Crime

Bay Area LGBT Community Proclaim “Black Lives Matter”

Published

9 years ago

December 31, 2014

Carrying black and white signs, adorned with pink triangles, members of the Bay Area Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community took to the streets on Christmas Eve to make a point that Black lives matter, all Black lives.

The protests briefly blocked Highway 101 at the Octavia Boulevard entrance with nearly 100 protesters chanting and holding signs that read silence = violence. Police followed the march down Market Street towards the Castro District closely behind on foot.

Janetta Johnson, who is a transgender leader, says she joined the protest because if Black men’s lives don’t matter, Black Transgender lives are thought of as even less.

“In our society there is a hierarchy of class and privilege,” said Johnson. “There have been a lot of unsolved murders towards Black and Brown transgender women and it seems nobody really cares.”

Janetta Johnson says if Black men’s lives don’t matter, then Black Transgender lives are thought of as even less”.

“Transgenders are being attacked for solely being transgender and being put in jail for only being victimized and protecting themselves.”

The transgender community is afraid of the police, said, Johnson explaining that if she were ever attacked, she would not call the police to protect her. “For what? To be further victimized? I came out to be visible, to say our lives matter.”

Samson McCormick, popular standup comedian, writer and activist who is openly gay, said that issues related to race and the history of police brutality against minorities, particularly Black folks, have gone on too long and have not been confronted in a manner that leads to change.

“Nobody knows the anxiety that it feels to be a Black person and have to interact with a police officer. We (can’t) just sit around and twiddle our thumbs hoping for some magical change – we have to be visible,” he said.

There will be a San Francisco Black Lives Matter Community Building Symposium at SF City College (So. East Campus: Alex Pitcher room) at 1800 Oakdale Ave., Sunday, Jan. 4 from noon to 3 p.m.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

Oakland Post

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California Black Media

Anti-Theft Bill with Jail-Time Requirement Gets Wide Ranging Support

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24. Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Published

5 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

San Bernardino Police Chief Darren Goodman speaks as Asm. James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), left, stands beside him at a news conference in Sacramento concerning retail theft across the state.

By California Black Media

Fed up with the alarming frequency of retail theft across California, including smash and grabs, a diverse group of business leaders, law enforcement officials, policymakers and public safety advocates joined their efforts in Sacramento on Jan. 24.

Their purpose: to increase public support for Assembly Bill (AB) 1772, a bill that would make jail time mandatory for repeat theft offenders.

Co-authored by Assemblymembers James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) and Devon Mathis (R-Tulare), AB 1772 would require jail time “of one to three years for theft crimes depending upon the circumstances.

“Offenses would include grand theft, theft from an elder or dependent adult, theft or unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary, carjacking, robbery, receiving stolen property, shoplifting or mail theft,” the bill language reads.

Ramos said the need to act is urgent.

“It’s time for us to reverse the spikes in theft crimes since the pandemic. Our law enforcement members and district attorneys need additional tools such as AB 1772. We must reverse the trend before the problem grows worse. Last year I requested a state audit of the impact of Prop 47 on Riverside and San Bernardino counties,” said Ramos.

Prop 47 is the California initiative, approved by voters in 2014, that reclassified some felonies to misdemeanors and raised the minimum amount for most misdemeanor thefts from $400 to $950.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, the rate of occurrence of petty crimes like shoplifting and commercial burglaries have increased by double digits over the last four years.

In Orange County alone, commercial burglaries have spiked by 54%.

“Our communities are experiencing an increase in retail crime and deserve appropriate action from their legislators,” Valencia said.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus thanked Ramos.

“This bill, designed to impose stricter penalties on serial retail theft suspects, responds urgently to the escalating consequences of shoplifting and related crimes on our communities,” he said.

AB 1772 supporters who spoke at the gathering included Sacramento Sheriff Jim Cooper and San Bernardino Chief of Police Darren Goodman. Listed as supporters are the California State Sheriff’s Association, City of Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez and Redlands Chamber of Commerce.