Mark Wilde: It is just as likely that they are not gang related. How is it possible to prove correlation between gang graffitti and shoes on the line and anything else?
Ed Kohler: You could be right about the gang correlation. I'm just trying to treat an easily treatable symptom that has a side effect of blight. What's the root cause? I'm not sure. But I do know the symptom is easily treatable if I can only get Xcel to remove shoes from powerlines in a timely manner. Mark Wilde: Now you are saying that the bad scary criminal is coming here from Los Angeles and he is bringing his shoes? Ed Kohler: As I said in my last post, "I still don't have any solid evidence explaining why the shoes appear on lines, but still consider it highly likely they signify some kind of nefarious activity in problematic neighborhoods of the city." Commander Mike Martin, the metro region commander for the Gang Strike Force (Title used for Cmdr. Martin in KARE 11 article I found from Feb.), stated in the FOX 9 Shoefiti report that he's heard shoes are used to mark gang territory in Los Angeles. It isn't much leap to theorize that gangs in South Minneapolis with L.A. roots would import their tactics. Here's an image from an MPD report on Minneapolis gang activity (found here: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/citywork/police/stats/street-gangs.pdf\) overlaid with the locations of shoes in Central and Phillips: http://www.4factors.com/pics/graffiti/street-gangs16.gif Does that prove anything? No. But it suggests a correlation to me. Mark Wilde: You continue to make this assumption without any proof and after you have seen evidence of hundreds of other theories as to why those shoes are up there. Ed Kohler: That's a straw man argument. I've never suggested there is only one reason why shoes are thrown on powerlines. Scott Moore: Causation is not the same as correlation. Shoefiti and crime occur in the same neighborhood. A study can show the correlation between one and the other. There may be some unknown events or actions that are causing either the shoes or the crime or both. Ed Kohler: Well put. We don't need to verify the correlation to justify removing them, but if one was proven, it might accelerate their removal. -Ed Kohler Working on our City's 'fitis from Cooper REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
