> A Star Tribune reporter was disciplined Thursday > after he disclosed that he wrote an e-mail to a > Minneapolis police official that contained > racially insensitive language. > > David Chanen, a police reporter, told editors that > he used the term "colored officers" in an e-mail > sent Wednesday to Minneapolis Police Inspector > Donald Banham, who is black. > > Star Tribune Managing Editor Scott Gillespie sent a > letter Thursday to Minneapolis Police Chief Bill > McManus saying that the newspaper "owes you and your > department a deep and sincere apology" for the > language used in the e-mail. > > McManus said Thursday night that the newspaper's > apology "should be made to Minneapolis Police > Department officers of color, not to me. Certainly, > they are all offended by it. This isn't the 1960s > anymore."
I don't intend to be obtuse, but I don't get this one.
Officer Of Color = OK Colored Officer = Not OK
As far as I can tell, these say exactly the same thing - semantically they differentiate officers with color from officers without color. The general concept of using "color" to distinguish cultural heritage seems a bit off to me, but the point is, I don't understand the difference between the two statements. Why is one OK and the other not?
This would not be the first time I've made the mistake of not knowing that something is culturally offensive, but can someone explain this one to me?
- Jason Goray Sheridan NE
(A person of relatively pale pigment, especially in the winter.)
I was also wondering if the Star Tribune makes it a practice to publically discuss their personnel disciplinary actions.
Other posts on this list suggest that there is some history of racism with this reporter. I'm not clear of the specific instances. Perhaps someone can clarify.
I think what was interesting is Carson - one of the people Chief McManus hung out to dry at the beginning of his term was transferred from the Homicide Unit. Channen's original article made McManus look really bad. McManus's response was to call the article racist. McManus has always been good at PR.
The other thing I got from the original article, is the Police Department in Minneapolis sounds like a snake pit to work in.
I think Jason asks some good questions. I would also like to hear some answers.
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
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http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
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