Downtown stores and offices areboarded. Store windows have Oscar Grant posters--something learned fromthe '65 Watts Riot: Me Soul Broder too! The OPD is out in full force,even Homeland Security is on the street. Undercover police areeverywhere, you can smell them. This is the power of a people who havedone nothing yet. They are the victims of violence, yet because theyseek justice, they are now the villain, the police are the good guys inwhite hats.
Youth are on the street passing out Oscar Grantposters. The youth want justice, not violence. They called for a rallyat 6pm at 14th and Broadway whenever the verdict is announced. Cityofficials plan to upstage the youth rally with one of their own at 5pm.Youth say they will still have their people's rally at 6pm, even if itis in the middle of the street at 14th and Broadway.
Clearly,youth and City officials are on a collision course. This is beyond ageneration gap, it is political because youth say no matter what happensat the trial, there are on going youth issues the City officials haveneglected, such as proper education, housing and jobs. Meanwhile,America is offering education, housing and jobs to insurgents in Iraqand Taliban in Afghanistan if they lay down their guns. Why not the samefor marginalized youth in America? They are offered prison and jail, ifnot death in the hood at an early age.
Youth say City officialswere slow to seek an indictment of the officer who murdered Oscar Grantas he lay on the ground and was shot in the back by a beast in blueuniform. It took violent street protests to make the DA file murdercharges against the officer.
Mayor Ron Dellums is yet to meetwith the sufferirng family of Oscar Grant. We remember his behavior asCongressman whenwe organized a rally at the Oakland Auditorium in 1979to protest the killing of 15 year old Melvin Black by the OPD. Neitherthe Congressman nor Oakland's first black mayor, Lionel Wilsonattended the rally of five thousand people.
The OPD had beenkilling a black man a month. After the rally, the police killingsstopped, but Crack and drive by killings began and continue to this day.
So it seems the political chicanery continues with Cityofficials planning to upstage the people's rally with one of their ownto steal the thunder of the people's rage and anger at the likely notguilty verdict.
--Marvin X
7/7/10
www.parablesandfablesofmarvinx.blogspot.com
https://theblacklist.net/
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