Oakland Rebellion

Last night in our little Oakland bungalow on the edge of West Oakland and Emeryville, the choppers could be heard in the distance. Soluna slept, as my husband and I watched folks on TV take their energy, grief and anger to the streets in protest of the killing of another African American youth, a father, a friend, a son. Oscar Grant was killed by a BART police officer at 2AM New Years Day and there was enough video recording of it to make any one wonder why a shot was fired at all.

I, probably like many others who are old enough to remember, could not help but connect today's Oakland to memories of LA's rebellion of 1992 where folks took to the streets after police officers were acquitted for the senseless beating of Rodney King that had also been videotaped. That rebellion escalated as emotions ran high and displaced racial tension in the city erupted. Communities, particularly Korean American business owners, became victims of something difficult to explain. Luckily, Oaklanders did not go too far down that same road (although the vandalism had no specific targets and did not spare anyone in particular).

As a mama, an important question came to mind yet again: Is this the city I want to raise Soluna in?

Mind you, this question was not directly related to the images of youth and older folks burning garbage cans, cars, and yelling at police and city politicians. I ask this question because it's not just about violence it's about how this city fosters the anger of young people and people of color. The city fosters hopelessness and a distrust of police and government where Oakland residents feel the need to protest peacefully or not so peacefully. What I am really asking myself is:

Do we really want to live in a city where police can shoot a young man in the back while he is laying face down on the ground? Do we really want to live in a city where the city officials make no public statement to address this blatant injustice or even just to tell people an investigation will be taken seriously UNTIL violence erupts? Where is the leadership in this city?

For now, I will call this a rebellion and not a riot because the language in describing the situation must give people the benefit of the doubt. For now, I don't think of this group as just an unruly mob of people causing violence for no particular reason, which is how the media often frames it. One news channel actually said that many of the protesters were just people joining in looking to have a good time. (Some bloggers do suggest that the violence was started and escalated by anarchists and not necessarily the community of folks who have been deeply affected by this injustice. Although, others who I've talked to say it was mixed group.) For now however, I believe that these protesters were challenging authority and letting the city know that they have had enough. And, I wish folks could try to better understand that anger, because I think it comes with much more than the murder of Oscar Grant. But don't get me wrong, much of that violence and anger is displaced. I just saw a woman cry on the news about how her car was burned and she no longer has it to drive her kids to school and does not have the money to replace it. Over 100 small business owners have windows to fix. Who are these protestors really rebelling against and have they chosen the right targets?

Anyways, I digress, because this is much more complicated than one blog post could handle. There is so much more to write and to discuss. Maybe another day. Maybe every day, until Oakland becomes a better place and I don't have to second guess our decision to make Oakland home.