John Petro

A Riot in Oakland

Image: Noah Berger

There were many that hoped that the election of our first African-American president would herald in a new era of race relations in our cities. However, as last week’s incidents in Oakland soberly reminded us, there is still a certain tension - ever present, simmering below the surface – between communities of color and the police.

These quotes from "Many see race as central to BART killing" in the San Francisco Chronicle illustrate how far we have yet to go.

“I’m sick of people acting like we deserve what we get, that because we are black, they can shoot us in the back and get away with it.”

“I don’t think the officer shot the gun because Oscar was black, but I think the way he approached the situation in an aggressive way was based on race.”

“It shows a callous disregard for the lives of African American males, and people are fed up.”

“The majority population believes that police protect them, while African Americans believe that the police are our enemies.”

“I feel like we are not respected as human beings.”

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Posted at 1:21 PM, Jan 12, 2009 in Urban Affairs
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