> Robinson Cook wrote:
> 5. This is the fourth fatal shooting of a mentally ill person in 2 years by > the MPLS Police. Only one had a gun (Toy). > I believe at least one, if not two of them, was white meaning this could > happen to anybody. > All too true - The last victim I recollect, from a few years back, was a middle aged white woman who rushed the cops with knife in hand after she was reported by neighbors for playing music at high volume in her apartment. ( Does anyone recall the specific facts on this case?.) So there you have it: "suicide by cop" seems to be an equal opportunity matter for the mentally ill. Does that make anyone feel better? (Well, I should hope not!) The fact that the victim, in this latest incident, was a black and Somali is incidental. It is his status as a mentally ill person that should be the focus. A rush to claim the shooting racially motivated is both irresponsible and knee-jerk, clouding rather than clarifying the matter. Such premature claims only lay bare racial agendas. The real question is procedure and the pitifully few options cops now have in defusing violent situations with civilians who exhibit obvious psychosis. This is the failure that was demonstrated on Sunday, and will continue to be demonstrated until these procedures are debated and revised. So - that's the agenda, folks. Stay with it. All else is merely inflammatory. Little will be accomplished except derailing substantive inquiry if racial rhetoric becomes the focus of public dialogue. _______________________________________ 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
