sci-fi author, beatmaker

Tag: murder

Like Boston, Four Dead

Boston lost four in the marathon bombing. In the last four days, four people have been murdered in Oakland. No terrorism, no mass injuries, but still, four valuable lives lost.

Oakland Tech grad Donrita Henderson

Oakland Tech grad Donrita Henderson

On April 24th, around 9pm, 21-year-old Donrita Henderson was murdered at 54th and Shattuck in front of her four-year-old son. I regularly cross 54th St. when out for a night walk in the Temescal neighborhood.

On April 23rd, 22-year-old Keith L. Head, aka K.O. Da Bandit, was shot to death near the corner of 13th Street and Broadway. Downtown Oakland. I had my 40th birthday party at a bar not far from this location.

Steven Pinker — Violence Is Down (But What About Oakland?)

Steven Pinker and David M. Kennedy

Recently I attended Steven Pinker’s lecture discussing his latest book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature.” This nytimes review provides a great summary if you’re not familiar with it. The talk was part of the Long Now seminar series, hosted by Steward Brand.

Very short summary: death from violence has been declining throughout history, and we are currently experiencing an unprecedented “long peace.”

It’s a counterintuitive proposition. The world often seems on the brink of mass destruction.

But the evidence Pinker presents is compelling. Walking down Market in San Francisco at night (which I did to get to the lecture, past dice games, thuggish types lurking in the shadows, anarchists in hoodies, etc.) is much safer than the Mongol steppes under the reign of the Khans, or Europe during World War II.

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