The Police Officer Needs to Go to Jail

I have had issues with the police. One time they told me to sit down and I didn’t want to. But they made me sit down. As for the police officer who shot Oscar Grant, I think that he needs to go to jail because there are a lot of people who are protesting and angry at him -– feeling like if it was anyone else, he would surely be in jail. I was involved in the protests in Oakland, and I felt that it was a way to let the police know it’s not okay to act that way just because they got the power. I feel that the protest was a good way to make changes in this world. I also feel it was good that a lot of people came together and spoke on how they felt.

- T, 17

Young Black Female That's All For Our Rights

I can’t believe what that BART police officer did. Well, nah, don’t let me lie because me and my friends always have run-ins with the police and they try to hurt us with their racial comments like: "It’s always the black people and they always play the race card, that time is over. We don’t have to cater you black f-----s any more. What more do you guys need? You already have a black president.” It just proves to me that we’re far from a change. Now in the case of Oscar Grant, I didn't hear about it on the news. Actually, a friend told me and asked me if I wanted to go to the protest for this dude and I said: ‘Why not? I’m all for trying to make a change in the world.’ It’s a must that we change as people.

-Faith, 19 - San Francisco