Post in long week

My friend Chuck always warns me about hitting the send key on my computer
when I'm tired, cranky, frustrated or angry - in this case after a long week
of rnc, demonstrations, fears, complaints, policy questions...  but here
goes:

Contrary to official comment, this was not a "wonderful week".
To see our city decked out in prison camp fenced splendor complete with
coast guard gunboats on the mississippi, helicopters overhead, beleagured
and tired st. paul police officers, peaceful demonstrators bloodied and
gassed, gangs of out-of-town thugs smashing everything in sight, citizens
asking loved ones to write important family contact numbers on their arms,
garbage trucks shutting down bridges and streets, nameless faceless
badgeless riot police, videos of young girls crying "I love you" as they are
maced and struck, and another futilely holding out a flower as she is
sprayed with peppergas...
Allegations of weapons, molotov cocktails and homemade napalm stirring the
fears and apprehensions of citizens and police alike...

But also, good cops and good demonstrators who showed good will. True Blue
videos, hilarious signs and costumes... Compassionate st. paul cops with
nametags who recognized neighbors by name. Citizens and businesses who
brought coffee and sandwiches to officers who had been on duty for 14 hours
or more. A cop who knelt and comforted a sobbing, scared woman on the
street. Locals who attempted to explain to confused minneapolitans why
wabasha street comes before minnesota street.  The "new" media with cameras
shedding light on situations which might have been covered up or denied back
in my 60's protest days...

And all to the backdrop of scripted, over-hyped convention activities sold
to the highest bidder.

This was not a proud week for my city. It was a week of contradictions.

It was as close as I ever care to get to suppression of civil liberties, it
was as close as I ever felt to my neighbors and st. paul police officers who
will be here long after the celebs and media have moved on to other
diversions.

I am going  to ask for a public airing of what went right and what went
wrong once we regroup and remove the riot fences.

I would urge all of you to help delineate what went right and wrong. What
you saw and how you felt.

More after I get some sleep.

dave
ward two