Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 09.20.08

[David Shove (shove001]

             P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R    09.20.08

1. Colombia          9.21 12:25pm
2. Peace/creativity  9.21 12:30pm
3. Peace in the park 9.21 1pm
4. Stillwater vigil  9.21 1pm
5. YAWR/metro-wide   9.21 2pm
6. Amnesty Intl      9.21 3pm
7. NRP/950AM         9.21 3pm

How to file a complaint against a Mpls police officer:
8. Cam Gordon
9. Lydia Howell
     ==a Moving Mountains; I've seen American torture
     ==b People rebel after Minneapolis cops shoot boy
     ==c Michael Quinn
10. Michael Cavlan
11. Diane Peterson
12. Cam Gordon

police raids:
13. Jen Howard  - Charges vs journalists at RNC dropped; questions remain
14. Dennis Geisinger - Two Mpls council members: investigate RNC police
15. Chris Steller    - City Council 4: NO investigation of Mpls police
16. ed               - Comment on #15

17. ed               - What the council does best  (haiku)

--------1 of 17--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Colombia 9.21 12:25pm

Sunday, 9/21, 12:15 to 2 pm, Twin Cities Peace with Justice Forum series
(of the ELCA demonimation) presents Jairo Suzrez, a Colombian Lutheran
pastor and human rights worker, speaking on "A Call to Peace: Colombia,
Peacebuilding and You," Central Lutheran Church, 3rd Ave and 12th St (next
to Mpls Convention Center), Mpls.  Info from dhilden [at] comcast.net or
612-825-1481.  (Lunch available for $7.  Validated parking available in
the Central lot/ramp on the south side of the church.)


--------2 of 17--------

From: "wamm [at] mtn.org" <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Peace/creativity 9.21 12:30pm

Our Journey Home: Finding Peace through Creativity
Sunday, September 21, 12:30 to 7:00 p.m. The Loft Literary Center, 1011
Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis.

How is peace a creative act? How can one individual make a difference?
Come celebrate in a gathering at the crossroads of peace, creativity and
imagination.
 Sami Rasouli of the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT) and Iraqi Art Project,
recently returned from Iraq to his other home, Minneapolis.
 Carol Pearce Bjorlie, musician, poet, peace activist, Loft Instructor, U
of W-River Falls music instructor.

Rare gallery art show bringing together Iraqi and American artists
(proceeds of art sales will both support the artists and the work of MPT),
small-group discussions, hands-on workshops, performances by guests
include Voices for Peace and Pangea World Theater demonstrating how to use
your creativity in the service of peace, food from Indian restaurant.
Sponsored by: Peace Writers. Co-sponsored by: Iraqi and American
Reconciliation Project.


--------3 of 17--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Peace in the park 9.21 1pm

Sunday, 9/21, 1 to 5 pm, International Peace Day in the Park, with
multicultural sharing from community groups, tai chi, etc, Lake Elmo Park
Reserve, 1515 Keats Ave N, Lake Elmo.  Theresa A May-Finch, 612-345-1537
or theresa [at] heavenonearthhealing.com


--------4 of 17--------

From: scot b <earthmannow [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Stillwater vigil 9.21 1pm

A weekly Vigil for Peace Every Sunday, at the Stillwater bridge from 1- 2
p.m.  Come after Church or after brunch ! All are invited to join in song
and witness to the human desire for peace in our world. Signs need to be
positive.  Sponsored by the St. Croix Valley Peacemakers.

If you have a United Nations flag or a United States flag please bring it.
Be sure to dress for the weather . For more information go to
<http://www.stcroixvalleypeacemakers.com/>http://www.stcroixvalleypeacemakers.com/

For more information you could call 651 275 0247 or 651 999 - 9560


--------5 of 17--------

From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: YAWR/metro-wide 9.21 2pm

This Sunday, participate in the first Youth Against War & Racism meeting
of the 2008-2009 school year. We will be discussing our ARMY OF NONE
campaign. In February, following several walkouts by thousands of
students, the Minneapolis School Board voted to ban military recruiters
from school hallways and cafeterias and restrict them to career centers.
Most importantly, the resolution allows peace groups to table when
recruiters come to a school to counter their lies and pro-war propaganda.
wThe resolution gives the opportunity to minimize the effect military
recruiters have on students. However, this victory is only a small step to
getting military recruiters out of schools altogether. The goal is to set
up anti-war tables in high schools every time the military comes.

For the ARMY OF NONE campaign to succeed, we need YAWR chapters set up in
all the Minneapolis schools, to make sure every military table is
countered with an anti-war table.

We will also be discussing our role in the October 11 antiwar protest
organized by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition.

Youth Against War & Racism Metro-Wide Meeting
Sunday, September 21 - 2pm
YAWR Office (Ty's House)
3024 Chicago Ave S #1
Minneapolis, MN


--------6 of 17--------

From: Gabe Ormsby <gabeo [at] bitstream.net>
Subject: Amnesty Intl 9.21 3pm

GROUP 37 SEPTEMBER MEETING REMINDER: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 - 3 TO 5 P.M.
Join us for our regular meeting on Sunday, September 21st, from 3:00 to
5:00 p.m. The topic of this meeting is still undetermined -- please check
our website for updates. All are welcome, and refreshments will be
provided.

Location: Center for Victims of Torture, 717 E. River Rd. SE, Minneapolis
(corner of E. River Rd. and Oak St.). Park on street or in the small lot
behind the center (the Center is a house set back on a large lawn).

A map and directions are available on-line:
http://www.twincitiesamnesty.org/meetings.html


--------7 of 17--------

From: jaime mayer <info [at] jamesmayer.org>
Subject: NRP/950AM 9.21 3pm

OF THE PEOPLE:  CALL FOR ACTION
AM 950
Call-in line: 952-946-6205

Of the People: This Sunday, September 21ST at 3 p.m. on AM 950 - Air
America Minnesota's new name; call letters: ktnf - with Host James Mayer.

Threats to a democratic, safe and healthy society don't go away for the
weekend.  Neither does the bad news with which the corporate media help to
make us feel shocked, depressed or even helpless.  But for a few weekend
minutes you can refresh and regenerate your energy on Of the People. It's
a place to go to for good news that the "news" corporations monopolizing
our airwaves seldom let through:  people taking action together, on real
solutions.

How does what happens in urban neighborhoods affect all of us no matter
where we live? The Minnesota Neighborhood Revitalization Program - NRP -
has been studied elsewhere in the country, notably Harvard University, as
a model for people joining together to improve neighborhoods and
contribute to the social and financial well being of us all.

This Sunday James Mayer will again be joined by representatives of
Neighbors for NRP (website: www.neighbors4nrp.com) and the Neighborhood
Revitalization Program, NRP, as we continue to look at how and why the
people of Minnesota should use their power to keep the NRP funding and
local grassroots decisions in the hands of neighborhood communities, and
help NRP continue its work for the common good and grassroots democracy.
We cordially invite you to listen and join in.


--------8 of 17--------

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:48:24 -0500
From: Cam Gordon <camgordon333 [at] msn.com>
Subject: How to file complaint v Mpls officer

In light of the recent concerns that have been raised about police actions
during the RNC, I thought it might be useful for people to know options
that have to file a complaint against a Minneapolis police officer?  As a
council member I can use the number, nature and status of complaints to
help me guide discussion and policy decisions.  To date through
Minneapolis formal channels options there have been no formal external
complaints made against MPD officers related to RNC activity.

To file a complaint of misconduct and inappropriate behavior against
Police you have 3 options within the City.  If you have a lawyer please
consult with them before proceeding with any of these.  They are: the
Police Internal Affairs Unit, the Mpls. Civilian Police Review Authority
and the Mpls. Dept. of Civil Rights.

A complaint can be initiated by contacting the Minneapolis Civilian Police
Review Authority (CRA) office and speaking to an investigator. An official
complaint does not exist until an investigator drafts a written complaint,
the individual signs the complaint, and it is received in the CRA office.
The CRA office is located in the Grain Exchange Building, 301 4th Avenue
South, Room 670, Minneapolis, MN 55415. You can telephone the CRA at
612-673-5500.

The Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance specifies that it is illegal to
discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national
origin, sex (including sexual harassment and pregnancy), sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, and status with regard to
public assistance. A complaint must be filed in person. You may come
directly to the Minneapolis Civil Rights Office (City Hall, 350 S 5th
Street, Room 239) or call (612) 673-3012 for an appointment. If possible,
complete an intake questionnaire prior to meeting with an intake officer.
An intake officer will meet with you in person after reviewing your intake
questionnaire. The intake officer then drafts an official charge of
discrimination. After the charge of discrimination is signed and
notarized, the charge is filed and all parties are notified within 10
business days.

The Mpls. Police Departments Internal Affairs Unit is responsible for
investigating complaints of employee misconduct and violations of
department rules and regulations. External complainants have the option of
going to the MPD Internal Affairs Unit or any MPD supervisor with their
complaint. It is the stated duty of all MPD employees to report any
perceived violation of MPD regulations, rules, procedures, orders, civil
service rules, city policies, city ordinances or state or federal laws
committed by another MPD employee. Complaints can be directed to Internal
Affairs Unit City Hall, Room 126350 South 5th Street Minneapolis, MN
55415, 612) 673-3074, Fax: (612) 373-3843


--------9 of 17--------

Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:02:00 -0500
From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Re: How to file complaint v Mpls officer

I'd like to add a comment to Cam's suggestions for filing a complaint
against a Minneapolis police officer and also add a resource he left out.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS: The LEAST HARMFUL thing that can happen when you file a
complaint with Internal Affairs is that NOTHING AT ALL WILL BE DONE.

However, as an activist, I have known of and as a reporter I've written
about UN-armed people who were assaulted by police, went to Internal
Affairs to file a complaint and then had Internal Affairs inform the
officer they complained about that the complaint was filed. This resulted
in FURTHER INTIMIDATION FROM THE OFFICER AGAINST THE CIVILIANS.

I have interviewed higher ups in the Minneapolis Police department about
Internal Affairs and found that they have NO CONCERN at all about this
misuse of power and authority through IA. NONE. Internal Affiars DOES
NOT ADDRESS BRUTALITY BY POLICE OFFICERS. It MIGHT address bribes or
drug dealing by police officers (the ONLY crimes that officers are ever
fired or indicted for). But, if police kick, beat, choke, taser or shoot
an UNarmed civilian, INTERNAL AFFAIRS WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. They
never have.

COMMUNITIES UNITED AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY: For over 8 years CUAPB has
supported people as they file complaints with the Civilian review
Authority/CRA, worked to make the CRA have real teeth, worked to change
training of police when dealing with mentally ill people, stood in
solidarity with the homeless, people of color and political disidents
when they are targeted by police, worked on law suites and challenging
expansions of police power at the State legislature and city council,
and more.

IF YOU ARE BRUTALIZED BY THE POLICE, call CUAPB:Hotline 612-874-STOP (7867)
(DO NOT  call MPD Internal Affairs).
And GET INVOLVED WITH CUAPB. Only far more citizen engagement will
change the current reality that POLICE ARE ABOVE THE LAW.
Communities United Against Police Brutality
3100 16th Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Hotline 612-874-STOP (7867)
Meetings: Every Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Walker Church, 3104 16th Avenue
South
http://www.CUAPB.org

ATTACHED are 2 of the stories I've written over the years about
UN-ACCOUNTABLE police brutality: one was a cover story in PULSE that
looked at the events of MPD officers SHOOTING A 10 YEAR OLD before a
"riot" broke out in North MInneapolis;the other is an interview with
retireed MPD officer MICHEAL QUINN. After this letter, is an essay I
wrote after WITNESSING BRUTALITY one spring 2007 day in south Minneapolis.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has reported 'WIDESPREAD AND EXTENSIVE human rights
abuses by American police, jail and prison guards and border patrol
officers>" People of color and the poor of all colors are very well aware
of this. Only white, middle-class people - even those who are progressives
and care SO deeply about human rights abuses in OTHER countries - but, are
OBLIVIOUS to these very same human rights abuses here at home - even in
their own city.

==a==

Lydia Howell, Minneapolis journalist/KFAI Radio
http://www.pulsetc.com

MOVING MOUNTAINS;
I've Seen American Torture
by Lydia Howell
Tue. May 22, 2007

I  witnessed torture last week.

Thursday, May 17th, was a beautiful Minnesota spring afternoon and I was
mentally planning out the next phase of planting in my new spot in a
community garden, while out running errands. I came out to the bus stop in
the Rainbow Foods parking lot on 27th Avenue off East Lake Street - a few
blocks from where the raids on immigrants took place two days later.
Immediately, my guard went up, as a police car pulled up.

Their focus was obvious: an African-American woman. Perhaps in her early
30s, she was even more vulnerable to law enforcement by two aspects of her
situation that became apparent.

Her white jogging pants and t-shirt were dirty. She gripped a luggage
cart, with a battered overnight suitcase strapped on the bottom and
various plastic bags tied all over it. I'd bet this week's pay she was
homeless. In our age of relentless gentrification and contempt of the
poor, being homeless is treated as a crime, where one is not only
subjected to harassment and arrest, but, to beatings and theft of all
one's belongings by police.

It was also quickly clear that she was mentally ill.

In a sing-song voice she repeated the same sentence endlessly. Yet, as the
1960s radical psychologist R.D. Laing observed in the 1960s: if one
attempts to read the "metaphors of insanity", they are often very
revealing. In fact, they often say a great deal about the insane, everyday
cruelty of our culture that drives people mad.

The woman was saying, over and over,"I'm not white and I'm not a star."

One police officer was speaking too quietly to hear, but, at one point she
said, "Talk to the store manager."  Then, a Hennepin County Medical Center
ambulance drove up. The police knew they were dealing with a mentally ill
person and Mayor R.T. Rybak has made a number of reassuring speeches about
MPD's Crisis Intervention Teams---officers trained to deal differently
with mentally ill people after several mentally ill people were gunned
down by police.

There were about six of us at the bus stop, just five feet away. I
remembering thinking that surely so many witnesses present would protect
the woman from harm. The two EMT guys came forward and the second police
officer was behind the woman.

The woman made no threatening moves toward anyone, but, proclaimed with a
bit more intensity, "I'm NOT white and I'm NOT a star." She was now
surrounded by four big white men in uniforms. One cop behind her.

The officer who'd been talking to the woman put one hand on her shoulder.
Taking one step back, she jerked away and shouted,"Get your hands OFF ME!"

Then, I heard the harsh buzz as the other police officer used a stun gun,
Taser, on the woman.

One. Two. Three. Maybe even a fourth time.

Like the woman's reaction at the first officer's touch, I just reacted.
Bursting into sobs and yelling, "STOP iT! You're FOUR BIG MEN! You DON'T
have to Taser her! STOP IT!"

The woman crumpled to the ground. I guess the EMT guys stepped in, but, I
wasn't looking since the Taser cop now turned towards me.

"She's OFF her meds! Did you want her to attack YOU?"

Actually, it was the police that had scared me from the start. But, my
body was now numb and I was in "de-escalate the cops" mode. That means; be
still, maintain eye contact, keep one's voice low and use the word "sir"
frequently. He threatened to arrest me for "interfering with a police
officer', demanding I leave.

Walking quickly across the Rainbow parking lot, I desperately hoped for
another bus.  Any minute the squad car might come and then, what? Luckily,
the #7 pulled up and I jumped on.

The Taser is touted as a "non-lethal" alternative to deal with aggressive
suspects, without shooting them.  No research has been done as to its
longterm health effects. As many as 200 people have been killed by Tasers.
Police departments are supposed to train officers on when they're allowed
to use this device which administers a shock of 50,000 volts. Here's what
Amnesty International says:

"Many U.S. police agencies now ROUTINELY use Tasers to subdue UNARMED,
non-compliant individuals who DO NOT POSE A SERIOUS DANGER to themselves
or others...police have used Tasers against unruly school children,
mentally disabled and elderly people and people who simply argue with
officers..REPEATEDLY ADMINISTERED SHOCKS, sometimes while IN RESTRAINTS."
(Emphasis added)

The City of Minneapolis spent $160,000 on Tasers last year and plans on
spending $861,000 this year on more Tasers.  The Arizona-based company
supplies thousands of U.S. police departments, and, also sells them to
human rights abusing governments world-wide.

AI also notes that these weapons are "portable...easy to sue..inflict
severe pain at the push of a button and leave no marks."

That sounds like the perfect torture device for abusing one's authority
over others while evading all accountability.

American torture didn't start in Abu-Graibe. That video of Los Angeles
cops beating Rodney King - almost 60 blows with batons - exposed this
reality more than 15 years ago. See Amnesty International at
http;//amnesty


==b==

PEOPLE REBEL AFTER MINNEAPOLIS COPS SHOOT BOY
by Red Emma

"The cops are just a gang with the law behind them."

"I work! I'm NOT a drug dealer. I'm sick of being jacked up by the cops
all the time!"

"They can't justify shooting an 11-year-old boy."

These were the sentiments expressed repeatedly the morning after what
corporate media called a "melee" on August 22nd in Minneapolis' virtually
all-black Northside. A SWAT team made a 'drug raid" on the home of a large
black family. It looks to be a case of one more "wrong address", police
incompetence with a viscious carelesssness that's now common. When
11-year-old Julius Powell answered the cops' knock, with the family dog on
a leash - an obedience-trained pit bull - police opened fire with what
witnesses say were two bursts of automatic weapon-fire. The dog was killed
with three bullets and Julius was shot in the arm.(Police say a bullet
'ricocheted" off the sidewalk, insisting the boy wasn't in the line of
fire.) Where the boy was shot is also in question: the police say his
fore-arm;witnesses say,the shoulder. Facts could not be confirmed.) Police
confiscated a few cigarettes-worth of marijuana and a legal,registered
handgun.  This writer could not help but remember Malcolm X adsking almost
40 years ago,"White folks been buying guns all their lives. No commotion
about it. But, when blaacks have guns ,its a different story entirely.
"With the continued furor over so-called "Second Amemendment right to bear
arms" promoted by the National Rifle Association, why would police take a
legal gun! Guess black folks don't have that 'right' like white folks do
in this system.

In the ultimate surreal twist,the boy's grandmother was arrested for
"child endangerment."

"What kind of crazy world are we living in when the grandmother is
arrested for child endagerment when it's the police that fired the
guns?" asked Michelle Grosss of Communities United Against Police
Brutality,part of the Octover 22nd Coalition.

Within an hour, 75 to 100 people gathered - mostly youth. They shouted "No
justice! No peace!" and threw bottles at police. When mainstream media
showed up, the crowd focused their anger on reporters and their vehicles.
That the corporate press was attacked has been a source of disturbed
confusion to some, but this was no random act: The two Star Tribune
reporters beaten by the outraged people cover the "public safety" (police)
beat and embody the way corporate media acts as a propaganda/public
relations organ of the Minneapolis Police Department. They rarely
interview the people and tell avy story involving brutality from a
cop=perspective alone.

"Media is part of the problem! To them black people are just mug-shots!" a
youth said the morning after the uprising.

Both reporters ended up with broken bones and one had his car set on fire.
A TV news van waas also vandalized and other reporters run out of the
neighborhood, along with a self-proclaimed "blaack community leader". The
basic masses were also clear about who has failed to represent them and
in fact sells them out over and over again. That night they were taking
matters into their own hands,

But, when activists (both white) with Communities United Against Police
Brutality arrived, people eagerly took flyers and yellow button that
said "Danger: Police In Area" and October 22 buttons. The people were very
clear about who was an enemy and who were allies, even protecting the
activists from danger.

When this writer went to interview folks the next morning for a local
alternative paper, it was clear that its the ruling-class press and
sell-outs they're angered by. People wanted to tell their stories and
welcomed the chance to do so. While understandably most didn't want to
give their real names, they did want to say the real reasons for why
things blew up, which corporate media refuses to report.

Since MPD Officer Melissa Schmidt and 60-year-old black grandmothr Martha
Donald were both killed in a public housing highrise August 1st, police
have escalated into a vendetta-mode that steadily increased tension.
First, people find the police-story that Ms Donald killed the officer is
unbelievable. Other officers say she was pat searched before going into
the bathroom with Officer Schmidt, Wearing tight stretch pants, a 38
caliber gun would have been discovered. But, police assert that this
grandmother "pulled the gun from inside her buttocks. "They say she shot
Schnidt, the sound allerting another female officer who then came in and
shot Ms. Donald.  Activists and some community-members hypothesize it's
likely that the officer that shot Donald killed Schmidt with "friendly
fire" by over-reacting in a small space. Shooting this black woman may
have come first or may have come afterwards as a cover up for shooting a
fellow-cop.  That officer has made no public statement.

The funeral for Officer Schmidt recieved massive mainstream media
coinciding with National Night Out, the annual "know your neighbors to
prevent crime" event sponsored by police and block clubs (that are often
dominated by white property-owners committed to gentrification - which
means getting rid of the poor and people of color.) The only African
American on the Minneapolis City Council, Natalie Johnson Lee, made a
statement for the event offering condolences to BOTH the Schmidt and
Donald families. It was a simple statement of compassion, abhoring the
violence that resulted in "the untimely deaths of two fellow citizens -
two fellow human beings".  She even lauded Officer Schmidt, but that was
not good enough for the Police Federation (union) who reacted with a
viscious attack on Johnson-Lee (who is also one of two Greens on the City
Council). They demanded her resignation and dozens of hate-e-mails were
sent to her. Many were bluntly racist and had government addresses.

The attack echoed the disenfrancisement of Florida black voters in the
2000 'selection' of Bush. People refused to accipt it. CUAPB and Northside
grassroots activists - NOT the traditional "civil rights leaders" (who are
totally in the Democrats pocket and never supported this black woman as a
candidate) - organized a support rally at City Hall for August 14th.
Mayor R.T. Rybak had stood with the police union by saying Johnson Lee
should apologize for expressing compassion, which further outraged the
community. People saw a connection beween the cop union's political attack
on a black elected official and the daily disrespect and abuse they
experience from cops on the streets.

"Its always like our lives are worth nothing!" said "Keesha,"a young black
woman at the rally, about Martha Donald. The rally became even more
critical and heated when police shot another black youth the night before.
Police claimed Terrell Oliver pointed a gun at them, but neighbors saw the
19-year-old shot four times in the back while going over a fence.
Afterwards, police crowed to black residents, "you got one of ours. Now we
got one of yours." They also pointed "trigger-fingers" at people, saying
"You're next." (This intimidation gesture and verbal threat was repeated
after the Aug.22 shootimg of the boy and his dog, and as much as that
shooting, ignited the uprising.) So, the August 14 support rally for an
embattled, elected voice for the black community also became an
anti-police brutality rally.

"Since that cop got killed, there's a vendetta against the whole black
community!  One cop's life is worth more than any of ours. We dom't have
to accept that!" said Jerod, a 25 year-old activist with black youth, in a
statement almost predicting the feelings that sparked the uprising a week
later.

The fuse has been burning for a long time, with the standard police
procedure of daily harassment through racial profiling that "crimialized"
a whole neighborhood. This was the third suspicious police shooting of an
African American in three weeks. But, this outrage has been years in the
making: at least seven unarmed people killed by Minneapolis police in the
last two years. While cops leep asserting their 'shoot tp kill' policy is
necessary to 'fight crime', you have the bizarre case of a St paul cop
recetnly shooting to death the CRIME VICTIM in an attempted car-jacking in
progress! (Although the 911 operator warned the cop that the victim was
entangled with the perpetrater and to procede with caution. Since both
victim and car thief were black, the cop could only get out his rifle and
start blsting away.) The Minneapolis cops shooting of this boy August 22nd
was the last straw of the lie that cops are their to "protect and serve'
the people.

"I've been SERVED plenty of abuse, "one 20 year old said themorning after
the uprising. "But, I sure ain't NEVER been protected."

"WHO gonna protect us from the POLICE?" said another youth, who'd gotten
an OCTober 22nd T-shirt from CUAPB activists.

"Have you noticed the cop cars don't even SAY "Protect and Serve" on them
any more? When did they take that off? Well, it is the truth - they DON'T
protect and serve US." This was said by many that morning.

Like cities across the country, this Midwest bastion of smug,
self-poclaimed "liberalism", has a Gang Strike Force, almost all-white
police forces and the highest incarceration rate for Black folks: Blacks
are 9% of the Minnesota population, but, 53% of the State's prisoners. In
the last two years, at least 4 mentally ill people have been gunned down
by police. The Mayor has ignored calls from advocates for the mentally ill
to "re-rout" such crisis calls AWAY from police and to specially trained
crisis teams. As Michelle Gross of CUAPB (she works as a nurse) has stated
"Emergency room professionals deal with mental health crisis every day and
we do it without shooting people!"

But resistance has been building,too.  Six Minneapolis cops shot a Somali
refugee man. Abu Jeilani, who also had mental illness in March; 600 Somali
and African-Americans, with white progresives and some Native Americans
rallied at the south Minneapolis site of the murder. When Mayor Rybak
de-funded the Civilian Review (that voters created to try to get oversight
of police) activists fought back, forcing the Mayor to create a committee
to "re-design" the CRA. Activists have used this battle to preserve this
entity and give it teeth and power as a way to expose police abuses and
how ineffective politicians have been.

Two days after the uprising, 60 people came to a community neeting hosted
by CUAPB and Northside Community Collaboratives, to strategize further how
to confront an put of control police force. The room was black and white,
youth and middle-aged, long-time activist and people politicized from the
recent shootings and the uprising they sparked. There was anger and
optimism in the air,with plans to storm a public hearing at City Hall the
following week, file a class-action law suit and get video cameras and
police scammers into the hands of the people themselves to create the REAL
"community control of the cops" no ruling-class politian or sell-out
self-appointed "community leader" will give. After the uprising, the
people are doing it for themselves.


==c==

There's two kinds of courage and Michael Quinn has both.

Physical courage is a job requirement for police officers. What every
rookie is unprepared for is the necessity for ethical courage in the face
of what every cop understands as "The Code of Silence": never snitch on
another cop. Ever.

Michael Quinn, a veteran of 23 years with the Minneapolis Police
Department, served over 300 high-risk warrants (without ever killing a
suspect) and led many dangerous raids in the "drug war". Now, Quinn has
written a book: "Walking With The Devil: What Bad Cops Don't Want You To
Know and Good Cops Won't Tell You."

"We don't prepare rookies for the stresses of the job. I think the code of
silence is the biggest. We don't prepare them because we want to pretend
it doesn't exist. Or that if it does, they'll learn how to deal with it,"
says the surprisingly soft-spoken Quinn. "This is a HUGE mistake because
the first thing every rookie learns is you depend on other officers around
you for your life and safety. Without those other cops, you're out there
on your own."

Quinn comes from a family of police officers: his father's 40 years in
law-enforcement included 20 years in the MPD; a brother-in-law was a cop
and one sister still is. Quinn is now a Federal Marshall.

As both a journalist and an activist, I've been deeply concerned about
police brutality since the late 1970s in Texas and in Minneapolis, since
1988.

Quinn's aim was to write "a better police ethics textbook". What he's
accomplished is a compelling personal account of policing that raises
crucial issues that community activists have struggled to have taken
seriously. He walks a tightrope, describing concrete examples of cop
corruption, abuse and what's called "creative report writing", while not
naming names. Identifying individual officers would have certainly brought
charges of sensationalism, distracting from Quinn's hardwon and important
insights.

"Your field officer tells you right off the bat,'Forget everything you've
learned in the academy. This is the street way and this is how we're gonna
do business.' They're telling you what worked to keep them alive in
stressful situations - so, it's not entirely a bad thing," he says.

Every rookie's challenge is to "incorporate" the street-experience with
school-knowledge. Quinn's book includes heart-thumping incidents with the
inevitable mistakes a young cop makes grappling with the physical power
society grants the police in order to do their job. He describes what this
writer saw as rookies' rite of passage: a kind of heartbreak of ideals
when introduced to The Code.

"What are you gonna do when your partner - who's saved your life - does
something really wrong right in front of you? Are you gonna go to Internal
Affairs or Civillian review and report it?" Quinn poses the burning
question about good cops covering for bad cops. "No, you're not. It
doesn't happen like that."

Inside police departments, peer pressure takes on an intensity almost
beyond imagining, that Quinn's book makes viscerally real. Understandable
rookie mistakes, theft by cops and beating handcuffed suspects are all
equally swept away under The Code. Breaking it means being ostracized by
fellow officers, which can not only wreck a career but, cost a cop's life,
if he or she can't count on having backup on the streets.

Star Tribune reporter, Howie Padilla, did a hatchet-job on Quinn
(10/28/04). It's no surprise that Police Federaton president John
Delmonico dismisses Quinn's accounts of police misconduct. The last two
MPD Chiefs Robert Olsen and John Laux refused to comment. Quinn asserts
that his friend and former squad partner, Deputy Chief Tim Dolan slamming
his intentions, was misquoted.

Padilla was assaulted during the August 2003 Jordan neighborhood "riot"
because his regular reports of MPD bruality allegations are seen by many
community-members as little more than PR for the police - part of the
stonewalling that contributes to an absence of police accountability.
These reactions are further evidence of why Quinn's book is so necessary.

Former MPD Chief, during the 1980s, Tony Bouza told the Strib, "Quinn's
brave. There are two things you don't write about: 'testi-lying' and
breaking the Code. Mike writes about both." Bouza also earned fellow
officers' ire with his own truth-telling book and articles.

After the Jordan neighborhod blew up, ignited by the non-fatal police
shooting of an 11-year-old African-American boy, Communities United Aganst
Police Brutality (CUAPB), other community organizations and North
Minneapolis ministers pushed for federal mediators to step in. The lengthy
and mixed results process came to one conclusion that Quinn shares: part
of what creates police brutality is comes down to physical training.

Quinn notes that Minnesota has some of the highest requirements for
police: minimum 2-years of college and even a Bachelor degree for some
departments. For 18 months, he worked in the Police Corps Academy and
lauds much of the skills training, as "pretty decent" but, he also sees
important gaps.

For one thing, cops learn physical control-techniques wearing sweats and
socks on a padded mat, not in full uniform which Quinn says "is NOT as
realistic as it should be."  Imagine wrestling with someone while wearing
an extra 30 pounds of equipment, including a gun belt, pepper-spray
canister and large, metal flashlight.

Officers are required to do about 16 hours of annual "continuing
education" which Quinn describes as "mostly legislative updates and
firearms."

"Rookies are at their PEAK of physical skills but, nothing's done to
MAINTAIN them," Quinn explains. "A 10-year veteran average officer could
not perform at 50 per cent level of those skills - the take-downs and
compliance-holds. If we don't make them maintain them, they don't have
those skills to use. Then, they resort to whatever they do at the time.
THAT's where you get a lot of excessive force complaints."


--------10 of 17--------

Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:03:16 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
From: greenpartymike <ollamhfaery [at] earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [Discuss] How to file complaint v Mpls officer

Thank You Lydia,

I was just about to say the same thing.

Working with Internal Affairs is worse than useless. You may find yourself
targeted by the police, as it has happened in the past.

Going thru the toothless Civilian Review Board will probably go nowhere
too. Our very own Dave Bicking is on it and the Board is already facing a
huge backlog of cases. Also, as stated the Civilian Review Board has been
rendered fairly toothless by "our" elected officials, despite the attempts
to input this process by activists like myself and Michelle Gross of
Communities United Against Police Brutality.

Which, as an aside virtually mirrors what we all faced with the so called
Free Speech Committee in Minneapolis City Council. Activists had tried to
give input, based on our experiences but were ignored and in fact
basically told to be quiet. That is the basis of much of the concerns of
us who have raised our concerns of those on City Council. The simple fact
is, those of us who have had experience, sometimes decades of experience
in dealing with police brutality were shut out of the process and denied
the ability to share that experience.

I do appreciate Cam's intentions and willingness to step up and face this
now. Even though his understanding and guidance may be a little wrong. I
just wish that he and others on the City Council had have been willing to
listen to those of us who did have the knowledge and experience to
understand the implications of their choices. However, I will recognize
Cam's intentions in this regard. Like I said, Cam was a small light in a
very, very dark room in Minneapolis City Hall.

I agree with Lydia. Anyone who is looking at possible legal charges should
avoid City Hall and instead talk to Michelle Gross of Communities United
or Coldsnap Legal Collective or indeed the National Lawyers Guild instead.

I know that is what I am doing.


--------11 of 17--------

Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:24:11 -0500
From: Diane J. Peterson <birch7 [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [Discuss] How to file complaint v Mpls officer

Lydia and I attended a seminar about white racism offered in Minneapolis.
At that seminar, I learned how white middle class Americans are strongly
reinforced for being oblivious to the harms inflicted by racism towards
people of color and towards whites.  It was beneficial to have a white,
middle class college professor from the State University of St. Cloud
(Lake Woebegone country) teach us about the culture of oblivion we operate
in.  It also helped that she was a student of the casino performances in
her hometown of Las Vegas, because she was so entertaining as she
delivered her serious lessons.

I endorse Communities United Against Police Brutality.  I am a member, and
have benefited from their free instruction on how to behave towards the
police.

Proud to be Green,
Diane J. Peterson White Bear Lake, Minnesota birch7 [at] comcast.net


--------12 of 17--------

Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:37:13 -0500
From: Cam Gordon <camgordon333 [at] msn.com>
Subject: RE: [Discuss] How to file complaint v Mpls officer

I think that Michael and Lydia (and others...thanks) make very good
points.  I share their concerns about reporting, (especially to the IAU)
and I hope people take them seriously.  I also was not meaning to imply
that formal complaints would necessarily lead to justice.  Of the 3
possible formal City avenues, I agree with Michael that the CRA might hold
the most hope in that department.  Lawsuits are another way to register
complaints and seek justice and probably the best means to justice out of
the four.  They can be more time consuming and expensive however and also
have fear of retaliation association with them. I understand that the Cold
Snap Collective is coordinating lawsuits so folks may want to contact them
well as CUAPB.  CUAPB probably has more experience in this matter than any
other group.

Perhaps I should have been clearer about my motives for originally sharing
info about options for making formal complaints.  I was hoping to see if
more people would be willing to formally complain and I want more people
to have the information because, as someone who is on the Council raising
issues, it is helpful to me in making the case that people are upset and
that some police behavior was inappropriate and excessive based on
community standards.  What we too often hear as Council Members is "no one
has complained so there must not be a problem."  We also see staff use the
fact of no complaints as proof that police conduct has improved.  In these
discussions I have and will continue to point out reasons why people will
not complain, mostly having to do with mistrust and fear.  Still, if the
City Council learned that 200 people registered formal complaints with the
CRA (or the IAU for that matter) having to do with police behavior during
the RNC that would be a powerful message and give me powerful
justification for raising issues and trying to get more information.

If, however, anyone is afraid of retaliations and not willing to take that
risk it is not worth it. Please consider that carefully before making a
complaint.

I am grateful that David has shared this information and that others have
shared their concerns and perspectives.  I am so glad and grateful to have
such a wonderful community who shares outrage and concern about this.
Sometimes I feel like such a minority inside City Hall it is good to know
that I am not alone on this issue in the City of Minneapolis or in the
state as a whole.

Also, I appreciate all your guidance and feedback, please keep it up.

In peace & cooperation,Cam Gordon Minneapolis City Council Member, Ward 2


--------13 of 17--------

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:33:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nancy Doyle Brown <nancyjdoyle [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: [Discuss] Charges against journalists dropped; questions remain

free press: media is the issue
September 19, 2008
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Jen Howard, Free Press, (202) 265-1490, x22 or (703) 517-6273
Charges Against Journalists at RNC Dropped; Questions Remain

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Local authorities in St. Paul announced today that they
will not prosecute journalists who were arrested on misdemeanor charges
during the Republican National Convention earlier this month.

"This is an important first step, but many questions remain," said Nancy
Doyle Brown from Twin Cities Media Alliance. "We still need answers about
why and how journalists got swept up in these arrests in the first place.
And more than anything else, we need to ensure that this never happens
again. We'll never know how many important stories never got told because
their authors were behind bars, not in the streets."

Nearly two dozen reporters were arrested during the four-day event,
including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and two of her producers,
Associated Press reporters, student journalists, local TV photographers,
among others. Other journalists were pepper-sprayed, and reporters with
I-Witness were held at gunpoint during a "pre-emptive" police raid aimed
at disrupting protesters.

The press release from St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's office noted that
the city's attorney will use a "broad definition and verification to
identify journalists who were caught up in mass arrests during the
convention."

"We're pleased that the St. Paul authorities ultimately acted to uphold
the rights of all journalists - including those citizens using blogs,
cheap cameras and cell phones to report news as it happens," said Josh
Silver, executive director of Free Press, the national media reform
organization. "Our task now is to ensure that our press remains free to
report on the events, issues and stories that matter to our country, our
communities and our democracy."

Less than three days after the initial arrests, more than 60,000 people
across the country signed on to a letter from Free Press, demanding that
Mayor Coleman and local authorities immediately "free all detained
journalists and drop all charges against them." These letters were
delivered to St. Paul City Hall the day after the convention following a
press conference that included local citizens and many of the journalists
who had been arrested earlier in the week.

"The news from St. Paul City Hall is certainly welcome regarding the
decision to drop charges against journalists who were arrested and cited
during the RNC," said Mike Bucsko, executive officer of the Minnesota
Newspaper Guild Typographical Union, who spoke at the press conference.
"However, it is essential the elected officials in St. Paul and Ramsey
County examine the circumstances that led to the needless detention and
harassment of journalists to ensure this type of indiscriminate behavior
on the part of law enforcement does not happen again."

Local advocates and independent journalists from KFAI Community Radio,
National Lawyers Guild, Twin Cities Daily Planet, Twin Cities IndyMedia,
Twin Cities Media Alliance and The Uptake were joined by national groups
American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association of Black
Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, The
Newspaper Guild, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press,
Reporters Without Borders, the Society for Professional Journalists and
the Writers Guild of America, East, in condemning the unusually harsh
treatment by city authorities.

Watch the press conference: http://qik.com/video/270176

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the
media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and
independent media ownership, strong public media, and universal access to
communications. Learn more at www.freepress.net


--------14 of 17--------

Mpls council members call for investigation of police actions at RNC
By Dennis Geisinger, Southside Pride
September 18, 2008

Minneapolis City Council Members Cam Gordon (Green-Ward 2) and Gary Schiff
(DFL-Ward 9) have called for a public hearing and independent
investigation into law enforcement actions taken against protesters and
the journalists who covered them during the Republican National Convention
(RNC) in St. Paul.

There are reports of as many as 40 journalists being arrested during the
convention. Police detained at least six photojournalists on Labor Day,
including one from the Associated Press. The arrests prompted a formal
complaint from National Press Photographers Association President Bob
Carey, who said in his letter to St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington
that, "There's no excuse for physically assaulting or arresting a
photographer who is not creating a disturbance". Reporters from ABC News
and Fox News were also caught up in the fray.

However, independent journalists, many of whom subscribe to the relatively
new practice of journalism solely by video documentation, seemed to be the
ones who were most targeted by police in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Three members of New York City's Glass Bead Collective video team were
stopped and searched near Washington Avenue North early in the morning of
Aug. 26. They were questioned about their travel plans and associations,
and their cameras, cell phones and notebooks were confiscated. The three
were told they were being questioned because of car burglaries that were
occurring in the area, but police reported later that they were under
suspicion of trespassing on railroad property.

Attorney Bruce Nestor, president of the Minnesota chapter of the National
Lawyers Guild, said that the City was looking for information - phone
numbers, names of activists, demonstration schedules - that Nestor said
were part of protected journalistic sources, source information that was
to be used to cover protests.

"All of this information [was] taken by Minneapolis Police as part of what
we believe [was] an intelligence operation to gather information on
activists, to gather information on the location of protected First
Amendment activity - to use it to investigate and further crack down on
protected activity," Nestor said.

"This is absolutely outrageous behavior for a police department towards
individuals who are engaged in First Amendment protected activity and who
have a documented record for exposing police misconduct," said Nestor.
Heavily armed police stormed a house in St. Paul where video journalists
were meeting and arrested independent media, bloggers and videomakers.
Occupants of the house testify on videos appearing on Salon.com that
during their search, cops used nicknames to identify themselves like "The
Executioner" and "The Terminator".

Videos of the treatment and subsequent arrests of some journalists have
proved to be the most ubiquitous and damning evidence against police. A
YouTube video of the arrest of independent journalist and Democracy Now!
host, Amy Goodman, was the highest viewed video on that site during the
first week of September. Charges against Goodman for misdemeanor
obstruction of a police officer have not been dropped, according to
Democracy Now! staff. She was arrested while trying to question police as
to why two of her producers had been detained. The two, Sharif Abdel
Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, had been arrested while filming protesters
and may still be charged under the offense of felony riot, according to
the Ramsey County Attorney's Office.

The depiction of Salazar's arrest is perhaps one of the most chilling of
all recorded police actions at the convention, showing her being forced to
the ground and stepped on by police in riot gear as she screams, "Press!
Press! Press!"

"I've been on the phone for the past two weeks trying to pitch this story
to the major media outlets and no one seems interested," Democracy Now!
Director of Outreach Jessica Cox told Southside Pride. "Amy said to me
yesterday that you should be able to report the news without getting a
record yourself!" Cox said.

James Lockwood, spokesman for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman told Southside
Pride that, "Many orders were given to disperse. Failure to do so resulted
in arrests".

According to Lockwood, the City of St. Paul has engaged two former federal
prosecutors, Tom Heffelfinger and Andy Luger, to conduct a review of
police actions at the RNC, but that review will not investigate individual
complaints against the police.

"For right now we have no information to contradict police," said
Lockwood, who added that any accusations of police misconduct would be
handled through the City.s Police-Civilian Internal Affairs Review
Commission at 651-266-5583.

Coldsnap Legal Collective is holding meetings and gathering information
about the arrests of protesters and journalists. If you feel you were
falsely arrested, contact them by calling Rick Kelley at 612-598-5058 or
Kris Hermes at 510-681-6361. Their e-mail address is coldsnap [at] riseup.net

"Here we have every indication of an orchestrated assault by federal and
local law enforcement agencies to stifle independent sources of
information," said Indy journalist Timothy Karr in the Huffington Post on
Sept. 3.

"They definitely knew that it would be the Indy media that would tell the
real story," said local activist Cheri Honkala. And, as she has said in
independent media venues, much of the violence during the convention that
has been laid at the feet of protesters was in fact the actions of plants
put inside protest ranks. "Many young folks came up to me and said, 'We
have no idea who these people are,'" Honkala said.

After reporting a deal that "required the Republican Party's host
committee to buy insurance covering up to $10 million in damages and
unlimited legal costs for law enforcement officials accused of brutality,
violating civil rights and other misconduct," the hometown bastion of the
free press, the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, editorialized its support
for police tactics.

"The show of force was a reasonable response to the behavior and the
threat posed by a relatively small number of rogue protesters who traveled
to the Twin Cities for no other reason than to damage property, abuse the
police and disrupt the business of the Republican National Convention,"
the editorial board for the Strib concluded.

Article Tags: Minneapolis, St. Paul, police misconduct, protest, RNC 2008


--------15 of 17--------

City Council says NO to investigation of Minneapolis police over RNC
By Chris Steller, Minnesota Independent
September 18, 2008

A minority of the Minneapolis City Council decided Wednesday against
requesting answers from Chief Tim Dolan on police actions during the
Republican National Convention (RNC). And by killing a proposed staff
directive in committee, four members of the council's Public Safety and
Regulatory Services Committee made sure that the seven council members not
on the committee won't have a say on the issue.

Two backers of a more expansive inquiry - Gordon (Green Party) and Schiff
(DFL) - presented what they termed as reasonable additions to the scope of
the police department after-action report that Mayor R.T. Rybak outlined
last week. (See the five proposed points of inquiry which appear as
italicized additions to the mayor's list.) But the day found the duo
falling into now-familiar Don Quijote/Sancho Panza roles as they continue
struggle in vain for elevated police accountability - first by casting
lone votes against putting city cops under other jurisdictions. control
last fall, then by calling for an independent, blue-ribbon review of RNC
law enforcement two weeks ago.

Council Members Paul Ostrow and Diane Hofstede and Council President
Barbara Johnson - joined in the end by Committee Chair Don Samuels -
quickly framed the proposal as an unwarranted call for investigating
police work mounted by elected officials who were overstepping their
authority.

Johnson said the MPD's internal review of an event she called
"unprecedented in our history" should follow the department's "standard
operating procedure". She ridiculed Gordon's arguments in favor of
gathering additional information as a piece with "hype" about an
armed-camp environment that she termed "ridiculous". (Although her
dismissive stance was undercut by Samuels' description of an atmosphere
downtown in which "anything could happen at any time".

Samuels pronounced his own pre-judgement of the police after-action report
by proposing "success report" as an appropriate title. What no one would
call the police review was an "investigation" - a term that Ostrow said
"presumes that things were done that were improper".

If, in the committee debate, "investigation" became a bad enough buzzword
that it set Johnson (in her words) "a-twitter," there was another word so
outre that no one would say it: "lawsuit".

Ostrow had Dolan repeat the news that no formal complaints had yet been
filed, although Dolan, in the course of his wide-ranging remarks, said
that he and others had set in motion internal reviews into at least two
incidents - one being the repeated macing of a young protester caught on a
widely viewed news video.

But any satisfaction about the absence of complaints filed at City Hall
will only last until the day (which is yet to arrive) on which papers are
served there in lawsuits that protesters have promised to file over
alleged police abuses during the more than 800 RNC-related arrests.

The debate followed an earlier tussle in which Schiff and Gordon bristled
at a staff recommendation that Minneapolis sign a Memorandum of
Understanding allowing city cops to serve under the Metropolitan Police
Department in Washington, D.C. during the presidential inauguration in
January. Minneapolis sent 40 officers to the inauguration for the first
time four years ago, MPD Inspector Rob Allen told the committee, and this
year is one of 50 departments to get an invite.

But the timing for the request was unfortunate, Schiff said, coming as the
city's review of MPD actions under outside command during the RNC is just
getting underway. Citing the deal's fine print, Schiff disputed MPD
Inspector Rob Allen's assurances that federal agents wouldn't direct
Minneapolis officers, and that problems getting reimbursed for pension
costs from overtime hours couldn't arise. But the committee nixed any
delay or alterations to the plan, on a 4-2 vote reprised soon after on the
RNC report issue.

Here is a transcript of excerpts from the hour-long committee debate on
the police report on the RNC - mostly from its emotional ending.

COUNCIL MEMBER PAUL OSTROW: . I personally don't see a need for council
action. I'm just going to be really blunt about this, because I know what
the headlines are going to be. The headline is going to be: "City council
calls for investigation of Minneapolis Police Department". We don't need
an investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department when the Minneapolis
Police Department itself is already saying that it's moving forward on an
after-action report. . The police department worked incredibly hard . our
city worked incredibly hard . to get this right, and I think they're just
as committed to a good and solid review of this after the fact as they
were to good, solid planning before that. So that's why I'm voting "no"
today.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT BARBARA JOHNSON: I must support Council Member Ostrow
and not vote for this. I completely agree with what you're saying, that
this is a typical action that our police department would take, to analyze
an event that we've had of this size. The other thing . what sort of gets
me in a twitter about this is some of the language that gets used.
"Investigation" was used another time here, after we talked about that
being a kind of buzzword here. It was just used again. The fact that the
concerns come out about who is in control of the federal government, what
political party is in control of the federal government. . This federal
government is not run by the Republicans. It's run by the people of this
country. And that language is what sets me in a mood to say, I think the
best process that we should go through is letting our professional staff
evaluate what went on in this community as a result of a major convention
that was unprecedented in our history . I had a call from someone . I
think it was the Thursday before the convention started . and he was a
radio reporter from New York City. And he said, "I hear that your city's
being turned into an armed camp.. And I said, "What? What are you talking
about?" There was such hype about this. It was just ridiculous. So I would
like to get down to some rationality and some professionalism about what
went on here, and I think our police department has that capacity to do
that, and they are doing that as part of their standard operating
procedure. .

COUNCIL MEMBER CAM GORDON: I guess I'm disappointed, because I realize
that without four people supporting this it won't go forward. And we're
certainly already going to be getting some information, but we're not
going to be getting all the information that I think would be useful to
me, and I would suspect to the other council members, and I would suspect
to the city . I don't think we should be afraid of information. I don't
think we should be afraid of knowledge. I don't think we should be afraid
of asking questions. In fact, I think it's seeking knowledge and seeking
truth and asking questions that's going to get us to the best policies in
the end. And so I don't know why you're trying to shut the door on asking
questions about some of these incidents that went on. In fact, I would
think you'd have more questions, you'd want to get more information . So I
guess I'll keep asking the questions and trying to seek those answers, and
I'd appreciate that if council members would help me do that and try to do
that in our capacity as a council but it doesn't feel like there's the
support for it here.

COUNCIL MEMBER DIANE HOFSTEDE: I am not going to support the motion for
the reasons, certainly, given. But I also want to say that I was in the
downtown, and regularly am in the neighborhood, and I thought it was just
an experience that almost reminded me of experiences that I had when I was
in the downtown area 20 years ago. People were . on the streets, shopping
and interfacing and interacting. And having a good time. And some of those
people were our constituents. This is a good thing. And, yes, I did see
that people were on the streets, obviously they were security individuals.
But I didn't feel threatened. And I didn't have anybody who approached me.
When I asked them how do you feel, you know what they said? You have a
beautiful city. I feel safe and welcome here. I don't think I need to say
anything more.

COMMITTEE CHAIR DON SAMUELS: I'm also going to support Council Member
Ostrow.s position on this. I think I was sympathetic towards the concept
of a report initially with Council Member Gordon. But I think the mayor's
and the chief's agreement as to what would be in the report initially is
not significantly different enough from what is proposed here to make us
have a demand or request from the council. Because it does color how this
is presented, as Council Member Ostrow said, both in the press and in the
public perception, that there is some kind of call to accountability here,
when in fact it's really a success report. And I would be willing to
support it if it was called a success report. Because I think that's
really what it is. And I was downtown here, I was in the center watching
the TV cameras, and also in the deployment area, and you could definitely
have the sense that anything could happen at any time. And in spite of
that we had this incredible success.

COUNCIL MEMBER GARY SCHIFF: Mr. Chair, happy to take you up on your offer.
Currently this is called an after-action review. If you would like it
called a success report, happy to make that motion to get your support
today.

SAMUELS: Well, that was just a kind of gesture, just communicating the
spirit. It was not a serious proposal.

SCHIFF: Ah, I was hoping not to call your bluff. I was hoping you were
sincere. I just will express disappointment. Since this report is to be
written by the police chief, I don't know what could possibly be in the
report that my colleagues could be afraid of. This is not an investigation
by the city council, this is a report by the police chief. So:
disappointed.

Article Tags: Minneapolis, Public Safety, RNC 2008


--------16 of 17--------

ed comment on above article

The Loathsome Four - Ostrow Hofstede Johnson Samuels - MUST be REPLACED.

They're all up in Nov 2009 and now is the time to start scouting for and
screening good candidates. Six others have said nothing at all; they
probably should be replaced too. Time for a major housecleaning; nothing
else gets thru the thick pro-corporate heads of the large majority of city
council members. Why are they there? Certainly not to serve the pubic or
democracy or the people or a better life or a better city.  Ambition, a
sort-of good-paying job, hanging out with the big money boys, etc. We need
them the way a fish needs a bicycle.

I read the above report 24 hours ago and I was in a white hot anger. If
anything I am even angrier now. We MUST respond - or get more of the same.
We cannot let them make us forget between now and the Nov 2009 election.
They must be challenged, at least some removed, and the fear of god (ie
the people) put into their timorous cringing mortgaged souls.

I pledge the Progressive Calendar from now till November 2009 in the great
civic task of cleaning the city council stables.

I have in mind a free-form poem epitheting them into oblivion. If they can
march around Jericho 7 times with trumpets blaring and bring down the
walls, maybe a poem can banish the CC slugs to a far country.

Meanwhile, I SOLICIT LETTERS to the editor at shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu with
your reactions to the above Gang of Four action.


--------17 of 17--------

 The Council must see
 its role as ass-kissing with
 verve style and a smile.


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   - David Shove             shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu
   rhymes with clove         Progressive Calendar
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                          vote third party
                           for president
                           for congress
                          now and forever