Showing posts with label cam gordon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cam gordon. Show all posts
Sep 19, 2008
Stop the press: Congratulations from the Minneapolis Shadow to Minneapolis City Council
As much as I, the Minneapolis Shadow, will condemn the Minneapolis City Council when they do something dumb and crazy, which is most of the time, I’ll also give them a “that a boy/girl” when they do something right and in the best interest of the public. Council Member Paul Ostrow, who has been out front on the issue noting that there is no need for an investigation into the police conduct regarding the RNC, deserves a pat on the back. The police followed all the proper procedures, acted in the best interest of the public, and went to great extra-ordinary lengths to do the right things. Kudos to the police, chief, and the council members who voted down Cam Gordon’s attempt to cost the city unneeded expense. Bravo!
Sep 17, 2008
Cam Gordon is once again wasting government time and money tilting at windmills
For political reasons “silly” councilman Cam Gordon is asking for an accounting (short of calling for an investigation, but really lets call a spade a spade here) of a house raid in regards to committing crimes during the RNC convention. What’s up Cam? Calling into question the cops, the judge who approved the action, or just again tilting at windmills? I would think that the police wouldn’t have requested and taken action if they didn’t think there was a good chance of preventing something of happening. I think you are just trying to blow smoke here in order to be chummy with a bunch of protesters and look as if you are a champion of freedom of speech. Well Cam, you look like nothing more than a fool. Stop wasting everyone’s time and money and get back to the real work, and there is lots of it to do. Go and put on your Superfool cape on your own time!
Jul 31, 2008
Council Committee passes cab fare increases without the Republican National Convention increase
For the record :
The Republican National Convention cab fare increase was proposed by Gary Schiff and backed by Cam Gordon. The proposal was rejected by Barbara Johnson, Paul Ostrow, and Diane Hofstede. The Minneapolis Shadow applauds the rejecters and jeers the supporters.
However, Minneapolis will now rank 5th highest among 20 cities in cab costs. Remember, public transportation costs are one of the livability factors of urban areas.
BTW, the increase will be in place before the convention. Screw the Republicans anyway.
The Republican National Convention cab fare increase was proposed by Gary Schiff and backed by Cam Gordon. The proposal was rejected by Barbara Johnson, Paul Ostrow, and Diane Hofstede. The Minneapolis Shadow applauds the rejecters and jeers the supporters.
However, Minneapolis will now rank 5th highest among 20 cities in cab costs. Remember, public transportation costs are one of the livability factors of urban areas.
BTW, the increase will be in place before the convention. Screw the Republicans anyway.
Jul 22, 2008
Republican National Convention demonstration police restrictions … what is Cam Gordon really up to?
Once again the Minneapolis Shadow is questioning the reasoning for Cam Gordon’s “town crying”. See his blog for details: www.secondward.blogspot.com.
I have two questions for Cm Gordon.
1. What are you afraid of happening … police abuse of power? Is that what you think of the Minneapolis Police department? I would think that the Police department would not take unnecessary and unconstitutional restraint of clearly constitutional demonstrations.
2. Would you be in favor of making your proposed police reaction to public assemblies and demonstrations a permanent policy? How would you feel about a taxpayer demonstration for lower taxes that would reach the same level of furor as that of the groups you are protecting for the convention? How about a pro gun rights group? How about a anti smoke ban group? Does your furor for the right to assemble apply equally to those who may run counter to you own beliefs?
Please clarify.
I have two questions for Cm Gordon.
1. What are you afraid of happening … police abuse of power? Is that what you think of the Minneapolis Police department? I would think that the Police department would not take unnecessary and unconstitutional restraint of clearly constitutional demonstrations.
2. Would you be in favor of making your proposed police reaction to public assemblies and demonstrations a permanent policy? How would you feel about a taxpayer demonstration for lower taxes that would reach the same level of furor as that of the groups you are protecting for the convention? How about a pro gun rights group? How about a anti smoke ban group? Does your furor for the right to assemble apply equally to those who may run counter to you own beliefs?
Please clarify.
Jun 18, 2008
Lurking ordinance and governmental responsibility
Robin Garwood, CM Gordon’s aid, posted the following comments to the posting on lurking. I wanted to focus on this and her comments below are in litials with the Minneapolis Shadows comments in bold.
Your assertion that the Lurking ordinance "is being applied to those that are breaking it no matter what race they are" is unproven. Why? Because only 19 of the 136 adults arrested for Lurking in '07 (or 14%) were convicted of committing the crime. That's the legal standard that defines "breaking the law" in this society: being convicted. Not being arrested.
In order for someone, regardless of race, to get arrested they have to be doing something against a law on the books. People get tickets for speeding but can appeal it based on evidence that they were not. People get arrested or ticketed for crimes they didn’t commit on a daily basis, and that is what the justice system allows you to do, fight the arrest.
This is the problem with crimes which rely on police and prosecutors to determine and prove "intent" to commit a crime. Other livability crimes have concrete, visible, provable behaviors: someone tagged a wall, urinated in public, had an open alcoholic beverage in public, etc. That's why the vast majority of these arrests result in convictions.
Hate crimes convictions work basically that same way. Shall we get rid of them also?
This is why your metaphors don't work. Shoplifting is a provable behavior: someone took something and tried to leave without paying for it. Perhaps you believe we should criminalize "intending" to shoplift, and allowing police officers to arrest people based on their subjective assessment of that "intent." CM Gordon does not.
The ideal of the thought police state is very scary..thank you George Orwell. However, how does this differ from laws proscribing drug possession with intent to distribute? So does CM Gordon want to repeal this law also?
In a racist society - and yes, any serious study of racial disparity in poverty, unemployment, arrest and incarceration makes clear that our society is still deeply racist - those on the receiving end of racism will look more "suspicious" than others. Their behavior will more likely be taken as indicative of "intent to commit a crime" than exactly the same behavior on the part of a member of the majority population.
The fact that there is a racial disparity in the factors mentioned doesn’t draw a direct correlation to them being motivated based on a racist mindset. Your conclusion isn’t logical.
This is why the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia is looking into whether the Lurking ordinance violates the International Covenant on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (to which the US is a signatory and which obligates all units of government to eliminate racially discriminatory laws).
All governments should get rid of racially discriminatory laws! Yes, by all means. The US leads in that area. Discrimination in every form must be eliminated. How about equal rights for woman in Muslim countries? Oh, and by the way, the UN, which you are looking towards for guidance on human rights puts some of the biggest abusers of human rights in charge of the areas covering human rights.
Wow, put the inmates in charge of the asylum.
You ask about CM Gordon's agenda, and it is simply this: to spend our precious public safety resources effectively and constructively, and to make our city a more just place for all. And I'll have to respectfully disagree with you: this IS the business of the Council.”
How precious! Yea a lot of time and effort put into a hundred year law on the books but what about spending sometime on issues like addressing the ongoing murders in the city, and fighting drug and human trafficking? Try managing the city for once and get away from grandiose issues. If you interested in do that, then go work for an organization that is directly in the business of making these sort of changes on a national or global scale. I’m all for one person making a difference where they are, but we have major issues in the management of this city and our government seems more interested in dealing with these bigger issues than dollars and manhole covers. Sorry to say, but right now we need focus on the dollars and manhole covers which is the job you are hired to do. So do it!
Your assertion that the Lurking ordinance "is being applied to those that are breaking it no matter what race they are" is unproven. Why? Because only 19 of the 136 adults arrested for Lurking in '07 (or 14%) were convicted of committing the crime. That's the legal standard that defines "breaking the law" in this society: being convicted. Not being arrested.
In order for someone, regardless of race, to get arrested they have to be doing something against a law on the books. People get tickets for speeding but can appeal it based on evidence that they were not. People get arrested or ticketed for crimes they didn’t commit on a daily basis, and that is what the justice system allows you to do, fight the arrest.
This is the problem with crimes which rely on police and prosecutors to determine and prove "intent" to commit a crime. Other livability crimes have concrete, visible, provable behaviors: someone tagged a wall, urinated in public, had an open alcoholic beverage in public, etc. That's why the vast majority of these arrests result in convictions.
Hate crimes convictions work basically that same way. Shall we get rid of them also?
This is why your metaphors don't work. Shoplifting is a provable behavior: someone took something and tried to leave without paying for it. Perhaps you believe we should criminalize "intending" to shoplift, and allowing police officers to arrest people based on their subjective assessment of that "intent." CM Gordon does not.
The ideal of the thought police state is very scary..thank you George Orwell. However, how does this differ from laws proscribing drug possession with intent to distribute? So does CM Gordon want to repeal this law also?
In a racist society - and yes, any serious study of racial disparity in poverty, unemployment, arrest and incarceration makes clear that our society is still deeply racist - those on the receiving end of racism will look more "suspicious" than others. Their behavior will more likely be taken as indicative of "intent to commit a crime" than exactly the same behavior on the part of a member of the majority population.
The fact that there is a racial disparity in the factors mentioned doesn’t draw a direct correlation to them being motivated based on a racist mindset. Your conclusion isn’t logical.
This is why the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia is looking into whether the Lurking ordinance violates the International Covenant on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (to which the US is a signatory and which obligates all units of government to eliminate racially discriminatory laws).
All governments should get rid of racially discriminatory laws! Yes, by all means. The US leads in that area. Discrimination in every form must be eliminated. How about equal rights for woman in Muslim countries? Oh, and by the way, the UN, which you are looking towards for guidance on human rights puts some of the biggest abusers of human rights in charge of the areas covering human rights.
Wow, put the inmates in charge of the asylum.
You ask about CM Gordon's agenda, and it is simply this: to spend our precious public safety resources effectively and constructively, and to make our city a more just place for all. And I'll have to respectfully disagree with you: this IS the business of the Council.”
How precious! Yea a lot of time and effort put into a hundred year law on the books but what about spending sometime on issues like addressing the ongoing murders in the city, and fighting drug and human trafficking? Try managing the city for once and get away from grandiose issues. If you interested in do that, then go work for an organization that is directly in the business of making these sort of changes on a national or global scale. I’m all for one person making a difference where they are, but we have major issues in the management of this city and our government seems more interested in dealing with these bigger issues than dollars and manhole covers. Sorry to say, but right now we need focus on the dollars and manhole covers which is the job you are hired to do. So do it!
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