Thursday, January 08, 2009

Who did he vote for? #199

In a news story not covered by anyone, Oakland has been the scene of some terrorism over the past couple of days.

The mob smashed the windows at Creative African Braids on 14th Street, and a woman walked out of the shop holding a baby in her arms.

"This is our business," shouted Leemu Topka, the black owner of the salon she started four years ago. "This is our shop. This is what you call a protest?"

Wednesday night's vandalism victims had nothing to do with the shooting death by a BART police officer of Oscar Grant on New Year's Day - but that did little to sway the mob.

"I feel like the night is going great," said Nia Sykes, 24, of San Francisco, one of the demonstrators. "I feel like Oakland should make some noise. This is how we need to fight back. It's for the murder of a black male."

Sykes, who is black, had little sympathy for the owner of Creative African Braids.

"She should be glad she just lost her business and not her life," Sykes said. She added that she did have one worry for the night: "I just hope nobody gets shot or killed."

Now Ms. Sykes seems to be a person of 1) common sense and 2) compassion for his fellow citizen.

So how do you think Ms. Sykes voted in this last election? What's it like to share the values of someone like Ms. Sykes?

More....