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PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO RUCKUS, OUR WEEKLY FOOD-FOR-THOUGHT FIGHT OVER THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THE
TRENDS OF THE TIMES. I'M MIKE SHANIN JOINED BY THE RUCKETTES, *** COZAD, WHO RUNS
THE COZAD COMPANY, A LOBBYING FIRM; MARY O'HALLORAN, A MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT;
YAEL ABOUHALKAH, COLUMNIST AND EDITORIAL WRITER FOR THE KANSAS CITY STAR, AND GWEN GRANT,
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE URBAN LEAGUE. NEWS THIS WEEK SUGGESTS THAT
BUDGETING IS NOT THE KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FORTE. CHIEF DARYL FORTE AND CITY
OFFICIALS NOW AGREE THEY UNDERESTIMATED THE COST OF THE MUCH-DISCUSSED EAST PATROL CRIME
LAB. IT WAS THE CENTERPIECE OF A SUCCESSFUL PUSH IN 2010 TO RENEW
THE PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX. VOTERS WERE PROMISED A STATE-OF-THE-ART LAB AT
$57 MILLION. COST OVERRUNS NOW PUT THE PRICE AT 74 MILLION, 17 MILLION OVER
BUDGET. OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.
WHAT ARE THEIR OPTIONS, YAEL? WELL, ONE OPTION IS TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE MONEY AND GIVE THE
PEOPLE OF KANSAS CITY WHAT THEY PROMISED, A MODERN CRIME LAB THAT'S A BIG CRIME LAB THAT WILL
BE AROUND FOR 30 OR 40 YEARS AND REALLY HELP THE KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT SOLVE CRIMES
MORE QUICKLY. THAT'S ONE OPTION. THE OTHER OPTION, WHICH IS KIND
OF THE POLICE OPTION, POLICE AND POLICE BOARD OPTION. THE CITY'S OPTION IS WE ARE
ALREADY BORROWING MONEY TO MAKE THIS A BIGGER PROJECT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE
WITH A SMALLER CRIME LAB THAN WAS PROMISED TO PEOPLE. IT WILL BE BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU
HAVE NOW, BUT IT WILL NOT BE AS BIG AS YOU WANT. ACTUALLY WORKING ON THIS PIECE
FOR THIS WEEKEND, BUT ONE THING HAS COME ACROSS TO ME, AND EVEN THOUGH I WROTE THE EDITORIAL
ABOUT A WEEK AGO, SHOWING ALL OF THOSE COST OVERRUNS, NOT JUST FOR HERE BUT FOR POLICE
COMMUNICATIONS AND ALSO HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT BACK ON THE NORTHLAND PATROL
STATION, THE COST OF THAT ONE. I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED A MODERN CRIME LAB, AND
THAT'S WHERE AT LEAST THE POLICE HAVE TO PROVE TO THE PUBLIC THAT THEY HAVE REALLY GOOD REASONS
FOR BUILDING A 75,000 SQUARE FOOT STATION THAT HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO STAFF, AND
HERE IS WHAT THEY'LL GET FOR IT. IF THEY CANNOT DO THAT, THE CITY WILL PROBABLY WIN.
YOU KEEP REFERRING TO THE CITY AND THE POLICE. YES.
THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT. DOES THIS SUGGEST ANYTHING ABOUT THE NEED TO LOCAL CONTROL?
LOCAL CONTROL? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. YES, IT DOES, AND YOU KNOW,
RIGHT NOW BEHIND THE SCENES, THE POLICE AND THE CITY ARE VERY KIND OF POINTING FINGERS AT EACH
OTHER, AND MY TAKE ACTUALLY IS, YES, THE POLICE HAD SOME BAD COST ESTIMATES, BUT DON'T FORGET
THIS. THE CITY ADDED, AND I MEAN THE CITY HALL ADDED COSTS TO THIS
PROJECT BY SAYING WE WANT IT AT 27th AND PROSPECT. WE WANT TO TAKE THESE FOUR
BLOCKS OF HOMES. SO THERE WERE DECONSTRUCTION COSTS, CONSULTANT COSTS, ALL OF
THAT KIND OF THING WENT INTO THE PROJECT. THE CITY HAS ADDED A GYMNASIUM
TO THE PROJECT, WHICH I KNOW IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE WOULD LIKE.
SO HOW ABOUT MORE CITY MONEY INTO IT? AND GWEN, THE TAKING OF THOSE
LANDS CREATED QUITE A BIT OF CONTROVERSY? IT DID CREATE CONTROVERSY FOR
THOSE HOMEOWNERS WHO WERE DISPLACED AND APPARENTLY THEY WERE NEGOTIATING THE COST OF
THEIR HOMES. I THINK THE CITY UNDERESTIMATED HOW MUCH THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY
OUT TO ACQUIRE THOSE FOR LAND ACQUISITION. BUT I THINK THAT THE CITY MADE
THE RIGHT CHOICE IN CHOOSING TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT ON 27th AND PROSPECT WHERE THEY'RE
MAKING THE INVESTMENT, BECAUSE IT IS NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT
THAT'S NEEDED IN THE INNER CITY, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING, SO THEY'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO FINANCE IT. YES, MISLEADING A TAXPAYERS A BIT IS NOT A GOOD THING, AND YOU
KNOW, I AGREE WITH YAEL. I THINK THEY NEED TO MOVE FORWARD, BUT I THINK THEY DO NOT
NEED TO SCALE -- I THINK THEY NEED TO BUILD THE LAB THEY PLANNED TO BUILD.
TO HAVE THIS LAB AND ONLY CAN ADD THREE STAFF, THREE -- THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL.
THEY'VE GOT TO BUILD IT TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE IN. GWEN SAYS MISLEADING THE
PUBLIC IS NOT A GOOD THING. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, IS IT, THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MISLED
ABOUT THE COST OF PROJECTS IN KANSAS CITY? NO.
HAPPENS MOST OF THE TIME. I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO SOMETHING YAEL WAS TALKING
ABOUT, THE CITY VERSUS POLICE AND THAT ARGUMENT BEHIND THE SCENES IS REAL AND IS, IN FACT,
AS HE SAYS, GOING ON. IT'S THE CITY'S MONEY, ALL OF IT, EVEN, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THE
POLICE FUND. THE CITY'S CONTROL RIGHT NOW IS IT CONTROLS THE BUDGET.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY. AND SO THEY HERE THEY ARE, AND THEY'VE RUN SHORT.
THE CITY HAD EVERY CHANCE TO CRAWL ALL OVER THE ESTIMATES AND LOOK AT THIS AT THE TIME.
THEY NEED TO DIG INTO THEIR OTHER SPENDING AND FIND THE MONEY TO MAKE IT CRIME LAB WHAT
THE VOTERS WERE PROMISED, BECAUSE IF WE NEED IT AND THE VOTERS WERE CONVINCED WE DID OR
WOULDN'T HAVE VOTED FOR IT, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE IT, AND WE DON'T NEED TO CHARGE ANY MORE TO OUR
CITIZENS. THE OTHER OPTION, MARY, IS TO SELL SOME MORE BONDS.
WELL, I THINK IF WE'RE EVER GOING TO HAVE CSI KANSAS CITY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IT
BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN BIG TIME TV. THAT'S HOW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
WHAT CRIME LABS DO, BY WATCHING TELEVISION, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY BOUGHT INTO THE IDEA THAT WE
NEED A 21 CENTURY LAB, AND WE NEED IT IN ORDER TO SOLVE CRIMES FASTER.
IF WE HAVE A *** KIT BACKLOG THAT'S HOW LONG? SEVERAL WEEKS, MONTHS, THAT'S
NOT ACCEPTABLE. I DON'T CARE WHO IS RUNNING THE SHOW.
IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. COMING SOON, CSIKC. AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, GWEN
IS NOT ONLY COMMENTING ABOUT THE NEWS, SHE IS ALSO MAKING IT. GWEN IS CITED AS ONE OF THE KEY
MINORITY LEADERS HOPING TO INCREASE BLACK AND HISPANIC MEMBERSHIP ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
GWEN TOLD THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION IT SHOULD DO THAT BY CREATING 12 CITY COUNCIL
DISTRICTS WITH THE BOUNDARIES VIRTUALLY ASSURING THE ELECTION OF AT LEAST FOUR BLACKS AND ONE
HISPANIC. EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD BE CHOSEN ONLY BY VOTERS IN HIS OR
HER DISTRICT. THIS WOULD REPLACE THE CURRENT SYSTEM WHERE SIX ARE ELECTED
THAT WAY AND SIX ELECTED CITY-WIDE. THE MAYOR, ALSO ELECTED
CITY-WIDE AS THE COUNCIL'S 13th MEMBER. SPEAKING OF MAYORS, TWO BLACK
MEN HAVE BEEN ELECTED MAYOR BY KANSAS CITY VOTERS IN RECENT YEARS, SO IS THIS CHANGE, GWEN,
NECESSARY TO ENSURE MINORITY REPRESENTATION? THIS CHANGE IS NECESSARY TO
ENSURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PROTECTED CLASS OF MINORITIES TO ELECT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF
THEIR CHOOSING, AND ONE REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT'S NOT THE
RACE OF THE CANDIDATE THAT IS IN QUESTION. IT IS THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY
MINORITY PROTECTED CLASS. SO ACCORDING TO SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHEN A
MAJORITY MINORITY COMMUNITY'S WILL CAN BE THWARTED BY THE MAJORITY ELECTORATE, MEANING
THAT INDISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE IN AN AT LARGE RACE WOULD PREFER ONE CANDIDATE OVER THE CANDIDATE
THAT IS SELECTED BY THE LARGE, THE MAJORITY ELECTORATE, THEN THAT THWARTS THE WILL OF THE
MINORITY AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNDER SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
SO THE GOAL IS TO ELECT SO MANY BLACKS, THAT'S NOT TRUE? NO, NOT IN MY STATEMENT.
MY STATEMENT REALLY REFERENCED THE BASIS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE A
PATTERN IN KANSAS CITY WHERE IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT -- FIFTH COUNCIL DISTRICT, THE AT-LARGE
REPRESENTATIVE SINCE KEN BACKUS LEFT OFFICE, WHICH WAS IN '98, '99, THE AT-LARGE REPRESENTATIVE
HAS NOT BEEN THE PERSON WHO GOT A MAJORITY OF THE MINORITY VOTE. DO YOU THINK THERE IS ANY
LIKELIHOOD THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION IS GOING TO RECOMMEND ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
WHAT WE ASKED THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TO DO WAS TO LOOK AT THE LAW, THE VOTING
RIGHTS ACT AND TO LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN KANSAS CITY HISTORICALLY IN THE FIFTH
DISTRICT WITH RESPECT TO AT-LARGE ELECTIONS. IF THEY MAKE SUCH A
RECOMMENDATION, WHAT WE WOULD REFER TO SEE HAPPEN IS THAT THERE WOULD BE REDISTRICTING
TAKING PLACE, 12 DISTRICTS ARE DRAWN THAT WOULD POSSIBLY CREATE MORE REPRESENTATION FOR AFRICAN
AMERICANS AND ALSO CREATE REPRESENTATION FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S ABOUT
EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT AND QUALITY REPRESENTATION. YAEL, YOU WROTE ABOUT THIS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK PRACTICALLY SPEAKING THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO PUT THE
THING ON THE BALLOT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO FOR 12 DISTRICTS.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU ALREADY HAVE SIX AT-LARGE MEMBERS ON THERE WHO THINK AT-LARGE MEANS I'M
REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE CITY. CINDY AND ED SHOWED UP YESTERDAY.
ED WAS VERY STRONG IN SAYING HE WOULD NOT SUPPORT 12. NOW, THE COMPROMISE IS THIS IDEA
OF NINE IN DISTRICT AND THREE AT LARGE. IT MIGHT GO SOMEWHERE.
IT MIGHT BE THE NEXT STEP KANSAS CITY WOULD TAKE. WE ARE SLOW TO CHANGE ON SOME OF
THE STUFF. WE'VE HAD THIS PROCESS FOR 50 YEARS THAT GWEN HAS BEEN TALKING
ABOUT. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF -- THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT
CITIES. THIS CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION IS REALLY AT THE EARLY STAGE OF
WHAT IT SHOULD BE DOING. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE BACKGROUND NECESSARY YET.
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE FINISHED. GWEN, AREN'T YOU ON THE
COMMISSION? NO. MIKE, THE POINT IS, THEY'RE
NOT GOING TO BE FINISHED. THEY HAVEN'T DONE THE RESEARCH YET.
THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN, BUT WHEN STUFF IS BROUGHT TO THEM, IT'S
LIKE, OH, THAT'S INTERESTING. THERE WAS ONE CITY THAT WAS ALMOST ALL AT LARGE, AND THEY
HAD HIGH MINORITY REPRESENTATION. THEN YOU HAVE ONE CITY THAT IS
ALL IN DISTRICT, AND IT HAD LOW MINORITY REPRESENTATION, KIND OF GOING AGAINST WHAT GWEN IS
SAYING HERE. NO. HOWEVER --.
THE FACTS ARE --. LET ME CLARIFY. WE'VE GOT TO GET OTHER PEOPLE
IN HERE. NO. WHAT I SAID EARLIER, THE RACE OF
THE CANDIDATE DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. IT IS THE WILL OF THE
ELECTORATE. IF THE MAJORITY MINORITY WANTS A CAUCASIAN TO REPRESENT THEM,
THAT'S FINE. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M TRYING TO GET MARY TO SPEAK MORE.
MARY. NO. I RESPECT THE DEBATE BECAUSE
IT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S TERRIBLY IMPORTANT THAT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND GWEN AND
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND OTHER LEADERS UNDERSTANDING OF IT BE HEARD CLEARLY BY THE
CAUCASIAN COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY AND ALL AROUND. HOWEVER, I HAVE VERY -- I HAVE
SOME COUNTER INTUITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT THIS VERY SUBJECT, AND GWEN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT,
BECAUSE -- ONE REASON. SHARE THEM WITH THE REST OF US QUICKLY.
I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE A MINORITY DISTRICT, IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM, YOU HAVE SIX
AT-LARGE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO COME AND GET YOUR VOTE, PLUS A MAYOR, PLUS THE IN-DISTRICT
PERSON, HAVE TO COME AND CAMPAIGN IN YOUR MINORITY DISTRICT FOR YOUR VOTE.
RIGHT, SAYS ***. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT IS A VALUABLE
REALITY OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT MAKES IT NECESSARY TO HOLD ON TO FOR 50
YEARS. WE'RE ALMOST OUT OF TIME FOR THIS SEGMENT.
LET ME GET *** IN HERE FOR A FEW COMMENTS. WHEN YOU INCREASE THE NUMBER
OF DISTRICTS, THE NUMBER OF VOTES CAST IN EACH COLLECTION GOES DOWN.
THAT EMPOWERS POLITICAL MACHINES THAT TURN OUT VOTES. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, FOR THE
SAME REASONS, WE ALTERED IN THE SAME DIRECTION HOW WE ELECTED THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THIS CITY IN
1970. IF YOU LIKE THE RESULTS OF THAT, YOU'LL LOVE QUINN -- GWEN'S IDEA
TO CITY HALL. COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES. THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT
HAS BECOME THE CENTRAL GATHERING POINT FOR THE CITY, SAYS JON STEPHENS, WHO RUNS THE
CONVENTION AND VISITORS OH. STEPHENS REACTING TO A REPORT FROM THE DOWNTOWN COUNCIL
CLAIMING VISITORS TO DOWNTOWN HAVE JUMPED BY 445% FROM TWO AND A HALF MILLION ANNUALLY TO 13
AND A HALF MILLION OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS. THE ACKNOWLEDGED UNSCIENTIFIC
STUDY IS LIKELY DISIND AS A COUNTERPOINT TO THE STAR'S REPORT THAT PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT
DOWNTOWN HAS DECLINED BY NEARLY 20% DURING THE SAME TIME. STEPHENS SUGGESTS THE SURGE IN
VISITORS VALIDATES THE USE OF BILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO REVAMP DOWNTOWN.
MARY, DO YOU AGREE WITH HIM? WHY AM I CHUCKELING BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO MY QUESTION?
445%, AND THEN KEVIN HAS THE AUDACITY TO PUT IN HIS ARTICLE, THIS IS UNSCIENTIFIC.
HE SAID ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS STUDY. SURE, GREAT.
IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO ISSUE A REPORT BASED ON PERCENTAGES, BECAUSE PERCENTAGES CAN JUST
SKYROCKET. THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THERE, SO NOW THERE IS SOMETHING THERE,
AND IT JUMPED FROM NOTHING TO SOMETHING. DOES IT JUSTIFY?
NO. IT'S NOT A JUSTIFICATION. BUT IF IT'S FACTUAL, IT'S
EXCELLENT. OF COURSE, WE WANT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO COME SO THEY CAN PAY
OFF WHAT IT COSTS TO BUILD, BUT MR. STEPHENS IS THE NEW GUY AT THE CONVENTION VISITORS
ASSOCIATION. HE REPLACED -- CURRENTLY REPLACING MR. HUGHES, WHO IS
APPARENTLY ILL, AND HE WAS WITH CORDISH, YOU KNOW. I JUST THINK THAT 19% DECLINE IN
ACTUAL EMPLOYMENT DOWNTOWN PROBABLY HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T BUILT A NEW
OFFICE BUILDING DOWNTOWN SINCE 1985. AND PART OF THE TIME COUNTED
WAS DURING THE RECESSION OR EARLY PART OF THE 2000'S. NOT SINCE 1985.
AND THEN THE BORDER WAR, THROW THAT IN. BUT ALL IN ALL, TREMENDOUS
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AND WE ALL REMEMBER WHAT IT USED TO BE LIKE.
THERE ARE THREE THINGS ABOUT DOWNTOWN I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND.
ONE IS THE POPULATION DOWNTOWN HAS TRIPLED FROM APPROXIMATELY 6,000 TO MORE THAN 19,000.
THAT WAS SOMETHING MAYOR BARNES WORKED WITH. IT HELPED.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA HAS GONE UP.
THAT'S GOOD. THE SECOND THING IS, THE OFFICE POPULATION BEING DOWN IS NOT
GOOD, SO THAT'S NOT GOOD. THE THIRD THING IS, IT WAS RIGHT TO BUILD THE NEW SPRINT CENTER.
THAT'S BEEN A GOOD ADDITION, AND IT WAS RIGHT TO BUILD POWER AND LIGHT.
THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT COST US $14 MILLION A YEAR MORE THAN EXPECTED, AND WHENEVER I
CRITICIZE THAT, I AM TOLD, OH, YOU DIDN'T WANT DOWNTOWN RENOVATED.
NO, I WANTED DOWNTOWN RENOVATED AT THE ZERO COST TO TAXPAYERS THAT YOU PROMISED ME.
YOU DIDN'T TELL ME IT WAS GOING TO COST 14 MILLION A YEAR. NOW, IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME
IT WAS GOING TO COST 14 MILLION A YEAR AND IT DOES COST 14 MILLION, I KNEW THAT GOING
IN. SO OVERALL, DOWNTOWN IS A VERY POSITIVE STORY, AND MORE
VISITORS AND MORE PEOPLE LIVING THERE. GWEN, MIGHT THIS STUDY BE
LIKE A STALKING HORSE FOR THE IDEA OF A DOWNTOWN PUBLICLY FINANCED HOTEL, CONVENTION
HOTEL? REALLY? I'M ASKING.
I DON'T KNOW. IT COULD BE. I THINK THERE IS STILL THAT PUSH
THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THIS DOWNTOWN HOTEL AND TO TRY TO POSITION IT THAT WAY.
BUT I AGREE WITH MARY. WE HAVEN'T ADDED ANY OFFICES DOWN THERE, WHICH MEANS WE
HAVEN'T BROUGHT THAT MANY JOBS TO DOWNTOWN, AND WE'RE KNOWLEDGE FUELING THE ECONOMY THE WAY WE
SHOULD. WHO NEEDS JOBS WHEN YOU'VE GOT TOURISTS.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. NOT GUILTY BUT NOT REALLY FREE. EVEN THOUGH GEORGE ZIMMERMAN WAS
FOUND TO BE ACTING IN SELF-DEFENSE WHEN HE SHOT TRAYVON MARTIN, HE REMAINS A
KILLER IN THE VIEW OF MANY, INCLUDING PROMINENT CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS.
THEY SEE RACE AS AN ISSUE IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF 17-YEAR-OLD MARTIN, AND THEY WANT ZIMMERMAN
CHARGED WITH FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND MARTIN'S FAMILY SEEMS LIKELY TO SEEK WHAT
THEY TERM JUSTICE IN A CIVIL TRIAL. OMNIPRESENT ACTIVIST REVEREND AL
SHARPTON SAYS THE ISSUE IS NOW MOVING ONTO THE NEXT LEVEL. AT THAT TIME, WE ALSO SAID,
LET'S OPEN UP A REQUEST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO ASKING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
TO COME IN IS NOT NEW. THE FAMILY AND I MET WITH THE U.S. ATTORNEY DOWN THERE OVER A
YEAR AGO AND MADE THAT REQUEST, AND THE INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED.
IT WAS SUSPENDED DURING THIS TRIAL. WELL, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
ERIC HOLDER, SAYS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS GOING TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE CASE, AND I
ASSUME, ***, THAT WE ARE FAR FROM HEARING THE END OF THIS MATTER.
I THINK YOU CAN COUNT ON THAT. IT'S TOO POLITICALLY USEFUL TO
TOO MANY PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL -- ENDS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR FROM THE REVEREND AL SHARPTON ABOUT RACIAL PEACE AND EQUITY.
LOOK, THERE'S A REASON THE PROSECUTION DIDN'T TREAT THIS AS A RACE CASE, AND THE ONE JUROR
I'VE HEARD SPEAK SAID WE DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT IT. IF YOU ALLEGE IT, IF YOU TELL
THE JURY, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THAT HIS MOTIVE WAS RACE, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO PROVE IT, AND YOU
GET INTO ALL OF THIS GUY'S, ZIMMERMAN'S CONDUCT IN RELATION TO AFRICAN AMERICANS IN HIS
LIFETIME, INCLUDING DATING ONE IN HIGH SCHOOL, TAKING ONE TO THE PROM, INCLUDING BEING A
CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN THE CASE OF A HOMELESS BLACK GUY WHO WAS BEATEN UP BY THE SON OF A
LOCAL COP. AND NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT, AND ZIMMERMAN WAS OUT THERE
FIGHTING TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE TO THAT KID. ALL OF THAT STUFF COMPLICATES
YOUR CASE. THERE IS A REASON THE PROSECUTION DIDN'T DO THAT,
BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T PROVE IT. AND THE F.B.I., AS I UNDERSTAND IT, HAS ALREADY
LOOKED INTO THE MATTER AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY RACIAL ANIMUS.
SO NOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH THE F.B.I. IS A PART OF, NOW THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT IS RUNNING A WEBSITE SAYING, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING THAT MAKES ZIMMERMAN LOOK BAD IN
RELATION TO AFRICAN AMERICANS, CALL THIS NUMBER OR LET US KNOW ABOUT IT.
THEY'VE ALREADY USED TAXPAYER MONEY TO SEND PEOPLE DOWN THERE TO STIR UP A DEMAND FOR THE
ORIGIN -- ORIGINAL INDICTMENT. AT SOME POINT THIS CROSSES INTO PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT.
GWEN, WHAT KIND OF REACTION HAS THERE BEEN LOCALLY? MY REACTION TO WHAT HE JUST
SAID IS THAT ZIMMERMAN KILLED AN AFRICAN AMERICAN TEENAGER FOR WALKING IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEREIN LIES THE RACE QUESTION. I RESPECT THE COURT. I REMEMBER THE SYSTEM.
THE FACT IS THE YOUNG MAN WAS WALKING IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. HE WAS NOT BREAKING ANY LAWS.
ZIMMERMAN IS ON RECORD FOR MAKING RACIAL COMMENTS WHEN HE SAW THIS YOUNG MAN, AND HE WAS
TOLD NOT TO EMERGE FROM HIS VEHICLE. HE FOLLOWED HIM.
SO IN THIS CASE, WHICH THIS WHOLE STAND YOUR GROUND ISSUE, TRAYVON MARTIN HAD A RIGHT TO
STAND HIS GROUND. IF SOMEONE WHO IS FOLLOWING YOU WHO HAS NOT IDENTIFIED HIMSELF
AS A POLICE OFFICER, IT GIVES NO REASON, JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR FOLLOWING YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE A
RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF. THE DEFENSE HAD WORKED ALL OF THIS OUT, THAT HE HAD FOUR
MINUTES TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE BEFORE THE TIME HE ENCOUNTERED ZIMMERMAN.
THIS YOUNG MAN IS DEAD, AND ZIMMERMAN KILLED HIM. THOSE ARE THE FACTS.
SO NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, WILL THEY OR WILL THEY NOT COME IN?
I DON'T THINK SO. I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU -- WE WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
BUT WE DO WANT THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR INVESTIGATION THEY STARTED AND DID NOT STOP A YEAR AGO.
THEY PUT IT ON HOLD FOR THIS CASE. THEY'RE GOING TO FINISH IT.
I THINK THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS JUST DOING THIS WAIT UNTIL THINGS CALM DOWN AND THEN THE
WHOLE MATTER WILL BE EASED OUT OF PUBLIC SIGHT. I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE
EASED OUT OF PUBLIC SIGHT. I THINK THE FAMILY WILL HAVE A CIVIL WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT.
THAT'S THE MOST LIKELY LEGAL STEP THAT COULD BE SUCCESSFUL. HE CAN'T BE PUT IN JAIL
BECAUSE OF THAT. HE CAN BE FORCED TO TESTIFY. WE CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
ACTUALLY WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. WE CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIM,
AND THE KINDS OF BEHAVIOR THAT HE ENGAGED IN THAT WAS NOT ALLOWED INTO THE TRIAL, THE
ALLEGATION. AND THE LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IS DIFFERENT.
THE ACCUSATIONS OF HIS DOMESTIC ABUSE WERE MANY WITH MR. ZIMMERMAN.
BUT MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS CASE ARE VERY, VERY STRONG, AND I THINK I'M JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER
AMERICAN THAT WANTS RACIAL EQUALITY AS WELL AS PEACE IN THIS COUNTRY.
I WAS SHOCKED BY THE COMMENTS OF THE JUROR WHO DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY EMPATHY, ANY
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE DEATH AND THE SHOCKING NATURE OF THIS CRIME, WHAT I THINK WAS A CRIME.
IT WENT ON. SHE FELT NECESSARY TO COME BACK AND THEN ON A SECOND INTERVIEW
EXPRESS SOME EMPATHY FOR THE MARTIN FAMILY AND SO. BUT IT WAS A MASTERFUL PIECE OF
LAWYERING ON THE PART OF THE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS. ABSOLUTELY.
AND THE PROSECUTION, THEY OUGHT TO GET A NEW ONE. I'LL JUST QUOTE THE
PRESIDENT, WE'RE A NATION OF LAWS. THE JURY HAS SPOKEN, AND WE WILL
NOT ABIDE THE DECISION. ABSOLUTELY. I RESPECT THE VERDICT.
AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR ROASTS AND TOASTS WHERE THE RUCKETTES HYPE OR GRIPE ABOUT PEOPLE AND
EVENTS IN THE NEWS. WE START WITH MARY. WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO TOAST
SOMEONE WHO PLAYED AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE TRIAL THAT WE'VE ALL JUST WATCHED.
HER NAME IS RACHEL JANTEL, AND SHE WAS THE PROSECUTION'S MAIN WITNESS, HOWEVER SHE BECAME JUST
A NATIONAL FIGURE BECAUSE PEOPLE JUDGED THE WAY IN WHICH SHE PRESENTED HER FRIENDSHIP WITH
TAIWAN MARTIN. I THINK THAT AFTER IT WAS OVER, SHE HAS NOW BECOME SOMEBODY THAT
THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS. SHE SAID, I STOOD MY GROUND. I STOOD STRONG, AND I SPOKE FOR
MY FRIEND WHO WAS NOT THERE, AND I TOAST HER FOR IT. OKAY.
THIS IS A TOAST FOR MAYOR JAMES, GUNS AND HIS IDEA THAT GEE, WE'RE GOING TO GET PENSION FUNDS
TO NOT INVEST IN GUN MANUFACTURING. IT'S SYMBOLIC.
IT'S ANOTHER INDICATION, I THINK, OF HOW THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY WANTS TO DEAL WITH THE GUN
ISSUE BUT CAN'T BECAUSE MISSOURI SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THAT. SO ONE SOLUTION ON THE EDITORIAL
BOARD IS, MISSOURI PASSED A LAW SAYING YOU CAN'T ENFORCE FEDERAL GUN LAWS IN THE STATE, SO WE
THINK THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD JUST PASS A LAW SAYING -- NULLIFY ALL THE STATE LAWS THAT
SAY YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR OWN GUN LAWS IN KANSAS CITY, PROBLEM SOLVED, AND HE CAN GET AS TOUGH
AS HE WANTS. SINCE THE SOUTH IS BEING DEFAMED IN THE ZIMMERMAN CASE, A
TOAST TO THE SOUTH AS IT REALLY IS. IT IS THE ONLY SECTION IN THE
COUNTRY WHERE A MAJORITY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS SAY I THINK I'M TREATED FAIRLY IN THIS
COUNTRY. IT IS THE ONLY SECTION OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH A MAJORITY OF
WHITE SCHOOL KIDS ATTEND INTEGRATED SCHOOLS. IT IS THE ONLY SECTION OF THE
COUNTRY IN WHICH HALF THE STATES HAVE HIGHER VOTER PARTICIPATION BY BLACKS THAN BY WHITES.
IT IS THE ONLY SECTION OF THE COUNTRY WHICH FOR 30 YEARS HAS HAD NET INMIGRATION OF BLACK
PEOPLE. THEY ARE MOVING THERE FROM EVERY OTHER PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY.
BLACKS BELIEVE THAT THE SOUTH IS A FAIR PLACE, INDEED, THE BEST PLACE IN AMERICA FOR THEM TO
LIVE NO MATTER WHAT AL SHARPTON SAYS. WOW.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT QUOTE. HOW COME YOU HAVEN'T MOVED TO THE SOUTH?
I DON'T KNOW. BUT ANYWAY. I'D LIKE TO TOAST THE PARENTS OF
TRAYVON MARTIN FOR THE RESOLVE AND THE DIGNITY AND THE COURAGE AND THE PASSION WITH WHICH THEY
HAVE CONDUCTED THEMSELVES UNDER WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE DEVASTATING CIRCUMSTANCES AS A
PARENT TO HAVE TO BURY YOUR SON WHO DIED IT IS HAND OF AN -- BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK AND WALKING
IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO TO THEM, I PAY TRIBUTE AND WISH THEM WELL AS WE GO FORWARD WITH
THIS TRAGEDY. AND FINALLY, A SINCERE TOAST TO FORMER WYANDOTTE COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY NICK TOMASIC, WHO IS URGING KANSAS CITY, KANSAS COMMISSIONERS TO DO MORE
ABOUT FIREWORKS. KCK IS THE ONLY CITY LEFT IN THE AREA WHERE RESTRICTIONS DON'T
EXIST. TOMASIC SAYS THE FIREWORKS MAKE THE COMMUNITY SOUND LIKE A WAR
ZONE, AND HE'S RIGHT. JULY 4th IN KCK REMINDS ME OF MY DAYS IN VIETNAM, EXCEPT NOW I
DON'T HIDE UNDER MY DESK, AT LEAST NOT AS MUCH. AND THAT IS RUCKUS FOR THIS
WEEK. THE PROGRAM AIRS AGAIN SUNDAY MORNING AT 11:30 AND SATURDAY
EVENING AT 6 ON KCPT 2. NOW ON BEHALF OF THE RUCKETTES AND THE RUCKUS CREW, I'M MIKE
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