I listen to people around me talk about the Vietnamese woman who was recently killed by San Jose police. The conversations weave through topics of police brutality, cultural understanding, and whether or not this is just a Vietnamese community issue. Then it occurred to me, if those officers didn't have a gun on their hip, they would have handled the situation much differently. I don't want to downplay the sense of danger those police officers must have felt, but looking at the situation it is clear they over-reacted.

Two healthy, strong, trained police men should have successfully been able to subdue a hysterical woman with a little teamwork, and those handy batons they are issued. I feel the second amendment right to bear arms is limited to police, military, and gun fanatics. Anyone else with a gun is considered paranoid or a criminal. I am not suggesting that more civilians need to exercise this right. Rather, I propose that being a police officer doesn't mean you should be carrying a gun.

This is how police in other industrialized countries operate. Not every situation a police officer encounters warrants the use of a gun, and every cadet is trained with multiple methods of over coming adversity. Sometimes, officers need to enter a situation with guns drawn. In such situations, specialized teams are called-in.

It seems that those specially trained officers should be the only part of the force packing heat. If a police officer feels that they need to carry a gun when they come into my neighborhood, then maybe I should be carrying a gun with me at all times. But, I don't think so. I am able to conduct my business and my life, without carrying a gun in my neighborhood. And so should the average Peace Officer.

Too many colored folks lives stolen by badges that dodge the charges

God bless the dead as they make their way through the afterlife of mystery

And may consolation give the mother and family a blue sky away from mysery

Vietnamese peers of mine began to come in 75, now it's 2003

As a child I played with many without knowing the effect on me

This humble culture of family love and a relation to the land

Elders that plant seeds in Buddha so their spirits find the path

History will show a tradition of resistance against foreign invasion

The Chinese, French and Japanese all before American occupation

The question is how could these little people that enjoy to live life slow

Knock out bigger nations, from ancient empires to todays bully we all know

Whether we are capitalist or communist, it isn't my job to judge

But it is my job to love those people that receive when I come

In Vietnamese or English my spirit sings a song of thanks and praise

Gracias, thank you and cam on to the ngoui viet that know my name

For you have blessed me with your example of how to share with others

Toi ten la hiep, for folks that don't know,to all my Vietnamese sisters and mothers

Warriors next to the fathers and brothers that have fallen and risen in the states

We remember the children taken by the bullets of ugly cops and ugly gangs

Wrong or right these words I say are honest, may the creator forgive us for our mistakes

Its been a while since I thought about police brutality in this way

From the outside in because inside out has preoccupied my days

No relief from the constant pressure my people feel under watching lights

Bright enough to blind my given rights to remain silent, but who wants the fight

Cuzz if I don't cooperate a wooden stick will know my name and fears

I'm a so-called citizen but the mighty state is the first to make my tears

In the dark my worries run from terror and I know I'm not the only one

Where are the good cops my neighbors talk about cuzz these are having fun
-- Miguel Gonzalez

Deceiving My Tears
My eyes are deceiving
My tears are relieving
How do you explain murder to a child
If you open the shadows of misery and deceit
Lies many offices and all the deadly secrets they keep
Response to a call 3 minutes later a dead body falls
Who is left to blame are they not ashamed
Those pigs who call themselves men
The peace officer who has no patience unacknowledging himself before he shoots the innocent
One shot, two no three now four
The people of San Jose should stand up and say,"We shall not take this anymore."
My best wishes and prayers go out
To all those who will lose or have lost a loved one
With a fist in the air we'll all see them run
--REVolT

Police Must Build Unity

Yesterday our group went to see the memorial of Bich Cau Bau Thi Tran Ð the woman who was shot by a San Jose police officer. I felt really bad waking up in the morning hearing about this a few days back.

The family of Mrs. Tran and the community itself has joined in solidarity to give her this memorial. After thinking and rethinking this, I still have no conclusion on the situation. I think that the police had other options but I also think that the officer was doing his job. While I was at the memorial I asked myself what the police officer was thinking at that moment. I think that the officer was acting out of precaution and not out of malice.

One thing that I really think could benefit police officers and the community is a sense of unity. If something happens to a part of the body of our community it should really be felt by everyone. What I saw in the memorial was people united in compassion and I really felt the solidarity of these people. With all the candles lit and among the brightness and warmth of the community, I could feel their unity.

The police officers could have better communication with the people if they talk to the community leaders and work with them to better our city. Hopefully, tragedies like these can be avoided, what really got to me was looking at her two kids and wondering what kind of perception they might have in the future about this.
-- Marco Reyes