Johannes Mehserle To Be Charged With Murder - Is the Sky Falling?

Johannes Mehserle, right, appeares in the East Fork Justice Court on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, in Minden, Nev. Mehserle is being held on charges related to the New Year's day shooting of an unarmed man on an Oakland, Calif., train platform. Mehserle, 27, waived extradition to California early Wednesday during a brief court appearance in Minden, Nev., and was being held without bail on a warrant charging homicide.

Source: Star-Telegram, Photo: AP

Lyrics from Snoop Dog:

As I look up at the sky
My mind starts trippin, a tear drops my eye
My body temperature falls
I'm shakin and they breakin tryin to save the Dogg
Pumpin on my chest and I'm screamin
I stop breathin, damn I see deamons
Dear God, I wonder can ya save me
I can't die Boo-Boo's bout to have my baby
I think it's too late for prayin, hold up
A voice spoke to me and it slowly started sayin
"Bring your lifestyle to me I'll make it better"
How long will I live?
"Eternal life and forever"
And will I be, the G that I was?
"I'll make your life better than you can imagine or even dreamed of
So relax your soul, let me take control
Close your eyes my son"
My eyes are closed

[Chorus:]

Murder... murder was the case that they gave me
Murder... murder was the case that they gave me

I hadn't expected to continue writing about the Oscar Grant III shooting much, but this is the #1 news story in the Bay Area right now. That and the lack of a State budget thanks to the idiot actor playing at being Governor. Well color me dumbfounded because I can't recall the last time a law enforcement official was arrested and charged for shooting someone they'd labeled a perp. There are protests going on in Oakland right now as I write. I''m not sure if the fact that Mehserle quit has something to do this or what it is really. Was it the video? Pressure from the community? If so why for this one incident and not all the others? 

There are numerous cases where police have shot and killed innocent people with no consequences for them. The leading cause of death amongst younger Black men is still at the hands of other Black men. Again I ask, where's the protest and outrage over that! Why won't people come forward with information they have about the criminal activity they see?  I really don't know what to say other than if a trial proceeds, there is likely to be a venue change with not one Black juror and the officer will be acquitted. I'm highly skeptical he will serve any prison time either way, but stranger things have happened. I just feel for the lives of both daughters should they grow up without sufficient male influence and love. Life isn't fair though. The justice system is only just for some. 

Stupid People Do Stupid Things

Hey I'm including myself in this! I can look back and think of times I'd love to do-over. Like the time I mixed cream-based alcoholic beverages with sushi with wine all in the same evening. When protests lead to violence and the arrest of more than 100 people that is counterproductive. Those people that thought taking out their frustration for the Oscar Grant shooting on OPP (other people's property) was a good idea had to stand before the judge on Friday. You know I'm all for second chances but the attitudes of some of these people really alarm me. I know some people think you can't tell all of us apart but I'm not claiming them!

From the  Mercury News:

"I know it's a very frustrating time," Johnson said, referring to the police investigation into the shooting. "But Oscar would not want to see the violence and the fires. We believe this situation is going to come to a close and justice will be served. I'm asking you please, please, stop it and let justice prevail. Please stop it."

Let's just say I'm glad they live over the bridge and not in my neighborhood. I'm all for Black solidarity but I can't abide by foolishness and criminal activity. Smashing windows and setting cars on fire is not respectable Negro behavior. Yes, I know lots of people riot and over really dumb stuff like a sporting game (yeah I'm talking about Manchester United or similar). But those are dumbs acts by white people and truth be told, the greater society at large isn't going to hold it against all of them for what some of them do. Like with Black people. 

Besides this is bigger than that. When Oscar Grant's mother - in her time of grief - has to publicly urge people (as posted above) to stop acting like a da** fool because they're making things worse for the family then you are the problem! There are more protests scheduled and not all of the participants are Black but you know who's going to end up in the news should things go south. All that outrage should be channeled into something productive like completing an education, cleaning up the neighborhood (literally and figuratively) and focus on something besides playing ball or rapping about nonsense. That foolishness is not Black culture - that's displaying depravity and callousness. Which breeds apathy. Which breeds violence. We do not need to go there anymore.

Also people need to learn to engage politically. I've been mentioning this in a lot of posts because after last year I got the memo that 'real' change isn't going to happen from complaints, petitions or protests alone. More Black people have to learn to interact in all areas of society and navigate through sometimes unpleasant and unfair circumstances and do it while keeping one's cool with high self-esteem. It can be a tall order but it's necessary. We need to reach out to those who will support our endeavors and we cannot be our own islands. 

Have a vision for yourself beyond what you think is readily available. Be more positive. Trust me on this - it may be challenging but it's not impossible. 

From Immediate Influence Blog

The most powerful opposing force to achieving your goals in 2009 and beyond is YOU! More specifically, it’s the disempowering beliefs that you are harboring about yourself, your capabilities, and resources. For example, let’s suppose that in the past five, ten, or twenty years an associate of yours has repeatedly set a goal to earn six figures but it has never happened. Why didn’t it happen? It’s not that they didn’t want to achieve the goal. It’s that they allowed feelings/emotions to stop them during their journey.

Oscar Grant III Shooting Updates

Last night a few people took civil disobedience into idiot territory by clashing with the police. This was supposed to be a peaceful protest against the shooting of Mr. Grant, not an excuse to riot. I think sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us and do ourselves more harm than good. Lighting a dumpster on fire is not the way to go! 

The BART Transit Board Meeting was packed this morning. The Board offered a formal apology which wasn't necessarily expected but was the right thing to do. Certain religious and civic leaders spoke out against the actions of the police using what I'd call outdated analogies to previous oppression. I don't think the Rev. Amos Brown of the Third Baptist Church bringing up Emmett Till was appropriate. One did not have anything to do with the other. He's served on the SF Board of Supervisors and should know how to negotiate better politically than that! The only words of common sense strategy-wise was the demand to bring in the offices of Attorney General and the Department of Justice to launch their own investigations into the conduct of ALL the officers on the scene. CBS5 has live streaming footage of the meeting.

Typically when there's an officer-involved shooting against citizens the District Attorney and Police Department work together to shut down any serious investigations because they provide cover for each other. I'm certain this will be disputed but we can look at the results over and over and over again and draw the same conclusions: unless you are wealthy or well-connected you are pretty much out of luck at getting an officer prosecuted. 

So I find it very interesting - and telling - that Officer Mehserle quit instead of answering questions. Usually that "Blue Wall" is activated and if the officer has to respond to criminal charges they are almost always found innocent by using the imminent danger excuse. It's why there was allegedly no video footage at the Fruitvale station for the police to review. So the irony is they couldn't apply their usual spin and legal manipulations to the situation. Watching the numerous angles offered from the several citizen activists who captured the shooting on their cell phones, it's nearly impossible to determine when the officers ever had their lives in danger, but we can clearly hear Mr. Grant cooperating with the police and asking not to be harmed because he has a child. 

Hearing that the officer supposedly has received death threats does nothing to address his contemptible actions. Particularly when this information is released to the press at the same time as the previous illegal activity of the victim. "Healing" is not needed but a set of actions that reflect harsh consequences for the police are. Having the one main officer involved bail out of the process to avoid accountability is not an act of courage or remorse but one of cowardice. 

One caveat: Why are people so outraged by police killing Black men but remain largely inactive in stopping Black men from killing each other?