I realize Shawn Lewis has aspirations of filling Joe Biernat's seat, (if Joe leaves or loses his court action). What I do not understand is his running against Robert Lillegren, unless he also plans to move to either the 8th or the 6th Ward. Robert Lillegren has always been on the side of neighborhoods and communities of color. He has a history of such leadership, so I am amazed by the comments in this so called "Press Release". Robert has hardly been the leading edge of establishment politics, in fact he has always been rather too anti-establishment. If he is getting in the way of some "ground swell" he must have a reason. Or is it that he is not catching the wave fast enough?
I truthfully am unaware of a "growing ground swell", unless what is being talked about is a growing "ground swell" of support for Federal mediation to force the City of Minneapolis to provide more aggressive Police action in poorer communities and communities of color. Or a ground swell to force Hennepin County Drug Court Judges to apply the law to Drug dealers plying their trade in poor neighborhoods as enthusiastically as they apply it to those criminals preying upon "Good" neighborhoods and suburbs. Hennepin County Drug Court Judges impose lighter sentences for doing crime in poor neighborhoods and this discriminates against these communities and does not afford poor communities "Equal Protection Under the Law". Federal Mediation to address this inequity IS appropriate. In fact there are those who are considering the filing of a class action in Federal Court to force Hennepin County Judges to more vigorously and equally enforce the law. Also, NO Minneapolis Police Officer should ever suggest moving out of a "Bad" neighborhood rather than vigorously enforcing the law in that neighborhood. It is probably against Federal Fair Housing Law for a public official to even make such a suggestion. Isn't this the same as "Red Lining" a community? Criminals have for far too long been allowed to prey upon poor communities and communities of color. It is discrimination of the highest order to not provide equal protection for these communities. Poor people of color are victimized by crime at a far higher per capita rate than more affluent people from what City officials view as "Good Neighborhoods". We need more aggressive police action, or any Police action, NOT LESS. As this more aggressive police action takes place we also need to hold our Police Officers to the highest possible standards of conduct. Good, aggressive, professional, police work requires the utmost respect for the residents of our neighborhoods. At the same time, not aggressively enforcing the law because of the race of some one or of some community is disrespectful to the good people who make up 98% of the people in these communities. So Robert, since you have always been for more aggressively enforcement of the law and "Equal Protection" for us in poor neighborhoods, is there some reason you are not riding this "ground swell" wave? Jim Graham, Ventura Village >With calm eyes gauge your fellow men; with a calm heart deal with all matters; with a calm mind find the reason in things.< ----- Original Message ----- From: Shawn Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 6:22 AM Subject: [Mpls] Press Release Challenges CM Lilligren on various issues > > > PRESS RELEASE ** PRESS RELEASE *** PRESS RELEASE > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > For more info: Pauline Thomas > October 2, 2002 > 612-827-4158 > > > Last Monday, September 23, 2002, the > Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission voted > 17-0-2 for FEDERAL mediation in the City > of Minneapolis. The MCRC of which 7 members > are appointed by the Mayor and 14 by the > City Council joined the growing > groundswell supporting FEDERAL > mediation. > > We applaud the Civil Rights Commission for > its courageous stand in the face of ploys by > certain City Council members to delay or kill > this powerful solution. > > > The Civil Rights Commission voted for > FEDERAL mediation, despite a recently-authored "plan" by Councilmember Lilligren, > designed to kill FEDERAL mediation and allow > the City to control all aspects of any > discussions. > > The FEDERAL mediators have a protocol to > ensure that the affected communities and their > chosen representatives sit on one side of > the table. But the Lilligren Plan proposes > to plant its chosen representatives of the > City on both sides of the table. That's > not mediation, that's just another committee > meeting. > > Why the elaborate bait and switch? "It's > beginning to be more and more obvious that > the City does have something to hide," said > Pauline Thomas. "Otherwise, why is all this > effort being expended to keep citizens in > the affected communities from having a > voice?" > > In the same meeting that the Minneapolis Civil > Rights Commissioners learned that the Lilligren > Plan had these city officials sitting on > the "community" side of the table, it voted > 17-0-2 for FEDERAL mediation. > > > The choice is clear. > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > > FEDERAL MEDIATION NOW is a grassroots > organization of individuals and organizations, including: Somali Justice Advocacy Center, > Somali Student Union, Eritrean Community, > Ethiopian Community Center, Confederation of > Somali Communities, Somali Community of > Minnesota, Oromo Community Center, Community Collaborative, Communities United Against > Police Brutality, North Country Co-op, > Anti-War Committee, National Lawyers > Guild, Minnesota Coalition for Black Civic > Participation. > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > > > QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT LILLIGREN > FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR > > > Robert Lilligren, as Minneapolis City Council > member for the 8th Ward, represents one of the > most diverse wards in this City. We believe > that Mr. Lilligren is fully aware of the fact > that things are not all that great in > Minneapolis for communities of color. > > > But who does Lilligren represent when he votes? > > See Article I > > (Schiff v. Lilligren; both councilmembers > say they are moving federal mediation on > police-community relations forward. > > http://www.citypages.com/databank/23/1138/article10727.asp > > > MINNEAPOLIS: Council defers mediation > decision Residents who want a federal > mediator to step into Minneapolis' > troubled neighborhoods were handed a setback > Friday. By an 8-5 vote, the Minneapolis > City Council rejected a proposal by Council > Member Gary Schiff that would have directed > city staff to begin work with federal > mediator Patricia Campbell Glenn on easing > conflict between the police and segments > of the community. > > > See Article II > > The full article will be available on the > Web for a limited time: > > http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/4071065.htm > > > > > The Community is deeply concerned about the > voting record of Council Member Robert Lilligren. > In our community, we need leadership that > believes in the people that they serve and > is willing to help create positive change > for all members of the community. > We believe that Mr. Lilligren needs to begin > to work towards racial fairness and > stop representing only a small segment of > his constituents. > > > In the meantime, we would like > Council member Lilligren to answer > these questions: > > 1.Prior to voting on an issue, what > process do you use to make sure that > you know the needs and concerns of all > of your constituents? > > > POLICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS > > 2.What specific actions have you taken > since taking office to learn more about > possible civil rights abuses committed > by Minneapolis police officers? > > > 3.Clearly, many constituents of color and > others want to address community/police > relations through Federal mediation. > Why are you undermining this effort? > > 4.True or False - Residents of the 8th > Ward and throughout the City have had > their civil rights violated by Minneapolis > police officers? > > 5.What specific actions have you taken > to address incidents of civil rights abuses > by the police against residents of the 8th Ward > and throughout the City? > > > 6.What specific actions will you take to > ensure that the Minneapolis Department of > Civil Rights will adequately and fairly review > the conduct of Minneapolis police officers? > Can we really trust an internal > Minneapolis Department to tell > the very powerful Police Department > that it has violated the law? > > 7.Who in your office is assigned to > address constituent complaints about the > Minneapolis police? > > DISPARITIES IN ECONOMIC GROWTH > > 8.Are you aware that there are a > number of businesses owned by people of > color that are being denied access to > contracts for city work because of > discrimination? > > 9.Do you support a large public hearing > to discuss whether companies given city > money are abiding by the minority business > hiring requirements? > > 10.What specific actions have you taken to > ensure that the Minneapolis Department of > Civil Rights is adequately monitoring > whether companies given City money are > abiding by the minority business hiring > requirements? > > 11.What specific mechanisms are in place > to monitor and ensure that companies > given city money are abiding by the minority business hiring requirements? > > > > Thank you in advance for your prompt > response to these important questions. > > > Please use the same numbering system > when you respond, so that we can be sure > that we know exactly what question you > are responding to. > > > Pauline Thomas > "Community Collaborative" > > Posted per her request. > > Shawn Lewis, Field Neighborhood > > -- > __________________________________________________________ > Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com > http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup > > Get 4 DVDs for $.49 cents! plus shipping & processing. 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