To: Rep. Lyndon Carlson (MN-45A), Rep. Karen Clark (MN-62A), Rep. Jean Wagenius (MN-63B), Rep. Paul Marquart (MN-4B), Rep. Connie Bernardy (MN-41A), Rep. Jim Davnie (MN-63A), Rep. Frank Hornstein (MN-61A), Rep. Paul Thissen (MN-61B), Rep. Di...
DFL Democrats for Unbiased Law Enforcement
November 29, 2015
An Open Letter to DFL Leadership and Elected Officials:
We as Democrats profess core values of equality, justice, and respect for human diversity. We know that even in Minnesota, “hate groups” exist (1). We have seen interviews and videos showing men inspired by such rhetoric who fired on unarmed protestors in Minneapolis (2). We have learned some prominent Minnesota law enforcement officers have publicly embraced White Supremacist ideology (3).
Some of our own DFL family are organizing at the 4th Precinct in Minneapolis, calling for an unbiased investigation into yet another police shooting of an unarmed Black man. How can we leaders and elected officials, in conscience, leave our brothers and sisters out in the cold – literally or morally?
What we ask is that you act TODAY with integrity on our shared DFL values, in three ways:
#1.) Call Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney and former DFL Senator from Richfield/Bloomington. He will decide Monday 11/30 whether or not to order a Grand Jury for this case. Ask him not to do that. Grand Juries almost always indict alleged assailants, but hardly ever do so when the accused are police officers. Ask Mike to charge the two officers directly. Phone 612-348-2146, fax at 612-348-2042, Email [email protected]
#2.) Ask Mike to release the videotapes of this incident.
#3.) Publicly call for police officers to blow the whistle on actions and policies within their Union and divisions they see as biased by racism. This takes great courage, integrity, and ethical action from men and women of conscience. Promise, as DFL leaders or elected officials, that you will support whistleblowers who call out wrongs within their own organizations, including the Police Union. Promise to do everything you can to help keep them safe from retaliation, amplify their public voices, and help find them new work if necessary.
Thank you for standing up and speaking out for our shared values as Democrats. Thank you for supporting MYDFL and our members in their nonviolent call an end to excess force and racial bias in Minnesota policing.
Sincerely yours,
The signers of this petition
(Contact: Karen Wills, CD3 Outreach Officer, 612-270-6559, [email protected])
1.) https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map
2.) http://www.citypages.com/news/armed-white-supremacists-threaten-protesters-at-fourth-precinct-shutdown-7847606 and http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/police-arrest-4th-suspect-blm-shooting
3) http://citizen.education/index.php/2015/11/25/the-ghosts-in-minneapolis-progressive-machine/ and https://www.facebook.com/notes/1036373579730293/?pnref=story.unseen-section
An Open Letter to DFL Leadership and Elected Officials:
We as Democrats profess core values of equality, justice, and respect for human diversity. We know that even in Minnesota, “hate groups” exist (1). We have seen interviews and videos showing men inspired by such rhetoric who fired on unarmed protestors in Minneapolis (2). We have learned some prominent Minnesota law enforcement officers have publicly embraced White Supremacist ideology (3).
Some of our own DFL family are organizing at the 4th Precinct in Minneapolis, calling for an unbiased investigation into yet another police shooting of an unarmed Black man. How can we leaders and elected officials, in conscience, leave our brothers and sisters out in the cold – literally or morally?
What we ask is that you act TODAY with integrity on our shared DFL values, in three ways:
#1.) Call Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney and former DFL Senator from Richfield/Bloomington. He will decide Monday 11/30 whether or not to order a Grand Jury for this case. Ask him not to do that. Grand Juries almost always indict alleged assailants, but hardly ever do so when the accused are police officers. Ask Mike to charge the two officers directly. Phone 612-348-2146, fax at 612-348-2042, Email [email protected]
#2.) Ask Mike to release the videotapes of this incident.
#3.) Publicly call for police officers to blow the whistle on actions and policies within their Union and divisions they see as biased by racism. This takes great courage, integrity, and ethical action from men and women of conscience. Promise, as DFL leaders or elected officials, that you will support whistleblowers who call out wrongs within their own organizations, including the Police Union. Promise to do everything you can to help keep them safe from retaliation, amplify their public voices, and help find them new work if necessary.
Thank you for standing up and speaking out for our shared values as Democrats. Thank you for supporting MYDFL and our members in their nonviolent call an end to excess force and racial bias in Minnesota policing.
Sincerely yours,
The signers of this petition
(Contact: Karen Wills, CD3 Outreach Officer, 612-270-6559, [email protected])
1.) https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map
2.) http://www.citypages.com/news/armed-white-supremacists-threaten-protesters-at-fourth-precinct-shutdown-7847606 and http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/police-arrest-4th-suspect-blm-shooting
3) http://citizen.education/index.php/2015/11/25/the-ghosts-in-minneapolis-progressive-machine/ and https://www.facebook.com/notes/1036373579730293/?pnref=story.unseen-section
Why is this important?
As Democrats, we live our values.