Remember: our rules allow pointed disagreement, but require respectful discussion.
--
> We lobby and argue for dog parks and opening streets (both also
>important) but when we get down to issues and stands on the civil rights of
>people of color, we largely get lip service.
Jonathan, I'm wondering what you call "lip service". I've been hearing
alot from political and other leaders (including President Bush and
University President Yudolf) about the need to avoid the bigoted reaction
that Muslims should all pay for the WTC attack. I personally think people
who have alot of power using the bully pulpit of that to make such a
statement is a positive thing, and more than lip service.
If what you mean by "issues and stands on the civil rights of people of
color" is reparations, then I think there are alot of people who don't
agree with that. There was a point counter point by Shelby Steel (the
black conservative) and a black liberal (I don't recall his name)
discussing reparations in Newsweek about a month ago. I found Shelby
Steel's arguments against reparations more compelling. At the same time, I
felt that David Horowitz's stunt on this subject (trying to place ads which
opposed reperations in campus newspapers) was just playing the racial
provakateur.
> Although this will be more along the lines of is it just Arab-Americans
>and Muslims, are White Muslims included, what about people who just look
>Arab American, how do you know it was a result of the attack....meanwhile,
>people's quality of life is being destroyed
>
> And if St. Paul is only doing words and PR, than the same pressure needs
>to be brought there as well.
With regard to a special number -- rather than 911 for these incidents, I
agree with David Brauer and Andy Driscoll. However, I DO hope that 911
operators are being given some instruction about how to deal with these
particular reports. I never liked it much when OutFront used to encourage
Gays to report hate crimes to OutFront because the police here were
supposedly so bad at dealing with these reports. What I would have rather
seen is more encouragement to gays in the city to use the existing system
-- because we are citizens, and deserve the same protection and security
everyone else does.
I was appalled at the story that Eric Mitchell posted about those three
Arab American passengers who were forced to get off the NWA flight. Barb
Lickness's comments about how people weren't reacting to the Oklahoma City
bombing by profiling all blond, blue eyed people was right on target.
Eva
Eva Young
Central
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