Given the two highly publicized events that have taken place in Oakland - the murder of Oscar Grant by the an Oakland police officer and the recent deaths of four Oakland police officers by an African American suspect - how do we feel about the relationship between law enforcement and people of color in our communities?
Consider the following:
*What is our collective responsibility to prevent violence as a whole when a majority of violent crimes committed in our neighborhoods are committed by members of our own communities?
*How do we get people to prioritize the accountability we have to one another?
*As we start to assess the role that our culture plays in violence and begin to discuss how to turn it around, does that dialogue hamper our ability to continue pressing law enforcement for better treatment of people of color?
I'm really concerned about the Governor's proposals to cut or eliminate many vital programs in response to the failed propositions. There are proposals to change sentencing and parole for "low level offenders," eliminate HIV Education and Prevention programs, Eliminate UC and CSU outreach and completely defund domestic violence shelter programs. These proposals are ridiculous! Once again the Governor is trying to solve the deficit by endangering the most needy in the state. I for one will be fighting many of these cuts, especially the DV programs and I hope you will do the same.
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