Crime

OP-ED: After the “Murder” of Trayvon Martin, Healing Will be Difficult

Published

11 years ago

July 29, 2013

“Too Many White-Americans Still Don’t Understand”

During the Zimmerman Trial, it was revealed that Trayvon Martin called Zimmerman a “cracker” and many white-Americans were shocked. In the 1970s, my father, who is the grandson of a slave, often called white men “crackers.” Back then, I wondered why my dad said this word with such pain in his voice. When my dad was dying in the year 2003, I asked him why he called white men “crackers.” He answered: “…because white slave masters were crackin’ that whip and f***in’ our mothers. That’s why we also call them mother f***ers.” How can white-America produce dreadful situations that create horrible words, such as “nigger” and “cracker,” then criticize African-Americans for using these words? White-America’s unending racial hypocrisy stinks to high heavens.

Despite these devastating truths, many white-Americans callously say African-Americans need to move beyond slavery, racism and “get over it.” I’ve got news for them; most African-Americans would love to move on. But too many ill-effects of past racism remain. Too much racial clutter continues to exist within present-day $y$tems. Too many race realities continue to prevent African-Americans from moving on. As we attempt to heal, too many white-American actions and $y$temic conditions keep ripping-off the scab of racism.

Despite these truths, many white-Americans can’t seem to understand why some African-Americans continue to speak in terms of race. When white-on-black racism completely goes away, white-Americans can rightfully protest that African-Americans overly-focus on racism. Until then, too many white-Americans are the ones who need to “get over it” in at least two ways. They need to realize African-Americans have justified reasons to focus on race. And, white-Americans need to get over their lingering racist thoughts and actions.

After thousands of years of discrimination, black slavery, and continued (though-decreasing) racism, various sources report: “Between the years 2000 and 2011, white-American hate groups rose from 602 to 1,018.” May 2006: “Racial discrimination still plagues U.S. mortgage market.” May 2007: “African-Americans are charged higher car loan rates.” June 2007: “Race disparity in medical care persists.” July 2013: “NYC principal called black teachers ‘nappy-headed,’ then fired them.” Please stop me at any time. Add continuing cases of “economic redlining”; “racial biases in law enforcement”; on and on and the racism scab constantly gets ripped-off. Racial wounds can’t heal under these conditions.

Throughout July 2013, various white-Americans complained that Trayvon demonstrations too-often turn into “protests against capitalism.” Too many white-Americans disregard the fact that racism is married to class within capitalism. Too many white-Americans overlook studies such as “Are Emily and Brendan More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” which, in 2001, found that “job applicants with white-sounding names are 50-percent more-likely to get called for an interview than applicants with African-American-sounding names.”

It’s difficult enough surviving and coping under capitalism, while capitalism plus racism can be unbearable.

Enough African-Americans clearly see that capitali$m perpetuates many socio-economic inequalities that were produced by past $lavery and oppression. But then, when some disenfranchised African-Americans react by turning to crime or drugs, too many white-Americans unfairly blame only this behavior for socio-economic inequalities that are habitually-generated by past and present-day raci$m.

After all this, for Zimmerman to racially-profile Trayvon, follow him, incite Trayvon’s “justifiable” anger, then “murder” Trayvon during a fight that Zimmerman promoted: this can’t be “justifiable” homicide. Zimmerman had no right to “murder.”

But after Zimmerman’s acquittal, too many white-Americans support Zimmerman’s ambition to become a police officer. This nonsense should surprise no one. After the original O.J. Simpson trial, Fox News hired N-bomb-dropping cop, Mark Fuhrman. White-America’s continued denial of obvious racial truths is offensive. This too must change for African-Americans to heal and move on.

Anthony Vaughn is the Author of “The Last Testament of Racism in America” and “The Way to FIX Our World”. He can be contacted at w.anthony@mail.org

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Alameda County Judge Blasts Defendants Over Delay in West Oakland Fire Trial

Judge Kimberly Lowell excoriated the RadiusRecycling/SchnitzerSteel defendants in court for causing delays in prosecuting this case. Since the defendants first appeared in court on July 23, they have obtained three extensions of the arraignment date.

Published

3 days ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Criminal charges announced this week are related to the August 2023 scrap metal fire at Radius Recycling Inc., formerly Schnitzer Steel. Photo courtesy of Oaklandside.

Special to The Post

District Attorney Pamela Price announced that a hearing was held on October 30 in the criminal prosecution of the Radius Recycling/Schnitzer Steel involving a fire at the West Oakland facility on Aug. 9-10, 2023.

The Alameda County criminal Grand Jury indicted radius Recycling and two of its corporate managers in June 2024.

The court clarified that the defendants will not receive more extensions on their arraignment and plea.

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price agreed with the court that defendants should not get preferential treatment. Price and her team appreciated the court for clarifying that future delays by Radius will not be tolerated.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s (BAAQMD) public data shows that during and after the fire, the smoke plume traveled across Alameda County with high levels of PM 2.5 (Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter) detected around Laney College in Oakland, Livermore, Pleasanton, and West Oakland.

PM2.5 is particularly harmful to infants and children, the elderly, and people with asthma or heart disease.

“This fire posed a great health hazard to the people of Alameda County,” said Price. “High, short-term exposures to a toxic smoke plume have been shown to cause significant danger to human health.

“Additionally, in this case, Oakland firefighters battled the blaze under extremely dangerous conditions for 15 hours with assistance from a San Francisco Fire Department fireboat and a fireboat from the City of Alameda Fire Department,” Price observed.

The team prosecuting the case from the DA’s Consumer Justice Bureau looks forward to resolving any future motions and having the defendants arraigned in court on Dec. 9.

The media relations office of the Alameda County District Attorney’s office is the source of this report.

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Alameda County

D.A. Price Charges Coliseum Flea Market Vendors in Organized Retail Theft Case

The charges against Octavio Ambriz Valle, 52, Devora Ambriz Valle, 49, and Felipe Del Toro Trejo, 54, include multiple felony counts of possessing stolen property and organized retail theft in concert. It is alleged that the trio of vendors possessed stolen property valued at $348,466 from nine different retailers, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, PetSmart, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, TJX, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Published

3 days ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Alameda County courthouse. Courtesy photo.

Alameda County Courthouse File photo.

Special to The Post

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced today that her office charged three people in connection with multiple organized retail theft crimes stemming from a sophisticated criminal enterprise operating at the Oakland Coliseum Flea Market from March 26, 2023, through April 17, 2024.

It is alleged that the trio of vendors possessed stolen property valued at $348,466 from nine different retailers, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, PetSmart, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, TJX, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Last year, the District Attorney’s Office successfully competed and received a $2 million grant from the California Department of Justice to combat organized retail theft. Price added another $2 million to bolster the Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) unit which is fully operational and collaborating with numerous law enforcement agencies.

“For over a year, this enterprise supported criminal networks by requesting and buying specific products from brazen boosters who repeatedly terrorized retailers,” said Price. “I want to acknowledge our Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) Vertical Prosecution Unit for its great work and the role they played in this multi-jurisdiction investigation, which included the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, and San Ramon Police Department.”

If convicted and sentenced on all charges, Octavio Ambriz Valle faces a maximum sentence of nine years in County jail; Devora Ambriz Valle faces a maximum sentence of five years in County jail; and Felipe Del Toro Trejo faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in County jail.

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Activism

Fights Narrowly Break Out at Business Strike Press Conference at Oakland City Hall

Recall supporters called for a one-day business strike for the second year in a row to demand that the city do more to ensure public safety is a priority and that business owners are not plagued by the ongoing retail crime. Less than five minutes into the press conference, opponents of the recall began yelling at the recall supporters. This caused many recall volunteers to become upset with the “hecklers.”

Published

3 days ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Supporters of the recalls against Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, along with local political candidates and business owners, at a press conference outside Oakland City Hall. Speakers called for a city-wide, one-day business strike to protest against threats to public safety. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

By Magaly Muñoz

What was intended to be a press conference for a planned city-wide business strike turned into two separate altercations between supporters and opponents of the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price in front of Oakland City Hall.

Less than five minutes into the press conference, opponents of the recall began yelling at the recall supporters. This caused many recall volunteers to become upset with the “hecklers.”

One recall volunteer confronted the Thao supporters and attempted to physically intimidate them while also screaming obscenities in their faces. After several moments, the volunteer was pulled away from the Thao supporters and returned to the conference.

Soon after that incident, Ray Bobbitt, founder of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) that now owns the Oakland Coliseum, walked up to the rally and attempted to take the microphone from Seneca Scott, leader of the Thao recall efforts. The situation soon escalated as Scott pushed Bobbitt away.

Scott has made several comments at press conferences and on social media that the Coliseum sale deal is a fraud and that AASEG will not provide the city with the promised multi-million dollar funds. Bobbitt told the Post that he is tired of Scott “being a bully” and only wanted to talk through whatever issues Scott had with AASEG.

When Bobbitt asked Scott to talk privately, Scott responded with a threatening remark. Bobbitt soon left the scene after several people talked him down.

“We really need to abandon the toxicity. I’m here to bring our community together, not divide it,” Bobbitt told the Post.

Back with the recall group and business owners, speakers said that businesses are scared to file police reports because Oakland officers “don’t care anymore” and are scared that their insurance rates will increase.

“We’re here today because the last blood of our city is leaking out with no tourniquet. Cities run on commerce. The only reason for a city is commerce. Failure to protect commerce leads to a dying city,” Scott said.

Several businesses in the last year have closed down, such as In-N-Out Burger and Denny’s on the Hegenberger corridor, citing public safety concerns. Local businesses have also left because of break-ins, homelessness, and overall lack of security.

At the time of last year’s business strike, crime was up 26% from the year before, according to Oakland police data. Rumors of a Thao recall were also building around this event.

Crime today is down 37%, according to the same data. This point has been used heavily in Thao’s attempt to rally support against the recall against her.

Speakers at the Tuesday press conference said some owners were sleeping at their businesses for fear of people breaking in to steal from them or vandalize their locations.

“The only things that are not locked up in the stores are criminals,” one speaker said.

Rally organizers claimed that over 200 businesses were participating in the strike. But when the Post asked recall organizers if they could provide a list of all the participants, the request was denied.

“This is an example of the sort of chaos the recall campaign seeks to create in Oakland. This is the last minute last ditch stunt of a coal investor funded campaign that has realized that Oakland residents are going to say NO to the $10 million price tag, the chaos and the division their campaign represents,” a Thao supporter spokesperson said ahead of the business strike.