at the hands of the police. I hadn’t read my google reader in a few days, and I first came across the story over at postbougie. A quick google search provided no actual news, except for blogs. I’m so pissed.
The story: around 2 am on New Years a few brown men were pulled off the train for an altercation. some were handcuffed, others weren’t. among those not handcuffed was 22 year old Oscar Grant. Apparently Mr. Grant was pleaded with the cops to not taser him, when they put him face down on the ground and shot him. Don’t believe me? It was caught on tape by two different people.
Granted it’s on a camera phone, you can still clearly see a cop holding Oscar down and another cop shotting him. What’s more crazy is that are MAD people watching, inside the train and on the platform. It’s just soo brazen I can’t believe it.
Of course the cops are trying to argue that he was trying to pull out his taser gun and mistakenly pulled out a gun. I’m sorry but a taser gun looks different than a real gun. Very different. And the worse part is that like Rodney King, these cops will probably be acquitted.
I finally found the story on CNN. Do a search for Oscar Grant and the first story is how the cop is getting death threats. Then you see the story about Oscar himself. Enough. American needs to start caring about Black men anf it needs to start now.
e.
cross posted at evahaldane.com
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
While it’s agonizing that this happened, the idea that this is being ignored by the nation is just another “seduction by suffering.” It’s sheer prepostrous. Have you looked on the websites of all the media outlets (CNN, NYTImes, etc.)? They all have this story as a major link. To say it’s being ignored is just sheer absurdity. Do you not have a YouTube video linked to the article featuring a mob of reporters? Ignore? Please! It’s more seduction of suffering.
Richard, I’m gonna need for you to bring it in. CNN posted the link on the front page TODAY. Oscar was shot and killed on the 1st. That was 6 days ago. Yes I realize a lot is going on the world but be for real.
And for the record, YouTube is hardly “the media.”
Be nice Richard.
Thanks e for taking the time to blog about Oscar and for expressing the way the event makes you feel.
I had to do the same on my blog.
It was very unreal to see the footage. The way the whole thing played out. The way the murder is clear and was committed in plain sight. Because of the “freedom” that the involved officer was/ is being allowed the Bay is outraged right now and parts of Oakland are shut down right now by people protesting in the streets. The cops are putting on their riot gear right now because folks are beyond pissed and shit is close to getting out of hand.
Oscar’s service was today and that bastard cop resigned so now BART can’t “make” him talk. He keeps pretty much eluding them and hiding up under his layer. Man, I don’t even wanna talk about it no more right now, its just too much.
I’m not trying to be an @ss, and I do understand the irony of police brutality; HOWEVER, shouldn’t we be just as concerned about the hundreds of black men killing other black men? The title talks about ignoring the death of a black man….I’d like somebody to post the stats of police killing black men vs. black men killing black men.
Why should I care more about the police shooting this dude than I do a black man shooting an innocent bystander black man that’s all about his education?
Ionno – clearly I’m cynical, and perhaps I shouldn’t be. But I am.
i’m not saying you should care more about this death than any other. it is sad when men kill each other. but you hit the nail on the head, it’s the irony of the police killing the very people they are supposed to protect that’s disturbing and that is what is being ignored.
Oh my God. This is the first time I heard about this-as late as it is. It’s unbelievable. That cop was not reaching for no taser because he pulled out the weapon, STOOD UP, and did it. That cop should get life in jail. But most likely it’ll be an acquittal.
Such a shame.