I think the demonstration called the Pro-Mehserle Protest in Walnut Creek CA. July 19th was an historic turning point.
The issue was about a BART police officer who shot a black teenager and was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. There was a massive, mostly black, demonstration in Oakland against the verdict (apparently the demonstrators wanted a 2nd Degree murder finding, instead of 3rd degree, if they even knew what the issue was). There was some rioting but Oakland was well prepared.
This is the first time I've heard of white people (mostly) assembled to support a white policeman in a white locale (Walnut Creek) in direct response against a black (mostly) protest in a black locale (Oakland). (Video here and here.)
This was an historic turning point for two important reasons. First, I think we have a population of activists who now consider the insult "racist" to be toothless. Everyone who went to this rally knew that they would be called "racist" and they came anyway. I believe that the "racist" epithet has become toothless and ineffective. This protest says so.
Second, there is a growing number of activists who know that in a moment of high violent tension that police response is volatile and dangerous. (Oscar Grant, the black teen victim, was part of a violent group of black teenagers who were fighting and intimidating everyone around them on a inner city train... when the police arrived and the teens continued to fight).
Put simply, many people are coming to understand that: if you are part of a marauding gang (particularly if you are black wearing gang clothes) and you get into a ruckus with the police, where they think the situation is dangerous to them, you (you stupid ass) might get badly hurt or killed.
It is historic for both points to converge and be made public. "Racist" is a dead epithet and citizens are beginning to know that police can be confused and self-protective in dangerous environments. (See Rory Miller, Meditations on Violence who calls such situations toxic hormone cocktails)
The issue was about a BART police officer who shot a black teenager and was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. There was a massive, mostly black, demonstration in Oakland against the verdict (apparently the demonstrators wanted a 2nd Degree murder finding, instead of 3rd degree, if they even knew what the issue was). There was some rioting but Oakland was well prepared.
This is the first time I've heard of white people (mostly) assembled to support a white policeman in a white locale (Walnut Creek) in direct response against a black (mostly) protest in a black locale (Oakland). (Video here and here.)
This was an historic turning point for two important reasons. First, I think we have a population of activists who now consider the insult "racist" to be toothless. Everyone who went to this rally knew that they would be called "racist" and they came anyway. I believe that the "racist" epithet has become toothless and ineffective. This protest says so.
Second, there is a growing number of activists who know that in a moment of high violent tension that police response is volatile and dangerous. (Oscar Grant, the black teen victim, was part of a violent group of black teenagers who were fighting and intimidating everyone around them on a inner city train... when the police arrived and the teens continued to fight).
Put simply, many people are coming to understand that: if you are part of a marauding gang (particularly if you are black wearing gang clothes) and you get into a ruckus with the police, where they think the situation is dangerous to them, you (you stupid ass) might get badly hurt or killed.
It is historic for both points to converge and be made public. "Racist" is a dead epithet and citizens are beginning to know that police can be confused and self-protective in dangerous environments. (See Rory Miller, Meditations on Violence who calls such situations toxic hormone cocktails)