The labels "agitators" and "malcontents" uttered by police officials who
betray their unprofessional and irresponsible bias should always be suspect
for the psychology they bring to their jobs and their rhetoric. What other
public employee institution publicly labels its critics agitators and
malcontents? Then beats them over the head for political dissent?
When the head of an organization of professional public employees like Mr.
Delmonico fail to understand the "why" behind the persistent and increasing
volume of protests over police mistreatment and killing of citizens, very
often very innocent, if often mentally ill, several conclusions are
available:
�Mr. Delmonico reinforces the fears that these guys just don't get it. So
isolated is their police culture, so insular their world, they live in a
state of constant paranoia that their universe will crumble if their
uncontrolled abuse is summarily halted. There is a reason these uniformed
marshals refer to everyone else as "civilians." They're not of our world.
�Mr. Delmonico uses the rhetoric of extremism - labeling resistors to their
illegal street work in the belief that this will divide citizens who never
in the world would want to brandish such a moniker as "agitator" or
"malcontent."
Wear the labels proudly and openly, I say, for it is the agitators and
malcontents that keep this democracy a democracy and not a police state. Let
us all assume the position, learn from Mr. Delmonico what his small
constituency thinks of us "civilians" and show him what the community
at-large thinks of those sworn to maintaining the peace while enforcing the
law too often do so by breaking those same laws, creating chaos and a
divided citizenry.
Live not in fear but in supervision of these public servants. There can only
be one reason why they react as they do: deflecting attention from their
reality.
Andy Driscoll
Saint Paul
------
"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without
action." - Benjamin Disraeli
> From: Tamir Nolley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: [Mpls] Mpls police say they're target of unfounded brutality
> allegations
>
> I've seen this letter put out by the Police Federation and addressed to the
> members of the city council.
>
> John Delmonico claims that activists ("agitators and malcontents") like
> myself have engaged in "Cop McCarthyism," referring to the police as thugs and
> "occupying army," and have contributed to a dangerous atmosphere in which
> the police find it difficult to do there jobs, thus making crime more likely
> and thus (roughly) jeopardizing public "safety."
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