The latest message sent to our community from our police department is that they will not tolerate anyone not doing as they are told. Yes, the man had a big knife. Yes, he was mental ill. But I have yet to hear that he attacked an officer. All of the accounts that I have heard have said that he hit a police car. No, I would not have tried to take the large knife from this man. But I would have tried to call an expert to talk to him. I understand that our police force is not properly trained to handle situations such as this. I do think that some of them should be extensively trained in this field of community service as peace officers. Still, maybe the problem is that our police department does not receive adequate firearms training. I cannot understand why they must always fire upon our fellow citizens so many times in order to subdue them. It is clear to me that the message is that they will not simply disarm a person in this type of situation, they will kill. And if the order in this type of situation is to kill if you cannot handle the situation, why not just a shot to the head. No, another message must be understood by the public that they serve. We must understand that we will be shot down in a manner to make a statement. This type of statement is no different from those of drug lords, organized crime, or wartime extremist. It is meant to frighten, to create terror and to instill into the victims (our community) a sense of fear. Many people in the Somali community have displayed not only shock to me but they are also very afraid. I can tell all of you this. They have my attention! If stopped I will say, yes sir officer. I will not make any fast moves to my glove compartment. I will speak only when spoken to and I will do everything that they say exactly the way they say to do it.
This fear that I have is for real. Yes, we can all write of how we feel things should be changed. But has anyone read anything on list that we have not heard before? When will actions that instill fear and bring death to our community be answered with actions that give us confidence that it will no longer be tolerated? They way I see it the city of Minneapolis has two problems. First we must have a citizens review board that is properly staffed and has a level of authority. Second, the city and Hennepin County must come together and address the undeserved and mistreated mentally ill. What has been happening to the mentally ill with Minneapolis is no less of a moral crime then some of the ungodly things that have happened to the weak and disoriented during war time, civil rights movements, or slavery? We can no longer permit our fellow citizens to be forgotten and allow the police department to have open season on them. I have not said anything about the mistreatment of people of color by our police department. Today I felt that we have hit a new low when those most venerable in our community are abused. I will march, I will speak. But I will cry on the inside because I know this will not bring change, we do not have the power. It is up to those in power to bring about change. RT, and Dean have a good start, but they cannot do it alone. They must be joined with the power of the full City Council and the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. Please everyone, be safe out there, its open season. Zack 8th ward _______________________________________ 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
