In regard to horrible death of Oscar Grant on New Year's in Oakland:
(WARNING: DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO, IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE A MAN KILLED IN REAL LIFE!)
& here is what i say:
"blessed to be alive // Jan 11, 2009 at 10:56 pm
I would like to thank Jocelyn & BuddhaBro for their insight on this truly desturbing event in the lives of two men, and several dozen onlookers, America & the world we now live in.
I was away from the Bay Area when this awful shooting took place, and upon my return, in hearing of it, i was destroyed by the enormity of uncertainty it meant for us all. I was sickened by the actions of the BART police, both in their method of detaining as well as the complete disregard for the human life that seemed apparent. In witnessing the crime, my first thought is that it is murder… but then what?
I do not now, nor will i ever, believe in the death penalty - due to the undeniable truth that innocent men die too, and more racially selective death happens at that level.. which is still one of the greatest shames of our supposed civilization.
I would ask in the sake of the greiving family of the dear departed, and that of the officers involved, including one newly arrived life, that no more angry words be said, no more violence instigated.
I would remind all that right now, as we live and breeth, freely able to type away to our heart’s content, there are women and children, and many other young brothers, dying from war’s manifestations & even more hatred than can be seen here this evening… i am not saying either is more important, but that perhaps the broader picture IS.
Perhaps one life does equal hundreds or thousands;
perhaps an eye can never really make up for the other eye.
Perhaps this shooting was an accident; perhaps it was pure, unadulterated murder. Perhaps we are all guilty; perhaps no one truly is.
But what i would ask, in any event, is twofold:
*** Do you ever want to see another man be executed? Another child die in vain? Another displaced people move from one version of Hell to the next?
If the answer is no, then i hope you are ready to stand up calmly, take the stage and make your voices, and not just your anger, heard loud and clear.
*** Are any of you right now willing to say you have never, nor WILL never, commit a greivous sin?
Let he who can say yes, please cast the first bloody stone."
http://carlosmiller.com/2009/01/09/new-video-of-bart-shooting-emerges-offering-clearest-view-so-far-and-audio/#comment-3930
