Death is not a natural event
It is caused only by magic or violence… (Stephen Wright, Going Native) today it is Thanksgiving. a rather strange holiday for us foreigners. it’s a day off. it’s a day of forced rest, since even fast food chains seem to be closed. but, here in Oakland, the violence doesn’t halt even on Thanksgiving. i knew something was up this afternoon, as the sound of more than one helicopter started to encircle my neighborhood. the close proximity of the choppers that wouldn’t go away, i already sensed a disturbance in the quiet that is supposed to be Thanksgiving. something had gone seriously wrong–after my 10 year tenure here in Oakland, i knew that much: something did not go right for someone. things go wrong, here in Oakland, every day. and by wrong i mean, people die here. people die by violence. sure enough, upon leaving the grocery store parking lot, we learned from the local news station that was reporting from there while some 5 helicopters were still circling overhead, that Oakland delivered us a triple homicide today. a mere couple of blocks from my house, at least 3 people lost their lives only a few hours ago & i am devastated. the news story shows my neighborhood blocked off, over a dozen cop cars, and a SWAT team encroaching upon the nearby apartment complex. the news offers its afterthought, as if it were an insightful warning: best to avoid this area right now. cbs5.com - 3 Dead After Shooting At Oakland Apartment Complex
