In August of this year, 29-year-old Mark Duggan was shot and killed shot by police in Tottenham, north London. Riots followed. Last Saturday, 23-year-old Kollin Elderts was shot and killed, allegedly by federal agent Christopher Deedy, who was sent to Honolulu to work diplomatic security detail for APEC. Today, protesters sought justice. The actual cause of each death is specific to their unique incidents. But they are in some ways, sacrificial archetypes in the narrative of the global economic crisis.

Explanations of the subsequent riots that broke out by the ‘underclass’ over Duggan’s death, “zeroed in on an all-too-familiar culprit: the global economic downturn,” wroteCaroline Bankoff in New York Magazine. Protesters marching for justice in Elderts’ death, were joined by a number of anti-capitalism and anti-APEC protesters. One sign blamed APEC for Elderts’ death directly.

“We think this tragedy symbolizes what APEC’s policies are doing around the world,” said DMZ Hawaii/Aloha Aina peace activist Kyle Kajihiro, referring to Elderts’ death, inCivil Beat’s report.

Honolulu is a much different place from London, and likewise, the community response to Elderts’ death here so far, has been peaceful. While walking with the protesters, I had a candid discussion with a police officer, dressed in the APEC aloha uniform, on the cause of the march. Then he stopped traffic so marchers could safely cross the street. There was no tear gas, rubber bullets or riot gear.

Yet the economic and unemployment troubles that plague England and Europe, are not so distant from what the U.S. is experiencing. The economic downturn is ‘global’ as Bankoff stated. The geography of the causalities and fatalities alone, indicate the prevailing problems of a disastrous economic undercurrent. Will Kollin Elderts become the Mark Duggan of the U.S.? Or does Iraq war veteran and Occupy Oakland protester, Scott Olsenfill that role? Occupy Oakland protesters, like Occupy Wall Street protesters, have even been compared to the late 26-year-old TunisianMohamed Bouzazi. All of these young men are symbolic victims of worldwide economic pressures.

While some see APEC’s presence here in Honolulu as damaging already, I am hopeful that world leaders meeting here this week will create solutions to end this trend of economic martyrdom.

Soldiers of Jah army - rest of my life(bonus track)
Album: Born in Babylon
Lyrics(thanks to snorttherest):
If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
Leave it up to them to fill up their steeple, leave it up to us to fill up on our friends
If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
Im within my mind and I know theres no equal
When Im fallin out yo they pull me back in

It was long ago and we were younger so
And our lives we part wrote
Feel it, feeling Yeah

And i remember everyday, sometimes it's too much to take
I break down, without no heartache
And i mean it, and i mean it

If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
Leave it up to them to fill up their steeple, leave it up to us to fill up on our friends
If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
I live in my mind and I know theres no equal
When Im fallin out yo they pull me back in 

They say we've had fun but let this go
Music dont go deep but no
we think we could help this world if only we try
but we grow up, at least thats what they say
We cant do this when we pray, but I tell myself everyday that none of that applies 

If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
Leave it up to them to fill up their steeple, leave it up to us to fill up on our friends
If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
I live in my mind and I know theres no equal
When Im fallin out yo they pull me back in 

All i really need, is all i have ever seen
Only thing works for me is to feel it, feeling
And when we turn to leave and others turn to be
its always on my sleeve
and I mean it, and I mean it 

If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
Leave it up to them to fill up their steeple, leave it up to us to fill up on our friends
If I could spend the rest of my life with my people, I would do it over and over again
I live in my mind and I know theres no equal
When Im fallin out yo they pull me back in...