Solution Paper #31, July 14, 2008: Ending the City's and MPD's COVER-UP OF DISCRIMINATION will help to end the Discrimination in the Minneapolis Police Department
By Ron Edwards and Peter Jessen
First posted July 14, 2008
Updated September 14, 2011
Speaking over the silence of the major Twin Cities Dailies. From pp. 57-68, 83-94 of A Seat for Everyone: The Freedom Guide that Explores A Vision for America, by Ron Edwards. Available to order from: Beacon On The Hill Press. Read specially selected archived columns and blog. All columns and blog entries are from the book, A Seat for Everyone, except those after March 1, 2008. All referenced columns and blog entries below are listed in the archives of our web site.
Also below: sections on The War Against Young Black Men, on local journalism, and on suggested solutions.
"The American Dream cannot be a selective one for certain circles or certain interest groups. America cannot be a beacon of light to the world and a model of democratic participation until all of its citizens have equal access and equal opportunity, meaning that there is a seat for everyone."
— Ron Edwards, A Seat for Everyone: The Freedom Guide that Explores A Vision for America, p. 60
The Keefe column A profile in courage and integrity — the saga of Lt. Michael Keefe, August 29, 2007. In this column you will read about a White police officer who took a stand to fight prejudice and discrimination within the MPD, an officer I have never met, but who shares the dream of creating an amalgam of race for a better country. He has met with unjust and unfair retaliation, and has subsequently sued the city and the department." The upshot is that "the FBI agents reported egregious resistance o working with African Americans with the 'point" made using the "N" word and other racially charged and derogatory terms about Black police officers. In addition to that, The Violent Offenders Task Force arrests were 98+% African Americans, with no Black officer in its history, with a disturbing pattern of significant overtime abuse (see pp. 58 and 65).
June 11, 2008, Blog #13: Congratulations to Alex Jackson, First Africian American nominee to be Chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department
Select related columns and blog entries from our archives
2011
August 24, 2011, Column #34: Without MPD narcotics unit, drugs flow freely in Black community
August 10, 2011, Column #32: The departure of Captain Donald Banham, MPD
A legend in the police department retires with no respect from the City he served
July 6, 2011, Column #25: Chickens Come Home to Roost
for the Violent Offenders Task Force (VOTF)
May 18, 2011 Column #20: Stanek, Keefe, Delmonico, Arneson: four who strive to make a difference
May 04, 2011 Column #18: When Discipline is Broken and Integrity is Lost. Peculiar Conduct by VOTF Members
January 7, 2010 #1: Alert: Police: aiding and abetting, just incompetent, or ran out of cover ups? Different standards for white citizens than Black citizens?
January 14, 2009 Column #2: No Black face on White corruption means no investigation. Strib's treatment of the MPD shows loss of journalistic integrity
March 25, 2009 Column #12: Attempt to discredit Blacks for White MPD misdeeds has failed. Upcoming corruption trial of the century will expose the farce.
August 26, 2009 Column #33: MPD's 'culture of violence' still prevails. Assault on Darryl Jenkins not the first or the last.
October 28, 2009 Column #42: Mayor nominates his chief "partner" for another term. Black organizations cling to status quo
December 2, 2009 Column #47: Police Chief Tim Dolan: The reappointment process begins. Also: Vikings: Asked to leave or asked to stay?
August 29, 2009, Blog #9: Minneapolis Police Training Chickens Come Home to Roost. The key for police seeking to achieve public safety is the same for people
March 31, 2009, Blog #1: The revealing of the truth: nearly three years in the making.
April 5, 2009, Blog #2: "Why, in an information age, they attempt such cover-ups, mystifies us. The truth will out."
April 10, 2009, Blog #3: Minneapolis settles law suit with the Mill City Five, causing more questions to be raised than answered.
October 8, 2008 Column #38: Is The Strib Only Interested In Black Corruption?Why Did It Drop Its MPD Investigation When White Officers Were Implicated?
July 23, 2008 Column #27: MPD Black officers: The mystery deepens. Upcoming trials will help illuminate the shadows.
May 24,2008, Blog #12: Chief's dog now also subject of investigation
June 30, 2008, Blog #16: Settlement conference in law suit of African American officers begin Thurs, June 26, 2008
July 18, 2008, Blog entry #20, City of Minneaplis makes decision: rejects settlement with Black Police Officers.
July 31, 2008, Blog entry #21: Why Do The Star Tribune and Katherine Kersten Deny Discrimination, Disinform About the Black Community, Attempt to Disappear Ron Edwards, and Encourage Defamation and Hate Under their banner of self appointed virtue and self fantasies about diversity and tolerance?
September 26,
2007 Column #20: Minneapolis Black police officers take action against bias. The need for Chapter 149.80: A Time to Act
September 14, 2007 Blog
#34: Mayor, Police Chief and Democrats out of control (or
a stealth plan?)? Seven more deadly sins or paranoia? Are they
planning to use assault rifles in our neighborhoods?
April
20,
2005 Column #8: Black share of $5 billion construction: Zero.
What can be done to reverse “Blacks need not apply” for the
coming great construction boom?
June 20, 2007 Blog #18: "41 years." Again. City Council answers our famous question of "how long" with 41 years, renewable every 41 years.
June 20, 2007 Blog #17: Answering the question: why is the PCRC involved in civil rights, justice/fairness, and social/government accountability issues?
2005
November 9, 2005 Blog #75: Report of the Compliance and Review Committee (CRC) of the Police Community Relations Council (PCRC) Before the Safety Committee of the City of Minneapolis
June 4, 2005 Blog #61: Dred Scott haunts The Twin Cities: The Ghost of Judge
Tawny watches to see if his ruling will be brought back to life, reminding us
again of the power of the courts. Is the DFL trying to bring back Chief Justice
Tawny?
MISSING ENTRY Police Community Relations Council Sidelined; Wexler & General Mills Foundation Choice Of "Plan" Secrecy Over Transparency Shows Lack Of Judgment And Creates "Internment" Rumors That Need To Be Answered, Especially When Better Solutions Stand At The Ready. Blog #47, April 17, 2005
2003
December 11, 2003 Blog #249: Call to the Mayor and City Council: Be
People of Resolution and Solution to Achieve the Prize of Freedom: equal access
and equal opportunity for all.
December 3, 2003 Blog #242: To accept the report or not,
that is the Federation and Council’s question. The answer should be a no brainer:
accept. So why are they hesitating?
July 10, 2003 Blog #17: Mediation as Independent Interdependence or
as Genuflection to the Plantation Masters?
Columns and blog entries regarding the war on young black men
2008
December 17, 2008, Column #48: Brutality continues against Black males in Minneapolis: Smith's death by police tasers brings his appeal to a tragic halt.
Local journalism (or the lack thereof)
A leading problem in Minneapolis is the lack of credible journalism. The pieces listed below are several columns and blog entries that discuss how The Star Tribune censors writers and stories it doesn't agree with it, including my first book in 2002. It hides from the public what is going on in the Police Department, which enables the situation to get worse, not better.
July 2, 2006 Blog #10: Open Letter to Editors of Star Tribune: Solutions for your 7-2-06 editorial, Crime and the 'truly disadvantage.
2005
July 9, 2005 Blog #67: Why is the Pioneer Press Extorting history in
its reporting of the joint FBI - St. Paul Police raid on the facilities, memory,
and history of the St. Paul Inner City Youth League?
2003
November 3, 2003 Blog #213: Doug Grow covers half the stomping, missing
the more interesting half: that just as some of the stomping of citizens by
police is illegal, some of the stomping done by City Hall is illegal yet intentional,
lawless yet purposeful, against its own laws that are ignored and against Federal
laws which the feds won’t long ignore.
Solution suggestions — columns, blog entries and solution papers with suggestions for the future
March 12, 2008, Blog #1: Success of Fire Department Consent Decree Needed in Minneapolis Department. City should consider Alex Jackson an excellent choice for Chief of Minnenapolis Fire Department.
Ron hosts “Black Focus” on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays,
5-6 pm. Formerly head of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and the
Urban League, he continues his “watchdog” role for Minneapolis.
Order his book, hear his voice, read his solution papers, and read his
between columns “web log” at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com.
Permission is granted to reproduce The Minneapolis Story columns, blog entires and solution papers. Please
cite the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and www.TheMinneapolisStory.com for the columns. Please
cite www.TheMinneapolisStory.com for blog entries and solution papers.
