Protest against lawlessness in Oakland
Commentary
Residents of Oakland’s high-crime neighborhoods held a rally on Saturday, Sept. 9, to demand solutions from public officials. The gathering was held on a street that had recently seen shootings between facing houses.
The rally was organized by Neighbors Together Oakland (NTO), founded by former Oakland mayoral candidate Seneca Scott. The group is rooted in West Oakland, a historic residential neighborhood that has been ravaged by crime emanating from homeless encampments in recent years. The group keeps pressuring the city to enforce its own encampment regulations, but city officials feel entitled to ignore them.
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NTO confronted the city for its eviction moratorium too. Many rental units in West Oakland are owned by local families who worked and saved for years to buy a small income property. They’ve been devastated by the city’s policy of protecting tenants who don’t pay their rent.
Fewer rental units are available because the city has made being a landlord so unattractive, said Mr. Scott.
NTO organized Saturday’s rally because many Oaklanders fear leaving their homes in the wake of recent violence. The rally attracted a highly diverse crowd and an impressive lineup of speakers.
An especially moving talk was given by a high school student who was shocked by the recent spate of lawlessness among her fellow students. They raged through a nearby mall and destroyed property with impunity.
Young Dashawnna Warrick blamed the situation on a “lack of parental supervision.” She had a dream: active parenting in parks that are free of criminal activity.
Another young female African-American speaker was the coach of a local crew team. She explained that she reports lawlessness whenever she sees it, and authorities often treat her as if she’s the problem for reporting it.
Our culture dwells on victimhood, yet victims of crime don’t seem to count. Elites speak constantly of “justice” but don’t seem to believe in justice for crime victims. The endless rounds of finger-pointing mean another generation will grow up in a culture of lawlessness.
It seems obvious that people in high-crime neighborhoods would favor more law enforcement. Yet we’re surrounded by the narrative that minorities think law enforcement is bad. African-Americans and Latinos pleading for safe streets are ignored because they don’t fit the narrative.
The media and the political elite would like you to believe that there is no crime problem.
This distortion of reality is eerily familiar to me because my ancestors are all Sicilian. When I was growing up, I was told that the Mafia didn’t exist and was only an invention of Hollywood.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Mafia is a real thing. Then I spent a lot of time researching the culture of violence that plagued my ancestors for generations.
I learned that the Sicilian Mafia succeeded by corrupting whatever new leaders came along. They found it easy to corrupt people with the huge stream of wealth that their illegal activities brought in. Each generation learned the Mafia skill set from their elders.
Corruption is what makes a culture of lawlessness possible.
Corruption is a subtle process. People even save face by calling it “cooperation.”
Here’s a simple example that I know too well from my 25 years as a college professor. Teachers who uphold academic standards risk being ruined by nasty accusations, so they learn to protect themselves by letting students slide. Students learn that teachers will let them slide, so they don’t take standards seriously. It works for everyone involved, so the big picture is ignored.
This kind of subtle corruption allows politicians and journalists to turn a blind eye to crime. They learn that the truth can upset people, but they win over the public by blaming problems on Republicans.
People like hearing that nothing is their fault, so they support politicians and media who tell them that. Even in districts with no Republicans in sight, every problem can be 100 percent pinned on them. It works in the short run, but it ruins the quality of life in the long run.
Politicians and the media need support from big groups, but crime happens to individuals. So public debate is designed to appeal to big groups, and the consequences for individuals are ignored. It works unless you want to play in a park that is dominated by crime. Then everyone pretends you don’t exist.
I was fortunate to grow up with safe streets, yet most of my parents’ generation came from a culture of violence. What changed things? I was eager to figure it out, so I did a lot of research.
I found that law enforcement ignored the Mafia for decades. This seems hard to believe with all the gangster movies, but the Sicilian cycle of violence went mostly unpunished in the United States and Italy.
I was even more surprised to learn that Bobby Kennedy (Senior) was one of the central figures in bringing attention to it in the 1950s. Rudy Giuliani was one of the first successful prosecutors, having come of age at the time when the RICO law was first passed. Many others did not get public attention, but they risked their lives and resisted the pull of corruption in order to give us a law-abiding society.
I want Oakland youth to enjoy safe streets the way I did. Corruption is hard to resist because the “everybody does it” attitude is so pervasive. We must all do our part to resist corruption if the rule of law is to prevail over lawlessness.
How can public officials ensure that the concerns raised at the rally are taken into account and that concrete solutions are implemented to address the crime epidemic in Oakland, as demanded by frustrated attendees
Can attendee, Tiana Johnson, shared her own personal story of being a victim of violence in Oakland. She emphasized the need for stronger community support and resources to address the root causes of crime.
The rally also featured several community leaders and activists who highlighted the importance of collaboration between residents and public officials. They called on the city to invest in crime prevention programs, increase police presence in high-crime areas, and address the underlying issues that contribute to crime.
One such leader, Pastor Jamal Davis, spoke passionately about the need for unity and solidarity among Oakland residents. He stressed the importance of community engagement and urged everyone to work together towards creating safer neighborhoods.
The rally not only provided a platform for residents to voice their concerns but also served as a call to action for public officials. Many attendees expressed their frustration with the lack of response from city officials and demanded concrete solutions to address the crime epidemic.
In recent years, Oakland has seen a rise in crime rates, particularly in its high-crime neighborhoods. In addition to addressing crime, the city is also grappling with other challenges, such as homelessness and affordable housing. However, residents believe that these issues are interconnected, and solving one problem can help alleviate others.
The rally organized by Neighbors Together Oakland has shed light on the urgent need for immediate action. The residents of high-crime neighborhoods are tired of living in fear and are demanding that public officials prioritize their safety and well-being.
The event marked a crucial moment in the ongoing fight against crime in Oakland. It demonstrated the power of community activism and the determination of residents to create positive change. Moving forward, it is essential for public officials to listen to the concerns raised at the rally and work together with the community to implement effective and sustainable solutions.
Only through collaborative efforts and a commitment to addressing the root causes of crime can Oakland truly become a safer and thriving city for all its residents. The rally has sent a clear message to public officials that the time for action is now, and the voices of the community cannot be ignored.
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