From Cali: "...so tonight some people torched my neighbor's car."

[techres]

What kind of person, when presented with a frustrating social event seems to always think, "Well, better burn some innocent slob's property because that will make my point"?

Here it is again, and watching it has me rethinking the whole b.o.b. in the trunk plan:

A car burns in my neighborhood, in the wake of angry protests turned to rioting on the streets of Oakland this evening. The New Year's Eve shooting of Oscar Grant a week ago, by (now former) BART Police officer Johannes Mehserle, was caught on video by numerous sources and helped fan the flames of an outraged public--so tonight some people torched my neighbor's car.

This video was shot from my apartment building.

Car Burning From Rioting in Oakland

And of course the comments are stellar:

This is not groupthink. I'm sitting here alone, I'm not black, but I have half a mind to go a burn something down...

 

[Jack Ryan]

What kind of person, when presented with a frustrating social event seems to always think, "Well, better burn some innocent slob's property because that will make my point"?

One who doesn't own any thing.

When you ain't got nothin', you got nothin' to lose.
You're invisible now...

---Bob Dylan

 

[BloodEclipse]

What kind of person, when presented with a frustrating social event seems to always think, "Well, better burn some innocent slob's property because that will make my point"?

The kind of people that want to cause chaos and destruction and take any opportunity to do it.

 

[rhino]

I commented on this in another topic.

I do not have a high opinion of the people who live in the Bay Area as a whole.

The "this is not groupthink" followed by an obvious manifestation of "groupthink" is a classic example of the hypocrisy that exists there.

It's not unlike the ironic concept of "tolerance" there. You are required to be "tolerant" of things, but only as long as they're approved things by the group mind. Otherwise it's to be pilloried and/or destroyed. Differences are good as long as they are on the approved list, otherwise they are bad. You have to be a nonconformist, but conform to their rigid model of nonconformity.

The worst crime there bar none is what they consider to be "racism." The worst insult is to be called a "racist." It should be no surprise that racism is virulent and thriving there, it's just got a candy coating of a smile and lip service to equality (or at least their insane concept of equality).

 

[Crystalship1]

Ummmm.......... "It's Oakland"

 

[mrjarrell]

Look for some rioting tonight, since they found the officer guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter. No doubt if a regular citizen had done the same they'd be looking at a considerably harsher charge and sentence.

via Google News

A jury has convicted a white former transit officer of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of an unarmed black man on an Oakland train platform.Johannes Mehserle was found guilty on Thursday in the New Year's Day 2009 killing of 22-year-old Oscar Grant. Involuntary manslaughter carries a sentence of two to four years.
At least five bystanders videotaped the incident — one of the most racially polarizing cases in California since four Los Angeles officers were acquitted in 1992 in the beating of Rodney King.
Prosecutors said the 28-year-old Mehserle became angry at Grant for resisting arrest. Mehserle claims he mistakenly drew his gun instead of his Taser.
The trial was moved to Los Angeles after racial tensions boiled over into violence in Oakland.

More at the source.

 

[E5RANGER375]

OAKLAND <<<<<< that says it all. anyone whos ever lived in california knows what im talking about

 

[mrjarrell]

Looks like there was some moderate trouble and window breaking by the Berkley Marxists, but beyond that it wasn't too bad. What was too bad was that the family of the murder victim were cheated of anything resembling true justice.

via SFGATE

 

[45calibre]

yeah that sounds like Oaktown.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjP2RpajUjc]YouTube - Gang Wars: Oakland 1 (1 of 5) in HD[/ame]

by the way lots of sigs and HKs in oaktown.

 

[Tactical Dave]

A relative was just out in Oakland for a trip with work... had nothing good to say about it.......

 

[mrjarrell]

Well, it happened again. The PTB decided to sentence the guy to the bare minimum and some Oaklanders are upset about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/201...tation-Shooting.html?_r=2&src=twt&twt=nytimes

 

[mrjarrell]

I'd be on the lookout for more acts of rage in the coming days. The California penal authorities, in their infinite wisdom, let the guy out of prison after only 11 months. Justice sure looks like a longshot in that state.

Protesters object to early release of ex-BART officer who fatally shot man - latimes.com

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

I'd be on the lookout for more acts of rage in the coming days. The California penal authorities, in their infinite wisdom, let the guy out of prison after only 11 months. Justice sure looks like a longshot in that state.

So he gets good time credit and is released after serving half his sentence is a bad thing, but when it is someone that only serves half their sentence for a drug crime its ok? Oh yeah I forgot, anytime it involves LE its bad, no matter what.

 

[mrjarrell]

So he gets good time credit and is released after serving half his sentence is a bad thing, but when it is someone that only serves half their sentence for a drug crime its ok? Oh yeah I forgot, anytime it involves LE its bad, no matter what.

Nope. If you've committed a crime with an actual victim, then you should serve your full time, cop or not. This guy killed an innocent man and got off with a slap on the wrist. If it'd been Joe Public that did that he'd have been buried under the jail.

Drug crimes are, by and large victimless and shouldn't even be prosecuted, as they waste time that could be spent on real crimes.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

He was convicted by jury, maybe you should take it up with them. Its not like he got any favors from the judge or the prosecutor.

 

[mrjarrell]

He was convicted by jury, maybe you should take it up with them. Its not like he got any favors from the judge or the prosecutor.

He did get favours from the prosecutor. He got charged with manslaughter, rather than murder.

Alameda County prosecutors accused the officer of murder.

That's why they got his trial moved from the Bay Area to southern California.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

I'm sure media coverage of the incident and the upcoming trial had nothing to do with it being moved. After all, people are entitled to a fair trial.

 

[E5RANGER375]

He was convicted by jury, maybe you should take it up with them. Its not like he got any favors from the judge or the prosecutor.

yeah he did. the jury isnt the ones who gave his a slap on the wrist sentence or the slap on the wrist charge. Frank your a smart guy and a good cop. cant you see the double standard that is common place with LEO's to their advantage? do you feel we are attacking a good cop here? if not then why are you arguing this? im truely just looking for a honest discussion about it. we might not agree in the end, but im just trying to see it from your viewpoint. maybe im looking at it all wrong

 

[steveh_131]

yeah he did. the jury isnt the ones who gave his a slap on the wrist sentence or the slap on the wrist charge. Frank your a smart guy and a good cop. cant you see the double standard that is common place with LEO's to their advantage? do you feel we are attacking a good cop here? if not then why are you arguing this? im truely just looking for a honest discussion about it. we might not agree in the end, but im just trying to see it from your viewpoint. maybe im looking at it all wrong

Apparently he thinks the jury chooses the charges and the sentencing.

 

[phylodog]

When was the last time someone getting released from prison early on a manslaughter conviction made the news? Perhaps, just perhaps, it happens all the time. Perhaps, since it doesn't raise an eyebrow or make the news unless it's a high profile case or involves a police officer, the perception is that this officer is receiving treatment different than what many, if not most other convicts receive.

Thousands of people receive light sentences or have their charges dismissed before trial every month in this country. Proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is not an easy thing to do (for good reason). No one notices. As soon as one of those thousands is a police officer, prior police officer, someone who lives next door to a police officer or played cops and robbers as a kid, it's a huge cover-up/conspiracy.