Stacey Peacock's view of protest is refreshing in our time of corporate media spin reinforcing reactionary opinion and jingoistic and racist lockstep conformity, whether on the war in Iraq or refusal to acknowledge the realities of racial profiling & police abuses of power. Many like to banter about worls like'democracy' or 'freedom', yet,these are hollow abstractions too often rejected when actually applied.Any real wquality,progress in workers' rights and the Bill of Rights having any meaning only exists through CITIZENS' efforts in the streets, challenging the halls of power or in the courts.If protest or redress is not allowed, the results are the suicide bombers in Israel or the 'melee' we saw on the Northside.
I guess the Minnesota recovery joke"Denial ain't just a river in Egypt' is true,if people are still dissmissing the Aug. 22nd blow-up as just criminal. Guess they said the same after the LA Rebellion reacting to exonerating the brutal cops the whole nation saw on TV beating Rodney King.What could persuage them that there are REAL problems between the MPD & inner city communities that desperately need addressing? The irony is that the FLIPSIDE of brutality is NEGLECT, where police do not give good service to deal w/crime.(I say this as a crime victim.) Thankfully, Steve Marchese is one of 17 people on the Civil Rights Commission who does get it. Federal meddiation could make the necessary changes to rein out of control,abusive officers and create more equitable police practices,which inevitably will lead to the community co-operation with police which makes law enforcement much effective. I hope Minneapolis will be much more like London than Washington,DC,as people exercise our First Amendment rights to freedom of assembly and free speech.That's the heart of democracy and if the people's will is denied, the results are what we saw Aug. 22nd. Its a sad irony many Americans don't understand the essence of what democratic aspirations are about. Lydia Howell Phillips _______________________________________ 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
