RE: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

[Peter Jessen]

First, I appreciate the gracious way Wizard requests shorter posts.
Although difficult for me, I will certainly do my best to do so as often as
I can.  Wizard has also reminded us of something very important to remember:
that there is no one African American point of view.  He says that "Mr.
Edwards has a decidedly different point of view than those most often
"heard" in the African American community."  In my various trips to town and
interviews with Mr. Edwards and others I continually saw this.  He writes
about racism and speaks stories that Whites often have no comprehension of
and other Blacks don't want discussed.  By combining historical interludes
with contemporary chapters, he helps close this gap in understanding.  This
is important in any case but particularly to the case of mediation.  There
are between 30,000 and 40,000 Blacks in Minneapolis.  And yet, less than 400
are members of the NAACP.  If you count this as one way of voting, then one
can say that it is a stretch to say that the NAACP represents the thinking
of Blacks in Minneapolis.  For the city to dismiss members of the community
in favor of organizations that only offer name recognition is to dismiss the
concept of community.  The March 17, 1999 "Black Like Us" article in City
Pages, reported on the NAACP elections then, in which the doors opened up
with a long line of Whites waiting to vote.  The same happened in the most
recent 2002 election.  How can an organization represent Blacks when the
leadership is elected by Whites?  As the City Pages article points out, at
stake were "costly, long-term city and state projects," and thus the Whites
voting voting wanted, as Mr. Edwards notes in his Chapter 14, the "right"
Blacks in charge.  They didn't want Ms. Seals to win then and they didn't
want Mr. Edwards to win in 2002.  They were successful both times.
Peter Jessen, Portland

 -Original Message-
From:   WizardMarks [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent:   Friday, March 21, 2003 7:56 AM
To:     Mpls Forum
Cc:     Peter Jessen
Subject:    Re: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2)
Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

Peter Jessen wrote:

>Chris raises excellent points.  My guess is when you read Ron's [Edwards]
chapter 16,
>where he discusses mediation, you would have a different sense of that and
I
>do look forward to discussing it once you have had a chance to read that
>chapter.
>
WM: Though this is an understandable pride in a work Mr. Jessen and Ron
Edwards did together, I think it glosses the best reason for having
copies to hand.
Mr. Edwards has a decidedly different point of view than those most
often "heard" in the African American community. When a group decides to
tackle a problem, it is helpful to have a hologram, so to speak, of the
issue. Mr. Edwards' book provides pieces of the issue. If we are serious
about dealing with the issue of how racism afflicts us all, then it's
prudent to hear the different voices.
This is an argument for the public library's value to the community, of
course. :-)

I do think, though, Mr. Jessen, that one could distill the quotes down
to something less than a tome.

WizardMarks, Central

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Re: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

[WizardMarks]

Peter Jessen wrote:

Chris raises excellent points.  My guess is when you read Ron's [Edwards] chapter 16,
where he discusses mediation, you would have a different sense of that and I
do look forward to discussing it once you have had a chance to read that
chapter. 

WM: Though this is an understandable pride in a work Mr. Jessen and Ron 
Edwards did together, I think it glosses the best reason for having 
copies to hand.
Mr. Edwards has a decidedly different point of view than those most 
often "heard" in the African American community. When a group decides to 
tackle a problem, it is helpful to have a hologram, so to speak, of the 
issue. Mr. Edwards' book provides pieces of the issue. If we are serious 
about dealing with the issue of how racism afflicts us all, then it's 
prudent to hear the different voices.
This is an argument for the public library's value to the community, of 
course. :-)

I do think, though, Mr. Jessen, that one could distill the quotes down 
to something less than a tome.

WizardMarks, Central



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RE: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

[Peter Jessen]

mission, which is to help
everyone find the common ground on which all can stand regardless of their
difference in viewpoints, so everyone can stand up for everyone else, as he
continues his efforts to promote getting equal access and equal opportunity
for everyone within the bounds of justice and fairness.


 -Original Message-
From:   [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]  On Behalf Of
Chris Johnson
Sent:   Thursday, March 20, 2003 7:05 PM
To: Mpls Forum
Subject:    Re: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2)
Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

Peter Jessen wrote:
> It would appear that the City Council will pass a resolution tomorrow,
> 3/21/03, sponsored by CMs Johnson and Zirby, to direct the police chief to
> proceed with  mediation IF, IF, IF these three conditions are met:  (1)
the
> writ of mandamus (writ from superior court to lower court directing some
> action) is dropped; (2) that a recognized community organization sign off
on
> the mediation, and (3) that the Federal mediation office agree to proceed.
> With these three, the City Council and the  Mayor will then direct the
chief
> to participate.

[snip]

The information about the writ of mandamus was interesting and useful
knowledge.  It really wasn't necessary to cloud it in the self-promoting
inflammatory rhetoric of Ron Edwards.  But I guess I do thank you for
including those choice quotes from Mr. Edwards, as my opinion of him has
now dropped several dozen notches.

The "Jills" will never drop their lawsuit?  They have stated publicly
that as soon as Chief Olson shows up at mediation, they will drop it.  I
see no reason for them to lie about that.

I'd sure like to get to the bottom of this whole issues -- it stinks
like a pile of dead fish, but just exactly who is doing what for what
obscure personal gain is impossible to see.

I do know that you ought to have let us know with each of your recent
references to Ron Edwards book that you make money for each copy sold.
Otherwise we might come to think you're trying to promote sales of it on
this list, which strikes me as rather unethical.

Chris Johnson
Fulton



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Re: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

[dain lyngstad]

The problem of course is that the judicial system is
populated by politicals who will not force their party
to do their job or risk embarassing their party by
insisting they do their job. Dain
Lyngstad,phillips/edina
--- Peter Jessen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> It would appear that the City Council will pass a
> resolution tomorrow,
> 3/21/03, sponsored by CMs Johnson and Zirby, to
> direct the police chief to
> proceed with  mediation IF, IF, IF these three
> conditions are met:  (1) the
> writ of mandamus (writ from superior court to lower
> court directing some
> action) is dropped; (2) that a recognized community
> organization sign off on
> the mediation, and (3) that the Federal mediation
> office agree to proceed.
> With these three, the City Council and the  Mayor
> will then direct the chief
> to participate.  Asked his opinion of this, Ron
> Edwards, author of "The
> Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes" (in which he
> discusses the origin of
> this whole mediation action and problem in Chapter
> 16) has noted that "this
> is just another example of the council to avoid its
> duty."  He went on to
> say that "the two Jills will never drop their writ"
> (see story in City Pages
>
(http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1163/article11127.asp
>

> ), and that the
> second requirement is "stupid and infantile as there
> are already credible
> people at the table."  As to the third requirement,
> Edwards noted that "the
> Federal mediation office has already agreed." 
> Further, said Edwards, "I am
> troubled by the designation of a lame duck chief who
> will be departing on or
> before January 4, 2004.  What incentive and passion
> will he now have to work
> with the community?"
> 
> According to Edwards this is just another sign of
> how messed up the city
> system of operations is, as seen in the other news,
> that Ann Albright
> resigned as Human Resources Director.  As Edwards
> stated, "I'm not surprised
> by her resignation.  Her office is responsible for
> all of the layoffs and
> job banks.  I predicted she would leave six months
> ago.  Its too chaotic and
> messed up."
> 
> As background for the writ of mandamus:  it is
> interesting to note that a
> writ of mandamus, a writ or court order directing a
> public official to
> perform his official duty, can be used on any
> official to fulfill their
> constitutional duty, from the President (can only be
> issued from the Supreme
> Court) to the Mayor or Police Chief (which can be
> issued by a local court).
> Learn more at
>
http://www.jurisdictionary.com/dictionary/dictionary%20w.htm#Writ%20of%20Man
> damus
>
 ndamus> , about how this allows for "ordering a
> government official
> (regardless of branch or level) to give an answer on
> the public record
> explaining by what authority he or she is acting in
> a particular situation."
> Thus, it is a very powerful writ.  One may not agree
> with the two  Jills and
> their Writ of Mandamus, but they open up to all the
> existence of a very
> powerful writ that many don't know about.  That
> raises the question of what
> it is that the chief is hiding that he, the mayor,
> and the council don' want
> him on the public record explaining his actions? 
> Thus, although a writ of
> mandamus can only be issued by a court, it exists as
> a way to enable people
> to get their officials to do their job, to make
> leaders do what their
> Constitutional job descriptions require of them. 
> The very act of their
> doing so shows that one side believes another side
> is not doing its job.
> Clearly one can disagree with this strategy but one
> can also not disagree
> that the Chief is not doing his job and that neither
> the Mayor nor City
> Council is forcing him to do his job.  What better
> sign is there of urgent
> need for mediation between police and community?
> Peter Jessen, Portland, www.TheMinneapolisStory.com
>   
> 

> ATTACHMENT part 2 application/ms-tnef
name=winmail.dat



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[Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns

[Peter Jessen]

It would appear that the City Council will pass a resolution tomorrow,
3/21/03, sponsored by CMs Johnson and Zirby, to direct the police chief to
proceed with  mediation IF, IF, IF these three conditions are met:  (1) the
writ of mandamus (writ from superior court to lower court directing some
action) is dropped; (2) that a recognized community organization sign off on
the mediation, and (3) that the Federal mediation office agree to proceed.
With these three, the City Council and the  Mayor will then direct the chief
to participate.  Asked his opinion of this, Ron Edwards, author of "The
Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes" (in which he discusses the origin of
this whole mediation action and problem in Chapter 16) has noted that "this
is just another example of the council to avoid its duty."  He went on to
say that "the two Jills will never drop their writ" (see story in City Pages
(http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1163/article11127.asp
 ), and that the
second requirement is "stupid and infantile as there are already credible
people at the table."  As to the third requirement, Edwards noted that "the
Federal mediation office has already agreed."  Further, said Edwards, "I am
troubled by the designation of a lame duck chief who will be departing on or
before January 4, 2004.  What incentive and passion will he now have to work
with the community?"

According to Edwards this is just another sign of how messed up the city
system of operations is, as seen in the other news, that Ann Albright
resigned as Human Resources Director.  As Edwards stated, "I'm not surprised
by her resignation.  Her office is responsible for all of the layoffs and
job banks.  I predicted she would leave six months ago.  Its too chaotic and
messed up."

As background for the writ of mandamus:  it is interesting to note that a
writ of mandamus, a writ or court order directing a public official to
perform his official duty, can be used on any official to fulfill their
constitutional duty, from the President (can only be issued from the Supreme
Court) to the Mayor or Police Chief (which can be issued by a local court).
Learn more at
http://www.jurisdictionary.com/dictionary/dictionary%20w.htm#Writ%20of%20Man
damus
 , about how this allows for "ordering a government official
(regardless of branch or level) to give an answer on the public record
explaining by what authority he or she is acting in a particular situation."
Thus, it is a very powerful writ.  One may not agree with the two  Jills and
their Writ of Mandamus, but they open up to all the existence of a very
powerful writ that many don't know about.  That raises the question of what
it is that the chief is hiding that he, the mayor, and the council don' want
him on the public record explaining his actions?  Thus, although a writ of
mandamus can only be issued by a court, it exists as a way to enable people
to get their officials to do their job, to make leaders do what their
Constitutional job descriptions require of them.  The very act of their
doing so shows that one side believes another side is not doing its job.
Clearly one can disagree with this strategy but one can also not disagree
that the Chief is not doing his job and that neither the Mayor nor City
Council is forcing him to do his job.  What better sign is there of urgent
need for mediation between police and community?
Peter Jessen, Portland, www.TheMinneapolisStory.com
  
<>