Peter Schmitz: Finally, as long as council members like [Lisa]Goodman, Barb Johnson, Gary Schiff, Dan Nizoliek, Scott Benson and Sandy Colvin Roy continue their show of indifference to blacks and other groups that have been hurt by Minneapolis law enforcement personnel, they will have much to answer for if anther race riot breaks out during their term.
Eva Young: I'd be interested in hearing why either the choice of Lucy Gerold or Sharon Lubinski would somehow be a racist choice - as Peter Schmitz implies. Eva Young: I think what's interesting is that most of the women city council members all find Rybak's actions on this suggest that under this mayor, ambitious women city employees face a glass ceiling in terms of promotions. That is troubling. Peter Schmitz: Please, re-read my comments, list members. I never implied that a preference for Lucy Gerold or Sharon Lubinski would be a racist choice. However, if the shoe fits . . . Because Mayor Rybak represents the entire city of Minneapolis, whereas each council member represents one ward in Minneapolis, the Mayor is naturally more accountable to the city at large (i.e., non-white citizens as well as white citizens). More than the City Council, the Mayor has to answer to the citizens of Minneapolis if the police chief should perform under par. It's rather easy for my council member, Dan Nizoliek, to balk at Rybak's choice of William McManus when most of his constituents in Ward 10 are white and less likely to have experienced police brutality. And as far as I know, no area in Dan's ward has been burdened with the city's unwritten policy of crime containment, certainly not my neighborhood. Does Council member Nizoliek's preference for an insider to fill the Police Chief position make him a racist? Absolutely not. Does his tacit approval of or failure to challenge crime containment make him a racist? Possibly, and perhaps a classist as well. Whatever the case, Dan Nizoliek, along with too many of his white colleagues is certainly displaying gross insensitivity to racial minorities and poorer neighborhoods outside his ward, people he knows he doesn't have to be accountable to on a practical level, though, he and every other council member, whether they like to admit it or not, are morally and ethically accountable to Minneapolis citizens outside their ward. Furthermore, Dan's preference for an insider, given the history and culture of our police force, is exceptionally disturbing, given his position as chairperson of the council's Public Safety Committee. (Safety for whom?) However, if Dan Nizoliek, or any member of this list, is able to provide examples of what Sharon Lubinski or Lucy Gerold have done to counter racism and violence among their colleagues, then I'll gladly reconsider my position. As for women city council members who are concerned about women city employees hitting a glass ceiling of promotion, I'll repeat what I posted on Friday: I encourage Council member Lisa Goodman to reconsider her support for Mayor Rybak and his current fund raising tactics for his re-election as long as she feels his affirmative action record stinks. ----Peter Schmitz CARAG REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
