So the Winona paper had a story today about a high-schooler being cited for "desecrating" a flag. He allegedly burned it with cigarettes, wrote song lyrics on it and then tore it into pieces before leaving school to attend the Rage Against the Machine concert in Minneapolis on September 3 (where he no doubt felt justified by the extreme police presence).
The fucked up thing though, flag burning or desecration isn't illegal. It's not a crime. The reporter doesn't correct that though, saying "He said he knew it was illegal but did it to excite his friends." What clueless bullshit for the AP to pick up. [this was the AP story, not the entire original one. Point still stands].
In that same vein, the Minneapolis City Council seems to be more interested in playing politics, and background wheel-dealing, than in representing constituencies. According to council member Paul Ostrow, he's afraid of negative headlines. Is this Ostrow and Barbara Johnson kowtowing to powerful interests like the police at the expense of the rights of normal citizens because they're afraid of controversy? If true, that would be a petty version of democracy; is it any wonder people, like the above teen, have such little respect for their authority.
On the other hand: Cam Gordon, Gary Schiff, and David Thume are actually calling for investigations and holding hearings. Maybe it's true that citizens should be guaranteed basic rights and treatment, and that authorities should be held accountable for their actions same as anyone else -- that government of the people, by the people, and for the people thing -- not the other way around.
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