#44 ¿Que pasó? with Señor B - week of 1/26

I was scrolling through the comments on my latest posts, and I saw a pattern that many of you are likely seeing. Whenever we stand up to demand justice for Pretti and Good, someone inevitably chimes in with: "Well, what about Kirk? What about Laken Riley? Why weren't you protesting for them?"

It’s a comment designed to make you feel hypocritical. It’s designed to make you stutter. But when we look closer, we see it for exactly what it is: a distraction.

Here is the truth we have to be ready to tell.

When people bring up Kirk or Laken Riley, they are talking about tragedies where the individuals responsible were immediately hunted down, caught, and put behind bars. In those cases, the system did exactly what it was designed to do. There was an arrest, there is a trial, and there is a path to a verdict. Justice, in the legal sense, is in motion.

But we are out here in the streets for Pretti and Good because, in their case, the system is the one standing in the way of justice. When we protest, we aren't just mourning a loss; we are holding the government and people in power accountable for their behavior. We are pointing at the people who wear uniforms and hold gavels and saying, "You cannot behave this way." There is no one in jail for what happened to Pretti and Good. There is no trial in motion. There is only a wall of silence and a system protecting its own.

We have to challenge these "what about" perspectives because they try to turn human lives into political pawns. They want us to believe that caring about one tragedy means you can’t care about another. But we know better. We aren't the ones dismissing lives…they are.

By comparing these cases, they try to justify systemic violence by pointing at individual crimes. We cannot let them. We stay focused on the people in power because that is where the change has to happen.

Don't let the noise pull you off track. We know why we are here, and we know who needs to answer for it.

Trigger warning around this story folks because it is heartbreaking.

On January 26th in Phoenix, Arizona, the Diaz family lived through a nightmare. A man shot his way through their front door, forcing his way into their home and shooting one of the children in the ankle. Christian Diaz did what any father would do…he stepped up. He fought back, took the intruder down, and restrained him while the family called for help.

When the police arrived, witnesses say Diaz’s wife explicitly warned the officers: “My husband is holding the intruder down.” The police opened fire anyway.

They shot Christian in the jaw. He died right there on the scene, in the home he had just successfully protected. Christian should still be here. His family describes him as a hero and a devoted grandfather- the provider for the entire household. Now, he is gone, and his son’s words hit like a physical weight: “Sorry doesn’t bring back my dad.”

This is exactly why we challenge the "horrible perspectives" of the opposition. The officer who pulled that trigger is still walking the streets free. While the intruder in this case will face the legal system, who holds the police accountable when they become the source of violence? When we talk about reform, we are talking about families like the Diaz. We are talking about the fact that a man can do everything "right", protecting his family, calling the authorities, following the law, and still be killed by the state.

The Diaz family didn't just lose a husband and father; they lost their primary support system. If you have the means to help them navigate this impossible time, please consider donating to the GoFundMe.

Amidst the tragedies and the uphill battles for accountability, there is a beacon of hope right here in our backyard. This week, Oakland reminded us why it’s a city that leads with its heart.

Mayor Barbara Lee just signed two historic executive orders that set a clear, uncompromising model for how to stand up against ICE and protect our neighbors.

The first order creates the "Protect the Town Task Force." This isn't just a committee; it’s a dedicated force to educate our community members about their rights and provide real support for immigrants. It also draws a hard line in the sand: the Oakland Police Department is an independent entity and will not assist ICE in any way. Period.

The second order hits ICE where it hurts, logistics. It cements a policy that no Oakland city property can be used as a staging area for ICE raids. No parking lots, no buildings, no city resources will be weaponized against the people who live here.

Oakland is showing the world what a Sanctuary City actually looks like, not just in name, but in practice. It makes me incredibly proud to be from the Bay Area. I truly hope our neighboring cities are taking notes, because this is how you make every resident feel welcomed, safe, and seen.