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In his direct letter to the City Council, Mayor Jacob Frey has come out to make his own decision on the future of the Third Precinct in Minneapolis ("Frey picks a spot for police station," Oct. 5). He has also teed up the City Council to act — or reveal itself in its continuing inaction. In the years since the murder of George Floyd and the arsons that followed, we here in the Third Precinct have seen indecision and reversal in dealing with the building at Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue. I fear it is worse than just indecision, however: It looks like an unwillingness to heal.
As a citizen who lives within walking distance of the building, I have in no way forgotten the anger, injustice and anxiety of the summer of 2020. I am not looking to forget, but healing does not mean erasure, and moving forward does not mean moving on. A healing process can accept the trauma and scarring, and moving forward can take steps on a path to seeing what the future might be.
In placing the City Council in a position where it must act, or cede its ability to be the arbiter, Frey has challenged seated members to stand on their actions and be accountable. With an election this November, Frey has made sure that all candidates for City Council must make clear statements on the future of the Third Precinct.
Bravo to Frey and the Star Tribune for making the future of the Third Precinct front-page news and an integral part of the upcoming November elections. It is time for candidates for these offices to make vision statements of their own on this issue and allow us as voters to move forward in the healing of our city.
Michael Whistler, Minneapolis
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Kudos to Frey for picking a site for the new police precinct. Building a new police station does nothing to harm the legacy of what happened to George Floyd, as the police officers involved were held accountable. Police reforms have been ordered by the state and federal government through mandates and should definitely continue. Minneapolis needs law enforcement, and to believe that Minneapolis can go without a police service or law enforcement is ridiculous because of the lax gun laws in this country. Likewise, so is the idea that every person who commits a crime is like Jean Valjean from "Les Miserables" and that every police officer is exactly like Derek Chauvin.
I should also point out that the election results of the 2021 "replace the police" amendment were not based on race regarding who supported or was against it but on ideological and political divides. However, Minneapolis City Council members who are aligned with far-left groups refuse to deal with the issue. Thus, I am glad Frey is taking initiative and taking a stand against the far left — this needs to be dealt with now.
William Cory Labovitch, West St. Paul
MINNEAPOLIS POLICE
Lots of blame to go around
I can understand Council Member Robin Wonsley's reluctance to approve a PTSD settlement for a Minneapolis police officer involved in the assault on Jaleel Stallings ("Ex-cop's PTSD claim rejected," Oct. 3). That is, however, a loser for the city. Before George Floyd, then-Chief Medaria Arradondo told me that state law had become such that any officer claiming PTSD who got support from a clinician could not be denied a PTSD claim. Like heart attack, PTSD is now presumptively caused by police or fire service.
There are officers who endured riots and subsequent derision who have legitimate PTSD claims. There are also others who see this claim as an opportunity to put a thumb in the eye of those council members who demonized all officers, made their jobs very difficult and called for their elimination.
To that extent, the chickens have come home to roost. Neither those council members nor the officers who filed vindictive claims acted in the interest of the citizens that they took an oath to serve and protect.
As we strive to create a more service-oriented, less militaristic police force that's genuinely connected to the community, some council members should reflect on their how their words and actions impact ordinary people, not just their circle of sycophants.
Last, I suggest an independent panel of clinicians review PTSD claims on behalf of the Department of Labor and Industry.
Gregory Hestness, Minneapolis
The writer is retired chief of the University of Minnesota Police Department and retired deputy chief of the Minneapolis Police Department.
BIG TECH
Popularity is not a defense
What a strange and puzzling perspective reflected in Taylor Barkley's opinion piece published on Sept. 29 ("Amazon, Google can't be trusted? Look who's talking," Opinion Exchange). He posits that because data from the Center for Growth and Opportunity (with no explanation about the nature or source of that data) show that Americans trust the federal government with their data less than Google or Amazon, the feds should "carefully consider the costs before impacting the companies Americans use and trust more." He offers no evidence that those Americans understand what they are trading off for the conveniences they appreciate. He admits that Amazon provides a marketplace for "thousands of unsafe and counterfeit products" and that Google can "make seemingly arbitrary and sudden decisions that harm small and medium-sized businesses." But they are popular, so they should be left alone. What an incredibly shortsighted perspective he offers, and how readily he would let the public be sold out.
Cyndy Crist, St. Paul
LGBTQ ISSUES
Student support really matters
The effort to elect conservative candidates to school boards in Minnesota purports to be about student and classroom safety. But that claim masks an effort to roll back protections for LGBTQIA+ students. Groups like the Minnesota Parents Alliance reject diversity and equity initiatives, and push back against books or lessons that normalize the LGBTQIA+ experience. They claim that progressives are "playing identity politics," even though their own rhetoric (often religious) is identity politics of a different persuasion.
Let's be very clear: Efforts to reverse progress for LGBTQIA+ students undermine student safety because they create a secretive, nonaffirming culture where queer identities are treated as less than equal. A 2019 Trevor Project study demonstrated that the lack of supportive adults in a queer student's life dramatically increases their risk of suicide. I recall implications that the Anoka-Hennepin School District's lack of institutional support for queer students led to student death over a decade ago.
If we are truly concerned about student safety, we should be doing things that lower the risk of suicide for our students, queer or otherwise. That means supporting all students, whether straight or queer, white or BIPOC, religious or nonreligious. Voters who are truly concerned about student safety should elect candidates who will continue supporting and defending our most vulnerable students. It's how the disciples of Jesus follow his command to care for "the least of these" in our school communities, and how we love our neighbors as ourselves.
The Rev. Oby Ballinger, St. Paul
GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE
Cost overruns? Sounds familiar
I just read that the cost of updating the governor's mansion has gone from an estimated $6.3 million to almost $13 million in the span of not too many months ("Governor's home rehab costs soar to nearly $13M," Oct. 4). I didn't realize that the Metropolitan Council had taken over this renovation project.
Rob McCollough, St. Paul
