A Letter of Concern ... ?

This is interesting: a longtime Cleveland City Council member wrote a rather terse letter to a teenager who'd been arrested (again) for selling drugs.

A friend sent me a link to the letter which is posted on SmokingGun.com. I thought that it was a riot (i.e. somewhat humorous). It was riddled w/common profanity and written in a very condescending tone, but I'd say it was written in a language that the offender would be familiar with (and I'd say not offended by; though not in this case). Honestly, I don't think the intended receiver gives a damn, but his mother apparently does. She's called on the racial brigade: the NAACP, Al and others ...

Some say it's racial, but I think they only say that because it's a white councilman and a black kid. I don't think it's racial at all.

In my opinion, the outrage is not so much based on race or the contents of the letter, but, who's spouting those words (and not in terms of a white man berating a black guy). In most cases, I might say that it is inapproprate for a councilman/councilperson to use profanity and slang in a tirade against a constituent, but in this case, I think it is a commitment to his position; his passion for intolerance. Could he have made his point w/o the profanity and slang? Yes, yes indeed.

My friend and columnist Phillip Morris thinks the councilman was out of order. And you know what, maybe I'd feel better if I knew that Mike Polensek fired off letters of appreciation and about accomplishment as quick as he does fiery letters of disregard. You know commend the good neighbors and condone the bad ones ... heck, maybe more of us should write a letter 'going off' on the bad guys; I'll think about that one ... can someone get me a postage stamp?