Steve supports a resolution, but wants to see action as well as words. He opposes war, but also opposes police brutality.
Good. We can put these together. Often peaceful protests against war, and other controversial issues, are met with police repression - pepper spray, batons, rubber bullets, blockades, herding into arrest areas, etc - all designed to curtail or end public opposition to government/special interest policy. As has happened here re Hwy 55, Mayday, ISAG, Critical Mass. So. The council should resolve vs war in Iraq, and for complete freedom to occupy public spaces to protest, with no police obstruction or brutality. Perhaps even a body to immediately take up repression when it happens, with subpoena power, to enforce our First Amendment rights. I also like the suggested addition of concrete moves to sustainable energy (vs oil) for city properties. Perhaps also a stand against JROTC coming into Mpls (it's already in St Paul, alas). And for small business, business not dependent on invading third world countries for resources and markets. We are in a bad system, and need to get round it every way we can, locally, here and now. These can easily be moves to make life here much better for all of us. --David Shove On Wed, 4 Dec 2002 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ... > I would support a resolution in the City Council that similarly linked how > the city did business or otherwise performed its functions with opposition > to the war effort. However, I fail to see how a simple statement opposing > war would be helpful beyond the exhortation to the federal government and > others to act differently. Nice words, but so what? I would rather not > give councilmembers cover by allowing them to tout their stated opposition > to the war without really examining how the city's activities (which they > oversee) could be directed to actually supporting peaceful activities both > here and abroad. To my mind, while I oppose war, I also oppose police > brutality, violence against families and children, the lack of affordable > housing options and a host of other issues about which the city can actually > DO SOMETHING. I'm all for thinking globally and acting locally. I just > think the rubber has to hit the road with more than just proclamations from > elected officials. A simple declaration opposing war isn't the proper role > of the City Council. Concrete actions taken to reduce violence and a host > of other life-negating activities here in Minneapolis would really be worth > the Council's time. > > Steve Marchese > Ward 11 / Hale _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
