This "slaughterhouse" comment is exactly the kind of inflammatory, schism-creating rhetoric that I was afraid of and I am glad to see that the article focuses on the people in the Somali community who challenged Mr. Jamal's statement. His choice of words astonishes me. I can't think of anyone who would agree with it.
A conflict between the police and a hard-working, law-abiding ethnic group is so unnecessary (it reminds me of the miscommunications with the Southeast Asian community in the 1980s). In addition, there have been some distressing anti-Muslim, anti-Somali letters in the Pioneer Press, mostly from people in rural Minnesota and Wisconsin, that reflect their stereotype of ungrateful, welfare-taking, non-English-speaking immigrants. The statement by Mr. Jamal will only create more misunderstanding. I think the new mayor and Council have inherited a lot of problems to deal with and they have approached the community in a forthright manner. We should give them a chance to resolve this. That's what we demanded from them in this recent election, after all--change and results. Kristine Harley Sheridan _______________________________________ 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
