In a message dated 5/20/2005 8:51:34 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
A young man apologizes for his comments and your response is to try to add fuel to the fire. What does the NAACP have to do with whether what Mr. Hodges or Mr. Samuels said was wrong? I applaud that young man for having the courage to admit his mistake. I only hope that Mr. Samuels has the same courage. It's time for healing. JP: You know Michelle, I have to disagree with you on several regards. Not about your comments to Doug, but about a young man admitting his mistake, apologizing and having courage. It does take courage to apologize. An apology is an admission of error followed by an expression of regret. That's all. The moment you add a qualification for your actions, it ceases to be an apology, and it becomes an explanation to justify behavior. Booker didn't apologized for his actions, he apologized for any "undue stress" it caused and any problems his comments caused, while qualifying that he thought Don had taken them out of context. He never admitted any error, merely lamented over the impact. This was not an apology, it was a justification for his actions and and opportunity to defend himself as he did in the second paragraph. I didn't agree or find Don's "big house" comments appropriate because I knew how they translated. I believe he meant them with the best of intentions, but it was the wrong approach....and I told him so. But what I did was pull him to the side, sit down with him and tell him why I thought it was wrong and that I thought he shouldn't make the speech again. I didn't go on a TV show and make overt or veiled threats, I didn't assault him at a convention or community meeting, I didn't go on a radio show or write articles. I simply talked to him. And in a civil society among rational people, that's how we settle differences....if settling differences is your intent. Further you lose all credibilty to criticize people for talking about the "big house" when in the same breath you call anyone "niggas", "niggers" or any variation thereof. You cannot cast that first stone while "sinning" at the same time. I too am willing to believe that both were taken out of context, however, the difference is that Don was attempting to utilize a poor choice of words and example to illustrate his and his wife's commitment to the community as well as what he felt the youth needed. Booker's comments had the sole intent of attacking Don....as he and other's have done consistently since he took office. Time after time, I have watched he and his colleagues assault Don for differences of opinion or lack of information, such as when Target gave a group of African American leaders focused on community development $300K for business development in the African American business community. Because Don had convened the group, they accused him of getting the money to line his own pockets and feed his war chest, even naming him "poverty pimp of the month". To date, that money still sits at the Minneapolis Foundation, where it always has, while the group deliberates over the use. There is a difference between intellectual discourse/criticism of public officials and slander/defamation of character/harassment. While you may consider both Booker and Don's comments wrong, Don did not have the intent nor the focus on an individual that Booker had, and that makes a huge difference. There has to be a level of accountability within our community such that when one does wrong, we let them know and address it appropriately, but the first step has to be in a civil manner, else we lose the ability to relate to one another, interact, and engage polite and respectful dialogue. It's okay to disagree vehemently, it's okay to criticize and critique, but if you cannot do it civilly, if you cannot first discuss and engage in respectful dialogue, then you lose the moral highground you believe yourself to be on. I've watched Don try and sit down with Booker and work out there differences and discuss appropriate behavior. Perhaps if Booker is really sincere in his regret, he will initiate the same thing and then the real healing can begin. Jonathan Palmer Victory 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
