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January 22, 2011 in News, City
Verner: ‘This is not who we are’
The Spokane-area community joined this morning to discuss the attempted bombing along the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity March on Monday.
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and state Rep. Kevin Parker co-hosted the forum, “Understanding Threats in Our Community,” on the Washington State University Spokane campus. Community leaders and residents discussed their concerns about, and possible solutions to, violence in the community.
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner said although the incident happened in the city, it does not represent Spokane at large.
“It is extremely disconcerting,” she said. “It is not our community. This is not who we are.”
Verner had just returned from the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., where she said several other mayors approached her to express condolences about the incident.
“It’s up to us to talk about who we really are in Spokane and to emphasize that we’re not a community of fear,” Verner said. “We are a unified community.”
Knezovich urged anyone who sees something suspicious to report it.
“There’s no force out there that can beat the power of a community,” he said. “It’s time that we stand up together and make sure that our enemies remember our unity and our willingness to make this the best community that we can possibly make.”
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Dazzeetrader11 on January 22 at 7:56 p.m.
Verner…a bit late to the party. I suppose many politicians take the temp of things before they comment….moreso when she wants to be re-elected. Obama gives fetching speeches that last about 2 weeks and pick up his ratings. Looks like Verner’s figured that out as well. Not much of substance in this piece.
Five days late Mary. You could have said this from DC…in a timely manner. I suppose this is her version of leadership. I hope her trip went well…
maria on January 22 at 7:58 p.m.
Daisy, I get the impression you would rather have the community live in fear.
saveyourtatas on January 22 at 8:07 p.m.
This shows you the difference between Verner and Ozzie.
Verner blamed Otto Zehm.
Ozzie simply wants honesty.
I know there are those that will say otherwise, but we really think Ozzie is part of the solution. Verner and Kirkpatrick are part of the problem. (Wuthrich/Union=PROBLEM)
Just my opinion.
PlanB on January 22 at 8:25 p.m.
Sorry Mrs. Mayor, but this is who we are. We allow murder committed by the hands of law enforcement to go unpunished. We have every reason to live in fear because of unrestrained abuse by the hands of those that are supposed to be providing protection.
D Statler on January 22 at 9:50 p.m.
I have to agree with planB on this one.We would like to live in peace with all our brothers, black and white.We all share one thing in common,RED BLOOD. This red blood that I speak of seems to be spilled more by police than the bad guys they are after.We do live in fear in Spokane.Fear of being abused by the guise of so called justice. Fear of prosecutors leveling charges maliciously with hopes that something will eventually stick.Fear of our detectives giving drugs to addicts on the streets instead of doing their jobs the right way.Fear of heavy handed police being judge,jury and executioners.There are no checks and balances to protect us in Spokane. Yes Mrs. Mayor,this is who we are!
Dazzeetrader11 on January 22 at 11:41 p.m.
Maria (the fake nurse) please tell me there is fear/no fear because Verner speaks up 5 or 6 days late. What on God’s earth does your comment have to do with this article.?? We’re not a” community of fear” anyway….certainly not because of anything Verner says.
I’m a lot more scared of the Ozzie, Verner and Kirkpatrick and her police people than bunch of incomprtent bombers….who cannot figure out how to make a real bomb. Maria..I bet Alfred will be a long soon to make us wonder why Verner spoke at all. Seriously…was anything changed by her words 5 days after the bomb DIDN’T go off? Of course not.
She wants to be re-elected so she has to say something….in this case something that doesn’t matter. Leadership wans if not used in a timely manner.
lewis8457 on January 22 at 11:41 p.m.
isn’t is amazing it takes something as bad as a bomb to get Verner to get up to date her only response to any question is she doesn’t have enough information to comment. Or she only knows what she reads in the SR.
No she has no idea we live in fear of the high paid cops that are supposed to protect our rights, ha, ha.
And most importantly she just doesn’t care. I heard the police guild gave her a case of Crown Royal for Christmas this year.