Democrats ready speeches on gun violence, police shootings

Several Minnesota delegates to the Democratic National Convention say they're pleased the party is putting a spotlight on the issues of gun violence, race and police use of deadly force.

Those issues take center stage Tuesday night when women whose children were killed in encounters with police officers will speak at the convention.

David Tomlinson of St. Paul said he doesn't know a lot about the group Mothers of the Movement. But he said he understands the issue and is looking forward to hearing them.

"A lot of young extraordinary people of color are being killed by officers, whether it's right or wrong, and the parents are living with the repercussions of not getting justice," said Tomlinson, who's African-American. "So, it's a great opportunity for us at the convention, the Democrat convention, to hear from them."

Ron Harris of Minneapolis, a newly-elected Democratic National Committee member, said the party is trying to send an important message this week about gun violence and race.

Harris, who is African-American, said he was encouraged by Hillary Clinton's private meeting last week in Minneapolis with the family of Philando Castile, a black man shot and killed by a St. Anthony police officer during a July 6 traffic in Falcon Heights. Much of the bloody aftermath of the shooting was captured on Facebook Live by Castile's girlfriend, sparking weeks of protests around the Twin Cities.

The Clinton meeting was a sign that she wants to understand and try to address racial injustice, Harris added.

"I think it's very hard, particularly for a white person to really, really, really get it, because you never had to fear your child being killed based of the color of their skin," he said, adding, "I think that we should give credit where credit is due, and I think that by her making an attempt, shows that at least she's on the pathway moving forward to figuring this stuff out."

Democrats will also hear from police officers. Pittsburgh's police chief, who is known for racial sensitivity, and a former New York City detective are among the night's scheduled speakers.

But delegate Alexis Pennie of Minneapolis said he sees a big contrast to the law and order theme stressed by Republicans last week in Cleveland. Pennie, who is also African-American, said he thinks Democrats are correctly raising important questions.

"I have family that are in law enforcement, so I respect the work that they do," Pennie said. "They obviously have a very difficult job. However, where you're having incidents where people are either being injured or killed for senseless or no reason, that's something to question."

Other Minnesota Democrats have concerns about how the issue of police shootings has entered presidential politics.

"You tell me you support me and give me all the words in the world that you're going to be a law and order type of guy and you're going to get behind cops. But don't make my life more dangerous," said state DFL Rep. Dan Schoen, who's a Cottage Grove police officer. "That's the piece that gets really difficult and makes me upset."

Schoen, who's white, said he wants to make sure discussions about justice for shooting victims don't exclude the justice that police officers also deserve.

Asked about the Mothers of the Movement, Schoen stressed that he can understand their pain and their anger.

Following their Tuesday breakfast meeting, Minnesota convention delegates put on T-shirts of assigned colors and posed for a "rainbow photo." They were honoring the victims of last month's nightclub shootings on Orlando, Fla. Tomlinson said it was also an important statement to make.