Oakland Protests...

Following Oscar Grant III's memorial service in Hayward, people organized at the Fruitvale BART station to protest Grant's death and also call for answers as many parties express grief, none seem anxious for answers. Even the District Attorney appears to be dumbfounded and at a loss for words, refusing to speak to the press (I think he uses Dellum's PR team). Ironically, the Absent Mayor himself expressed his condolences and asked for all to remain calm and patient.

Well, that didn't last long. Roughly two hours into the protest, the march began up International Avenue towards Lake Merritt, where, met by OPD, splinter groups split off and minor bursts of chaos ensued. A hundred people were arrested, some cars set fire, broken windows and vandalism, all capped off by Dellums tele-porting himself to the sidewalk to lead a group to the steps of City Hall where he was booed and yelled at for ten minutes.

I think protests are a valuable form of expression in our society. I have personally marched in protests. I think a crowd of marchers can yell in anger and cry in solidarity. I think Oscar Grant would want people to march against the absurdity of his death. I think Oscar's death, captured on video, should force us as a community to look at the problems that plague Oakland and march for a better City.

But at what point do the actions of a few ruin the message of the many?

Setting fires? Destroying police cars that your tax dollars paid for? Smashing the windows of black owned businesses? Thanks to the a few selfish attention seekers, the message was lost.

I hope when it begins again, the message will win out. A message of grief and sadness. Condolence and community. Answers and attention. Peace and meaning. I hope that Oakland will pull itself up from it's bootstraps to work on being a better place tomorrow, but it will take all of us working together, the many and the few.

I hope my City will shine bright.