Rape, murder! It's just a shot away...
So I'm sure that, by now, most of you have heard of the shooting in California of Oscar Grant. (If you haven't, watch the videos in the first link.)
I can't even express how absolutely shaken, disgusted and enraged I am about the entire situation. Most of you already know how I feel about pigs and their complete disregard for decency/penchant for brutality, but here's what really gets me.
If you click the Yahoo link I provided about the Oscar Grant story, about midway down the page there is the following gem.
"Local African-American leaders expressed outrage Thursday at the shooting. And some Oakland residents have alleged it was racially motivated. [John] Burris [attorney for Grant's family] said he does not have any evidence that Grant was shot because he was black.
'There were racial slurs made by other officers to the group that Oscar Grant was with, but I have no evidence that this particular officer directed racial slurs toward Oscar Grant,' Burris said."
...so fucking what? So just because that particular pig wasn't blatantly throwing around racist slurs, and he's the one who pulled the trigger, it's not racially-motivated or a hate crime anymore? I mean, I realize the lawyer can only go off of what evidence he has, but come on. Anyone watching those cellphone videos of the incident can see that this was a reincarnation of the Algiers Motel Incident (if you're not familiar with the incident, buy the book about it - it's worth every penny).
The pig deserves to have the book thrown at him. I mean, will he? Probably fucking not. Even in this day and age, pigs seem to be relatively untouchable, sickeningly enough.
Although I do take some solace in finding this: 5 Things You Can Do Right Now About the Oscar Grant Shooting. Eleventh comment down, someone posted all the personal information they could possibly find about the murderer.
I do have to say this...vigilantism incurs mixed feelings in me. On one hand, part of me really disapproves that these unrelated people - who may or may not even be his family - are being dragged into this, and their safety is threatened simply by having the same last name. That's not right. I mean, if my dad turned out to be a child rapist or my sister were responsible for a hit-and-run (or something similar that would incite community rage, etc.), I shudder to think that just because they fucked up, I'd have to change my name and go into hiding, fearing for my personal safety.
On the other hand, I could just positively swoon with glee at knowing that people are no longer the passive moppets we've been for ages. Hopefully the age of the bystander effect is over. Between people screaming at the police from the train/platform, the numerous videos/photos taken by onlookers, and the rush to hunt down people linked to this Johannes Mehserle asshole...people are no longer going to sit back and let injustice happen while turning a blind eye. We're standing up, fighting back.
And while I can't say it for sure, I'd be willing to bet that Saul Alinsky would be proud as fuck right now.
I can't even express how absolutely shaken, disgusted and enraged I am about the entire situation. Most of you already know how I feel about pigs and their complete disregard for decency/penchant for brutality, but here's what really gets me.
If you click the Yahoo link I provided about the Oscar Grant story, about midway down the page there is the following gem.
"Local African-American leaders expressed outrage Thursday at the shooting. And some Oakland residents have alleged it was racially motivated. [John] Burris [attorney for Grant's family] said he does not have any evidence that Grant was shot because he was black.
'There were racial slurs made by other officers to the group that Oscar Grant was with, but I have no evidence that this particular officer directed racial slurs toward Oscar Grant,' Burris said."
...so fucking what? So just because that particular pig wasn't blatantly throwing around racist slurs, and he's the one who pulled the trigger, it's not racially-motivated or a hate crime anymore? I mean, I realize the lawyer can only go off of what evidence he has, but come on. Anyone watching those cellphone videos of the incident can see that this was a reincarnation of the Algiers Motel Incident (if you're not familiar with the incident, buy the book about it - it's worth every penny).
The pig deserves to have the book thrown at him. I mean, will he? Probably fucking not. Even in this day and age, pigs seem to be relatively untouchable, sickeningly enough.
Although I do take some solace in finding this: 5 Things You Can Do Right Now About the Oscar Grant Shooting. Eleventh comment down, someone posted all the personal information they could possibly find about the murderer.
I do have to say this...vigilantism incurs mixed feelings in me. On one hand, part of me really disapproves that these unrelated people - who may or may not even be his family - are being dragged into this, and their safety is threatened simply by having the same last name. That's not right. I mean, if my dad turned out to be a child rapist or my sister were responsible for a hit-and-run (or something similar that would incite community rage, etc.), I shudder to think that just because they fucked up, I'd have to change my name and go into hiding, fearing for my personal safety.
On the other hand, I could just positively swoon with glee at knowing that people are no longer the passive moppets we've been for ages. Hopefully the age of the bystander effect is over. Between people screaming at the police from the train/platform, the numerous videos/photos taken by onlookers, and the rush to hunt down people linked to this Johannes Mehserle asshole...people are no longer going to sit back and let injustice happen while turning a blind eye. We're standing up, fighting back.
And while I can't say it for sure, I'd be willing to bet that Saul Alinsky would be proud as fuck right now.