Editorial: “I am Oscar Grant” by CJ Jenkins
At the same time King James was preparing to tell the world where he would be playing basketball next year, the jury in the Oscar Grant trial was busy making their decision. And their message rang loud and clear! Former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for killing Oscar Grant, although many closest to the case felt that Mehserle should have been charged with second degree murder.
I am hurt, saddened and feeling like the life of a black male is worthless in the eyes of America’s judicial system.
Earlier on ESPN, President Obama was speaking about James playing in Chicago, but Obama never uttered a word about Oscar Grant. Now that’s not a knock on President Obama, but rather a knock on the masses because I hold all of us accountable for allowing this decision to take place! How long shall we remain silent while our children murder themselves in the streets from lack of opportunity, education, and resources? And how long will we allow those appointed to protect and serve to execute our fathers, sons, and children? Is anyone out there? Are you listening? Does anyone still care? Dr. King once said that there comes a time when silenced is betrayal.
The truth, is that it could have been me!
Every summer, while in college, I would return home to Milwaukee, WI from Southern University. I had a job working at Time Warner Cable in a warehouse fixing converter boxes. One day, I was asked to take outdated boxes to a storage facility in a suburb. So, I drove an unmarked white van up to the village of Lannon and began to unload the boxes into storage.
As I was loading, I noticed three police cars coming up the hill. As I stepped away from the storage, the cop cars came to an abrupt stop. I immediately put my hands in the air; ironically that’s when I heard “freeze or I will shoot.” I turned around and there were three more squad cars behind me with shot guns and pistols drawn. They told me to lay on the ground and so I did. Then an officer put a knee in my back and a shotgun to my head.
“Where is the gun?” they kept shouting at me.
I replied, “I am working for Time Warner cable and my identification is in my pocket.”
Eventually my employment was confirmed and I was allowed to return to my duties. But the truth is that this is the story of young black males all over this country. Many of us have begged for our lives, seen our children’s faces flash before our eyes, and have known what Oscar must have felt staring down the barrel of Mehserle’s gun.
The family of Oscar Grant will be deciding their next steps while the city of Miami celebrates. Oscar’s baby girl will be mourning the loss of her father while Cleveland mourns its King. But Grant will never be able to tuck his daughter into bed or read her a bed time story. The police officers that refused to snitch or testify on Mehserle decided that the code of silence was worth more than the life of a young black male! Tomorrow a decision will be made in every hood on every block and all the barbershops discussing Thursday’s decision, the only question is who is making it.
Powerful words. We’ll never move forward if this type of inequality continues to occur. Horrifying.
Same thing happened to my brother. He was pulled over for speeding, told to get out of the car at gun point. Gun to his head prone on the ground, he feared for his life.
Cop was black, my brother is white.
This story broke my heart. Im not new to the political sceen and ive never felt like i was not american till lately. What do u think puff ment by vote or die? they are killing us in cold blood and getten probation feel me it makes me phiscally sick.
why in court were they talken bout this mans grades and shit bacially sayen his life isnt worth this white cops life its insane, we need to start a real serious movement like deez racist tea party cats are.
if anybody finally gets there head out there ass and realizes we dont mean shit to them let at me via email im in arizona we need to organize
powerful piece bro! Too many people can relate to this. Miami has a nice team but wont win against the Lakers if they dont work together. As goes us in the fight against THEM!
Thank you for posting this CJ. It’s just so sad because so many people I have been around recently have just been turning the Oscar Grant trial into a dinner time debate without ever acknowledging the bigger picture of racism in our country and our law enforcement system. It has broken my heart and I have just felt myself retreating from people close to me bc for me this case isn’t about about debating who thought the cop should have gotten this or that but rather who is ready to acknowledge how far we are away from justice in this world and commit to being an active part of the solution…not a passive participant analyzing from the kitchen table.
Thank you everyone for reading and posting comments on the article. Hbox I agree with you, This topic is not for dinner conversation but rather about the bigger picture. I am sick and tired of my peers here in Atlanta arguing over Lebron James and his decision but no passion for Oscar or any of the other young men who are being murdered around the country… Time to shi* or get off the pot!