My Apology to Occupy Oakland and the Oscar Grant Support Committee

[Yvonne Yen Liu]

Hi,

 

I am deeply sorry for misrepresenting organizations—such as the Oscar Grant Support Committee and Occupy Oakland—as being committed to meeting with the mayor.  In an email reply to deputy mayor Sharon Cornu, I listed Critical Resistance and the Oscar Grant Support Committee as confirmed groups, instead of invited ones.  I acted as an individual and not accountable to any organization, nonprofit or grassroots.  And, I was not representing my employer, the Applied Research Center/Colorlines.com.  This was a severe misjudgment on my part and I am very sorry for any unintended consequences I may be responsible for.

 

My intent was to help facilitate conversations between the mayor’s office and organizers with Occupy Oakland and grassroots groups.  I was disturbed by the level of police violence last Tuesday, in the eviction of the Occupy organizers and the aftermath on the streets of Oakland.  I was concerned that there not be a repeat this coming November 2, the day of the General Strike and Mass Day of Actions.  And, I hoped that this moment could foster constructive dialogue and commitment to make structural changes to the Oakland Police Department.

 

I see in hindsight that my motives were naïve, not grounded in any deep knowledge and involvement with on-the-ground grassroots organizing around police accountability in this city.  I am still new to the Bay Area, a resident of three years, and not well acquainted with the political landscape here.  And, this is a tense time, my actions have touched upon a lodestone of deep politics and history in this city.

 

Again, I deeply apologize for my actions and any consequences they may have caused.  I hope they do not detract from a meeting of stakeholders who can help move us forward.

 

Respectfully,

Yvonne

--
Yvonne Yen Liu
Oakland, CA
646.321.5710
510.846.7411
yvonnegraphy.com

[John Reimann]

Thank you for your explanation and apology. I think the lesson here is this: In order to intervene properly or represent in any way - formally or informally - in any movement, we cannot do it from the outside. We have to be in the movement, part of the movement.

John

--
"Poems don't belong to those who write them; they belong to those who need them" - from movie "Il Postino"
Check out: http://worldwidesocialist.net/blog/