I was very disappointed last night to see how I believe Channel 11 covered the march to the courthouse Saturday. In particular, they suggested that the march was representative of the Somali community, and was less conciliatory than at the recent meeting they had with the Mayor.
I attended the coming-together on Friday, which was very conciliatory (save for a Clyde Bellecourt anti-1492, un-agenda'ed speech) and then returned on Saturday to observe the march and Courthouse rally, which was angrier in tone. The Friday coming-together crowd was, I would guess, 90% plus Somali. It heard representatives from Phillips NRP org, various faith communities (inc. Jewish Community Relations), and city government (Mayor's rep as well as CM's Zerby and Zimmerman spoke, and CM Lilligren was present). Kudos to Dean for saying (as did several others) "our city is made richer by your presence," and for his commitment to improving police training and policies, and to recruitment from the Somali community. The Somali speakers were focused on Mr Jeilani and his family, and the expectation of fair treatment by the police. That was Friday--the Somali-organized event. The group I saw marching and rallying Saturday at the Courthouse was very different--I would say at least 50% white progressives of various causes. Several people were wearing "Legal Observer" caps of the National Lawyers Guild. And the flier being passed out making demands and calling for a meeting for more activity was sponsored (on the English side) by the "Untied March Against Police Brutality Coalition." The sloganeering of the white marchers had the traditional "no justice, no peace" and "jail the cops" tone--more agressive than the Somalians had displayed the day earlier. Pics in the flow--a young white woman yelling anti-police slogans into a mike, connected to a loud speaker that a Somalian was politely carrying for her. Or an older mother telling her two under-15 kids to hold their anti-cop sign up straight and to not wander from the group--show solidarity. (Ah, the socialization process. I smiled later when I saw kids by the side snow-boarding on a similiar sign, while the speeches continued.) So my gripe with Channel 11 news is that it made it out like the strident tone of Saturday was that of the Somalian community. I say no--Friday the Somalian community showed itself to be serious, dignified, and conciliatory. Saturday's tone was set by angry white progressives who in this case helped give the Somalis a bad name on the 10 o'clock news. And progressive who, like Bellecourt (if that is who he was--that was what I was told), would be happy to alienate the Somalis from mainstream American society by promoting victimism to them. Alan Shilepsky Downtown _______________________________________ 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
