Jean Quan, Oakland's New Mayor, and the killing continues

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Oakland's New Mayor, Jean Quan;OPD Killing Continues

And the winner is: Jean Quan; OPD Killing Black Men Continues

Themore things change, they more they stay the same.... New mayor, sameold shit with OPD killing another unarmed black man, brother Jones. JeanQuan is Oakland's new mayor, the first Asian and woman. At least shehas a history of being on the ground, unlike outgoing Mayor Dellums, theDistant Lover who rarely showed his face in public, even as the peoplesuffered trauma and grief at the Miller Lite sentencing in the OscarGrant murder by BART police.

We wonder how will Jean Quan runOakland? Will the OPD absorb 100% of the City budget? How is more policethe answer to economic injustice, educational and health disparities?Will we be satisfied when Oakland becomes under full police occupation,mainly for the safety of white people, for sure North American Africansfeel no safety from the police, never have and never shall, especiallyas long as the police are outsiders, in short, foreign invaders, alienswith no love for the people in the hood.

Will Mayor Jean Quanunderstand that if America can offer education, jobs and housing forterrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, she must find job foryoung people in the hood who are unemployed, armed and dangerous. Theseyoung men and women are suffering traumatic stress syndrome, to no less adegree than soldiers returning from the wars abroad. American youth inthe hood reside in a war zone. Parents never known if their childrenwill make it home safely. If the police don't kill them in a freakconfrontation, their turf rivals may smoke them, or they may get caughtin a partner violence situation. Ray Charles sang about the Danger Zone."Look around and you will see what's troubling me--the Danger Zone iseverywhere."

I have warned people about the tone test whenstopped by police: based on our tone of voice, we will be killed,arrested or released. Ask Harvard professor Dr. Gates! In our partnerrelations the tone test or the failure to exercise discipline inconversation escalates to verbal violence, followed by physical violenceand/or emotional abuse.

Will Mayor Quan address such issues orwill she continue the tradition of placating the business community atthe expense of the hood? One thing for sure, her Asian community may notneed much of her assistance. Chinatown is booming with banks on everyblock, housing, an economic vitality unsurpassed elsewhere in the city.Little English is spoken, yet a Chinese need not leave his community forany reason. All bills can be paid in Chinatown, phone, water,electricity, etc. Medical care is available in the hood. Actually, Asianmoney owns most buildings in downtown Oakland!

From our Academyof da Corner, 14th and Broadway, we can view City Hall, so we shall keepan eye on Mayor Quan. We will not doctor her to death, but we will keepour eyes on her to make sure she is doing all in her power to cure thesickness to save the patients, the citizens of Oakland. The latest newsbelow reveals she shall have a daunting task:

Fourpeople have been killed and at least four others injured since Fridayin a spate of shootings in Oakland, a police spokesman said today.Thefirst of the fatal shootings was reported at about 10:55 p.m. Friday inthe 600 block of El Paseo Drive in East Oakland.Arriving officersfound Kevin Lockett, 45, had been shot multiple times and killed,Oakland police Officer Jeff Thomason said.Two other people were shotand taken to a local hospital. Both were expected to survive.

Anothershooting was reported at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday near the 1000 blockof Eighth Street. Officers arrived to find two teens suffering fromgunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.The victims havebeen identified as Edward Hampton, 17, and Nario Jackson, 18,according to Thomason.

Then on Monday evening, a 39-year-old manwas killed in a shooting in East Oakland.The victim, who has not yetbeen identified, was fatally shot around 6:35 p.m. in the 1300 block of81st Avenue, Thomason said.There have also been at least two non-fatalshootings in the city since Friday, including one early Monday morningthat left a man in critical condition.That shooting occurred at about1:30 a.m. in the 3100 block of High Street.Another man was fatally shotby police officersfollowing a domestic dispute on Monday night.Derrick Jones, 37, wasshot by officers responding to reports that he was assaulting a woman ata laundromat in the 5800 block of Bancroft Avenue at about 9:30 p.m. Monday.Thomason did not have any information today on arrests or suspect information in any of the shootings.
--Marvin X
11/11/10

Blogs