Post forwarded to Mpls Forum at David's request. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Strand" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Chris L Beckwith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Mpls - Issues" <mpls@"mnforum.org..mnforum.org"> Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 5:09 PM Subject: Re: [Mpls] Bonfire Now!
> I would like to assure Mr. Beckwith and others that my > post about the Buyout Block Party was primarily > intended to remove the idea that the financial cost of > buying out Mr. Olson's contract should be the deciding > factor in whether or not to buyout the contract. I > understand that removing Mr. Olson could be merely a > cosmetic and/or carthatic gesture. If however, > removing Mr. Olson and replacing him with another > Chief would move the problems with our police > department forward, I believe that the cost should not > be a mitigating factor. > > I would also add that considering the number of on and > offline posts I have recieved offering to help > organize such an event, I think we may well have > enough concern about the issue of police community > relations that the community would be willing to help > mitigate the cost of constructive action- whether that > being ousting the police chief or some other clear > action with costs attatched. > > If we as a community are finding sufficient resources > within our private and public sectors to build a new > Guthrie Theater, Walker Art Center, Children's Theater > expansion, Pantages Theater remodeling,(all projects > that I support) and even a new Twins Ballpark(I'm > definitely not sold on this one). Certainly we could > find the financial resources to help move the crisis > in police/community relations in the right direction > IF buying out the contract would, in fact, accomplish > that end. > > I don't want our community leadership to feel their > hands are tied on this issue due to the city's current > financial crisis brought about by changes in taxation > wrought at the state level and beyond their control. > I believe many in the community see this as a severe > enough crisis that we are ready to lend our community > leadership whatever assistance they may need to help > remedy the problem. > > Thanks, David Strand > Loring Park > > PS I personally have witnessed behavior by members of > our police that I found to be very professional and > sincere in attitude of service to the community as > well as occasional behavior I found puzzling if not > reprehensible(such as some of the poor decisions > during the ISAG protests witnessed from my home). > > --- Chris L Beckwith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > In the midst of posts proposing we stage an > > Olsen buy out party and other suggestions for > > hastening his removal from the police department, > > I like to take this opportunity to bluntly wonder > > out loud whether the sensibility behind these > > calls for his departure are symbolically akin to > > the ritualistic stoning episode depicted in > > Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." There seems to > > be an unmistakable rush for catharsis - inducing > > expiation and renewal: ah yes, getting rid of him > > will change everything! Do we really think this? > > Or has our need for a more realistic and > > skeptical civic thinking simply been mislaid? > > Perhaps the gleeful prospect of dancing around a > > bonfire is just too enticing. Might I suggest we > > bring in a regiment of crystal healers and stage a > > healing ceremony for the city as well? In any > > case, mere celebration is no solution. > > > > As Dean Zimmerman, quoted in the Strib today, > > comments: We've got a real serious gulf between > > the citizens and police (in the Phillips > > neighborhood). Nobody's shown me whether firing > > this chief and getting a new one would help or > > hinder that situation." > > > > True enough. > > > > While I have no particular stake in whether Olsen > > stays or goes, I 'd nonetheless like a clear > > statement of where the disparity exists in Ols en's > > and the Mayor's views on the role, function, and > > policies of the police department. Thus far, > > understandably, these discussions have been held > > behind closed doors for reasons of personal > > deference. But the topic - and the differences > > between the two - should be made public. In the > > absence of that, we're merely reaching for an > > easy "good guy/ bad guy" dichotomy which, > > realistically, is of no service to anyone. While > > the police chief serves at the pleasure of the > > Mayor, we are also talking about a police chief > > with seven years of tenure in this department and > > additional years in previous others. Whether or > > not we like what he thinks, his views are based in > > real world experience and should be conceded some > > credence. Certainly understanding his views, as > > well as the Mayor's, will go a long way toward > > helping determine the sort of police force we do > > want, if not understanding the realities the > > police face. > > > > So, put away the sacrificial kits and put out the > > bonfire, folks, because there's still much to be > > understood and work to be done. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > 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 > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! 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