The Minneapolis Police Federation Press release said: In parts of Minneapolis today we have crime and lawlessness approaching New Orleans proportions, but our mayor cant blame it on the weather, explained Delmonico. Instead Mayor Rybak claims that the only people affected by crime are those engaged in, quote, high risk lifestyles. I dare the mayor to tell that to the mother of the threeyearold who was shot, the son of the mother who was killed buying gas and the man who was mowing his lawn and wound up beaten and kidnapped. Its not highrisk Mr. Mayor, its highcrime.
Me: I agree with Mr. Delmonico that the horrors of crime that a small percentage of citizens in New Orleans citizens have committed on their fellow citizens could most definitely happen in Mpls and already has and will continue to. I have talked to several people (none of which live in inner-city neighborhoods) this week who don't believe the lawlessness that is being committed by a small percentage of people in New Orleans could happen here. It could happen here. It does happen here. We have people in inner-city neighborhoods being raped, robbed, mugged, beaten and killed on a daily basis. We just don't have CNN cameras following them around and a horrific natural disaster as a backdrop to bring attention to it. An Exel energy guy was shot today while he was trying to fix an electrical wire. That is lawlessness on someones part. Down right reckless disregard in my book. I am as outraged by what I see on the news and read about in the paper about crime in Mpls. as I am with the newscasts from New Orleans. In the Rybak campaign rebuttal to the Police Federation press release it stated: "It is an outrage for the leadership of the police federation to use the tragic events in New Orleans to score political points. They not only need to apologize to the thousands of police, fire and other public safety officials risking their lives to help the residents of New Orleans but, he needs to apologize to the residents of New Orleans and Minneapolis for using a national tragedy where many have died for political purposes. I call on all candidates to denounce this unconscionable attack." Me: I don't think John Delmonico owes anyone an apology. He is speaking the truth as he sees it. And......he sees it everyday. He has been an officer on the streets of Minneapolis for years. He has survived at least 3 different mayors and 4 different police chiefs since I met him. Quite frankly, I don't think the people of New Orleans give a hoot what John Delmonico or R.T. Rybak think right now. So demanding Mr. Delmonico apologize to the good people of New Orleans and all police officers and firefighters is just meaningless rhetoric. The Minneapolis Police Federation issued a "vote of no confidence" in its current leader, Mayor Rybak. I didn't see anywhere in the press release where it said "anyone but Ostrow, Johnson, Schiff, Lilligren et al. No, it just said "anyone but Rybak". In the Rybak campaign rebuttal to the Police Federation press release it also stated: "Mayor Rybak's record on crime is clear. Public safety has been his highest priority since becoming Mayor." Promising to add 71 police officers when you took away 150 over a 4 year period does not lend itself to proof that Public Safety has been the mayors highest priority since becoming mayor. To me R.T.' is the one attempting to score political points by promising to add more officers within weeks of the election because the crime issue is an Achilles heel for him. Too little too late! Barb Lickness Whittier Ward 6 "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead 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
