To: <mpls@mnforum.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Mpls] Drugs in Minneapolis/What's a Mayor to do?
The city dodges the illegal immigration question with "its not our responsibility"
Why should it be any different with federal drug laws?
1. The drug laws are criminal in nature, whereas violations of immigration laws are only civil.
2. Drug laws are illegal under both federal and state law, thereby imposing a responsibility for state and local officials to enforce them. Immigration laws are only contained in federal statutes and regulations, and not at all covered under state laws.
3. The application of federal immigration laws in this country are fundamentally unjust, exploitive and racist, so it is unethical to enforce them. They are used against people who are asked by businesses to come to this country to work for lower wages and at unpopular tasks, and pay taxes, but have to live in fear of being arbitrarily detained and thrown out of the country at any time, cannot vote, obtain drivers licenses, get back social security that they pay, or have access to an array of other privileges. To be sure, the application of criminal drug laws in this country are also fundamentally unjust, exploitive and racist, but there are public safety and health problems directly related to drugs that are not relevant in immigration matters.
Jordan Kushner Golden Valley works downtown
Mike Jensvold Ward 10
--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:REMINDERS:Aside from the shock and pleasure that comes with my agreement with certain folks on the list with whom I don't normally agree, it seems like we've not tread any new ground in any of these exchanges. I'd like to explore just how Minneapolis can legally declare certain areas of the city as non-enforcement zones for independent study of drug use. Federal laws prohibit all sorts of activities that could lead us to cogent solutions to all sorts of societal problems; shouldn't we be looking at ways to change or legally circumvent those laws to find real solutions? As many have pointed out, what we do instead is to chuck a significant part of whole generations living in certain areas or economic circumstances into the garbage dumps while those who are better off, legally or not so legally, live lives unaffected by drug or substance abuse phenomena (other than their remuneration as recent posts of Booker Hodges point out). As a nation, we forge ahead with traditional solutions based on speculation and personal prejudice instead of solid facts about the problems. What we really need is a moritorium on the 'War on Drugs' and a deep rational and scientific approach to the real problems of substance abuse leading to the creation of effective solutions. What can we do here in Minneapolis to lead the way besides carp at one another on the list and attend post mortem vigils or prayer breakfasts in the troubled spots in our city? I'd be interested in hearing from the Mayor and his challenger on these issues.
Because Mayor Ryback promised to make the best of the position of mayor of the City of Minneapolis as defined in our charter, I voted for him in his campaign against Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, whom I thought was invisible and ineffective; but I don't know that I can vote for him a second time. Because, as with Sayles Belton, the actual work of the office remains largely invisible in the Ryback Administration, I have grave doubts about what is actually getting done. I take seriously Peter McLaughlin's contention that public participation has been curtailed during the term of Ryback at the helm, such as it is, in City Hall. My impression is of a communications machine to circulate what to me appears largely as "spin," i.e., R.T. Ryback appears to be the 'Virtual' Mayor of Minneapolis. You can write a "strong mayor" into the City Charter or not, but you still must elect the genuine article to get things done ('Everybody talks about Minneapolis, but nobody does anything about it' to misquote Mark Twain). I think I know who that is, but I still need convincing.
Bill Kahn Prospect Park
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1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract
________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org
Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list.
2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
