I appreciate RT's quick responsiveness to my questions and criticisms. A number of people have already commented to me offlist that my previous post 8 hours ago about RT was insulting and disrespectful. I appreciate people's respectful response to what they considered a disrespectful post, and would therefore like to acknowledge the criticisms. My post had two areas of criticism of 1) RT's lack of specific ideas to address racial profiling, and 2) RT's statement in a social publication 18 years ago about walking through Harlem being his most dangerous experience. #1 did not seem to be a problem, and indeed it encouraged RT to begin providing some specifics, and i think more are still needed. #2 is where people found a problem. After re-reading my post, I would probably be more careful next time about toning down some sarcasm and making too many assumptions. I still think that the underlying quote from CJ's column about Harlem is a valid area to address to a candidate for Mayor of Minneapolis. It is fair to question why someone seeking political leadership of a diverse city found walking through an African American neighborhood to be his most dangerous experience. RT has provided an explanation, as usual. It would have probably been more thoughtful to describe the most dangerous experience as witnessing a violent mob attack in New York rather than walking through Harlem. (Such a criminal attack could have just as easily occurred in various white ethnic neighborhoods.) Although I would not base my vote only on such a statement in such a context from 18 years ago, it is still a question to raise. Being a nice guy does not entitle a candidate to a free ride.
Jordan Kushner Ward 8 ----- Original Message ----- From: "R.T.Rybak" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Jordan S. Kushner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2001 7:36 AM Subject: RE: Rybak and police > > Sorry Jordan I couldn't post yesterday again because I was over my > limit...and I'm going off to campaign right now...but quick answers to your > issues and more offline later if you want: > > 1. Racial profiling and the police: > I said to them the same thing I've said elsewhere: > When I go around Minneapolis people in different parts of the city have had > remarkably similar views on most issues...except the police. This is the > one issue in which citizens' views change sharply along racial, economic and > political lines. The less white, and less affluent the neighborhood deeper > the divides with the police. > Part of this involves serious issues about how race is playing a role in > enforcement, especially discretionary enforcement. Chief Fenney in St. Paul > did a good job of using data to illustrate this, and I feel Minneapolis > should, too. > I understand this is not an issue that's unique to Minneapolis but it > has been handled more aggressively in other cities, notably St. Paul, which > openly acknowledged the problem and brought in communities of color to > develop ways to attack this. > The Federation supports the use of cameras in cars, which I thought was > one positive step. We have to take many more. > I also told the chief this is a key issue for me, as well as the Black > Officers Association. Each gave me some ideas, as did the many community > groups I've talked to about it. > I'm not going to solve racial profiling in this campaign but I'm making > it clear to everyone involved that this is a key issue for healing > relationships with the police department and it's going to be a priority for > how I judge performance of the department. > > 2. Most of my time walking through Harlem was great but it got dangerous at > about 125 St. and Lennox when 12 men surrounded a guy who had apparently > messed up a drug sale. They were pretty violently kicking his head and > body, and when the noticed us, yes, I did get scared. > > You can make value judgments about the way I was raised, and it's your > choice about how that effects whether you will vote for me. > Please also include the fact that a good share of the time growing up > included five nights a week at my mom's store at Chicago and Franklin and, > before that, at my parents store on 26th and 4th. > You stated that I place a big emphasis on my racial sensitivity. I > don't think that's the case. I have said that as a white man who wants to > lead an increasingly diverse city, I have to reconignize that I have to take > extra steps to cross over racial divides. > > 3. You said you haven't seen me in your neighborhood. Actually I > doorknocked your street the week before the primary but you weren't home. I > have also spent many, many days in Powerhorn Park, a few blocks from your > house....and think that is one of the reasons why the many people I met in > your neighborhood helped me carry your precinct. > > R.T. Rybak > www.rtformayor.com > > > > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
