David Brauer says, >"As I've pointed out on the list before (but not recently), there's a bit of urban legend about this.
When Bouza said we didn't have a gang problem, he also added "we have a youth problem." He wasn't dismissing the existence of gangs - he was trying to emphasize the root causes, such as too few alternatives for teens and younger kids in low-income areas, and that solutions go beyond policing (treating the disease rather than the symptom)."< David Brauer may be partially correct about the public statements of Tony Bouza, but does not present the complete story. Now as old Paul Harvey says "the rest of the story". Prior to the "public statements" there was another forum where Tony Bouza indeed DID express just those sentiments and those words. Not "Urban Legend" but fact. Leaders of the PVNAG group and representatives of PNIA who were interested in the rising crime problem had a meeting with several City Council Members and Tony Bouza. The meeting occured in City Hall and was attended by Tony Scallon, Brian Coil, and some other CM's that I do not remember. As well as Jim Graham, Brian Daniels, Mohsen Agamirzai, and some PNIA board members. The neighborhood was concerned that there was a rising gang problem with organized black youth gangs (mainly from Chicago) starting to cause problems in the Phillips neighborhood. Part of the concern was that Indian youth from the neighborhood were beginning to talk about organizing for self-protection and there was a problem with street dealing as well as drug and gang houses being set up. Tony Scallon had arranged the meeting because he also had some concern about the problem. Tony Bouza made that famous statement that he would later repeat in a more buffered form. I believe he started by saying that we in Minnesota were naive and did not know what gangs were. That this was Minneapolis, NOT New York! That we not only did not have a gang problem but that there was not a drug and crime problem. This of course caused some slight confrontation,(some people have suggested that I do not give adequate respect to public officials) that ended with Brian Coil having a fit about our suggesting that Minneapolis was not taking care of problems and that we were fools that did not know what we were talking about and leaving the meeting. A few days later Brian would literally throw a "hissy fit" at a similar confrontation on the same subject at the Franklin Library. Brian of course quickly changed his opinion; so much so that approximately 90 days latter Brian was stating to reporters "The most important problem facing Minneapolis is the gang and drug problem". Brian would from that time become one of our allies in that fight. The above took place long before to the rise of the "Club" and other Indian gangs that started as groups of friends protecting themselves and ended with becoming organized crime of their own. Long before the fiasco of Guardian Angels and stupid attempts by a Mayor and a Police Department to legitimize organized crime gangs by playing softball games and having "Gang Summits". Such would culminate with that ultimate of all disgraces, the joke of a Minneapolis Deputy Chief of Police trying to create "understanding and cooperation" between the Police and the leaders of the "Organized Crime" in Minneapolis. Such things may be the stuff of "Urban Irony" and disgrace, but it is not "Legend". The sad thing is that it is "Urban Fact" not legend! That chubby little Irishman Tony Scallon was ahead of his time and much brighter than the rest of Minneapolis' leadership. Either Tony was just smarter than the rest or he had that unique quality among Minneapolis politicians, he knew how to listen to people. Either way Tony Scallon was taking the warnings serious and acting on them when the rest of the supposed "leadership", including the Mayor, Council, and most important the Chief of Police were asleep at the wheel. Brian C is sadly is no longer here, but Tony Scallon, Brian Daniels, Jim Graham, and others who were there at that meeting are. They probably all remember and can shed some light upon this ultimate of ironies. The truth was attempted to be covered up by creating an urban legend that the truth was an "Urban Legend". Business as usual in Minneapolis Tony Scallon contributes to the "List" from time to time. Perhaps he can jog that once sharp mind, (now occupied with educating our youth) and remember those days of yesteryear when the stuff of Legend was created. Jim Graham, Ventura Village > "Many receive advice, few profit by it." - Publilius Syrus, 1st Century B.C. (and still true) REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? 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