Commentary

Open Letter to the Mayor and City Council Regarding Racial Discrimination and Equity From Brotherhood of Elders Network`

Published

4 years ago

February 1, 2020

Brotherhood of Elders Network Ally Signatories

It is undeniable that the community’s sense of safety, wellbeing, and opportunity been historically marred by the actions of agents and agencies of Oakland’s City government. There is in fact, no ongoing scrutiny or corrective action given for the often clandestine discriminatory actions of the agencies responsible for zoning code enforcement, housing, planning, public works, fire inspection`, contracting street cleaning, or garbage/recycling pickup. More openly egregious activities include the foreclosure crisis which forced many to leave Oakland while others became unhoused; and the unacceptable police practices, both disproportionately affect black and brown residents. The fourth ever Oakland black elected official was tripped, thrown on the floor of the Zoning Department, and arrested for exercising his rights while-black. Unfortunately, his experience illustrates how city departments work together in failing the African American community: denial of service, proper assertion of your complaint, followed by arrest. While some have the ability to avail themselves of a defense lawyer, the majority of African Americans are powerless to the shakedown orchestrated by city hall.

Evidence of racial disparities have been asserted and verified at many levels, specifically, law enforcement from traffic stops to drug-related arrests to excessive use of force. Experts document systemic problems as well as the implicit biases that can have life-altering implications. Oakland’s rich history is infected from top to bottom with governmental discriminatory actions targeted at African Americans, LatinX, Native Americans, Asians, poor people, the differently-abled, and non-violent civil protesters. Enumerable incidents, known and unknown, take place every year, throughout the City, perpetrated by the Police Department and by other agencies of the City.

It is unforgivable that administrative and political leaders of Oakland, knowing the hugely detrimental impacts of inequity on the social and economic wellbeing of us all, collectively and individually have taken such paltry actions to correct the situation. That any elected official in Oakland could ask if Oakland has a race problem defies logic! Case in point, for more than five decades the racial/ethnic plurality of the populations that have been in persistent poverty tend to be African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic. However, by far, African Americans are disproportionately impacted and overrepresented. Moreover, the historical roots of residential segregation; key determinants of health illuminated by inequitable health outcomes; and the extreme unemployment in high-density African American neighborhoods and low-income communities of color continue to make Oakland’s proposed vision of equity a mirage.

In November of 2016, over 83% Oakland Voters approved of a newly designed Police Commission, giving it the authority to “…oversee the Police Department’s policies and procedures, and a Community Police Review Agency to investigate complaints of police misconduct and recommend discipline.”, however, the Commission is crippled, underfunded and unduly influenced by the Mayor and the Council. The Department of Race and Equity has heroically begun the process of addressing inequity with limited funds and severely limited staff; we demand that the City fully fund and the resource the Department of Equity, allowing them to support Oakland’s Departments and Agencies in the implementation of appropriate changes to policies and practices. Despite a fifteen-year court order, court oversight of OPD and the expenditure of millions of dollars, we see little change in the Police Department. The Police Departments’ recent assistance of ICE raids with no disciplinary actions taken is another example of city leadership turning a blind eye to the expressed will of the people.

The undersigned are ashamed of the City administrative and political leadership that seems to be aware of the tragic consequences of this inequitable treatment yet are unwilling or unable to take sufficient action. For the sake of our families and our community, present and future, we call on you to discard petty political bickering and empower city staff to perform their civic duty.

Fully empower and make independent the Police Commission to:
- Increase their disciplinary authority
- Expedite the investigation and the resolution of cases
- Reduce or eliminate the number of appointments by the Mayor
- Allow community members to choose the Executive Director
Fully fund and staff the Department of Race and Equity so that effectively work towards correcting the institutional racism and inequities perpetrated by City agencies.
Fully fund and staff the Department of Violence Prevention so that our City can be unified across race and class to accomplish grassroots-based problem-solving.

If you like to support this campaign and get further engaged, email support@brotherhoodofelders.net and we will follow-up with you.

The undersigned will not wait any longer.

Brotherhood of Elders Network Ally Signatories

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Related Topics:Brotherhood of Elders Network Mayor Libby Schaaf Oakland

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

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Commentary

Opinion: Surviving the Earthquake, an Eclipse and “Emil Amok.”

Last Friday, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City, reported as the “biggest earthquake with an epicenter in the NYC area since 1884” when a 5.2 quake hit. A bit bigger. The last quake similar to Friday’s was a 4.9 in 1783.Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago. That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

In New York City, the eclipse was about 90 percent visible. Good enough for me. Though a full solar eclipse is a celestial rarity, blockages of any sort aren’t generally celebrated. My one-man play is about growing up with the eclipsed history of American Filipinos and how I struggle to unblock all that.

By Emil Guillermo

I’m a Northern Californian in New York City for the next few weeks, doing my one-man show, “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host, Wiley Filipino, Vegan Transdad.”

I must like performing in the wake of Mother Nature.

Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago.

That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

And it just doesn’t happen that often.

Beyonce singing country music happens more frequently.

When I felt New York shake last week, it reminded me of a time in a San Francisco TV newsroom when editors fretted about a lack of news an hour before showtime.

Then the office carpeting moved for a good ten seconds, and the news gods gave us our lead story.

On Friday when it happened in NYC, I noticed the lines in the carpeting in my room wiggling. But I thought it was from a raucous hotel worker vacuuming nearby.

I didn’t even think earthquake. In New York?

I just went about my business as if nothing had happened. After living near fault lines all my life, I was taking things for granted.

Considering the age of structures in New York, I should have been even more concerned about falling objects inside (shelves, stuff on walls) and outside buildings (signs, scaffolding), fire hazards from possible gas leaks, and then I should have looked for others on my floor and in the hotel lobby to confirm or aid or tell stories.

Of course, as a Californian who has lived through and covered quakes in the 4 to 6 magnitude range, I tried to calm down any traumatized New Yorker I encountered by taking full responsibility for bringing in the quake from the Bay Area.

I reassured them things would be all right, and then let them know that 4.8s are nothing.

And then I invited them to my consoling post-Earthquake performance of “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host…”

It was the night of the eclipse.

ECLIPSING THE ECLIPSE

For example, did you know the first Filipinos actually arrived to what is now California in 1587? That’s 33 years before the Pilgrims arrived in America on the other coast, but few know the Filipino history which has been totally eclipsed.

I was in Battery Park sitting on a bench and there was a sense of community as people all came to look up. A young woman sitting next to me had a filter for a cell phone camera. We began talking and she let me use it. That filter enabled me to take a picture of the main event with my iPhone.

For helping me see, I invited her and her boyfriend to come see my show.

Coincidentally, she was from Plymouth, Massachusetts, near the rock that says the year the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

In my show she learned the truth. The Pilgrims were second.

History unblocked. But it took a solar eclipse.

Next one in 2044? We have a lot more unblocking to do.

If you’re in New York come see my show, Sat. April 13th, 5:20 pm Eastern; Fri. April 19, 8:10 pm Eastern; and Sun. April 21st 5:20 pm Eastern.

You can also livestream the show. Get tickets at www.amok.com/tickets

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1. He wishes all his readers a Happy Easter!

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Commentary

Commentary: Republican Votes Are Threatening American Democracy

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We needed to know the blunt truth. The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening. That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

By Emil Guillermo

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We needed to know the blunt truth.

The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

And to save it will require all hands on deck.

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening.

That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

No man is above the law? To the majority of his supporters, it seems Trump is.

It’s an anti-democracy loyalty that has spread like a political virus.

No matter what he does, Trump’s their guy. Trump received 51% of caucus-goers votes to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 21.2%, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who got 19.1%.

The Asian flash in the pan Vivek Ramaswamy finished way behind and dropped out. Perhaps to get in the VP line. Don’t count on it.

According to CNN’s entrance polls, when caucus-goers were asked if they were a part of the “MAGA movement,” nearly half — 46% — said yes. More revealing: “Do you think Biden legitimately won in 2020?”

Only 29% said “yes.”

That means an overwhelming 66% said “no,” thus showing the deep roots in Iowa of the “Big Lie,” the belief in a falsehood that Trump was a victim of election theft.

Even more revealing and posing a direct threat to our democracy was the question of whether Trump was fit for the presidency, even if convicted of a crime.

Sixty-five percent said “yes.”

Who says that about anyone of color indicted on 91 criminal felony counts?

Would a BIPOC executive found liable for business fraud in civil court be given a pass?

How about a BIPOC person found liable for sexual assault?

Iowans have debased the phrase, “no man is above the law.” It’s a mindset that would vote in an American dictatorship.

Compare Iowa with voters in Asia last weekend. Taiwan rejected threats from authoritarian Beijing and elected pro-democracy Taiwanese vice president Lai Ching-te as its new president.

Meanwhile, in our country, which supposedly knows a thing or two about democracy, the Iowa caucuses show how Americans feel about authoritarianism.

Some Americans actually like it even more than the Constitution allows.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1.