Early last month, the case against former Bay Area Transit Authority officer, Johannes Mehserle began. Mehserle is charged with second-degree murder for his shooting of an unarmed black man, Oscar Grant, while being video tapped by onlookers.

While no one is disputing the fact that Mehserle shot and killed Oscar Grant, on a crowded platform, what is being questioned are the circumstances. Was he aware that he pulled his gun as opposed to his taser. Were his actions "justified" under the circumstances?

In March 2009, just months after this murder of Oscar Grant, that took place in January 2009, four police officers were shot dead by a man who was perceived as a "hero" by some in the community. Just as the shooting of Oscar Grant has probably been viewed by some as just another dead ghetto hood.

Five people shot dead, never again to participate in life, never again to see their families and friends. Five wasted lives plus the two murderers and for what?

As you can see from the above video, four cops surround three "alleged" trouble makers who were, at one point seated on the ground with their backs against the wall and one ended up murdered.

Needless to say Mehserle faces an all white jury who will decide his fate, but who decided the fate of Oscar Grant – one lone white cop.

Being against violence on any level, other than self-defense, I have to ask myself are black people perceiving the actions of cops as threats to their well-being, their lives as opposed to the "protection" that is supposed to be given, in the line of duty, by police officers? On some levels I can understand how this "misconception" has been enforced in cities all across America.

Under no circumstance that was presented on the above video tape do I see the need for murder. In many cop involved killings, I rarely see the need for murder – in rare occasions a wounding could possibly be necessary but murder of an unarmed man, with two or three other cops present – this is extreme and malicious.

Only time will tell the outcome of this trial, which incidentally was moved to Los Angeles after a judge ruled that "publicity in the case made a fair trial in Oakland impossible" - yet they feel fairness is having an all white jury decide the fate of a white officer accused of killing an unarmed black man.

America never learns that what they perpetrate on a people comes back to them tenfold. Drugs, welfare, guns, violence and war have become so integrated into our society as to be the "norm."

With each incident of violence, comes retribution on one level or another. However, instead of leading by example cops are cultivating the mentality that violence and murder are the only two methods to deal with any given situation and in the black community we have seen it happen all too many times.

The question becomes – Will justice be served in the death of Oscar Grant or does another cop, whose job is to serve and protect, walk on the charge of murder. That decision is now in the hands of the all white jury in a city that has had its own share of racially motivated incidents take place between cops and the black community.

What part of the Constitution, that lately we have been hearing so much about in regards to gun control and government intervention, states "liberty and justice for all" more importantly, which "all" is that .  It is clear, on a daily basis that this "liberty and justice" infrequently involves the lives of black Americans.

And that’s the way I see it!!!