I am of the opinion that things happen for a reason. I am by nature suspicious.
I have watched the progression of news stories since March 10 when Abu Jeilani was shot by police. First: I am impressed that 11 days after his death we were still seeing stories in the dailies. Previous shootings disappear from the news pages much quicker. Barbara Schneider was knocked out of the news after four days by Greg Ortale wringing his hands about a looming hotel strike closing down the city for the AA convention. Abdullah Simmons, the 15 year old shot by police on July 29th, 2001 got about 4 days coverage. He's the boy shot by the two policemen receiving awards today. Second and more fascinating in my book are the stories and the photographs we've witnessed over those 11 days. I'll touch on a few. Yesterday's Strib Metro front page had the picture of Chief Olson and Omar Jamal sharing a good laugh and a handshake for the ever present cameras. I wonder if it was Omar Jamal or Cyndi Montgomery of the Chief's office who cued the Strib? I'm guessing it was the Chief's office. Terry Collins covered this for the Strib. I think he is about the fifth reporter on the case. No one person knows the whole story from beginning to now. I wonder if Omar would be yukking so much with the Chief if this had been a little later in the day after MPD and HCSD had busted the Somali restaurant on 32nd and Cedar. I'm trying to figure out why the article of the bust was today instead of yesterday. Space probably. Too many stories, too few reporters doing things like being shills for MPD. Or why the announcement of a medals service at today's council meeting didn't make last Friday's report of upcoming agenda items for the Council meeting. I guess MPD just decided it would be a good time for a medal ceremony. Then there was the story on the front of this past Saturday's Metro section about the deported Somali who really was a felon you know. The details were a bit sketchy on that story. numerous charges but only two listed, one being disorderly con-duct, something just about anyone who knows the cops knows all you can be charged with for merely breaking wind. There was the absence of any coverage in the Strib of a raucous meeting at Lucille's on Tuesday morning and a meeting with the Mayor at City Hall afterward while the PIPress does a piece by Dave Hawley. By the way, in that same issue of the PiPress there was a small item stating that "the international plumbers union has put its Minneapolis local into trusteeship while the local's top executive has resigned." I must have just missed the Strib's account. Finally, I don't know why I can't find a record of search warrants issued for wednesday's khat bust in the warrants office unless they are those that are issued on 3/5/02 and are sealed. The timing seems all wrong though. Do you think the police could be trying to discredit Omar Jamal in the eyes of his countrymen or did they just sympathetically believe it wouldn't look good to execute this bust so soon after a shooting? "Come on, Jake. It's Chinatown." Tim Connolly Downtown __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Movies - coverage of the 74th Academy Awards� http://movies.yahoo.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
