some photos from mehserle bail hearing

--(cont, ) from your commitment . There was not spontaneous mass outrage in the streets today No doubt in thousands of workplace and dinner table conversations but as of yet the masses aren't in motion , . I doubt if there was more than a hundred people in the streets protesting this granting of bail . So in view of that (and dozens of cops there and hundreds easily able to mobilize ) why should we engage in a losing battle .
We need a real mass rally of outrage . 10, 000 plus on the streets. Not little displays of rage that are bound to lose .

don't wait for 9,999 people in the streets before you join in

We had plenty of people out there today. More is always better, but a dedicated group of 100 people can do A LOT.

I was at the courthouse rally . I didn't go on the 'tour '' of downtown Oakland because
A. The cops outnumbered the marchers at least two to one
B. I am willing to risk being arrested or even injured if the political stakes are high enough and the particular action is worth it . Smashing a cop car window while certainly not on the same level as the insane trashing of small businesses and working people's cars that occurred on 1/7 still isn't worth getting my ass kicked . being busted and maybe doing jail time for . (and probably losing my job and home as a by product . Believe me my kids wouldn't understand why they were suddenly , desperately improverished ! )
C. I want to ORGANIZE and try to get thousands of working people of all ages, races , and ethnic groups out for a Mass (5-10, 000 plus ) march on a weeknight or weekend .Little rages in the street impedes that .
D. A mass militant action that i would support ? Several hundred people involved in a mass sit in outside, and if possible inside DA's Orloff office demanding that Peroni , the cop that sucker punched Grant , be charged . (And that no plea deals be offered to or accepted from Mehserle's attornies .
e. One last thing . Many of us are in the labor movement . I would like to see the Labor councils EXPELL the various so called ''unions'' of cops . People that murder Supermarket workers(and/or defend those that do ) aren't a legitimate part of the working class

Rebellions do not impede social movements. History shows that. An uprising will not follow a predetermined idea of what it should be (neither in form nor scale).

Why only organize working people? Why not the lumpenproletariat? How will your ideas about organizing and strategies change if you include them in your movement?

Do what you can-- no one is asking you to jeopardize your kids, job and home. If you feel it is not a good idea to be out there it's fine to retreat, but don't bash the people who go on.

Just so you know, sit-ins almost always result in arrests, so if you're worried about getting beat and arrested, it's probably not a good idea. If you do organize one, I think you could easily get enough people to fill the DA's office. (The participants should be clear that if they stay they WILL get arrested). Also, don't announce on a public board about your sit-in, it doesn't work if the cops are waiting for you at the front door and won't let you in. Sit-ins depend on an element of surprise.

I'm down with you on E, the Peroni demand and the no plea deals thing.