June 10, 2008
Oakland Man Survives Multi-Shot Round
Mimicking $.50, an unidentified Oakland man was shot several times last night at around 10:45 p.m. at Eighth and Willow streets, and lived to tell about it. According to AP, "[t]he victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and homicide detectives were initially called to the scene, but the man was expected to survive."
The man is in stable condition. No arrests have been made.
Which brings us to this: over the last few months, after SF has seen homicides gradually rise, the question we hear coming from our predominately not-black and not-latino colleagues and friends is, "was it gang related?" Like, we hear this over and over. Especially with regard to last week's Eagle slaying. (Frequently, this question can be heard at St. Francis Fountain or Pops, where 24th Street divides rude liberal arts majors and scenesters from their neighbors authentico in the Mission.) But is "was it gang-related?" a cleaner way of asking "were they white?" Because that's what said associates actually want to know.
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But is "was it gang-related?" a cleaner way of asking "were they white?"
As an Apple-using white boy living just outside the Mission, I really don't think that's true.
"But is "was it gang-related?" a cleaner way of asking "were they white?"
bravo Brock. bravo!
I take "was it gang-related?" to mean, was it totally random and could it happen to me? Should I start fearing for my life, or was the victim someone who should have seen this coming?
Wow, I call major bullshit on that. Did you get a liberal arts degree on race baiting?
I really want to know if the increasing violence in SF is gang-related violence, you know why?
I want to know if SF is just becoming a more violent place to live with people offing each other and where no matter where I go - Sunset or Soma - I can get shot.
OR
If there is a gang conflict that can be solved somehow, either by some kind of gang meeting or better law enforcement on gang issues. And at least I think I'd know certain gang areas to avoid.
If this is just really unconnected violent acts then San Francisco has really lost it's soul.
Somebody just got themselves a 6 figure recording contract.
It's like when someone says "she has lung cancer," I immediately ask "did she smoke?" because I'd rather there be a reason for things to happen than have to worry about random shit striking me down.
It can be racist, it can also mean - if they're just shooting at each other, then maybe I'm still safe.
I lived in LA before moving to SF. There's Asian gangs there, White too. Probably are here also.
I'm with bluecanary ... it's not a race question, it's another type of us vs. them - could it have been "someone like me" or not?
@Polizeros:
I've only known of Asian gangs in SF. Only because I've known people who were beaten by them at bars around Japantown.
I take "was it gang-related?" to mean, was it totally random and could it happen to me? Should I start fearing for my life, or was the victim someone who should have seen this coming?
Random stray bullet accidents aside, you don't get accidentally caught in a multiple-shot assassination randomly. Put it this way: normal joes such as we are like pigeons to gangsters, invisible.