Monthly Archives: July 2010

After the Verdict: No Riot, but No Leadership Either

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k4pWkZm7ps&hl=en_US&fs=1] It’s three days after the verdict, and Oakland is quiet. People are at church, or watching the World Cup finals — which, for some people, is the same thing. The streets of downtown are eerily calm, a concrete island after the storm. Or maybe before another one arrives. I’m…

When the Verdict Comes…

Here in Oakland, we are anxiously awaiting the verdict in the trial of former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle’s murder of the unarmed Oscar Grant. The murder, which was captured on video by bystanders and seen on Youtube by millions of people, sparked massive protests and militant actions around Oakland…

Top 10 Moments from the US Social Forum

After a crazy, beautiful, and overwhelming (mostly in a good way) week in Detroit at the USSF, I’m back home in Oakland. I was blogging from the Forum for The Progressive magazine, and in my last post, I decided to put in 10 of my favorite/unexpected/hilarious moments of the week….