In the tradition of journalist Edward R. Murrow, The Shadow offers political commentary and other musings here. Join us as well look into the dark side of politics.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Have You Seen Her
San Francisco police are currently looking for a female who is accused of robbing two banks at gunpoint in the city. The Shadow is providing a picture as a public service:
(photo courtesy San Francisco Chronicle)
The woman in question is said to be white or Latina, 5 feet 3 inches tall, about 130 pounds, with orange- or red-tinted hair. She has worn sunglasses during both holdups.
If you know who this woman is, please call Inspector Phil Wong of the San Francisco Police Department at (415) 553-9208 or an anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444.
You know, it can reasonably be said that San Francisco operates more as a small village that a metropolitan city and county. But sometimes they try to be much more than that.
Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisory are trying again to force the mayor of San Francisco to appear before them once a month for "Question Time". This would be very similar to what is done in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom when the Prime Minister must answer questions from members of that house on a regular basis.
If you have never seen Prime Minister Question Time at the British House of Commons, here is a sample below between David Cameron, then opposition leader, and Gordon Brown, then Prime Minister:
We ask you San Francisco -- do you really want to see this type of havoc at a Board of Supervisors meeting. We would think not.
Supervisor Chris Daly originally put this on the ballot in San Francisco to force Mayor Gavin Newsom to answer questions once a month that he was supposedly elusive of. Newsom counteracted by holding a series of town hall meetings across San Francisco after a nonbinding law was passed that "suggested" that he appear before the board. To this day, Newsom has never appeared before the board for this silly question time.
The Board of Supervisor has recently voted to put this issue back before San Francisco voters again in November -- this time the law would compel the mayor to appear once a month to answer questions.
[Also keep in mind that Newsom is currently the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in California. Should he win in November, he would still not be subject to the law which would defeat Supervisor Daly's purpose of putting it back on the ballot.]
The Shadow would very strongly urge San Franciscans to reject this ballot measure in November. You do not need a government that acts like children once a month. You need a government that acts in your best interest.
By now, all of you have probably heard of the situation behind the forced resignation of Shirley Sherrod, a former USDA employee based in Georgia. We will not go into any more detail about this and rehash the story, but we will state some opinions and give the other side to this matter.
First let us deal with the person who posted the original video on his website -- Andrew Breitbart.
As a fellow blogger, The Shadow has learned to never publish any video that could be misinterpreted or misconstrued. That is what happened here. When you posted that video that gave the impression that Ms. Sherrod is a racist, you did something that was very irresponsible. It is not enough that you made a correction to your blog post -- you owe this woman an apology if you have not done so already!! The Shadow will be looking for this in the coming days. If you have already apologized, feel free to refute us here in this forum.
To U.S. Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack -- you did the correct thing here. Not only was an apology in order but the job offer definitely shows your regret over this incident. One suggestion next time: calling someone a racist in 21st Century America is a serious charge. Make sure that you have all of your facts before making that type of accusation.
[To our readers -- as of this writing, Ms. Sherrod is considering Secretary Vilsack's job offer.]
To the NAACP -- considering that you are the source of the video, we were very surprised when you made the same charge of racism. You based this charge on the viewing of a portion of the tape (1 minute 55 seconds) versus the viewing of the entire tape (over 43 minutes). You should have known better.
The NAACP has made amends in two fashions:
1. They have posted the entire video in question on their website. We will post the video here for those of you who have not yet seen the entire video:
2. The organization has posted a full apology, which we will post in full:
The NAACP has a zero tolerance policy against racial discrimination, whether practiced by blacks, whites, or any other group.
The NAACP also has long championed and embraced transformation by people who have moved beyond racial bias. Most notably, we have done so for late Alabama Governor George Wallace and late US Senator Robert Byrd -- each a man who had associated with and supported white supremacists and their cause before embracing civil rights for all.
With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA Official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias.
Having reviewed the full tape, spoken to Ms. Sherrod, and most importantly heard the testimony of the white farmers mentioned in this story, we now believe the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans.
The fact is Ms. Sherrod did help the white farmers mentioned in her speech. They personally credit her with helping to save their family farm.
Moreover, this incident and the lesson it prompted occurred more that 20 years before she went to work for USDA.
Finally, she was sharing this account as part of a story of transformation and redemption. In the full video, Ms.Sherrod says she realized that the dislocation of farmers is about "haves and have nots." "It's not just about black people, it's about poor people," says Sherrod in the speech. "We have to get to the point where race exists but it doesn't matter."
This is a teachable moment, for activists and for journalists.
Most Americans agree that racism has no place in American Society. We also believe that civil and human rights have to be measured by a single yardstick.
The NAACP has demonstrated its commitment to live by that standard.
The Tea Party Federation took a step in that direction when it expelled the Tea Party Express over the weekend. Unfortunately, we have yet to hear from other leaders in the Tea Party movement like Dick Armey and Sarah Palin, who have been virtually silent on the "internal bigotry" issue.
Next time we are confronted by a racial controversy broken by Fox News or their allies in the Tea Party like Mr. Breitbart, we will consider the source and be more deliberate in responding. The tape of Ms. Sherrod's speech at an NAACP banquet was deliberately edited to create a false impression of racial bias, and to create a controversy where none existed. This just shows the lengths to which extremist elements will go to discredit legitimate opposition.
According to the USDA, Sherrod's statements prompted her dismissal. While we understand why Secretary Vilsack believes this false controversy will impede her ability to function in the role, we urge him to reconsider.
Finally, we hope this incident will heighten Congress's urgency in dealing with the well documented findings of discrimination toward black, Latino, Asian American and Native American farmers, as well as female farmers of all races.
Ms. Sherrod's situation shows what is still wrong with America. Americans have always believed in the principle of "innocent before being proven guilty". In this case, Ms. Sherrod was "guilty before being proven innocent". And while we will not deal with the Tea Party or Fox News in this statement, it is absolutely essential that this attitude about race changes.
And news organizations need to be responsible for what they report -- that includes bloggers.
By now, all of you are aware that LeBron James -- former forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers has agreed to play for the Miami Heat during the 2010-2011 NBA Season.
In a televised broadcast, James announced to the nation that he would leave Cleveland (where he has played for several seasons since being drafted) to play in Miami. Reaction from Cleveland was swift. During the ESPN broadcast -- which they called "The Decision" -- there were scenes in Cleveland of fans burning James' jersey. This was an expected reaction of disappointed fans.
However, the reactions went over the line when Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert released the following letter on the team's official web site:
Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;
As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.
This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.
Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.
There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.
You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.
You have given so much and deserve so much more.
In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:
"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"
You can take it to the bank.
If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.
Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.
Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.
This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.
But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.
The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.
Just watch.
Sleep well, Cleveland.
Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....
I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:
DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....
While we have our opinions on the way that James did this -- we will voice those shortly -- this statement was uncalled for. In fact, the NBA has fined Gilbert $100,000 for releasing this statement. It is totally uncalled for.
However, the way that James did this warrants comment as well. The Shadow thought that the broadcast on ESPN last Thursday was very egotistical and selfish. James owed it to the City of Cleveland to announce that he was leaving the team in a more dignified manner. We have no problem with James' decision -- just the way that he did it.
But, at this point, the City of Cleveland and the Cavaliers management need to just get over what has happened and accept the fact that this happens in the NBA. Great player will come and go. That is the way this goes.
And to LeBron James -- The Shadow will be watching. We hope you know what you are doing!!
In the aftermath of the Johannes Mesherle verdict of Involuntary Manslaughter for the death of Oscar Grant on January 1, 2009, the attorney for Mesherle released a letter from Mesherle that he wrote on July 4, 2010 apologizing to the family of Oscar Grant. We are publishing the letter in full here:
Mike [Rains -- Mehserle's attorney] -
Please try to get this message to the public:
I don't know what the jury in this case is going to decide, but I hope those who hate me and those who understand that I never intended to shoot Oscar Grant will listen to this message.
I have and will continue to live everyday of my life knowing that Mr. Grant should not have been shot. I know a daughter has lost a father and a mother has lost a son. It saddens me knowing that my actions cost Mr. Grant his life, no words express how truly sorry I am.
I hoped to talk to Ms. Johnson (Wanda Johnson, Grant's mother) and Ms. Mesa (Sophina Mesa, Grant's girlfriend and the mother of his daughter) in the days following this terrible event, but death threats toward my newly-born son, my friends and family resulted in no communication occurring. I hope the day will come when anger will give way to a dialogue.
For now, and forever I will live, breathe, sleep, and not sleep with the memory of Mr. Grant screaming "You shot me" and putting my hands on the bullet wound thinking the pressure would help while I kept telling him "You'll be okay." I tried to tell myself that maybe this shot would not be so serious, but I recall how sick I felt when Mr. Grant stopped talking, closed his eyes and seemed to change his breathing.
I don't expect that I can ever convince some individuals how sorry I am for the death of Mr. Grant, but I would not feel right if I didn't explain my thoughts as I wait for a decision of the jury.
Johannes Mehserle
7-4-2010
Reaction was swift to this letter. According to the San Francisco Chronicle:
Cephus "Bobby" Johnson, Grant's uncle, said that if Mehserle had written the letter the day after the killing and given it to the family, it would have carried more weight.
Now, he said, it amounts to "a convict pleading for mercy."
"This is the first time we are hearing all of this," Johnson said. "From the first, we had been condemned by his father who said that we were all trying to capitalize off his death. That told us that there was no sincerity in his heart or his son's heart about what happened to Oscar. Here we were, being crucified for seeking justice. We hadn't done anything wrong."
John Burris, an attorney who represents Grant's family, said he considered the letter and Mehserle's apology to be of "no consequence."
"From our point of view, it would be more appropriate and better received if he had said he was sorry at the very moment he looked in his (Grant's) eyes after the shooting," Burris said. "He should have said, 'Sorry, it was a mistake and I didn't mean it.'"
Tony Coleman, spokesman for the Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant, said, "If you really want to say 'sorry' to somebody, you can arrange that. There is no excuse not to apologize immediately. This doesn't have much value, right now, because you are saying it because the system is holding you accountable and you want leniency, as opposed to being genuinely sorry."
Now The Shadow will give his reaction to this letter and the reaction from the Grant Family:
The letter not very well timed. Why was this letter issued during the time that the jury was in deliberations? however, despite the timing, The Shadow felt that -- based on the testimony during the trial -- that the apology is genuine. As we have noted, we will not comment on the fact of the case now that a jury has decided a verdict.
The Shadow also believes that the Grant Family's reaction to this letter was uncalled for. We are sure that this was not an easy letter to write and it is also not easy for a mother who has lost a son to receive it and not believe it's sincerity. But it also seems like the Grant Family has been on a witchhunt since this process began. We think that it is important that Mehserle has at least offered an apology to the family. Most criminals will not even do that.
It is true that the timing of the letter indicates that maybe Mehserle is looking for leniency when he is sentenced later this year. That may still happen. But it is also important that a dialogue is opened between the Grant Family 9who is black) and Mehserle (who is white). There is no reason to not talk and at least come to an understanding as to what happened. The Grant Family -- and their attorney John Burris -- needs to come off of their high horse and at least listen to Mehserle. To just turn a blind eye to this attempt at an apology does nothing to the memory of Oscar Grant and just reimforces the racial stereotypes that exist in America.
The Shadow would urge both sides to come together before sentencing and at least talk. We are not asking the Grant Family to reconsider their opinion. Just talk.
The Shadow Reacts to the Mesherle Verdict Reaction
Like many of you, The Shadow watched the reaction in Oakland, California hours after a jury of eight women and four men convicted Johannes Mehserle of Involuntary Manslaughter in the shooting death of Oscar Grant on January 1, 2009. The Shadow has not issued an opinion on the circumstances of the case and will not do so.
However, The Shadow did have a problem with the reaction to the verdict, which was delivered last Thursday. While several groups, public officials and this blog urged people to protest peacefully in the aftermath of the verdict....unfortunately, that did not happen.
Well, let us rephrase that. The initial reaction was peaceful. And we are thankful for that. Unfortunately, around 9:00 p.m., a group of professional protesters and troublemakers decided to rouse the people who were still in downtown Oakland and decided to riot in the area. A Foot Locker store as looted as well as other businesses (an official count listed 100 businesses were affected) as well.
It was then revealed that -- of the 78 people who were arrested that night -- 75 percent of them did not live in the city of Oakland.
Which leads The Shadow to ask -- WHY DID YOU COME HERE IF YOU HAD NOT INTEREST IN THIS CASE AND YOU DID NOT LIVE IN OAKLAND?
Oakland has a bad enough reputation without the violence and riots that occurred that night. It is shameful and embarrassing! But -- to their credit -- some of the looters did return some of the items that were looted -- but The Shadow would not be surprised if these people actuallhy lived in Oakland.
Mehserle is due to be sentenced later this Summer (the original date was August 6, but that has been postponed at the request of Mehserle's attorneys). This will be another period that riots could happen in Oakland.....if the sentence that the judge does not hand down is not satisfactory to the African-American community (Mehserle is facing a maximum sentence of 14 years). It is important that the Oakland community come together to prevent these outsiders from coming in and causing more trouble.
The Shadow will not offer an opinion on the verdict. But what he will say is that he was very disappointed with the reaction that occurred in the late night hours in Oakland. Hopefully, this can be avoided in the future and the community can come together for the common good.
The Shadow has been informed that Oakland has opened five community locations if you wish to express your frustration or approval of the verdict in a positive manner. You can find a listing here.
As many of you know by now, former Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police officer Johannes Mehserle was found guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter with enhancements for using a gun. Mehserle is facing 5 to 14 years in prison on all charges when he is sentenced on August 6, 2010.
But The Shadow will give his opinions on this verdict tomorrow.
What we are more concerned about right now is the reaction that is being shown in Oakland, California where BART has its administrative offices and where Oscar Grant -- the unarmed 23-year-old African-American male that Mehserle shot on January 1, 2009 -- was killed (Grant was shot in the Fruitvale section of Oakland).
We are watching reports right now of looting and potential violent riots in downtown Oakland. Despite efforts by us and others to ask for peaceful protests, the exact opposite seems to be happening. We implore everyone in downtown Oakland at this moment to please refrain from further violence. This is not the way to honor Oscar Grant.
We should also report that within the past hour, it has been reported that the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are beginning independent investigations into this shooting to see if federal charges should be filed against Mehserle. We will keep you apprised on these developments in the days to come.
Mehserle was remanded into police custody after the verdict and is currently in a Los Angeles jail cell tonight. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2010.
Again, The Shadow appeals for calm during this process. Nothing can be solved by violence or by destroying the City of Oakland. Think before you act. Nonviolence is the correct response in this situation.
Johannes Mehserle, a former police officer for the Bay Area Rapid Transit, has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a jury this afternoon. The verdict was announced at 4:07 p.m.
The Shadow is again appealing for calm in the wake of this verdict. We have been informed that there will be a gathering in Oakland beginning at 6 p.m. tonight. We would urge a peaceful protest.
Right now we are stuck in downtown San Francisco as BART is reporting packed trains. We will keep you posted on developments on Twitter.
We have just been informed in the last few minutes that the jury in the BART shooting case involving Johanes Mehserle has reached a verdict. The verdict is expected to be read around 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. We will tweet the verdict as soon as it is announced.
Well it is now day 2 of the Mehserle trial jury deliberations. We can call this the day of no deliberations.
Apparently one of the jurors called in sick this morning so deliberations were suspended for the day and are expected to resume tomorrow.
Day 3 will bring another surprise -- one of the jurors is leaving for a planned vacation (apparently the judge and attorneys knew this but seated the juror anyway), so there will be an alternate on the jury. And that means that deliberations have to start all over again!
We will continue to follow developments as we await the verdict. You can follow us on Twitter to get the latest.
BREAKING NEWS: Mesherle Jury to Begin Deliberations After Lunch
We have just been informed within the past few minutes that jury deliberations will begin in the Johanes Mehserle murder trial in Los Angeles after a lunch break.
Follow our Twitter feed for the latest news on this.
As of this writing, attorneys in the Johannes Mehserle murder trial are still giving closing arguments. The jury is expected to begin deliberations on this case before the close of business on Friday.
The Shadow has already begun to hear rumblings of a rally that will take place at 6:00 p.m. on the day that the verdict is to be announced. Again, The Shadow urges calm and restraint as this legal process takes its course.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter to get the latest news on this. Once the verdict has been announced we will send a message out on Twitter and will blog our thoughts shortly thereafter.
Many of you remember the movie "Paranormal Activity" that was a big hit last year. This movie was made with a budget of $15,000 and grossed over $100 million. The only other movie to have achieved this was "The Blair Witch Project".
Now a sequel is in the works. Yesterday, during the premiere showing of the new movie in the "Twilight" series, "Eclipse", a teaser trailer was shown. We are posting the trailer below -- directly from the official web site:
This video has gone viral since it hit the internet yesterday. However, it was not very well received in lots of theaters.
Cinemark has announced that it is pulling the trailer from all of its theaters because of complaints that it received in some of its theaters in Texas. Our question would simply be -- with the audience for Twilight being basically young teens (some as young as 11), WHY IS THIS TRAILER BEING SHOWN???
We will have more to say about this movie at a later date -- its release date is October 22, 2010. But in the meantime, if you have not seen "Eclipse" yet and you are planning to take someone who scares easily, you may want to wait until after the trailers to be seated in the theater.
