Friday, February 08, 2013

Chaotic Killing of Two Suspects? Why, it's a 'Perfect Chase'


“In politics, absurdity is not a handicap.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

I have been so absorbed with gleaning the details of Attorney General Mike DeWine’s report on the Kirk Middle Schoool Police Shooting that I have neglected to post a couple of items for Non Profit Thursday. Before I get to them I must give thanks that Jeff Follmer, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, did not choose to become a fireman, because he apparently likes to throw kerosene cans onto house fires.

Yesterday we reported on the CPPA press conference where Follmer and others fiercely defended the actions of each of the scores of police officers involved in the 25 minute chase that eventually found Russell and Malissa Williams cornered in an East Cleveland school parking lot and met death in such a hailstorm of police fire that DeWine was moved to say “it’s a miracle that many police officer were not killed.”

What we did not know at the time of yesterday’s post was that Follmer also described the police pursuit as “the perfect chase”.

“Seek first to understand,” said the guru Stephen Covey. We will return to Follmer's quote in a couple of days, after we have fully digested the Attorney General’s work. We will also discuss why we think there should be no rush to judgment on the deliberate pace of Police Chief Michael McGrath and the Jackson administration. For right now, we will let Napoleon’s quote above resonate awhile.

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Nonprofit Thursdays

Cleveland Men of Song

Amidst all the mayhem in our community runs a seemingly unquenchable spirit of charity and service. While sometimes it may be a cloak for rapaciousness, we deal on Nonprofit Thursdays with the real kind, as exemplified by Cleveland Men of Song.

This sonorous band of brothers presents its Fourth Annual Concert in celebration of Black History tomorrow evening, Friday, February 8th, at 7:30PM at the Plymouth Church, 2860 Coventry Road, Shaker Heights.

The program will blend anthems, spirituals and other traditional music as well as contemporary gospel selecitons. The group’s founder and artistic director is Carlton Fellows, who has performed many places overseas and around the country.

This year’s concert will feature composer and pianist Daniel Mario Cason as special guest conductor for the evening. Cason is a Cleveland native who currently pastors in Birmingham, Alabama.

Tickets for the concert are $10 and may be purchased at the door.

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The news of virtually any day could serve as a reminder that it is not too early to register our young men, ages 6 to 18+, for the annual Call to Action Young Men’s Conference

Sponsored by Working in Progress, this year’s conference will be held Saturday, March 30 from 9AM to 3:30PM at the University of Akron Student Center.

Topics to be addressed at the conference include career planning, bullying and cyber-bullying, social media, breaking the fatherless cycle, under-age drinking, what to do when stopped by the police, and more.

Working in Progress is a nonprofit social service agency that seeks to support the transition of African American youth into adulthood.

A similar conference for girls is scheduled for May 4.

More information on the group, as well as how to register for the conference, can be found by visiting the group’s website, workinginprogress.orgcalling 330.474.9472, or by emailing tmonroe@workinginprogress.org.
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