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Steve Myers
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THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION Saturday, May 05, 2007By Joe Lawlorjlawlor@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6312
FLINT - Flint City Councilwoman Carolyn Sims on Friday referred to the shooting death of Jo Ann Burgett by Flint police as a "senseless killing," a change from her previous statement when she called it a "senseless murder" at a recent council meeting.
When pressed during a news conference Friday, Sims did not apologize or say she should have said something different when she called the shooting a "senseless murder" during an April 23 council meeting.
"Whether I used the term murder or killing, the end result is still the same," said Sims, who did admit to being emotional on that night.
Burgett was armed with a knife in the Shady Acres mobile home park and was shot and killed by officers April 20 after she approached police and refused to drop her weapon.
Sims has come under intense criticism and calls for resignation by police. A former police officer, Sims was recently booted out of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Sims said she has "always stood in support of law enforcement," and she praised Genesee County Sheriff Robert J. Pickell for moving toward purchasing Tasers for the county department. Flint police do not have Tasers.
Pickell said the Tasers purchase was "not prompted" by the Shady Acres incident, but rather that he found them at a good price.
She also said she believes Flint police need a permanent chief.
"I will always stand for what is right," Sims said.
-Joe Lawlor
http://www.mlive.com/news/flintjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-43/117836586968820.xml&coll=5 |
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Steve Myers |
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Sat May 05, 2007 12:16 pm |
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Biggie9
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"I will always stand for what is right," Sims said.
if that is true,
THEN
she should admit she chose the WRONG word [murder].
Especially given her position in government, she should KNOW better.
And she should know better than to give a sound bite when having an emotional response.
She should just apologize for the mis-use of the word and move on. Note, SHE CAN NOT. See how easy it is for our "leaders" to admit mistakes.
it ain't. And its tripped up more than a few. |
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Sat May 05, 2007 2:01 pm |
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rgillmi
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First of all, she was speaking on an issue that she feels strongly about, being a former Flint Police officer. Judging from the facts she had at the time, she felt it was a murder, as still do many people in the city. As a officer, she is familiar with the training of these officers as well as the protocol, so may be there is something to her words, as opposed to me calling it a murder.
Second. Why should she have to apologize? It was her thoughts and feelings, as a former police officer, you could probably call her an expert on the issue (Fox news would) and she was only expressing her idea of what happened. Did the Mayor ever apologize? Has AC Dumas ever apologized for saying something idiotic? Did Dr. Milton ever say he was sorry for hiring a (an alleged) child molester? My point is that no one in politics ever says they are sorry, so why should Ms. Sims?
(Third) Wait, I know why... Is it because you don't agree with her? I think I may be on to something. Now I know that I am probably going to get private messages from some of you on here, telling me I shouldn't be discussing this until the investigation is over with, but I am tired of it. It seems as though people are pounding this woman because they don't agree with her, or perhaps because they don't like her, which I know many don't, seeing as how they are attempting to recall her. I do not know much about her, she is not my council person, but she has a right to her opinion as do all of us on here. Maybe murder was the correct word... I prefer "mistake made due to improper or lack of training", but we don't know, and I doubt we will after the investigation either. People are just buying time hoping this will all go away because all of the people that are talking about it have been told to wait to discuss it or they have been recalled and kicked out of the FOP.
Not everyone that disagrees with you is wrong. |
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Sat May 05, 2007 2:41 pm |
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Biggie9
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quote:
rgillmi schreef:
First of all, she was speaking on an issue that she feels strongly about, being a former Flint Police officer. Judging from the facts she had at the time, she felt it was a murder, as still do many people in the city. As a officer, she is familiar with the training of these officers as well as the protocol, so may be there is something to her words, as opposed to me calling it a murder.
What facts? What did she or anyone else "KNOW" as truth? The investigation hadn't even started when she spoke. WRONG
quote:
rgillmi schreef:
Second. Why should she have to apologize? It was her thoughts and feelings, as a former police officer, you could probably call her an expert on the issue (Fox news would) and she was only expressing her idea of what happened. Did the Mayor ever apologize? Has AC Dumas ever apologized for saying something idiotic? Did Dr. Milton ever say he was sorry for hiring a (an alleged) child molester? My point is that no one in politics ever says they are sorry, so why should Ms. Sims?
She should only apologize only if she realizes that as a PUBLIC leader its ALWAYS inappropriate to make comments on a possible criminal proceeding. Its called prejudicial to the case. She can contaminate a possible jury pool should a criminal trial, or even an admistrative one occur down the road. It does nothing but inflame people with what facts? NO! with opinion. As far as your proffered examples, none of them are the same issue whatsoever, and don't deserve consideration. BUT. If you did have a relevant example.....so because someone else doesn't do what is appropriate, Ms Sims is allowed also to act inappropriately? I haven't heard logic like that since elementary school. Two wrongs make a right?
quote:
rgillmi schreef:
(Third) Wait, I know why... Is it because you don't agree with her? I think I may be on to something. Now I know that I am probably going to get private messages from some of you on here, telling me I shouldn't be discussing this until the investigation is over with, but I am tired of it. It seems as though people are pounding this woman because they don't agree with her, or perhaps because they don't like her, which I know many don't, seeing as how they are attempting to recall her. I do not know much about her, she is not my council person, but she has a right to her opinion as do all of us on here. Maybe murder was the correct word... I prefer "mistake made due to improper or lack of training", but we don't know, and I doubt we will after the investigation either. People are just buying time hoping this will all go away because all of the people that are talking about it have been told to wait to discuss it or they have been recalled and kicked out of the FOP.
Apparently you haven't understood the salient point. IT IS WRONG FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICIAL TO MAKE ANY UTTERANCES ON THE CULPABILITY OR INNOCENCE OF THOSE INVOLVED UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETE.
Got that? ANYONE in those positions. You and I can blather on about it we want. We don't count. You and I can express our opinions, in ignorance until the cows come home. She CAN NOT as a PUBLIC LEADER. She at least realizes it from her semi-retraction. She just doesn't have the courage to come out and admit it. And now that she is being attacked, primarily by the Police entities [rightly], she has gone into defense mode, and of course it becomes even harder to admit an error for fear her 'enemies" will exploit it against her.
She was wrong to use the term "murder" and she should know it. If she doesn't god help us all. You get a pass. You lead or influence no one [nor do I]
We can be as stupid as we want. The only people who note it are the ones reading our posts here.
quote:
rgillmi schreef:
Not everyone that disagrees with you is wrong.
nope, but sometimes they are mistaken. As you are here. |
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Biggie |
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Sat May 05, 2007 9:55 pm |
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