all we need.

By: robrown

robrown — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:31:25 +0000

Jill, I think you forgot to finish your point at the end of the first paragraph. No pun intended.

By: zackboston

zackboston — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 09:36:56 +0000

i really appreciate your efforts to keep us informed. bless you.

By: Wordsmith

Wordsmith — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:20:16 +0000

AND the more things came out, the more it became obvious that if people hadn't been using their camera phones, it would simply be the police vs those up against that wall.

On the 'Justice for Oscar Grant' page the name of the officer who punched Grant was identified and it was mentioned as well that he had been in Iraq, and the militarization of police forces.

By: heartsandflowers

heartsandflowers — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:19:10 +0000

There were other cops involved beside Mehserle who should be investigated as well. KTVU has been providing excellent coverage of this and busted the police for not investigating. Their claims that no one came forward with video footage to "show them" evidence is ridiculous. What kind of investigating is that? What have they been doing for one month? The Bart Chief of Police is dragging his heels and working against the efforts at accountability behind the scenes. He needs to resign. There is an oversight Board in place FINALLY after years of people complaining but they need the power to DO something. Otherwise it's just window dressing.

This is an ongoing problem but the focus can't always be on rogue cops (particularly white rogue cops) when there is far more crime being committed by Blacks against other Blacks, esp when It's predominantly Black men. That may not be pretty or a comfortable topic to bring up but it is reality. It's a seesaw and both have to be addressed just as vigorously. Obama being in the White House is not going to change individual responsibility or a person's decision to do harm to another. Being poor is no excuse either.

The Bay area is going through some serious law enforcement upheaval right now. The Palo Alto PC retired after she had unflattering press about her call for "consensual contact" between her officers and Black men when the crime rate went up http://tinyurl.com/6el828 ; the Oakland PC is out and our SF Chief is also retiring. There's only a 4% population of Blacks in the Bay Area and the acceptance of criminal activity amongst a core group of them (us) is simply unacceptable. Obama can't be the only person bringing "change". It has to be individuals as well.

By: blksista

blksista — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:03:23 +0000

That he was offered bail--$3 million is high bail nonetheless--gets me because he ran to Nevada to hide, and they had to bring his @ss back. Just think if he had had a plane ticket... The guy is a flight risk.

The mindset of the authorities in this case: they wait two weeks to charge the guy, and then weeks later, they find out another cop was part of the killing when the videos people made showed the whole story and who was there.

Where is Jerry Brown? WTH is Ron Dellums doing? That BART police chief, Gee, oughta be suspended or fired because he's openly accepted the cop mentality that they're right and the victim and everyone else is wrong. He cannot be trusted to be impartial or to provide leadership in this case. Wrong is wrong.

By: blksista

blksista — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:50:31 +0000

I will continue to post articles from J. Douglas Allen-Taylor, who's a local Oakland-Berkeley columnist, as well as articles from the BayView, a San Francisco paper, and any others regarding the Oscar Grant case.

By: lexusOakland

lexusOakland — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:34:50 +0000

The hiring, training and supervising question is key. BART Police Dept. has no civilian oversight at all.

By: Angelar

Angelar — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:29:23 +0000

I have always said I am tired;;;;

By: Wordsmith

Wordsmith — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:24:43 +0000

Sometimes there are stories I just cannot seem to respond to or speak about rationally. This is one of the them.

How the f*ck did this guy get bail? How? Not long after Grant's murdered occurred, there was stuff up on the web, and I never understood why from all the phone videos, Grant was accused of resisting. That I never saw. To me the most telling was the confiscation (alleged, of course – uh-huh) of phones with cameras. Evil – purely evil motives working there/here. And the letter from the chief of police for BART – …… – the twistedness of it makes me sick.

Who hired him, trained him, supervised him? The problem with racial profiling & police brutality is at the top and not just at the bottom. It’s training and policies and culture.

Exactly….and it's what's been running this country for-f*cking-ever.

By: lexusOakland

lexusOakland — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:09:39 +0000

Thanks, Jill. This is very local to me also. I came from a community meeting this morning where many things were discussed, including the hiring of a new chief of police. The Mayor seems to be resisting the idea that the new chief should not be from the ranks of the existing force. The City Council is pushing for a national search to avoid the kinds of issues surrounding Poulson. As far as Oscar Grant, I keep thinking it can't get any worse, and it continues to unfold… bail granted, the newest video of the punch in the face… I'm feeling punch drunk. I was happy to see the Color of Change petition; got the email yesterday.

By: MODI

MODI — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:48:58 +0000

also, thanks for the Color of Change link… it is more than one cop, and the first cop sure did set a tone which does implicate the “culture” of the Dept. as you mention

By: MODI

MODI — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:47:40 +0000

hank you for the update. I would argue that it is a national story because there seems to be a rash of similar police shootings deemed a “suicide”. Young HS football player in Mississippi comes to mind. I don't know what the stats are, but all this should be watched closely to see if there is an backlash “obama effect” on a national scale. Hard to prove, but not suggest.

What makes this one critical is the videotape. Like Rodney King, if you can't get justice here, then when can you? If there were no videotape, we would have heard a familiar story about resisting arrest…