Reading about the Labor Fay party incident, once again,I have fundamental questions that I hope that those who cry,"police bashing!" will take to heart:
1.would a simple noise complaint --a TRIVIAL infraction--have been handled w/such an over-reaction of force and arrests by police, if it had been a white family? 2.why are some posters NOT upset by the idea of pepper-spraying a BABY???Isn't it understandable a great-grandmother--or any other rrelative--would have been upset & tried to stop it? 3.why are POLICE considered (by some)to ALWAYS be absolutly credible?Yet,civillians-espesciallt, civilllians of color, have NO CREDIBILITY? This is no different than the old South tadition that no black person's word had any weight against any white person's. It is a tired argument to call it "police bashing" when any concerns are raised about transparency,use of force and inquitable treatment by police are raised:it is evasion & denial of REALITIES that white folk usually don't experience themselves,but its long overdue they recognize and join w/all our neighbors to address.I'm a white,transplanted Southerner (in Mpls,13 years):I can affirm racism is JUST AS BAD HERE as in Texas.Only the spin-machine & denial-systems are far more sophisticated. I have to challenge wizard marks'comments:they were a variation of "blaming the victim",similar to asking why a woman was wearing that low-cut blouse or invited her date in to her apt for a ight-cap drink.I refer her to consider the above questions. We need fderal mediation betweenthe police and communities to: address practices & policies that make misconduct more likely;to establish more transparency;to build trust;to foster better law-enforcement,where now neglect alternates w/"criminalizing" all(esp people of color)who live inparticular neighborhoods;REAL accountability for the (minority)of officers who abuse their authority from firing to criminal prosecution;a more diverse police force that reflects the Mpls of TODAY,not 30 years ago. Covering police/community issues for Pulse in recent years (including interviewing police)<I've more deeply realized how critical a role police play in a democracy:that honest public debate and real changes must be made to honor democracy. A federal mediator would be an asset in this process.I urge folks to contact the mayor & their city councilmember to AGREE to federal mediation. Besides avoiding another (bigger) outbreak of violence,it could actually SOLVE the problems of police/community relations & make addressing actual crime much more successful than it now is. LYDIA HOWELL (Pulse writer?KFAI's Catalyst Tues 11 AM)Phillips neighborhood _______________________________________ 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
