What a beautifully compassionate, impassioned and appropriate letter. I hope that you also sent it to the editor of that publication.
Your link to the article is broken, but I found the article with google.
I cannot believe that the writer actually posted these people's image, DOB, real name, and where they hang out on the internet! Unbelievable. Do they have a right to do this without the person's consent?
Has society failed them, or are they simply failures?
Why is it okay to sneer at douchebags till the cows come home, but homeless crackheads somehow are deserving of more reverence and respect?
Janelle: I believe their records are public information, the specifics of the police reports I am not sure...
Scott: I'm not OK with anyone's name and information being used in a degrading manner without their permission. The douchebag article I was referencing was in another local publication and did not use peoples names and information without their permission. I can see how unless you see the people in the City Pages article in person as I have, it could be hard to see or understand their humanity. And I certainly don't think you are implying that someone who is an arrogant jerk (i.e. a douchebag) deserves more respect in their privacy than someone who is mentally ill and drug addicted.
I feel your plight. I've been keeping an eye on the MN PD system for the past year or two now and am wondering when the downhill tumble will finally end and the governor and legislature will wake up.
Working for the North Dakota PD system as a clerk in my final year of law school, I can attest to the truth of your statements. These people are not bogeymen. They are simply and most often the victims of circumstance. Yes some are career criminals. But to label all as such is a gross injustice.
Commenting by HaloScan
