How researching Gertrude Stein got me tear gassed today
Little did I know that researching for an article on "Gertrude Stein's Oakland" would get me tear gassed today (Jan. 28, 2012). My day started innocent enough. I went to Bakesale Betty's for lunch. I then checked out the open art galleries near Downtown Oakland as part of the Saturday Stroll . I spoke with several artists showcasing their work, asking them about how they've enjoyed the increased attention and positive press on Oakland's art world. They spoke enthusiastically about the "urban renewal" and "revitalization" happening in Oakland's Uptown. I then cycled over to the Oakland Museum of California to research local history in their Gallery of California History . Because of all the construction on the west side of Lake Merritt, I took a circuitous route, which led me to 10th Street, where a large white police van was blocking the road in front of the Henry J Kaiser Convention Center . A police officer standing in the...