"Who's the Agressor Here?"



I believe the most important part of the film is the instance of Oscar Grant being shot. First, remembering back to Oscars' flashback of his mother visiting him while he is in the Penitentiary; it's almost the end of the movie and we have not heard from this character that he has a confrontation with. It is very much expected that we should see him soon after their New Years experience. The mood is mostly set by the young man who approached Oscar and his friends suspiciously, only to pull out a set of speakers. Now, here we are on the train and an old friend of Oscar notices him and yells out his name to buy his attention. She yells loud enough for the inmate that Oscar has "unfinished business" with and his gang to bring their attention to who this Oscar person is. Knowing that the gangster has his gang with him, it being the New Year and Oscars' restraint means nothing to the embarassment in the pen and what Oscar said; now we know that something is going to happen. After the fight Oscar had nothing to do with creating, he was pulled off a train by a power crazed, racist, cop and rounded up with the rest of his friends. Now Oscar, the man who just recently decided to change his life, has wound up in this life/death situation while doing nothing wrong.

I feel that this scene is the most important because it shows truth, such as things that go on in real life. This young man was senselessly murdered in front of a train full of strangers, his closest friends, and many recording devices. Hopefully, it sends a message to those who abuse their athority, showing that things get out of hand when you have power and can't control it. The cop who shot Oscar, and everyone else, knew well enough that his gun was not his taser; yet, he still only serves 11 months in prison. It is an injustice, and this movie/scene has a very powerful message behind it that hopefully people may learn from.