Ebony and Ivory

  City councilmembers Bonnie Sue Cooper and Terry Riley tangled Thursday.

   In the middle of a discussion about mental health courts, Riley suggested federal budgets cuts had hurt law enforcement.

   Cooper said, no, local officials should do more to curb drug use which she said led to violent crime.

   The tangle came when Cooper said "the blacks" were killing each other.

   Riley said Cooper -- and all Kansas City -- should consider violent crime a problem, not just "the blacks."

Posted by Dave Helling

Comments

[kayceewolf]

I'm not a big fan of O'Riley, but on this issue he's right.

And as for Bonnie Sue, I'm surprised she didn't bust loose with a "you people are killing each other" sort of statement. Most of the time her heart's in the right place, but she does have an embarassing habit of making insensitive gaffes.

Any violent crime in our city should make us take notice. It seems all too often that those occuring in "the hood" get less notice. I do have to admit that the problem is more economical and social then we have the resources to fix so I dont see any reduction of crime in the near future.

[sandra]

Now we will see if there is any black leadership left in Kansas City. If not a word is said about Cooper's racist remarks and an apology is not demanded by civil rights groups, then we will have our answer.

[lamar mickens]

Ebony and Ivory:

I feel that Terry Riley has always been a political scape goat because he has not mastered the art of "fast paced corrupt politics; good for him! He likes to keep it plain and simple. The way you can tell a good politician from a bad one is simple:

There IS NO SUCH THING AS A GOOD POLITICIAN! There are however, good leaders.

Take a tough issue for example like "poverty" and ask them to solve it.

The POLITICIAN WILL SWEAR TO LOOK INTO IT!

THE LEADER WILL ATTEMPT TO DO IT!

As for Bonnie Sue Cooper: Be careful how you throw around racial comments; some might just come back at you!

You also might want to ask Bonnie about that proposed "Epicenter project" for the 3rd and 5th District? Guess not huh? Terry and Becky liked the idea so much they wrote a letter each in support of giving those so called-Urban Core "blacks" an improved community. What's Bonnie excuse?

[maggie]

Did anyone posting on this blog even hear or see yesterday's council meeting? I watched a rerun of it on Channel 2 this morning.

Don't be so quick to throw racism accusations around. Statistically, Bonnie Sue is absolutely correct. Young African Americans are killing other young African American in huge numbers. Bonnie Sue asked why we are not addressing it. This isn't a racist comment.

How can you solve a problem if you don't acknowledge it?

Mr. Lamar, what has Becky and Terry's support gotten you? Nothing, right?

They are real good at that. But, please, don't let me interrupt, continue to bask in the glow of their "support".

[lamar Mickens]

Back it up...

Hey Maggie, by any chance do you live in the Third District or any part of the Urban Core? Are you an African American? Have you ever been poor? Have you ever seen violence up close? How about homelessness? Has Bonnie Sue ever been poor? Too bad many of us who speak about how young African Americans are statistically killing each other don't know why they are killing each other. Become poor, trapped and desperate enough and see how you fair? Sorry I didn't write back sooner, I was too busy attending vigils and strategy meetings trying to get people like Bonnie Sue to support a project that would stop people from killing one another-
(leadership).