One Night in Oakland

You may have read of the recent riots in our fair city. First let me just say I think the media loves a frenzy and has hyped this somewhat out of proportion - but not much. Yes there was an out of control crowd on the streets, a significant number of cars were damaged, one car set on fire, and many business vandalized. There were by most accounts hundreds of protestors, around one hundred of which were arrested. So in the grand scheme of riots I don't think this qualifies as a large one and indeed many media outlets are calling it a near riot.

Nevertheless for probably the first time in my life I was literally afraid to go out of my house. (There was once a police standoff right outside my apartment but I was unaware of it until the following day). As luck would have it I drove up Broadway, where the riots occurred around 7:00pm. The riots broke out around 7:15. I was helping a friend go check out a car for sale. While test driving the car the seller got a call from his wife telling him of the riots in downtown. Thus I was able to return home on the freeway, avoiding all the action. If not for that call I would have been headed right into the thick of things, funny how life works out sometimes. I had absolutely no desire to walk up to the area and take pictures. I actually think it's a little irresponsible to add to the mayhem for the purpose of getting a photograph. And it was a downright dangerous situation - this is Oakland, there's a lot of guns. It's amazing to me that no gunfire erupted. I believe Mayor Dellums should have come out with a stronger statement right after the shooting which instigated the protests. Isn't he afterall the leader of the community? In a city where people get shot everyday was this a breaking point? I hope not. I hope this does not scare away the business people, the new residents, the people who believe in our fair city.