Anecdotal stories of victimization have great value. They define who we are, what we fear, and what we hope to be. These narratives help to set social rules and norms which in turn formulate community obligations and responsibilities. In times of trouble, our stories become a call for action. How do we proceed?
In most cases, community response is dictated by a logical measured response. Have our action caused an effect. If so, how much? Silly statistics, in part, set budgets and therefore staffing. How many cops are enough? What is the exact formula to determine policing resources? One, two, or three cops per thousand citizens? Why do some cities need more cops and others less per capita? Despite the seriousness of current crime trends, there are citizens who would like to see fewer police. They see the police as the private militia of the "privileged". The police are akin to a brutal occupying force that trample the rights of citizens and crush liberty. It's a delicate balance between keeping the peace and infringing upon people's freedoms. It's quite caviler to claim the higher road, "no cost is too high for our citizens' safety". Yet there is a bottom line. Safety and freedom have a price tag. It will be an uphill battle to raise taxes to return to past policing staffing. I wish any current or future candidate who would advocate this track all the luck in the world. Current budget projections show increases to police department funding in the next five years, yet staffing levels are projected to decline. Public Safety is not immune to the higher cost of doing business. Obviously, there will be further budget negotiations, with other City Departments seeing budget cuts to maintain or increase Public Safety. Which cut is open to fare game? What choices should be made? If we can't buy our way out of crime and poverty, perhaps we can lead ourselves from these maladies. Mr. Graham illustrates that it can and has been done in his neighborhood. It can be done on the Northside and elsewhere too. One would expect to find, and there are plenty of, leaders in corporations, police departments, city offices, schools, churches and other social institutions. The quality of these formal leaders is often subject of debate, and fairly so. But there are leaders within our families, our neighborhoods, and within us. The trick is harnessing the right leaders who are responsible, accountable, and understanding of and to the community. I believe we have such leaders working within Minneapolis neighborhoods, some formal, some not. Others do not share this faith. That's politics, the struggle for legitimate control. If only institutional racism, and discrimination was at merely at direction of a select few. It's too widespread and mindless, which makes it so difficult to combat. Our solutions to crime and poverty do not need to be, as we can lead and apply a logical measured response. G.W. Reinhardt Excelsior 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
