Do we have to endure a tragedy before we wake up?

Permalink +

Thu, Aug 14, 2003, 3:15 pm  //  John Servais

Parking on the sidewalk downtown. Isn't that illegal?
Go pick up today's issue of the Bellingham Weekly and read the Skinny. It reports on the Bellingham Police giving jaywalking citations to downtown merchants who have dared to criticize the police. They are also ticketing the general public for being in the middle of the street when the walk light changes. They are ticketing bicyclists for parking their bikes against bollards for a minute while they chat or buy a sandwich. They are ticketing people who make the slightest mistake while riding a bike or walking across a street. They are lurking on their motorcycles like cheap sneaks. One cop, ticketing a person for having one foot off the curb while waiting for the light to change said "I love my job".

After reading the Skinny, I went out and got first hand reports myself. It is happening.

Why? The Skinny suggests greed. But there is a more sinister possibility. Police chief Randy Carroll is hitting back at those who have criticized his department for not properly dealing with downtown crime. He is going to drive people away from the businesses who have dared to speak out. It is abuse of police power.

Last spring, Randy told merchants to cough up donations to the police if they wanted protection. Extortion. The merchants did not.

Where is the mayor and city council? Nowhere.

Tacoma had an unqualified police chief and ignored the danger signs until too late. Our police chief also has a checkered and problematic personal history. He is not qualified by emotional temperament to be even an officer in our police force. He was chosen by the mayor without any search. Will Bellingham have to endure a tragedy before we wake up?

Read the Skinny. Think about what is happening. Speak out. Dare to.
Comments Commenting is disabled for this post

This city is in serious need of good local news coverage

Sun, Aug 31, 2003, 2:50 pm  //  John Servais

According to today's Herald, editorial page editor Carolyn Nielson is on leave. Eric Thomas, who has been writing goofy editorials aimed at humor, is now going on vacation.…

0 comments

What is happening at the Herald?

Fri, Aug 29, 2003, 2:54 pm  //  John Servais

You would think the Port of Bellingham getting a windfall of $17 million would be news. But since posting that here - and scooping the paid news media…

0 comments

Specializing in German vehicles.

The Port Commissioner campaign is getting hot

Wed, Aug 27, 2003, 2:57 pm  //  John Servais

Ginny Benton, seeking her third term as commissioner, stated this evening at the Rome Grange that she will not respond to the "mud slinging" being done against her.…

0 comments

Wednesday’s Lunch Time Soapbox Forum

Thu, Aug 21, 2003, 3:09 pm  //  John Servais

At yesterday's forum, the mayor and four challengers faced the audience for over an hour of questions. The forum does not allow them to use notes, so the…

0 comments

Do we have to endure a tragedy before we wake up?

Thu, Aug 14, 2003, 3:15 pm  //  John Servais

Go pick up today's issue of the Bellingham Weekly and read the Skinny. It reports on the Bellingham Police giving jaywalking citations to downtown merchants who have dared…

0 comments

Give GW what he deserves

Mon, Aug 11, 2003, 3:22 pm  //  John Servais

If you are interested in giving the raspberry to George W when he visits Washington State next week, then check out www.stopbushseattle.com and make travel plans. W is…

0 comments

This is an exclusive NwCitizen feature

Fri, Aug 08, 2003, 3:25 pm  //  John Servais

If you like a good read then check The Door to War and the Futurist Markets article. The author takes the concept of a Terror Futures Market and…

0 comments

OK. They are completely insane

Sun, Aug 03, 2003, 3:32 pm  //  John Servais

Amazing. I can call the supposed president of our country insane and my conservative friends only object to the f word. This is an adult site. If my…

0 comments

 

New links

Colbert Super Pac

Current Interest

Bham Camera Scam
Colbert Super Pac

Local Blogs & News

Bellingham Herald
Bham Politics & Economics
Bhm Herald Politics Blog
Bob Sanders
Cascadia Weekly
Citizen Ted
Ferndale Record
Foothills Gazette
Get Whatcom Planning
HamsterTalk
KGMI
Latte Republic
Lynden Tribune
MikeatthePort
Northern Light
Northwest Review
Sweeney Politics
Twilight Zoning
Wally Wonders
Western Front - WWU
Whatcom Watch

Local causes

Bham Camera Scam
Bham CofC political blog
Chuckanut Mountains
Citizens of Bellingham
City Club of Bham
Community Wise Bellingham
Conservation NW
Cordata & Meridian
Futurewise - Whatcom
Jail - local mega plans
Lake Whatcom
N. Cascades Audubon
N. Sound Conservancy
Neighborhood Schools Coalition
No Leaky Buckets
NW Holocaust Center
RE Sources
Transition Whatcom
WA Conservation Voters

Publisher recommended

Americans Elect 2012
Bham Politics & Economics
Community Wise Bellingham
Guardian Unlimited
Paul Krugman - economics
Redistricting WA state
Sweeney Politics
Watts Up With That? - climate
WikiLeaks.ch

NwCitizen 1995 to 2008

Early Northwest Citizen

Weather & Climate

Cliff Mass Weather Blog
Climate Audit
NW Radar
Two day forecast
Watts Up With That? - climate

Cascadia

Crosscut Seattle
Joel Connelly
Orcinus
Portland Indy Media
Seattle Indy Media
Washington Votes

Leisure

Adventures NW
Edge of Sports
Entertainment NNW
Famous Internet Skiers
Sailing Anarchy

Worth checking out

Al-Jazeera online
Alaska Dispatch
AlterNet.org
Americans Elect 2012
Antiwar.com
Arab News
Asia Times
Atlantic, The
Buzz Flash
Common Dreams
counterpunch
Daily Beast, The
Daily Kos
Daily Mirror
Drudge Report
FiveThirtyEight
Foreign Policy in Focus
Guardian Unlimited
Gulf News
Haaretz
Huffington Post
Innocence Project, The
Intrnational Herald Tribune
James Fallows
Jerusalem Post
Juan Cole
Le Diplo
Media Matters
Middle East Times
MoveOn.org
Nation, The
New American Century
News Trust
NMFA
numbers
Online Journal
Palestine Daily
Palestine News
Paul Krugman - economics
Personal bio info
Politico
Progressive Review
Project Vote Smart
Reuters
Sea Shepherd
Slate
Talking Points Memo
The Onion
Tom Paine.com
truthout
War and Piece
WikiLeaks.ch
ynetnews.com

Governments

Auditor election page
Bellingham
Bham - PFD
Candidate Filings
Election Results
Redistricting WA state
Skagit County
The White House
WA State Access
WA State Elections
WA State Legislature
Whatcom Auditor
Whatcom County

Other - for whatever

Ban Red Light Cams
BushFlash.com
Chickehhawks
Coal quandary
Doonesbury
George Bush
Info Clearing House
Mainstreampolitics
Michael Moore
Nat Geo on Coal Trains
Reality News
The Crisis Papers
Third World Traveler
Unity08
Washington Outsiders

Less active

Bellingham Register
Carl Weimer
Eye on Whatcom
John Watts
Post-Oklahoman Confessions
The American Telegraph

Quiet, offline or dead

David Hackworth
Gitmo prisoner 345
Mega Awesome
Not in my county
Parkenfarker
Pro-Whatcom