If you don't know who Oscar Juliuss Grant,III is, I am pretty sure that you will soon. Mr. Grant is the poor gentleman who lost his life at the hands of someone who was supposed to be protecting him. Mr. Grant was shot and killed by a Bay Area Rapid Transit Authority (BART) police officer who was allegedly trying to break up a fight. Shockingly, Mr. Grant, at the time, was unarmed.
Now I am going to answer the comments that I know I am going to get about what a tough job police officers have right now. Yes I know they have a tough and thankless job, yes I know that they are putting their lives on the line to protect us law abiding citizens, and yes I know that most police office
rs are good hard working people who want to do the right thing.
rs are good hard working people who want to do the right thing. But.... (oh boy here comes field with the but) come on now, how can we blame folks for being outraged when an unarmed man who was in police custody, and clearly restrained, was shot to death? One of the beautiful things of living in the You Tube era is that we can see damn near everything that happens in the world right on our T.V. screens and computer monitors. And unless someone doctored the tape I saw, it was pretty clear to me that Mr. Grant was already subdued and the officers had the situation well in hand.
But as is always the case with these stories, the boyz in blue are rallying around each other, and cover ups and verbal deception rules the day. Now the authorities are claiming that Mr. Grant was not restrained at the time of the shooting, and there are still quite a few unanswered questions surrounding the incident. Yeah right, and Lark Voorhies could walk by me in the nude and I would never look at her. I mean am I missing something here? I SAW THE TAPE! Even if the man wasn't in handcuffs he was certainly restrained. I don't know about you people, but restrained to me means that the officers have the situation under control, and that the man is going nowhere.
"Several apparent witnesses have disputed that, saying Grant was shot in the back while in handcuffs.."
Oakland we have a problem. Well, actually, it's not only Oakland, seems right here in my hometown of Killadelphia we have this problem as well. So you will excuse me if I am not quite as shocked after watching this video and hearing about this story as you are.
I heard an expert on one of these news shows say that the officer clearly made a mistake and he thought he was reaching for his taser but pulled his gun, instead. If that's the case they need to just come clean and admit it. Yes, there will be a big fat law suit, and the man's little daughter and his family will get paid. But this is the price you pay for incompetence, or, god forbid, something worse . It's just sad that it had to cost someone his life.
159 comments:
Let me begin by saying, "I am sick of this shit."
I am sick of non-black police officers handling black people with utter disregard. I am sick of non-black police officers who patrol black neighborhoods with aloofness and contempt.
I am sick of "conservative" white folks and house negros uttering the instinctive "we haven't received all the fact...blah...blah...blah." What further facts do you they fucking need? What they are really saying, "yes, we have the salient facts. But we need time to spin this shit to put the officer in question in a positive light." In other words, they want to obfuscate the issue that the motherfucker is in the wrong.
Again, I am sick of this shit!
Oh wait, my ire is misplaced, because we live in a so-called "post-racial era."
What the hell kind of lowly transit cop has a firearm? Maybe they're following Israel's example and trying to use all their ammo quick before the January 20th hope-and-change deadline.
"But this is the price you pay for incompetence, or, god forbid, something worse . "
truer words were never said. tragic thing about guns, if the cop had missed, this would have been a "humor" video on youtube. once the bullet leaves the barrel, there's no taking it back. RIP
I want President elect Obama to address racial profiling. We can't afford to bullsh%t around with this any longer. We are losing too many of our black men for the crime of being black.
I wanna see the bastard cop charged with Murder. The man was not a threat! He was unarmed; for crying out loud! Shot in the freaking back like an animal! And even there are laws against abusing animals.... Look no further than Michael Vick!
This sh%t has to stop! I'm pleading to President elect Obama...do something about it!
I am sorry I don't get "he must have mistaken his taser from his gun"?
Doesn't a taser and a gun weigh and feel different.
Also don't cops get training in how to handle weapons, when to use them, and to make sure it's the right weapon to use at that time?
Sorry there is nothing that support this jackass and he needs to go to jail for murder.
The victim was handcuffed and laying on his stomach. What kind of threat was he at the time of his death? NONE.
My rant is at the people who are trying to make accuses for this jackass cop, not you Field negro.
If the officer were in a gun battle, would he had mistakenly drawn his taser?
The victim was in no way a threat so the use of either a gun or taser would have been unwarranted. This appears to be an execution of yet another of our black young men.
I find it interesting that there is barely a mention of this on nat'l news to this point. I'm sure one the M$M gets wind of the protests & violence that have occurred tonight - they may find this story newsworthy. SMDH
I heard more about Laura Bush's new china than I did this story today.
Maybe if his name were Caylee Anthony the national media would be all over this.
I was surprised this did not show up here sooner FN. But I still read the SF and Oakland papers from growing up out there and have been watching it grow for a couple days.
There is no excuse. If he meant to pull the gun its murder and if he meant to pull the taser and shot him its at least manslaughter (involuntary or not). This is an issue of responsibility. If a cop makes a mistake he should still have to pay for it regardless of how hard or stressful his job may be.
I have to say, everyday that goes by that I don't hear a statement from the cop that says "I made a horrible mistake and I will pay the consequences for it" It makes me think that it was more then a mistake.
I happen to know of the DA handling this from growing up out there and I have hope that he will get to the bottom of this.
I read tfa's. It was probably accidental. Cops that are racists either way just can't last long in their profession these days. A lawsuit does seem appropriate. This is for you, Field: The police have a tough job out there.
szpork
People being killed in Oakland is so common place it doesn't illicit much of a response. That fool Ron Dellums is too worried about the Hughes Brothers doing a documentary about pimping in Oakland than crime: another low- rent Nero fiddling while his city burns.
I'm glad to see more people talking about this story, there really is no excuse. He may have mistaken his gun for a taser? I know, they look just a like and everything despite...not. The cop resigning so he won't have to face questioning (somehow) seem suspect to me as well. This story is just all wrong.
Yes, even in an America where a black man is on the cusp of becoming its first Non-white president, an unarmed black man can still get shot to death by the police. For those of you that things would be sweet from now on, don't be decieved (we have not arrived). Any one of us could lose our lives because Johny Law doesn't know his gun from his taser.
@Mr. Noface:
I couldn't agree more. I don't know why people confuse developments at the highest level of government with developments (or lack thereof) at the everyday grassroots level.
The rednecks I saw before November 4, 2008 are the same rednecks I see today.
I guess people love receiving that "Nigga, wake up" call.
SMDH...... I'm with Anon "I'm sick of this shit" too. There is nothing accidental about being shot in the back. Especially when a man is down and begging profusely for his life.
I feel like N.W.A right about now.
the saddest thing is the man stated " don't tase me I have a 4 year old daughter"
fuck the police all day long, amerikkans care more about dogs than black men. and people wonder why black men have such negative views about themselves and their communities. No one gives a fuck about them so why should they give a fuck about anything. We are not taught that the black man is the original man, Jews have hijacked our history, missing white women concern the media more, portraying the black man in a negative light is all MSM do. A black father taken away from his child by the police, wonder how she'll regard the police. The saddest thing is white cops let white people off with a pass. Now black men can't even celebrate New Year's but white people can act a fool during St Patrick's Day.
I've had enough of the gunning down of unarmed innocent black men by police. Police had the situation under control. Where was the threat? It pains me to no end to hear the man was begging for his life. Shooting an unarmed man in the back? I'm f-ing outraged!! Charge the S.O.B. with Murder. And I'm tired of police officers rallying around their buddies who have committed wrong doing in order to spin it in their favor. Enough!
I saw the tape earlier tonight and it was jacked up how it played out. I mean, there was no scuffle or resistance of arrest or detention.
It did look like the gun went off accidentally in an oops sorta way. But why was the cop even reaching for a taser anyway?
Sadly this young man lost his life. But we need to keep bringing the heat on the abuse people face by the use of tasers. Its like they think its non-lethal and should be the appropriate tool in the line of duty.
Well, there are people who have died as a result of the use of tasers. This brother didn't, but indirectly he did.
Stay vigilant folks...
oh and...
Can we get to work on this...
WHEN YOU'RE WHITE, YOU'RE RIGHT?
We must never allow injustices like this to go bye without any action.
Peace
Aw Geez, there is no conspiracy in the law enforcement corps to eliminate AA's. Blacks do go to jail more often because they commit more crimes per capita. Black neighborhoods do get more cops on the block because there's more crimes and because they are asked for, can't have it both ways there, you know? I am personally against saturation for more than 24 months because it scars the kids. I know the inner city blows, but maybe if the kids weren't pounded with racism and the idea that all their hopes and dreams are in vain (except for the one's Obama will deliver like Santa Clause) they could find a workable goal to achieve.
Not meaning to offend anyone and I apologize if I have.
szpork
anon 2:29
Well you did offend! How many damn innocent unarmed white men are shot in the back by police?
Blacks may go to jail more often but many times it's simply because they are black. How many white men get pulled over driving while white? If happens to black men more often than you can shake a stick at. How many white men are followed by police being suspicious of them driving a stolen car? Black men get a more harsh sentence than white men for the same damn crime.
WTF IS UP WITH THAT SHIT ANON 2:29?
01 07 09
That is foul. Plain and simple. I hope that BART cop rots in hell and I hope that victim's family is compensated. There is NO EXCUSE for this type of madness. I spent a large part of my life in Oakland and remember that it was segregated. My old buddy Miss Vivian said that when she came to Oakland in 1948, Blacks weren't even allowed on Grand Avenue. Boy this type of shit incenses me!
I don't give a good damn about how this crime was justified. It won't float and I guarantee that the negroes in Oakland are so pissed that if the cop gets off, there will be major reprecussions.
Despite the pot clubs and Lake Merritt, Oakland still has a lot of growing to do in the area of racial relations. There has been a massive exodous of Blacks over the past ten years and this may exascerbate these problems...
Fuck you, szpork! You can cite statistics all day long. It still doesn't rationalize what went down at the BART.
Any fucking idiot, vis-a-vis you, can cite (parrot) statistics. But what's the fucking answer to rationalize what went down?
Let's hope that 12 idiots such as yourself are selected as jurors for the impending trial.
Again, you are a fucking idiot!
Anon 2:41
By God you are right! No more tickets for me. I'm shaving the afro.
szpork
I don't know why everyone is SHOCKED, if they can't get to BARACK then they are coming after any BLACK MAN in their path, now I don't know what is going on with BLACK AMERICA, but, the truth is BARACK may have won the election, but, we are still BLACK, did someone forget that.
BLACK MEN all over AMERICA are being killed by the police on a weekly basis, this is no surprise to me, I had no doubt in my mind that young BLACK MEN would be prey for the police, if BARACK was elected, I spoke this on BET WEBSITE, I gave warning after warning, and yet, it fell on deaf ear's.
BARACK has been nominated to the highest office a man can hold in AMERICA, and if AFRICAN AMERICAN'S think some white's are rejoicing with us, then we need to think again, that police, that MURDERED that young man, could have cared less about who was watching, because he knew at the end of the day, that the WHITE POWER STRUCTURE was going to have his back regardless, once BARACK become's PRESIDENT, we as AFRICAN AMERICAN'S need to make him step up and speak up against WHITE POLICE'S MURDERING young BLACK MEN, he need's to call them out, and if he doe's not, I will find a way to E-MAIL him everyday! and I could less about him being the PRESIDENT!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
Co-Sign 3:03
I am fucking crying over this shit because it hurts the fuck out of me.
I am so fed up with white thuggish police shooting black men down like dogs. I want it to stop. The man wasn't even armed. How the fuck do you justify shooting him in the back?
I can't take this shit anymore.
I can't take this shit anymore.
I can't take this shit anymore.
May the Murderer rot in hell!!!!!!
"I heard more about Laura Bush's new china than I did this story today."
Damn! I bet if he had shot a dog to death you would have heard about it. I am just saying, we love our pets here in A-merry-ca.
Our black men, not so much.
That police officer (glorified rent a cop) will not see one day behind bars because the BART board will not make a ruling different from any other police board. You know it's funny how many people are justifiably outraged over Israel bombing Gaza but why aren't people demanding their neighborhoods be safe here in the USA or holding law enforcement responsible? Since the family attorney is great and SF doesn't want bad press to go national and threaten it's tourism they'll probably settle this case sooner rather than later, but you never know. It didn't happen in Oakland though for once. I knew something was fishy when they claimed to have not been recording at the station that night.
From what I read, the DA has already called the shooting unjustified. That suggests to me he will be charged. What should happen now is if the local authorities dont charge the cop, then the US Attorneys office should. And, they would have grounds to do so. This case could easily be a federal civil rights violation case. Amenesty International has put out a statement and demanded an investigation. This thing is getting legs And I don't think it will be swept away.
Field,
You know how I feel about cops, be they BART cops or city cops. I have no use and no respect for them.
I am appalled by the prevailing culture that protects their excesses and abuse of the citizens they are charged with protecting.
One of the more troubling trends in law enforcement is the trend to hire cops directly from the military. These men are frequently deranged and unbalanced and they're handed a gun and told to arrest the bad guys.
No wonder American cities have police forces staffed by goon squads.
"One of the more troubling trends in law enforcement is the trend to hire cops directly from the military. These men are frequently deranged and unbalanced and they're handed a gun and told to arrest the bad guys."
I am pissed at this whole situation. And I agree with your assessment of cops-- totally useless. I have had two cars broken into and I refused to call the cops. I can't stand them, so why would I call them for help?
However, I must disagree with your critique of the military being a feeder to civilian police forces. I served in the U.S. Army, and I dare say that with a veteran, you have a more mature and disciplined candidate than joe-shmoe off the streets.
I would like to see if a study has been done on the percentage of police officers, who are military vets, involved in police brutality.
Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Funny how many posters put their issues on this situation.
Let's hear the evidence first. I am reminded of our hero, Rodney King, who was sooo much a pillar of the community...in the highly edited version of the beating. Once you add the rest of the information...
Tawana Brawley? Duke Frat Boys?
Mold
Once again we have a case of a young black man volunteering his time teaching kids to read at the train station. No, wait he was collecting money for Hospice or was he training a seing eye dog. Maybe he was there causing fucking trouble and he found it. Asshoiles and bullets seem to get together failry regularly whether it's an asshole cop or another asshole street thug and when they do everyone runs for their lawyer and their outrage pills. Stop fucking causing shit wherever you go assholes and nobody will fucking shoot you.
http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_n2/officers-grant-bart.html#hdng0
didn't take long now did it .... ?
Mold, you are a dumbass. The notion of innocent until proven guilty goes out the window when their is video showing the commission of a crime.
If the BART cop is so innocent, why did he resign?
The victim's name is Oscar Grant III, not Tawana Brawley, Rodney King, Crystal Mangum.
Can the hastily deceased get the presumption of innocence given the fact that we've seen what happened? Or are you too fucking biased, too fucking stupid to grant him that.
Fucking scumbag!
"Fake Black Outrage"... even IF I were to accept your premise that he was "causing trouble"..... that is NOT grounds for a death sentence... which is what he got. If you bothered to look at the video coverage, he was on the ground, face down, hands behind back, subdued. The cop pulled his weapon and pointed it down and pulled the trigger. Whether he thought it was a taser or not is irrelevant. He did not need to unholster in that scene. There were already many cops on scene. He already had assistance with this man.... there were 2 cops on him before they stood up, pulled gun, and fired.
There is no excuse for what this cop did. Period. Stop blaming the victim of murder for what his murderer did to him.
Once again we have a case of a young black man volunteering his time teaching kids to read at the train station. No, wait he was collecting money for Hospice or was he training a seing eye dog. Maybe he was there causing fucking trouble and he found it. Asshoiles and bullets seem to get together failry regularly whether it's an asshole cop or another asshole street thug and when they do everyone runs for their lawyer and their outrage pills. Stop fucking causing shit wherever you go assholes and nobody will fucking shoot you.
He was pleading not to get tased. I didn't know pleading not to get tased is tantamount to causing trouble. But hey, you're a biased dumbass; so, anything is possible.
I hope you or a love one catches a bullet, ASSHOLE!
We cry all day about what the cops or the "white man" does to us and yet will not say a god damn, mutherfucking thing about what we do to our selves!!!
If that young man had been shot in the hood, not one of those mutherfucking protesters would've said shit!!!!
The shit would not have made the news at all and you all know it. Same with the kid in Texas.
And every one on here knows it, so take your outrage out into the hood and get the thug mentality, and the sheep mentality and the ostrich mentality out of our cousins and place the blame right where it belongs ------- on US!!!!
Law Enforcement is held to a higher standard, dipshit. Go away, troll.
This cop should be jailed and lose his badge.
We shall see.
Yet being a cop in a poor crime ridden area is extremely difficult. Who here would be up for the job?
Would you want your son, one that you worked hard to educate and nurture...to end up a cop in North Philly?
I know of two young black men who were policeman in New York and a few years ago all I remember them talking about is the dream of getting out of patrolling Brooklyn and the status of them applying to be cops on Long Island where I understand the pay is almost double and in many areas there is little violent crime.
Both of these men were vibrant hard working black guys in their 30's with wives and children and they were perfect role models for young urban boys...yet they could not wait to flee.
It takes a particular type...be they white or black to deal with violent crime ridden areas DAILY...and that type...I do believe can often veer towards the people who posses the same violent under pinnings as those they patrol.
Takes one to know one.
Anonymous said...
Law Enforcement is held to a higher standard, dipshit. Go away, troll.
9:23 AM
So you are saying that we can't be held to a higher standard ourselves?
You do realize that if "we" hold ourselves to a higher standard, then things like this would not be able to be brushed aside. And we could stop the killing and imprisionment of our young men. And we could clean up our neighborhoods. And we could learn in school. And we could have two parent families. And we could have viable economic opportunities. But I think you would rather be outraged at "the man" than hold yourself to a higher standard........
Mold,
I'll add fucking scumbag to you as well. Don't even go there by putting the racist scumbag duke boys in this situation. Last I heard, the duke boys didn't have to go trial because.... they didn't want to.
knockoutchick,
We need crime fighters to fight crime in crime-ridden areas. If one aspires to be a cop only to serve in low-crime areas, then why one become a cop?
When I was in the Army, I saw this same type of mentality among pre-9/11 soldiers-- they claimed to have joined for the college fund or to get technical training, not to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I was blown away by soldiers who revealed that mindset.
Just as it is soldier's job is to fight and not sit back and collect a check in peacetime, it is a cop's job to fight crime, not to stroll Mayberry because there is little or no crime.
People with that mentality aren't fit to serve the public or the country, in my opinion.
So you are saying that we can't be held to a higher standard ourselves?
You do realize that if "we" hold ourselves to a higher standard, then things like this would not be able to be brushed aside. And we could stop the killing and imprisionment of our young men. And we could clean up our neighborhoods. And we could learn in school. And we could have two parent families. And we could have viable economic opportunities. But I think you would rather be outraged at "the man" than hold yourself to a higher standard........
You've missed the point entirely. Perhaps you need to bring yourself up to speed on the norms and values of our nation.
When I say law enforcement is held to a higher standard, I am speaking in a profession sense. Police officers have taken an oath to protect and serve the public with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism.
They are supposed to train frequently, to maintain themselves at a high level of readiness.
Drawing one's weapon instead of one's taser is not a sign of professionalism and readiness. It's a sign of sloppiness and mediocrity.
Accidentally discharging one's weapon in public is not a sign of readiness. It is a sign of clumsiness. Accidental discharges are expected to occur in homes, not in public at the hands of supposedly trained police officer.
This has nothing to do about the generalizing of young black men to support a police officer who had a lapse in vigilence and professionalism. To do so is house negro behavior.
He may have resigned over the grief he felt. Dead human and all. Officers are human...oh wait...it's much easier to demonize than to understand.
Watched the vid. Tells me many posters have absolutely no clue about police work. If I had to guess...and I am guessing...Oscar was being stoopid and resisting and the officer was going to threaten Oscar with being Tased.
Crime? Only in your fantasies. How about you-all get some of that eveel book larnin' and check a CJ text and the local Use of Force Guidelines from the local police. Umm, I know it's work and such...but it will help you.
Clueless wonder that questioned the need for working-class kids to enlist to get college or benefits...why did they have no other options? Let's sneer at the citizens that signed...not to shoot at children but to have more than minimum wage work.
Mold
Knockoutchick,
I just heard the BART cop resigned.
Whaaaa, whaaaa, whaaaa.
Now he can play victim and sue the city of Oakland and BART and give interviews about how he's the victim.
I'm so sick and tired of law enforcement.
Being an asshole does not warrant being shot. Fighting crime does not mean shooting unarmed people. This is f-ed up. And you know the minute Mr. Obama says something about racial profiling, the right wingers are going to groan about how 'racist' he is to focus on an issue concerning people of color.
My immediate reaction to that "taser" excuse was "Oh, so it's all right because he just wanted to TASER the guy who was already restrained?"
All by itself, just tasering a helpless victim should automatically get a cop yanked off the street, if not worse.
And I really hope that resigning doesn't let the guy out of being charged. Hell, I hope he gets his pension yanked, on top of the charges!
Mold,
If I had to guess...
We don't need your damn guesses!
You're an ignorant fool. Hope you never get a bullet in you from an unproperly trained officer.
You fuckin dirtbag.
Anon.9:57am:-
The fact that you would call this cops' obvious deliberate criminal act an "accidental discharge"
is house negro behaviour.
As shown in the videos- no matter how grainy they may be, clearly show mr.Grant being subdued, so regardless whether this piece of shit you like to call a cop was reaching for a taser or a gun is IRRELEVANT, because he had absolutely no reason to resort to such measures in the first place.This cop's actions are criminal to say the least.The fact that this man begged for his life and still was shot is a pretty clear indicator as to this cop's motive, don't you think? At NO TIME is unnecessary violence excusable, warranted , or acceptable. It's sad that in this day and age our race is fighting the same strife our predecessors fought decades ago. What's even sadder though, is WE collectively as a race, sit back in large numbers and accept the predestined destruction of our race, whether it's by the cops, congress, or any other group that is part of the conspiracy to destroy our race. I mean, even if you don't care about your neighbors, don't you at least care about yourself enough to want to make a difference?
CNN's Rick Sanchez and his "expert" promoted the cop thought he was reaching for his taser spin. Not one word why the cop was even reaching for a tasor because the suspect was not resisting arrest he was just lying there. I heard a blurb about riots in Oakland earlier this morning, since then more about Laura Bush's China and the wild fires in Denver.
It's the media.
Oh yeah, by the way mold, why don't you put a gun to your head and pull the trigger, you insensitive piece of shit. How dare you even try to sympathize with that parasite for a cop. How about the young man who swallowed his pride and begged for his life for the sake of his daughter? Or, how about the fact that his g'friend has to explain to their child someday why daddy's not around? For you to try to desensitize this young man's murder is cold,callous,and wrong.
he was pleading not to get tased ... what brought him to the attention of cops in the first place ? nobody seems to have an answer for that -- they do have lawyers though and a suit filed -- first things first right ya'll ?
His actions that led up to that point are irrelevant, when the man was ALREADY SUBDUED ASSHOLE!!!
My four year old son could look at the video and see he was already subdued. It's funny how white people always seem to see something different than what millions of others see with their "lying eyes".
Wow...As an "Oaktown"/Richmond CA ex-patriot; as an aging and recovering member of the Black Panther Party/Republic of New Africa, I hope you can appreciate my boiling rage at this particular murder at the BayAreaRapidTransit (BART)Fruitvale Station - at the hands of a uniformed person from whom we expect protection. Trust me, there should be no rock under which this uniformed so-called 'law-enforcement officer' or his family can hide. But, recent and current experiences/memories teach me that the community's righteous outrage will dissipate and sputter out in the next few hours; and not a peep about the on-going slaughter taking place in the "...hoods" of North/East Oakland and Richmond's 'Iron Triangle' at the hands of BLACK/LATIN youth. Again, where are the REAL BLACK MEN - the 'raw' and 'hard-core'? There was a time - long, long ago - when some of us willingly patrolled the streets of Oakland, Berkeley, and Richmond with (analog, even) recording devices to specifically document Oakland/Berkeley/Richmond police(pig) behaviors; and did experience a drop in police brutality that was quite popular - then. Again, where is our protective vigilance...Or, are we just limited to it in the "Easy Rawlins" fiction of Walter Mosley?
So, rather than trash businesses along East 14th/International Blvd or downtown Oakland, please, re-direct the rage - 'NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!' There should be NO hiding place for the beasts - uniformed, hooded, and otherwise - who terrorize and prey on our community.
You're damn right a suit should be filed. His child will need the money. Aside from that...This child's father was violently taken away from her without cause. The money is owed to her but can never replace the love and touch of a father. I hope this murdering bastard cop rot in hell.
I live in the Bay Area and have been watching this unfold for the last week. Last night I watched as a protest turned into a mini riot.
What is so infuriating is that the authorities have not even questioned the police officer yet. He resigned yesterday and they are now making that their excuse for not talking to him. They say he's invoking his 5th amendment rights. I say so what; will that stop the police from talking to you or me?
This thing just gets bigger and bigger because no one is doing anything.
Charge this bastard, convict him and send him to Prison. Brothers will be waiting..
It is an epidemic...
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/08/baseballer.shot/index.html
Lot of Anonymous posts here Field. How about this then--for every one "innocent brotha" killd by a cop--even mistakes without any malice--someone being in the line of fire and a cop f-ing up--how many brothas are murdering brothas, dealing drugs, getting girls pregnant, wasting their lives on bullshit?
It amazes me how many righteous folk emerge from the woodwork when this happens, but are either silent or preach "mentorship" as the scumbags roam free. That's the epidemic.
Invoking his 5th Amendment Right.......GTFOH! Is it that easy?
I think we need to bombard the media with our response to this attack, and make sure that it doesn't go away. Let your voice be heard.
Link below to write to all the different news media outlets about the Murder of Oscar Juliuss Grant, III
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=111
LOOTING AND ROITS
Leemu Tokpa had swept glass shards into two piles outside her shop, Creative African Braids, on 14th Street so that clients could get in the door.
She said a group of vandals smashed up her downtown Oakland shop and threw bottles at her while she was holding her 8-month-old baby.
hummmm....doesn't seem to further their cause?
blah-de blah-de blah
so much anonymous, so little action
please don't wake me/no don't shake me/i'm only sleeping....
@Anonymous-12:15 PM
Who said there was looting?
I think you must be a CNN operative. If a Black person walks down the street CNN says they were looting.
By the way if anyone wants to see the live meeting between the community and the BART board, go to KRON4.com
i think I missed a line there
leave me where i am...yeah.
You mean to tell me that the officer in question failed to note the difference between a taser and a gun?
Cops just shot a young man down here in New Orleans. Undercover cops approaches him armed. 12 of the 14 shots entered through the back...at least that's what the CORONER says. FBI is investigating it. This shit is happening everywhere.
"I feel like the night is going great," said Nia Sykes, 24, of San Francisco, one of the demonstrators. "I feel like Oakland should make some noise. This is how we need to fight back. It's for the murder of a black male."
Sykes, who is black, had little sympathy for the owner of Creative African Braids.
"She should be glad she just lost her business and not her life," Sykes said. She added that she did have one worry for the night: "I just hope nobody gets shot or killed."
Bell, 42, came out to find that almost all of the car's windows, including the front and back had been smashed and it appeared that someone had tried to set the car on fire.
"I'm for the cause," said Bell, who is black. "But I'm against the violence and destruction."
Jody: This case could easily be a federal civil rights violation case. Amenesty International has put out a statement and demanded an investigation. This thing is getting legs And I don't think it will be swept away.
Jody, I sincerely hope you are right. This is uncalled for. There was no reason for this man to have been killed.
Let's hear the evidence first. I am reminded of our hero, Rodney King, who was sooo much a pillar of the community...in the highly edited version of the beating. Once you add the rest of the information...
The uproar over Rodney King was not that he was a "pillar of the community." No one--even a bum on the street--should have been beaten the way he was.
Stop fucking causing shit wherever you go assholes and nobody will fucking shoot you.
Like the white college kids who get drunk and lose their minds on Halloween or the white sports fans who overturn cars and riot because their team won/lost?
I have yet to hear about some white person losing his life because he was acting a fool in the above-mentioned scenario or during a St. Patrick's Day celebration.
If that young man had been shot in the hood, not one of those mutherfucking protesters would've said shit!!!!
The shit would not have made the news at all and you all know it.
How is it you can't understand the outrage is over an officer--who is charged with protecting and serving the public--killing an unarmed, subdued man?
There is (or should be) a difference between the actions of a thug and a police officer.
In this case, apparently the thug and the officer with the gun were one and the same.
I wrote a post about this but it got lost in cyberspace. The bottom line is this. This young man was engaged in activity with some other young men on a BART train that was serious enough for a bunch of drunken New Year's Eve revelers to call for help. When Mr. Grant and his pals were pulled from the train, the many videos aired on television showed Mr. Grant completely uncooperative with the police. Three men were seated on the train platform floor and Mr. Grant can be seen getting up and flailing his arms.
And for the record, Mr. Grant was NOT handcuffed. A local station has been airing footage all morning to show that handcuffs were on another young man.
I don't know anyone who is not shocked by what happened whether the shooting was intentional or an accident. This kid acted like a complete ass and was probably on his way to getting arrested until he decided he hadn't acted like enough of an ass and decided to get the in cops' face, which is what he did and you can see that on tape. He didn't deserve to be killed but had he not acted like an utter fool, he would still be alive.
So tell your sons that acting out with police can cost them their lives. It's hard to believe there any Negroes out there who didn't get that memo. Unless you think the streets and a cop with a loaded weapon is a good way for young black men to prove their manhood, you need to teach your children how to act around police.
I would like to know where is the hysteria for all the black men who were shot down on Oakland streets last year by other black men?
Finally, this incident involved BART police. It had nothing to do with Oakland but the usual white anarchists and black street thugs showed up to destroy what had been a disruptive but peaceful demonstration and destroy other people's property. People, I might add, who are largely outraged by what happened to Mr. Grant. I'm sick of "us" destroying our communities. We don't give a damn about the daily slaughter by blacks of blacks but is if a cop shoots someone, all hell breaks loose. Hypocrites.
By the way, I live in Oakland and have lived here for over 30 years. A lot of folks feel like I do. I live in an area with lots of Mr. Grants in them. We are tired of the daily drama and we are tired of you making excuses for their disgraceful and anti social behavior.
I'm looking forward to the video that shows Mr. Grant and his friends beating the crap of someone on the BART train.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/08/baseballer.shot/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
What we see makes us wonder about what we don't see. The LA police were kicking King around because they had kicked around a lot of black men & not been taped.
West coast story,
That young black man didn't deserve to be gunned down like that. What don't you get that he was unfreakingarmed!Shot in the back. Justify being shot in the back?
It doesn't matter what he was doing before officers had the situation under control. The man was murdered by a bastard racist cop. Now his sorry coward ass has resigned. He need to pay for this shit! Dammit I'm tired of our precious innocent black men being killed by police.
Lord, forgive them. They know not what they do.
"knockoutchick,
We need crime fighters to fight crime in crime-ridden areas. If one aspires to be a cop only to serve in low-crime areas, then why one become a cop?"
Well most urban neighborhoods don't have enough young black men willing and able to be policeman.
Men that I have met who became policeman...be they white or black did so at a young age for a steady paycheck.
I don't know any who were driven by a need to serve the community. The men I know as policemen as far as I know...it went something like this.
Young kid...kinda smart, doesn't apply himself in high school. Graduates does odd jobs, maybe goes to community college, girlfriend gets pregnant and a relative or friend says "hey NYPD is hiring and you could get benefits for the kid"! There you have it.
It seems the young men from the 'hood who might have good intentions to stay and serve often have criminal records by early 20s and can't join the force.
Anonymous said...
So you are saying that we can't be held to a higher standard ourselves?
You do realize that if "we" hold ourselves to a higher standard, then things like this would not be able to be brushed aside. And we could stop the killing and imprisionment of our young men. And we could clean up our neighborhoods. And we could learn in school. And we could have two parent families. And we could have viable economic opportunities. But I think you would rather be outraged at "the man" than hold yourself to a higher standard........
You've missed the point entirely. Perhaps you need to bring yourself up to speed on the norms and values of our nation.
When I say law enforcement is held to a higher standard, I am speaking in a profession sense. Police officers have taken an oath to protect and serve the public with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism.
They are supposed to train frequently, to maintain themselves at a high level of readiness.
Drawing one's weapon instead of one's taser is not a sign of professionalism and readiness. It's a sign of sloppiness and mediocrity.
Accidentally discharging one's weapon in public is not a sign of readiness. It is a sign of clumsiness. Accidental discharges are expected to occur in homes, not in public at the hands of supposedly trained police officer.
This has nothing to do about the generalizing of young black men to support a police officer who had a lapse in vigilence and professionalism. To do so is house negro behavior.
9:57 AM
My reply got lost in space, but generally it's like this....
My point is that we accept behavior in our communities and then get angry when the consequences of that behavior bite us in the ass.
I agree that the cop was wrong. My cousin is a captain in LE. So for me your argument doesen't wash.
As far as being a "house negro", nope,
HBCU all the way, even grew up on a campus.
I'm not even in the "field". I'm the one in the woods saying "This way to Freedom...."
Norms and values my ass...very few of us teach or show our youngsters any values or norms.....
9:57 AM
How is it you can't understand the outrage is over an officer--who is charged with protecting and serving the public--killing an unarmed, subdued man?
There is (or should be) a difference between the actions of a thug and a police officer.
In this case, apparently the thug and the officer with the gun were one and the same.
1:26 PM
So where is the same outrage for how we act in our own communities?
Whenever this happens, we never, ever talk about how we act and accept the same behavior in our communities. Nia Sykes attitude is the same as those young thugs that go around killing up our kids. And that is "house negro" behavior.
"west coast story said...
I wrote a post about this but it got lost in cyberspace. The bottom line is this. This young man was engaged in activity with some other young men on a BART train that was serious enough for a bunch of drunken New Year's Eve revelers to call for help. When Mr. Grant and his pals were pulled from the train, the many videos aired on television showed Mr. Grant completely uncooperative with the police. Three men were seated on the train platform floor and Mr. Grant can be seen getting up and flailing his arms.
And for the record, Mr. Grant was NOT handcuffed. A local station has been airing footage all morning to show that handcuffs were on another young man.
I don't know anyone who is not shocked by what happened whether the shooting was intentional or an accident. This kid acted like a complete ass and was probably on his way to getting arrested until he decided he hadn't acted like enough of an ass and decided to get the in cops' face, which is what he did and you can see that on tape. He didn't deserve to be killed but had he not acted like an utter fool, he would still be alive.
So tell your sons that acting out with police can cost them their lives. It's hard to believe there any Negroes out there who didn't get that memo. Unless you think the streets and a cop with a loaded weapon is a good way for young black men to prove their manhood, you need to teach your children how to act around police.
I would like to know where is the hysteria for all the black men who were shot down on Oakland streets last year by other black men?
Finally, this incident involved BART police. It had nothing to do with Oakland but the usual white anarchists and black street thugs showed up to destroy what had been a disruptive but peaceful demonstration and destroy other people's property. People, I might add, who are largely outraged by what happened to Mr. Grant. I'm sick of "us" destroying our communities. We don't give a damn about the daily slaughter by blacks of blacks but is if a cop shoots someone, all hell breaks loose. Hypocrites.
By the way, I live in Oakland and have lived here for over 30 years. A lot of folks feel like I do. I live in an area with lots of Mr. Grants in them. We are tired of the daily drama and we are tired of you making excuses for their disgraceful and anti social behavior.
I'm looking forward to the video that shows Mr. Grant and his friends beating the crap of someone on the BART train."
1:43 PM
So how ya like it now....?
We've over-reacted again, almost like the Jena 6 thing. And always tearing up our own nest....nothing but a bunch of house negros....very few of you out in the woods using your own brains....I don't like seeing any of our youngsters murdered, but I like even less the whining about LE when most of us want to show our asses when in custody.......
I'm off the plantation and in the woods surviving on my own brain..............
This is Anonymous 2:21 again: ..The above scripture being said, there definitely needs to be an organized series of protests against this action and all acts of police murder and brutality in this country as well a complete investigation into this incident. Based on the 3 different videos that have surfaced this "cop" should be in jail NOW, not running around free.
Either the laws that govern this country apply to EVERYONE or they apply to NO ONE.
And in high stress situations/volatile, cops should be held to a higher, not lower standard...that's why they train.
But you are not tired of black men killing other black men (and women) and that makes you a big fat hypocrite. The police never had that situation at the BART station under control and Mr. Grant was a large part of the reason why. It's not blaming the victim. It's taking responsibility for what you do. If you get in a cop's face, you might end up dead. This is not news, and if you are too dumb not to get that, you should not be allowed to leave the house. You can't contol other people's behavior but you can control yours. Had this young man kept his ass planted on the floor of the station platform, he would still be with us.
I know I sound like a hard ass but I know the Mr. Grants of the world. When he was sober, he was probably a great guy. He worked in a grocery store up the street from me. I probably saw him many times behind the meat counter. I'm not happy that he's dead or how he died. I feel terrible about it, it is tragedy. But our young people need to be one hell of a lot more street smart and need to be taught what is acceptable behavior and what is not. And you men need to call them on their behavior when it is not acceptable. Except you won't because you frankly, you are afraid of the Mr. Grants.
Anonymous 2:27 - Based on what your saying there should be an all out war against the cops then because a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch in any group, and if EVERY Black male has to be responsible for the actions of a few dumb ones, then EVERY cop has to be responsible for the actions of a few dumb ones as well...
You sound like a fool. A complete fool. Oscar Grant was 22 years old. That's way to damn young, and I say that as someone who is close to his age but still a little older. By all accounts he loved his daughter more than anything. He even mentions her in the video. Aren't we always hearing about how Black men need to step up and be good fathers to their children?
Do you know what it does to a person's psyche to feel as if they are being hunted like...I can't even say dogs, because DOGS get better treatment in this country (and this despite the fact that dogs bite people all the damn time...shit even the ones that kill kids are put down humanely.)
In short: You sound like a damn fool.
West coast story: Soooo, if it were you or your loved one in the situation, and he/she was shot and killed in the same manner for acting the way YOU ALLEGE (despite the eyewitness accounts that contradict you) that Mr. Grant was asking you would totally be like...well he/she had it coming? And answer please.
I have noticed the complete lack of outrage over the YBM deaths in Philly or other urban areas...at the hands of thugs.
I would subdue the white college rioters and have often stated this as the preferred option.
Police are human. Why is this so difficult a concept for some posters? Is it because you will personally benefit from fewer officers on the beat?
He may have resigned to prevent being the 'whipping boy' for the BART PR squad. If you have been with any bureaucracy for any lenght of time, you know that there will be a sacrificial lamb tossed to the ravening hordes of stoopids. Look at the enlisted penalized for following their orders..or did you ever think Lynndie English had the capacity to dream that all up on her own.
West Coast Story, thank you for posting and adding more information.
For the record, I think OJ did not kill his wife and her friend. I also think he was set up in the Vegas situation.
Mold
above should read "that Mr. Grant was *acting*" not asking.
"Police are human. Why is this so difficult a concept for some posters?"
Let's change the above bit to say: BLACKS are human. Why is this so difficult for some posters?"
I know I sound like a hard ass
No. You're a son of a bitching ignorant fool!!!!!!!!!!!
This is anonymous 2:42pm again and above should read:
"Let's change the above bit to say: BLACKS are human. Why is this so difficult a concept for some posters."
Eyewitness? Ummm...let's just say I've heard one story from 'witnesses'..until I point out that the event was recorded.
So going Billy BadAss is OK? Guess what genius, if you give me a reason to think that you are going to prevent me from going home..you are on the list. Save the puerile posturing for your attorney in court.
For those of you who managed to avoid serving...if you present a threat to me or mine..you are a target.
You should also know that police recruit heavily from the Marine Corps. And then use that whine-ergy to figure out just what the Marines do.
Mold
Dear Mold:
What you've proven via your responses on this board is that you are, quite possibly, a lunatic. I don't even know what the hell your saying at 2:47pm. Seriously. But hey, if you typing away as a dumbass on this board keeps you from interacting with and harming the general public, then that's a fair price to pay...type away Jethro.
The officer resigned probably to protect his pension, smart move... and he is taking the 5th, another smart move... which he has every right to and any lawyer worth their salt would tell you to do the same. Someone asked is it really that easy, just take the 5th? It really is. Problem is too many people don't exercise this right because cops are trained to lie to you about what your rights are. They will tell you that you have to answer. You do not. The ONLY real right we have anymore in this country after the past 8 years is the right to remain silent.
There are more anonymous posters on here now than signed-in regulars.
That's really a shame.
Hi Christopher,
I'm Anonymous 2:21; 2:28; 2:36, 2:38, 2:42, 2:46 and 2:58.
I'm a looonngg time poster/lurker (I've actually read and agreed with a lot of your posts during the primary) I just don't want to get an account.
I'm embarrassed to say this, but...if not for your blog, I would not have known about this event.
This morning, after I read your entry, I went to youtube, and grabbed the news report regarding this murder, and I posted the link on a forum I frequent. I also emailed the link to several of my friends and family members.
I'm pissed because this event warrants more attention than the MSM seems willing to give it.
I'll write slower..just for you. If you need to have it explained, that's OK. If you need a clue, start with Wikipedia, Fallacies of Logic and go to ad hominem. You can also Google the words, "ad hominem". There are others that you've used, but we'll start with the simple one first.
Christopher, I post as anonymous..and then sign. I have no problem with putting my nom de plume to my work. Signing in is too much work for my lazy self.
Mold
This is not a post about all the other things wrong with Black people. Yes we have rampant crime in our neigborhoods, single parent households etc etc. This is about this one event in which a clearly subdued individual was shot in the back while lying on the floor. I dont understand how it is soooo complicated for people to understand that this is not okay. Is it the only problem that black people have? Not by a long shot, but it is a very big problem nevertheless.
That said we shouldn't only be galvanized as a community when 'whitey' does this, and we shouldn't only march and fight for our sons. We should make sure that all violent crime commited against us is punished irrespective of the race or gender of the perp or the victim.
Don't call it murder just yet. We have a dead civilian and very little else. Well, we do have people sceraming for a lynching...but I have no desire to ever see that abomination return..not even for the Bush/Cheneys. Rule of Law, people.
Mold
west coast what the fuck are you talking about? who is not outraged by violence whether it's in our own neighborhoods or Gaza? No one is sitting back not trying to change violence, I refuse to categorize it as black on black. STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT. we are talking about unarmed black men getting shot and killed by the police. Sean Bell, Emmit Till ( I suppose he was acting a fool)
Last night a black teenager was shot three times in his own driveway in front of his parents because the usual story police thought he was driving a stolen car. NO WHITE REVELER has been killed by the police. I am from Boston. Why do young black men have to still not look directly at massa and bow their heads whene he passes by. I have a 17 year old he gets straight A's but nothing will stop the police from killing him unless we DO SOMETHING, YOU MUST NOT HAVE A SON. I wonder how old I have to be in order for the police not to stop, question, and detain me. The real terrorists ARE andHAVE ALWAYS been the police. You must be one since you want to constantly change the subject. I have witnessed many marches against gang violence but my eyes are open.
the man that was shot in his driveway live in Bellaire, Ca son of a former baseball? player
A few years back a white man with a loaded automatic weapon pointed at the White House was talked into custody.
But every couple of months some unarmed black male gets shot dead by the cops.
The perversity of the whole thing is you have these various "anonymous" pantloads trying to rationalize it by asserting they were criminals and somehow deserved it.
Again the post disappears. Bottom line, bean twn chica, you don't know what you are talking about. Black males in my family get the taste slapped out of their mouth if they have a bad encounter with the police. And it seems to work because no one has been to jail yet. I know it's a shock but there are young black men you have never been arrested. These youths have black parents who actually teach their kids how to deal with the police, in great detail. What not to say, what to do with your hands. It's called survival. But some people get off being a victim.
The problem with youth is adults.
In these parts, police shootings usually involve people with criminal backgrounds. High school scholars and athletic achievers are usually killed by other black males. And we clearly don’t give a rats backside about them one bit.
Call the wahhmbulance. Eveel posters ask for proof and evidence. How dare they!
Some posters don't want any lynchings. We should just declare the blue/black/brown/white guy guilty and hang him..cause we wants to.
DWB? Oh yes, mr officer, sir. This is my car and I do have a license and registration. both are in the glove compartment. you want me in handcuffs. sure. No fast moves. No getting in his face. If there is an issue, my lawyer will handle it. Being Heroic BlackMan is going to look great on my tombstone, not. Does it bug me? Yes. Is it worth escalating? No. Getting that Entitled attytood on an officer is not wise.
Mold
west coast story said...
Again the post disappears. Bottom line, bean twn chica, you don't know what you are talking about. Black males in my family get the taste slapped out of their mouth if they have a bad encounter with the police. And it seems to work because no one has been to jail yet. I know it's a shock but there are young black men you have never been arrested. These youths have black parents who actually teach their kids how to deal with the police, in great detail. What not to say, what to do with your hands. It's called survival. But some people get off being a victim.
___________________
Say what???? I'm from the west coast too and I know many black males who have never been arrested stopped on the streets just for being black.
I've seen black teenagers who are just hanging out at the mall accosted by police because 3 in a group is a gang, but a group of white males hanging out is just that a "group".
Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you respect the law it's who is arresting to you, and how racist they are. Give someone a gun and they feel like they have all the power. And that is real life.
You're right this one incident of many but sometimes it takes just that for some to rise up and demand that things like this need to stop.
I care about all innocent victims taken from us by the hands of violence. Oscar was innocent West Coast Story. He was unarmed and on his back. The violence should have stopped at the takedown this young man could have been escorted to the jail cell, he didn't have to shoot him.
I wish I'd see the same city wide outrage by Oakland's citizens when some useless, dumbass thug guns down an innocent kid. Now THAT would be a novelty.
Oh, I forgot, they get the prayer vigil.
No young black men have any business "hanging out" for hours at a time, especially in high crime areas. If you have a son you allow to do this, I must assume you don't like him very much.
It's not "fair" but I live in a high crime area and whenver I see groups of people hanging out regularly in the 'hood, I get my neighborhod council involved and the police. I haven't been wrong yet that people "just hanging out" are doing more than talking to each other. People let situations degenerate to a degree that cleaning up a block or even a single property requires legal action because well-intentioned people believe it is harmless for folks to stand around for hours in one location. We wouldn't have to take back our neighborhoods if we didn't give them away in the first place.
We have a youth center one block from my house and most youth avoid it. Why? Because you have to be thug-free. No drugs, no weapons, no fighting, etc. I'm sorry to tell you this but there is a small segment of the youth population that likes chaos. There's a line in the movie "Dark Knight" where Alfred tells Bruce Wayne that some thugs you can buy off or reason with and "...some people just like to see things burn." There are many "Jokers" in Oakland who engage in violent thrill crimes.
Mr. Grant was wrongfully killed by a police officer. And Mr. Grant brought it on himself. I saw the videos. I saw a young man seated with two other males on the floor, and Mr. Grant decided to get up, wave his arms and get in the cops' face. He ended up on the ground on his face. Then he was shot. I repeat, if he'd kept his ass on the floor with his friends, he would still be alive. You are right. This would probably not happen to a white youth. Life isn't fair. Does anyone black not know that dealing with the police for us is not the same as it is for them? For Chrissakes, did you people just turn black yesterday? Instead of hollering about this, how about teaching your youthful cousins how to be more street smart?
I wasn't there, but I'm guessing this is how it went down: drunk white folks get on board the train and start acting a fool. Black folks act a fool back at them. White folks call the cops (because this is what they do in that situation). Cops arrive. Black folks act more of a fool because they see the cops as being an entity that is only around to harrass them, rather than protect them. Officer gets flustered because of disrespectful behavior by Negroes. Officer decides to teach a Negro a lesson because officer knows he can probably get away with it. The rest is history. Black folks say I told you so. White folks say one less nigger to breed, and please don't destroy my property when you riot and loot, niggers. (go ahead White people admit it, this is what you're thinking).
We've seen this movie too many times!
yeah ernestto you're right you weren't there and before they've even lowered the guy into the ground his family is picking out their escalade and rims because they are goin a git paid !!!! And inbreds like Shabby Buzz the self professed white cop hater refuse to start this movie at the beginning where our fine citizen was doing whatever ignorant public display of ghetto bullshit that brought the cops down on him. Instead we start the movie late which is the way the foilks do everything and we ignore the very first thing that started all of this undoubtedly it was our poor victim posturing or flinching or trying to sneak a punch into a pile of people. Ernie, this is another movie I have seen too many times. Like the gang of thugs who jump the white kid and claim afterward that he walking alone after school called the 8 of them niggers and that's why they crushed his skull and stole all his shit. If yu don't look for trouble you usually can avoid it. But if you want to go out in public and flex and flinch and throw sucker punches on a train do't expect me to cry when some dumbass cop smokes you even by mistake.The first mistake counts and it is the one that involves this guy's responsibility that no hood rat will ever be man enough to own up to. Grow the fuck up and stay home with your damned 4 year old instead of going out and starting shit with people.
escalade and rims?
Come on say it...
one less nigger to breed
You know you want to!
I live four blocks from the Fruitvale BART station. I watched the videos in disbelief and outrage. I've read all the postings and it seems there are two issues here… the larger issue of white law enformcement’s relationship to black youth, and the more local issue of the current climate in Oakland. They are different issues, but intersect, and in this case in a deadly manner. As I said, I live four blocks from the BART station. At least twice every weekend I am wakened by gunshots… The level of fear in my city is palpable, and heightened by the inadequacy of those who should be able to intervene. We have a beleagured police force, an absent mayor and a despairing population. In the case of BART, inadequately trained cops respond out of fear, not as professionals. Early morning, rowdy kids and an atmosphere poisoned with fear – a recipe for horror -- and a young man is dead. For no reason at all. . I take issue with posters who insist on minimizing a police shooting by referring to community violence. The officer was mandated to protect the public, he was deemed capable of carrying a weapon. I demand more of police officers.
Last night the protest and aftermath all spilled out onto the streets of Oakland… no longer a BART issue, but now our issue. Our mayor might have headed the trouble off at the pass if he had attended the funeral, and made a statement outlining the City’s response and indicating that this senseless death was of importance to the administration. As it was, the mayor was absent… as he seems to be so often these days, and no statement was made. He didn’t show up on the scene until 9:00 p.m., when things had gone way out of control.
We are a beautiful and fragile city. Diversity is a fact of life here. But we are bleeding to death… and no one seems to know how to stop it… certainly not our Police Department… still under the mandate of the Negotiated Settlement Agreement that came out of the Rider’s case, there are now multiple investigations into the police (mis)handling of the Chauncey Bailey murder investigation. (see www.chaunceybaileyproject.org for that story). I love Oakland, and I don’t know what we are going to do.
It has nothing to do with leaving the "plantation" and "residing in the wild, thinking on your own brain."
Your very own words (i.e., the use of generalizations to place the blame on an unarmed man in a specific situation) shows you aren't using your brain.
So what you went to an HBCU...lol. There are plenty of house negros residing there.
I digress.
no ernie i said what i meant people wanna act like ignorant niggas and yell nigga at the top of their lungs go ahead but my empathy lies elsewhere --yeah escalade and rims you're fucking right are you sensitive to that ? breed away i really don't give a fuck what you do but don't act like an aggressive asshole in public then try it with cops and expect me to fucking cry over your videotape when a cop who does as shitty a job as you do acting like a member of civilized society shits his pants and blasts you
Rastamick, I don't care about rims, believe me. I value life more than property.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Black people in the past. At least you're still breathing so be happy and get over it.
You know I read all 110 plus posts in this thread so far and the first one is the only one that really needed to be said, because that said it all for me.
sameoldbullshit and all the other racist/prejudiced/whatever posters on here: go fuck yourselves. A human being has died for NO REASON, isn't that in and of itself enough to be outraged about?
westcoaststory: your Uncle Tomfoolery is not to be believed- "No young black men have any business 'hanging out' for hours at a time"...Are you fucking kidding me? Who are you (or anyone else for that matter) to put some sort of social curfew on black youth? As a young black woman I am so thankful to have a mother who didn't teach me fuckall about dealing with police. Instead she taught me about freedom, confidence, personal responsibility, and manners. I think these qualities are missing from a lot of people, regardless of skin color.
LexusOakland: I live just up the street from you. I agree with what you said except it takes more than the mayor. But that would be a good place to start.
Shabazz said...
Oh yeah, by the way mold, why don't you put a gun to your head and pull the trigger, you insensitive piece of shit. How dare you even try to sympathize with that parasite for a cop. How about the young man who swallowed his pride and begged for his life for the sake of his daughter? Or, how about the fact that his g'friend has to explain to their child someday why daddy's not around? For you to try to desensitize this young man's murder is cold,callous,and wrong.
Word!
I hope mold takes your advice to thought.
Westcoast, I agree that it takes more than the mayor... but the body can't get healthy if those at the head have no eyes... or ears... our city has been used by politicians for their own agenda, and we've paid a very serious price.
Thought for Today
WHEN INSANITY BECOMES REALITY
DECEPTION BECOMES ACTUALITY
Well I live in Oakland and I'm sick of "crime" period. If there was as much outrage when there is black on black crime, when there is black on latino crime, when there is minority on minority crime, when there is crime period. Then I would say these protestors have a point. I don't get it: what happened to peaceful protest and why tear down your own community(yes, stores were vandalized, windows shattered, cars destroyed) Look if you're for non-violence and you're consistent about it, then your voice will be heard just that much louder when you go after the authorities. We must all be the change we want to see. I abhor "brutality" period be it from the police, other folks or us doing it to ourselves.
I'm sick of the hypocritical concern about violence!
My little brother is a cop and has been for years. He's overworked and underpaid and told me stories of the stuff he's seen that I'd never want to see myself. I don't envy him his job. I have three thoughts about this story:
1) The crime this man committed did not warrant a death sentence. Accident, intentional, whatever it was, it ended in his death and he didn't deserve it clearly. The cop should be prosecuted.
2) When people put themselves in situations where the cops are going to be called, there may be ramifications to that. I do agree with WestCoast in that we are all responsible for our own actions at some point. Black, White, Hispanic, or Asian, none of this would have occurred if the situation wouldn't have existed to begin with.
And finally, what Jody said here is absolutely correct!
Someone asked is it really that easy, just take the 5th? It really is. Problem is too many people don't exercise this right because cops are trained to lie to you about what your rights are. They will tell you that you have to answer. You do not. The ONLY real right we have anymore in this country after the past 8 years is the right to remain silent.
Never talk to the cops without your lawyer present!
I personally believe the police are properly trained in most areas but tragic mistakes happen. Unlike some of the posters here, I think the police are more afraid of the public in urban areas than the public is of them. Rioting really does solve all of your problems. And yes teach your nephews to smoke crack too. That should work out great.
Hey Field, I live in NYC and I first heard about the Oscar Grant shooting on myspace a few days ago. Then, I checked out Youtube and I saw several videos of the incident. Most show a disturbance between White Bart officers and young people, Whites and Blacks, at the Bart station. Right? But, then I see several Bart officers with Oscar Grant on the ground, face down, and suddenly a Bart officers pulls out his gun and, it looks like, deliberately shoots the young man in the BACK!!! Am I seeing this right? Like I said, I live in NYC and worked in Harlem New York 4 years during the 90s and worked with Rev. Al Sharpton during the Amado Dialo and Sean Bell shootings. This Oscar Grant shooting is the coldest 'murder?' I have seen. I checked another video, and again, it shows Oscar face down on the ground with one Bart officer with his knee on Oscars neck and then on of his Bart partners stood up over Oscar Grant and pull out his gun and shot the young Black man in the BACK!!! A Russian economist predicted the U.S. might dissolve in 2009 because of a decline in morals and a failing economy. At first, I took it with a grain of salt. But, if you factor in the systematic shooting of our young Black men, Jails filled with Black men, people loses there homes, losing jobs, hunger on the increase AMONG OUT PEOPLE, etc. etc. I can see these factors possibly spiraling into a violent uprising THAT COULD, COULD spell.(fill in the blank) for the U.S. inspite of President Elect Obama......Levicobx@yahoo.com
Extremely good information
FLASH says:
Wow!! WestCoastStory; LexusOakland; and Sandra from the Oaktown -- way to go! The silence of the terrorized is deafening. Not one peep when black/latino thugs terrorize our communities. Where are these same protesting cowards when Jamal is gunned down - in front of eyewitnesses, yet!!?
Folks need to check the facts - you might find it interesting that cops - pigs - whatever you wanna call them - our community needs more of them on foot, in the neighborhoods to slow the tidal wave of terrorism inflicted on our community by its own youth - black and latino.
But we also need the kind of 'People's Justice' practiced in parts of East Africa to keep folks honest.
In the meantime, we've seen this movie before: Ign'ant niggas wanna act and dress like thugs and criminals, but don't wanna be treated like thugs and criminals. N...ah, please, gimme a break.
Da mayor, brutha Ron Dellums, and his sidekick, Oscar remain curiously silent. Finally, the BART officer, Johanes Mehserle, should not be able to find a rock anywhere under which to hide.
FLASH
anon 10:33
Mistake hell. This was a cold ass murder. Why WTF isn't he in jail?
Does the law only apply to black men. Dammit, I want justice for Oscar Grant! The poor man begged for his life. I can't get the video out of my head.
For the love of Moses...he must pay!
White police Have proven that they are the last mother hubbards to be policing our people,Let blacks police there own.White pigs can then be safe in thier meth/child pornographers/unregistered pedifiles,school shooters & needle dope users/drunk drivers,serial killers,spree killers,kid nappers that hold woman in home made dungeons for sex slaves.We have gots ta cut our ties with these heathens,dont they feel the same,& show us daily?
Dogon 33
Nude Negro Law
WestCaostStory: You are spot on. It's good that you police your neighborhood. I would've just moved because I can't live in that type of chaos on a daily basis. There's no policing of apathy and mediocrity. It's a shame that he was killed but we do have to take responsibility for our actions and be careful around the trigger happy po po. I've written 3 posts about this and I am done until they announce the settlement. I'm assuming the girlfriend is going to share it with the parents because legally it would all go to his daughter unless he had some type of will. Isn't that right FN? I'm still waiting to see the marches and calls for justice against the behavior of a lot of Black men in allowing gun and drugs, rapes and robberies to overrun entire neighborhoods. But I know too many people want to make excuses. So this is part of the blowback (plus he had a criminal record as well). People forget that it's not normal life circumstances to have run-ins with the police. I never have unless I see them in passing or at a (non-violent) protest. Other than having to call them for unruly neighbors and being pulled over for speeding once that is it!
I'm not sure which is worse...the act of this cop killing this young man, or the people who are justifying this young man's death.
This incident got me thinking about the recent Greek riots:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Greek_riots.
In what ways are the US and Greek incidents with the police similar? In what ways are they different? The videos of Grant's murder were horrific. I'm still trying to process all this in my mind.
White racist bigots patrolling our streets waiting like predators to gun down black men. I'm sick and tired of these motherfuckers covering up for a straight out murder. There was no need to kill this young man. No need at all.
They're trying to wipe out the black male. It's on the way folks. White folks got a system going for black males. It's either jail or 6 feet under. Look back to what happened to Native Americans.
Truth Be Told
I read the posts from my neighbors in Oakland and what you have here is a community in profound pain that goes beyond this particular shooting. Things are supposed to be getting better, not worse. This entire episode has just broken my heart.
I watched a lengthy report just now and as I suspected, most of the hooligans from last night were from out of town.
The report included a snippet of tape when Mr. Grant was taken away by the paramedics from the BART station. And there I recognized a young man who used to hang on my block and I know for a fact he is drug dealer.
Finally, when I came home from work and came out of the BART station downtown, the street was blocked off and a large, hulking
contingent of oakland police officers in riot gear greeted me. A block down the street were a hand full of thugs. I really don't scare easily but I couldn't get out there fast enough.
This whole thing is a nightmare. This young man died for no damn good reason.
There is a lot wrong with some of the self-righteous people who post on this blog:
Let me clear up a few points....
I will kindly inform some of you that across the country, many communities that have problems with crime and have witnessed the loss of life due to acts done by criminals are outraged. I live in Brooklyn and there are numerous "Stop the Violence" campaigns however they do not get attention so people outside of the community assume that for some odd reason, either 1. people in the respected communities enjoy the crime or 2. they tolerate it, when that is not the case. Now, the point of the outrage around this incident is 1. it was carried out by one who should be protecting the public not engaging in criminal and inhumane acts 2. This has been going on for over a hundred years in this country. Police Brutality and excessive force are not new; there is a long, long, long history in this regard. There have also been massive cover-ups in this regard. Some people here seem oblivious to the fact that this happens a lot more than is reported. The only reason why this even made any headlines is because it was caught on video, the only reason why Sean Bell made headlines is because of the excessive amounts of bullets as also in the case of Amadou Diallo etc... This actually occurs far more often than the media (where we get information about things that go on in our world behind our hindsight) would like to tell us. This story got little to no attention. There is one going on in Texas (which got attention because his father was a former major leaguer). Do you get what I am saying? Now my question for you is, How do you expect things to change in high-crime communities when there is such a fear and distrust that exists between a group of people and those who should be protecting them? Out here in NY, the police have actually tried to undermine efforts by the community in regards to crime watch. Occurences like this only complicate an already complicated situation.
Lastly, I would like to address Anon 10:36 and Violette who each brought up points that I wanted to bring up.
Violette- I thought of the same thing this morning. Mabye Americans don't travel or read world news, but riots occur all over the world amongst people of all different hues. It is not some unique phenomenon with regards to the black community in this country. Mabye some of you should study the psychological and root causes of civil unrest. Civil unrest that for example has been occuring in Greece for a few weeks now after the police shooting of a 15 year old.
Anon 10:36, Many fail to understand the correlation between civil unrest, violent uprising and economics. You bring up some good points. I was just writing about that on another blog this morning. Expect tough times around the globe ahead. I am nervous about the numbers coming out of certain industries that are matching those of the 70s. The 70s were a tough time for people in this country, especially black and latino communities. would express more but I am currently busy...nonetheless, its not looking so good.
P.S. There were peaceful protests in NYC after the Sean Bell shooting and after the verdict. Therefore those who have tried to imply here and on other blogs that black people do not know how to express anger or outrage is wrong. I thought I should just add that little bit in.
Golly, all I ask if for a fair trial and I should be shot? I point out the lynch him cries are contrary to the long and painful history of getting trials for crimes and I should be shot? I don't find that police are eveel by being police and I should be shot?
Or is it that you have no point to make?
Mold
Or is it that you have no point to make?
Not it at all.
But you're right about your above quote. Asshole!
Truthiness.
"They're trying to wipe out the black male"
Who would "they" be other teenage black males?
First off I would say most white people are simply living their lives with little or no concern abut black people. The larger white community could is indifferent about the black community..which is why most urban black communities are allowed to fester and be smothered by crime and violence...that is the MAJORITY of people in America are not thinking about poor black people. I would say the only black person many white ever openly discussed with friends and neighbors would be Barack Obama.
The average white person has probably spent more time thinking about who will be the new White House dog...than about the state of black men or "wiping them out"
Another thing the bulk of policemen are not masked KKK members set on killing BM. If they were wouldn't a lot more BM be dead right now???
The policeman I know, seems to me they could have been fireman, trash men, whatever city work force was hiring or had open testing at the time they were looking for work. Many working class young men simply look for ANY city job. Most could care less about community policing, they want dental insurance.
The cops I knew just wanted to do their 20 years and get out with a secure pension at 40 or so. The pension is something that is talked about often.
They seemed just as fearful or annoyed by the young black male posturing be they black or white.
Two young BM policemen who were married family men were shot in the back of the head and killed a couple of years ago by other young black men during an undercover drug operation.
The fact that so many young black men are unemployed, often aimlessly wandering the streets has many consequences.
First off I would say most white people are simply living their lives with little or no concern abut black people.
Such a liar.
If that was remotely the case. You wouldn't ever see a black male's pic shown on a tv screen anytime crime is mentioned.
koc..You're one stoopid fuck.
There is so much going on in the Oscar Grant case it's hard to know where to start.
First, the BART police are about one breath away from the Keystone cops. Really. So the notion that in a real live police situation one of them would fuck up and mistake his pistol for his taser is strangely believable for those of us who have dealt with the BART police.
Second, there was essentially a gang fight on BART that night and Oscar Grant was there. The BART Police had broken it up earlier and they had started back up. So there two warring factions of young men on the trains that night. Everyone was a little excitable. And I'm sure there was no alcohol involved.
Third, Oscar Grant was a decent young kid who worked at the local organic grocery story. He had a small child and by most accounts was a bit of a peacekeeper. He was not handcuffed, but in an already tense situation he started waiving his arms around, possibly to make a point, but probably unnerving an already unnerved Keystone Kop. Procedurally they subdued him. And then something terrible happened.
I don't believe that a cop would pull out his service revolver and cap a kid on a crowded BART platform on purpose. I do believe a BART cop made a horrific and tragic mistake. He has already resigned and I think he will be charged with manslaughter because I doubt he meant to kill anyone, but he was criminally negligent.
I don't see the difference in what happened to Oscar Grant and any of the other Oakland murder victims who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Last year there were 120 murders in Oakland. Most of that was black on black or brown on brown crime. Many of the victims were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, like Oscar Grant. Where is the outrage for those other 120 victims? Where is the outrage for the 145 victims from 2006? When are we going to toss away this gangsta culture and embrace the notion that going to college and working hard and finding your way in this world is a better path. It's the culture not the environment in Oakland. If a kid wants an opportunity, it's there in Oakland. It's not like the big cities on the East Coast. I learned that when I went back East. We don't know what slums are out here. Y'all got it much worse in the City of Brotherly Love.
Oscar Grant was caught in the crossfire. He made a choice to run with those guys that night. Those guys made a choice to start a fight on a BART train and act like fools, terrorizing the other BART riders that night. Oscar Grant was probably told to settle down and he didn't. His death is a tragedy. And an accident that could have been avoided by him and by the BART cop. But it wasn't. And another young black child will grow up without a father and the cycle continues.
The cop murdered a kid. Plain as day. Charge the racist bastard with murder. Manslaughter my ass!
When a man is restained on the ground, without a weapon, and a cop fires a bullet into his back = Murder!
"koc..You're one stoopid fuck."
Thank you Anon for showing yourself :-)
Can you type more than three sentences without the use of profanity.
Next step..trying typing in ALL CAPS!!
You cursing won't change the fact that the MAJORITY of Americans are thinking about their 401K and not what young black men are doing.
Black people need to stop obsessing over ridiculous conspiracy theories that all WP are working in cahoots to exterminate them.
WP because of our oppresive history enjoy the priveledge of NOT having to think about black people or anyone else....just themselves.
9 11 threw a wrench in that...and now the credit crisis.
KOC...YOU'RE ONE STOOPID FUCK.
I used all caps, is that better?
KOC...YOU'RE ONE STOOPID FUCK.
I used all caps, is that better?
Yes. Thanks.
Shabazz,
Be careful...don't make the font TOO big or the white man hiding in your closest waiting to jump out and snap your neck might see it...or worse maybe he'll close your internet accounts. :-)
Sleep with one eye open...
Uh oh, I'm sooooo scared...
I just hope they're bigger than 6'5 397 lbs. Why don't you check your local trailer park and get back to me bitch
Ahhh the "B" word....somehow I knew that was coming. Yet if I called it before. I would have gotten the wave of the finger, tsk, tsk.
Well Shabazz...you are special...big and special...very,VERY big and special :-)
Have a good day.
blah...blah...blah WP could give a shit...we're moving the fuck out of the city you can have it along with it's jobs(LOL)and economy(LOL)ohhh, and each other!
eat each other up again we could give a shit:)
Now that I have thought about this more, I have to ask what type of weapon did the BART officer use. If it was a Glock .40 caliber, then this was most likely an accident.
Many military and law enforcement love the Glock .40 caliber. I hate it because it doesn't have a conventional safety switch. The only safety it has is a small trigger embedded within the larger trigger. You have to pull both in order to fire the weapon. But that's too easy-- you pull both almost simultaneously.
A Glock .40 is the same weapon that Plaxico Buress was carrying when he accidently shot himself in the leg.
amen bro!
racist police state sanctioned public executions must stop!...
and obama is silent...shame
see more on oakland at:
OUTLOOK
http://aliciabanks.blogspot.com
peace
ab
A nude negro law will solve a lot of these problems. It might be too cold for that in Oakland, but Florida is the place to try it out. Unfortunatly obama will put a stop to any nude negro policies.
anon 3:41
6.5 lbs of trigger pull
Field, thanks for giving me my daily dose of outrage. I do have more sympathy for the boys in blue than I used to. Back in the day I worked in a pawn shop down in the ATL when a lot of pawn shops were getting robbed & people getting hurt. One fine, hot-as-hell summer day, a brother comes rushing into the store with a big, winter Army jacket on. He was looking angry, making no eye-contact, not checking out the merchandise. He was making a straight beeline towards me (I was at the register) with his right hand behind his back. I put my hand on the .38 & prayed nothing would happen. There were 2 other customers in the store & my co-worker. Fortunately, when he withdrew his hand, he revealed his ticket. I was relieved that I hadn't shot since he meant no harm. But if he'd have had a gun (not totally out of the realm of possibility with a pawn shop's clientele), by not shooting I would've endangered 4 lives--including my own. So, I get that hard decision cops have to make.
However, this BART shinola is completely different. They had him subdued. The one cop just got up and capped him. Not 43 shots, but outrageous nonetheless.
Anyway, this incident got me to thinking. You know where you can find it. Keep up the good work, brudda!
Raw Story reports 3 police shootings already this year!! None had histories of trouble, one in his own front yard!!! Why is it they never seem to make the same "mistakes" when dealing with whites--who, when I watch Cops, etc., seem to get out of line often?
Lets stop with the drug comments everybody knows white people do more than everone!
Field: yes I know that most police officers are good hard working people who want to do
Sure... and how many times you've heard "oh, its just a few bad apples, most of the cops are great"? But nobody (at least in media or government) ever seems to remember the whole proverb: One bad apple spoils the whole barrel.
Yes, the bad cops have the immediate responsibility... but who has responsibility for the bad cops?
And of course...we elected a president and showed our strength in numbers; but of course it would be too much to ask for all those thugs on the street(many computer illiterate) to write their representatives in mass about the Oakland Police Offcers and put the heat on. No we are better served by destryoing our own communities. Yeah that really gets the job done. Give me a break! It's year 2009 do you know what an "internet" campaign is? oops I forgot the politicians who love police brutality will surely hear the glass from a window.
Good News...
CNN affiliate KGO: Ex-BART officer Johannes Mehserle arrested on fugitive warrant.
Admit a mistake? No, what the officer should do is say, "Mistakes were made."
I was watching the news yesterday, and they said that the BART cop is eligible for bail. I've never heard of that before on murder charges.
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