Editorial by Matt Marquardt –
Alex Kuhn got his photo-op.
Ironically, the Councilman who only months ago deserved to be in the back of a squad car got to ride along in the front seat this time.
Kuhn and the rest of the council, since January, have been concerned about everything in Mason City except the crime and social issues that are tearing the city apart. Â Most of their time has been spent patting themselves on the back, passing perfect 6-0 votes, drawing up plans for multi-purpose arenas and conjuring programs that offer loans and tax breaks for rich businessmen to come here and offer $10 per hour jobs. Â They have thumbed their noses at the crumbling foundation of Mason City as law enforcement scrambles to keep up.
Kuhn saw his chance after the latest act of violence in Mason City to show concern and play to the crowd. Â His act was very thin.
Kuhn called up his trusted news source, the Globe Gazette, and directed them to cook a story about his ride along with the MCPD. Â The Globe complied perfectly, showing up in the MCPD parking lot at just the right time for that all-important photo and interview. Â Globe news butcher John Skipper played his part, lobbing softball questions at Kuhn and working the perfect quotes into the story.
Kuhn trusts the Globe. Â He knows they will take any issue and spin it in their news-processing machine until all the fat and imperfections are gone. Â He knows that only then will it ooze out of Skipper’s pen like pink slime ink, perfectly suitable for your consumption.
Jack Nicholson once said, “You can’t handle the truth,” and the Globe and City Hall have bought into this. They want to control the message, like a North Korean military gulag, so you will not be motivated to re-act against the establishment. Â They would much rather tell you about cultural crescents and blue zones.
Kuhn told the Globe he wanted to see “how we can improve efficiencies” at the MCPD. Â Sounds like he wants to cut costs and micro-manage, not solve the underlying problems in the city. Â Riding in a cop car is called information gathering; it is barely a first step in solving this problem. Â The Globe treated this publicity stunt as some kind of solution and sold it to you that way. Â It is nothing of the kind. Â Harder tasks lie ahead to turn this corner, but the pink slime makers do not want you to know that.
How about organizing the community for vigilance against crime, Alex? Â How about bi-weekly community meetings with the MCPD held in the Mason City Room at the library where anyone can ask a question and offer their ideas? Â Why not televise it? Â Talk about high-profile arrests and trouble spots. Â Isn’t communication of the hard facts crucial here? Â How about you forget the $20,000 federal road study and pay for some overtime so more police can be on the streets? Â How about giving a call to the judges who let creeps free time and again? Â How about volunteering at BeJe Clark to see why the crooks walk free and are brought back without even a slap on the wrist? Â Is the city too large geographically to get by with four squad cars on the streets at any one time?
Alex probably didn’t want to answer questions like this, which is why he ducked NIT’s repeated attempts to ask him questions.
Only when the hard realities are faced can Mason City overcome the crime and social issues it now faces. Â A ride along photo-op is a joke and not an answer. Â Mason City’s leaders need to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty on this one. Â A get tough policy is in order; bring the fight to the bad guys instead of the other way around.
Ride alongs are window dressing. Â Let’s see what Mason City’s next real move is.
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Peter=inbred trailer-trash.
Could not have said it better peter. He is accompanied by a group of handlers. I believe that he may run for mayor next.
Hey watcher have you reached the brownie badge yet as a member of the beermeyer brown collar club.
I answered you on another thread where you came up with such an original attack. But in case you can’t find the back button on your leap-pad…
“Nonny – You missed it by a long ways, I think there is over 4-5 degrees of seperation between me and the politics of North Iowa.”
Sounds like you just described the obama administration in your opening statements.
Good article Matt. However, I think I am going to give Khun the benefit of the doubt on this one and call it a start. Possibly he is really interested in crime prevention. Look at the other council members who have been on the council a lot longer than he has and they have never taken the step to become more informed. You asked some very good questions that need to be answered and I hope they are. I have been thinking about getting a carry permit but I just hate to think that one is needed in Mason City. We have had no problems where I live in the North End but a few short blocks away there is a element of our population that has no respect for anything. One of the very low spots in my life was after 9-1-1 when I saw the military carrying loaded weapons in the Minneapolis Airport. I have seen that all over the world but never thought I would see it at home. The world is changing and all the wishful thinking in the world won’t change that. A loaded gun might. Peter Legios, you need to grow up and get out of your dream world.
Matt, I think you should check out that church by Big Blue.. sounds like you would fit right in.
Ahem you missed the Clearance Sale I had on foil beanies. There are more models coming in soon from South Sudan. We were able to locate a large stash of aluminum before Goldman Sachs got it.
We also intend to stock items that will defete the Thought Transference Helmet. A must for all paranoids.
anonymous can’t get over Max and let’s try to get a new line “get a life” is so over and makes zero sense anyway. YOU sound like your the one who needs a life, you who hardly has one anyway monitoring NIT like Kuhn on a PD ride along. You write here more then anyone else so you get a life. Get credible with a new line and new thought process and we MIGHT listen. That was Kuhn’s way of getting out for the day/night which ever, like he cares about crime. Not until it hits his yard.
We need more professional police officers out on the streets. Put 10 or 20 at a time until the crime stops. Put them on foot walking in the troulbe areas, on bikes, in plain clothes and catch the real criminals not seat belt criminals. Remember professional officers not the one that did that crazy undercover joke for seatbelt violations. Lets focus on the crimes against people not the easy crimes like selt belts and speeding tickets.
I understand there is over a 100 CERT volunteers (Emergency Management) some of them have a bit of training already, why not send some of those people to patrol the streets.
CERT is in no way, shape, manner or form trained in police functions beyond basic traffic control and basic evidence identification and preservation/protection for collection by qualified personnel. CERT volunteers are NOT cops. Will never BE cops.
Guest’
Are you a CERT volunteer? Have you been to a CERT meaning? I’m aware that cert volunteers are not cops. CERT could be a extra set of eyes on the streets.
Profesional officers follow orders just as in the military. And personally, I see no problem in seeking compliance with laws. Remember, folks who break laws do so when they think no one is watching.
The ride-alongs are effective to bring out what these men and woman of our Police Department deal with every day. They are however, by no means comprehensive.
In order to understand the social differences in any town or village, one must become immersed. You will not shed your paradigms and stereotypes unless you leave your comfortable element. And not for a few hours at a time.
I have a suggestion. Take a trip to a large town with a rehab half-way house and inpatient mental health hospital. Sit for a few days and observe on the inside at each. The hospital can help you arrainge for a few days inside the walls of a minimum security prison where again you can participate and observe. Finally, hook up with a social worker as she or he makes the rounds of homes to see what the familiy situations are there.
If after that week your eyes are not opened, they never will be. As a classmate from High School told me many years after graduation, if that did not open the eyes, they are kept shut by a crazy glue made of bias and indifference.
I would agree with this observation. More steps are now needed, and they all involve much more time and effort than a 60 minute car ride. We will see what the city leadership is really made of in the coming days, weeks and months.
Wow, a new councilman tries to go out an learn and you throw him under the bus. get a life Matt. so kuhn didn’t respond to you and did a story with real news outlet, look how you stab everyone in the back as soon as they are out of your sight, straight out of Max’s playbook, why would anyone legitimate work with you? look at your Minert interview, I know he regrets talking to you and those mechanics jobs he is bringing are more like $18-$20 an hour with benefits. Probably a lot more than the peanuts you earn from Jimmy Skarlis to keep this rag going. Look how at every meeting you go to you sit all by yourself and no one from any form of government or even any random person at any meeting I have seen you at will come near you, you’re a creep. Guarantee you delete this.
I got a great life, thanks.
Kuhn should buy a scanner and listen, maybe even drive around with it and take a look at the crime unfold. His photo-op was just a lame attempt to look like he is working.
Kuhn once told a man “you don’t know your place in this town” … well I would say he doesn’t know his way around it.
Furthermore. I was just told about how a man was beaten nearly to death last September, right outside the front door of a local MC bar. 7 broken ribs, 2 broken eye sockets, in the ICU 7 days. I will bet you Kuhn, the rest of the council and the mayor do not even know about it. Because no one tells THEM anything. They are clueless outside of their own small-minded cultural crescent clique. So don’t tell me that Kuhn not talking to me matters. The real information is flowing here, and his input is insignificant.
Matt, so true. This anonymous person is jealous of you and the success of NIT. They even Brought up Max. Proof that he has the power. over them. Now they even say idiots at a council meeting wont talk to you. So what?? NIT readers knw you won’t sell out to them so they dont want you there. Keep doing what ur. doing we know where to get REAL story.
Good article with good ideas. This city needs more police officers but the money goes elsewhere to finance the visions of a few who care less about what happens to the rest of us. We don’t go out at night anymore and I know others who feel the same way. We no longher feel safe here. Hopefully this downhill slide can be stopped.
This should bring the Kuhn squad out from under their rocks. Facts are hard for some to swallow.
The question is will the PD ever have the nads to put beermeyer or one of his six pack council in the back seat. MC history says no. Great article though. I don’t bother to read the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil gazette anymore because of all the facts you pointed out and Kuhn has never got over crying to you not to run the video of his two year old tantrum at eleven. As always great job on giving us a real news source despite the beermans attempt to silence all who would talk to you.
Crime is on the rise in the 50401. Is it safe to walk at night? Not from what I hear.
Hey Matt maybe khun did ride in the back seat. Or maybe he has before.
Aint this the truth? So sick of this mayour and kuhn guy. They re full of it, I can see that now. Really regret my vote but sometimes its too late. Always feel like i been fooled once an election is over. Is there an honest politcain left?
Regret my vote too….. the one for NObama!!! 😉
Hey, what happened to your pal Ron Paul, the Republican you were so enamored with duirng the Caucus? What side are you really on Peter? Better put your name on the list!