As a former employee of a Walnut Creek business,I have encountered people who have a less than favorable view towards blacks, to put it mildly. So,it comes as no surprise to me that a rally for Johannes Mehserle would be held in that city. Some residents of Contra Costa County don't think that this rally is a good idea. Their reasoning was quite different than mine.
The main fear that was expressed about this rally is that it might not remain "peaceful" if Oscar Grant supporters show up. I think this rally is absolutely despicable. For one,I'm not buying that this was just an "accident." And for another,how is this rally helping the victim's family?Do the organizers of this pro-Mehserle rally feel sorry for Oscar Grant? No!
It's all about showing support for cops. And that's fine if the cop in this case were an innocent man who committed no wrongdoing. But,we all know that Johannes Mehserle is not an innocent man.He killed an unarmed black man who had his hands behind his back! Mehserle did not need a taser or a gun to subdue Oscar Grant. This is just as bad as showing support for a cop killer.
Here's more from The Oakland Tribune:
"On the rally's Facebook page, 95 guests say they will attend. Some who sought justice for Grant said they plan to show as well, to hear what Mehserle supporters have to say.
When news of the rally broke Tuesday, comments on community blogs and ContraCostaTimes.com exploded. Posters, nearly all of them anonymous, expressed feelings ranging from support to rage. Many said a show of support for Mehserle was long overdue; some said they wanted to speak up for Mehserle sooner but were too scared.
Others vented their distrust of police, one calling the rally "in support of police brutality." Other commentators said the media, including this newspaper, is blowing the rally out of proportion to make it a circus.
Groups around Oakland, including one that met Thursday evening in West Oakland, are looking at ways to move forward, including disarming BART police and pushing for the indictment of former BART officers Tony Pirone and Marysol Domenici, as well as ending what they see as police brutality.
One man attending Thursday's gathering said participants planned to organize committees to address those concerns.
Walnut Creek police have reached out to the Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant, some of whose members plan to attend Monday's rally.
Gary Pokorny, Walnut Creek's city manager, said the demonstration will be kept within the courthouse parking lot. But he recommended that drivers avoid Ygnacio Valley Road on Monday afternoon, and consider alternative routes such as Treat Boulevard.
Bryden's suggestion for those attending: Show respect.
"First of all, they need to respect other people's opinions regardless if they agree with them or not," he said. "We don't want any violent acts."
But some Walnut Creek residents are worried. Kerry Martinez said her feelings about the BART shooting case are secondary to her concern about public safety and traffic.
"An event of this magnitude can't go down with this little information," she said. "And what about the people who don't know this is happening ... and things go terrible?"
Bryden said Walnut Creek police are planning for the worst, but he does not expect anywhere near the level of the sometimes violent protest and looting that occurred in Oakland.
Some say Walnut Creek's well-heeled majority white demographic create a friendly environment for a pro-Mehserle protest.
Mayor Sue Rainey said she is not worried about how Walnut Creek is perceived. The city has encouraged more diversity. She doesn't know why Walnut Creek was chosen over other cities.
"We have had a lot of rallies held here on different topics," she said. "People should be respectful and peaceful. We didn't organize it. But they have a right to have a rally."(END OF EXCERPT) Read the article in its entirety here.
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