Article emailed to me directly from Pauline Thomas Community Collaborative March 6, 2003 Spokesman-Recorder EDITORIAL By: Pauline Thomas
Do Black Community Leaders Really Want Change? I think we can all agree that the black community has simply suffered too much police misconduct. I have been on the front lines trying to get the City of Minneapolis to make systemic change in its Police Department. Back in mid August a small group of us met with US government officials about police misconduct. We looked at our options, and decided to request federal mediation. The Department Of Justice (DOJ) said they needed an issues letter to be able to talk to the City about possible mediation. Prior to this, no one had actually asked the DOJ to mediate in Minneapolis. We sent our request at noon on 8/22/02, just hours before the riot in the Jordan neighborhood. Federal Mediator Pat Glenn showed up right away, and despite the City's alleged concern over the riot, she tried for months to get Minneapolis to agree to federal mediation. Some black leaders came out against federal mediation. Spike Moss publicly opposed federal mediation (StarTribune 8/25/02). However, we continued to lobby the City Council through a coalition of communities of color, called Federal Mediation Now. Finally, the City Council was primed to vote on 11/22/02. To help the Council vote for mediation, the DOJ wanted a community team organized, but no one stepped forward except for Federal Mediation Now. With advice from the DOJ on how it was done in other cities, we organized a public community meeting. We personally invited the NAACP and the Urban League. But as we all know democracies are run by those who show up, and the NAACP did not come. It is important that people know that the various communities of color each selected their own representatives, and that is how the (CNT) was born. It was at that meeting that the black community voiced that the Urban League was too dependent on city funding to be able to fight for systemic change. Clarence Hightower stated publicly, "Clearly, the Urban League should be at the table, but if not, the mediation should still go forward" (Pioneer Press: 12/20/02). But then he demanded that the Ministerial Alliance get an additional 9 seats on the Community Negotiating Team (CNT). We strenuously object to the Chief forcing his picks to the table. We are not interested in a sham mediation process. The DOJ protocols do not allow cities to pick who sits on the community team. The CNT chose to keep the identities of the team confidential, so that the City would vote on the concept of federal mediation, not whether it liked certain individuals that sat on the team. When the Council voted on November 22, the CNT was ready to go. We met with the On 12/3/02, the DOJ requested a confidential meeting to plan for mediation, which was scheduled to start 12/10. Chief Olson was the only non-CNT member who knew its location. Spike Moss busted in, demanding to know who was on the CNT. Within a couple of days, Chief Olson refused to attend the December 10 mediation, and came out against the composition of the CNT. Ultimately, Olson's claim for stopping the mediation from moving forward was that traditional black leadership needed to be at the table. To eliminate that argument we voted to invite the NAACP to sit at the table to keep the process moving. After being given that invitation the NAACP has since backed away. Why? Is this really about change or is the real goal to manipulate the outcome of this process? Olson can't be allowed to manipulate the process. The saddest part is that his dirty-work was done through African-Americans, some of whom call themselves leaders in our community. This is pitiful, and I am embarrassed. I have yet to hear anything from these so-called leaders about systemic change, or the protection of the victims of police brutality. The City of Minneapolis said they wanted federal mediation, but apparently they meant "only if we get to pick the community team." They passed a resolution agreeing to mediation, but they won't force Olson to come to the table. They just won't let the process work. We see federal mediation as a low-cost alternative to a full-scale lawsuit. But it has become clear that the City will not change unless it is forced. That same small group of dedicated people is now gearing up to file a multiple-class, class action lawsuit, including a claim for declaratory judgment and injunction. That means we will ask the federal courts to force change in the MPD. We won't back down unless the City makes clear that they will voluntarily agree to systemic change. Next week: How much police misconduct costs the city, why litigation is more expensive than mediation, and how class actions lawsuits have been successful in other cities, at making systemic change. Shawn Lewis, Field Neighborhood -- _______________________________________________ Sign-up for your own FREE Personalized E-mail at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup Meet Singles http://corp.mail.com/lavalife TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ 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
