Oscar Grant mural in downtown Oakland on 17th and Telegraph
As a person of color, a writer, an activist, as a long-time resident of Oakland and someone who is Bay Area born-and-bred, I have some strong opinions and feelings about yesterday’s verdict in the Johannes Mehserle trial re: the murder of Oscar Grant. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to blog about it now because I have other writing to do, but if you’re interested in finding out more about what I think, please visit my Twitter feed, which is the main way I’ve been communicating with folks about what’s happening here.
And special shout out to Max Elbaum, fellow activist, writer and Oakland resident, whom I ran into at the rally last night downtown. He told me he's been following my blog (not sure which one) so just want to give him special thanks!
I saw some video of what was going on in Oakland last night, posted today on FB. Awesome that the citizens were peaceful, really sucks that the cops seemed determined to make it go ugly. Of course the verdict was wrong.
Thanks wbabiak for visiting and for your thoughts. The verdict is so incredibly wrong, it’s frustrating. Despite what people think in this Obama era, race relations have not progressed very far in the last thirty or so years. Makes our work more important as writers, activists, concerned citizens of the world.
I think the idea that we’re in a post-racial society is ludicrous. We wish. I think we’d get a lot farther in fixing some significant, planetary problems if that were so. What? One species among many, all interdependent? Imagine.
I’ll check you out on Twitter. I’m @wendybabiak there.
just followed you!
Ditto! Look forward to seeing your thoughts there, though I don’t check in with any sort of regularity.