--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Jennifer Gahnstrom wrote: 4/4/02 "Terrorism" It is no surprise that there are more and more references to "terrorism." Words like "terrorism", "abuse" and "violence" can be so broadened as to make reasoned dialogue difficult. I take issue with Andrea Jenskin's drawing a shallow parallel between "terrorists" and the Mpls Police in her piece in the Mpls Forum on the recent shooting death of a mentally ill person by the police. Certainly, there are many examples of incompetence and brutality by police and mental health workers. But, that history does not indicate whether or not any particular event occured because of incompetence and/or brutality. Developing a better network for supporting the mentally ill necessitates reasoned dialogue and the willingness to work together, not participate in a "blame game."
Jennifer Gahnstrom [Mpls] police bashing Jenkins, Andrea D [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Mar 12 18:12:00 2002 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ ---- Terrorism as defined by Webster's II New Riverside dictionary. "The polictical use of violence or intimidation.--ter'ror.ist.noun - ter'ror.is'tic,adj. Terrorize-"To fill with great fear:terrify 2.To control and dominate by intimidation or violence". The un-necessary use of violence in this particular case was plain and simple an act of terrorism.Our society has made the concsious decision to treat mental illness as a something that the community should be responsible for not the government. Many of the homeless people wandering the streets today suffer from mild to acute mental illness they self-medicate with drugs and alcohol to alleviate the pain and confusion. The witnesses' to the tragic event state that the man posed no direct threat to anyone . However it seems to me that the trained police officers should have been able to subdue this man without lethal force , but they made a decision to set an example. If you don't respond to our commands we will kill you. When people break the law they should arrested , every possible attempt should be made to arrest and detain them. There is a history of police misconduct in this city and across America, a long history. But we don't have to look back that far, we can go to Cincinnati, Ohio last summer or New York city when Amadu Diallo was shot 41 times, or even as close as south Minneapolis when another foriegn mentally ill man was killed unjustly. I'm sure that mentally ill people walk around all kinds of communities creating distrubances and interrupting what might otherwise be a rountine day for many officers. Those people are arrested, or better yet returned home to families or transported to the hospital. Yet in Minneapolis these very same unfortunate people are murdered in the street, particularily People of Color. Let me say this , there is no justification for this action. Every member of this community should be outraged and should be speaking against a police force that is killing our citizens. "Let's Root Out Terrorism whenever it exists" George W. Bush, President of the United States andrea jenkins Bryant ______________________________________________________________________ The information contained in this message is private and confidential information which may also be subject to the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine. This information is intended only for the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not _______________________________________ 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
