Comments on: BART shooting demonstrators in Hayward on Friday

By: cwbyht

cwbyht — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:21:10 +0000

Philip Black suggests Hayward honor a man who broke its laws, and terrorized its streets?

Such an honor is reserved for those who make outstanding and distinct contributions to the community Mr. Black.

You are living outide the realm of reality.

By: Kim Santos

Kim Santos — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:47:17 +0000

The Review does not print letters anywhere other than the Letters to the Editor section. Nor does the Review grant anyone more priveleges than anyone else. It is not up to anyone to determine what reader opinion is “more important” than any other. They are all important.

By: TheVoice

TheVoice — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:42:30 +0000

First,
The Daily Review should have made the eloquent letter from the Grant family on the front page or in larger print somewhere other than the Letters to the editor section in the back. Lets get things together Review, social responsibility.
Second:
The request attached to the next protest has some points that are inciting,( the term murder) this was a killing, wrong-yes, but let the courts decide his fate. To abolish the BART police would put the commuters safety in jeopardy as well as there vehicles and allow free reign from criminal intent.
Last:
To drop charges for law breakers, vandals, arsonists, and other avenues of criminal behavior is just plan ridiculous and shows the mindset of part of the organizers of these protests. Free criminal reign with no penalties. Practice what you preach.

By: J. W. Kyle

J. W. Kyle — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Would someone please explain to me, those actions of young Mr. Grant, occurring on the Bart Train which precipitated his being singled out as a person of interest in the reported ruckus between two groups on the Bart Train?

Was this particular individual part of the Grant family which once lived in the Longwood area and of which family one could observe the family member who went by the street name of “Boo” and whose escapades ended with self inflicted death by gunshot, ending his life at 16 years of age?

I do not excuse the officer’s use of his gun but the tone of the “message” left above sure lacks a sense of justice when the demand is for his …. immediate trial, conviction and sentencing… or else.

Give our justice syetem a break… innocent until proven guilty at conclusion of the trial…. not before it starts.

By: philip black

philip black — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:24:03 +0000

I was truly saddened by the way Hayward PD and city officials handled Oscar Grant’s birthday celebration last Friday. Here is a family and a community who is truly devastated by the loss of their son, our own Hayward son, at the hands of the police. This was a moment to bring if not closure, then possibly an opportunity to offer some healing and understanding between police and the community.

Mayor Sweeney should have been at City Hall offering Grant’s mother the key to the city, proclaiming February 27 as “Oscar Grant Day”. After all, February is black history month. Police Chief Ace could have issued a statement acknowledging sorrow for the death of her son, reassuring the public that Oscar did not die in vain, and that Hayward police are training, and meeting with people in the community in an attempt to learn from tragic events like this, and get it right.

Instead, they shrunk away from this great opportunity to reach out. Resorting to the same myopic thinking and police tactics that attributed to Grants death. Taking preemptive measures, intimidating these marchers by closing the in a military style police state, blocking the streets with club wielding police clad in armor.

Instead of using intelligence and compassion, they used force. Instead of offering a hand, they raised their clubs. It’s as if the Gettysburg address didn’t happen. I watched sorrowfully as Grants mother, Wanda Johnson was denied access to a downtown public sidewalk by one of these clubs wielding amour clad Hayward police officers.

Did that officer know her son was shot in the back by a police officer just like him, while another officer pinned him down to the ground with a knee to his head? It was too obvious that he didn’t care, because the Hayward Police Department and the city didn’t care. I shake my head at this arrogance. I thought we were so much farther along.

By: qodrn

qodrn — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:10:23 +0000

This is really starting to get dangerous. I hope noone gets hurt. While most of their demands are understandable, and BART did not handle this at all well, I don’t think more injuries and possibly hurting commuters is the answer. Is this what Mr. Grant would want?