[Mpls] Field School walkout / Lake St vigil
Any threat of retaliation by the Public School administration against students, teachers and principals for exercising and allowing the exercise of first amendment rights should be met with massive protests at the next school board meeting (which generally happen on the 2nd and last Tuesday of the month at 807 NE Broadway in the 3rd floor board room). I expect walkouts at many of the public schools in Minneapolis today. The new Gulf war is unquestionably opposed by a huge majority of the city's residents. It has been noted that a big majority of the Democratic Party voters opposed the war without UN approval, according to a recent opinion poll. And in the last Presidential election, the total vote for Nader in Minneapolis wasn't much lower and in many precincts was higher than Bush's. Pro-war lawn signs and counterprotesters have been pretty scarce. There appeared to be about 2000 antiwar protesters yesterday around 5:00 pm at the Lake Street Bridge. Total participation from 4:30 to 6:00 PM was certainly much greater than 2000. There was a density of about one person per meter along the guard rail on each side of the bridge, for the entire span of the bridge, and a lower-density stream of people walking back and forth across the bridge. There also appeared to be protesters lining the street for about 2 blocks east of the bridge (as seen from the Minneapolis side). -Doug Mann, King Field Mann for School Board web site http://educationright.tripod.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
RE: [Mpls] Senator Berglin and Responses to Graffiti (fwd)
David Shove writes: Where in that statement did I say or imply that graffitti should be tolerated? At NO point did I say I wanted both. I want neither. But I was misrepresented in a way to dismiss my statements about billboards - and very effectively, I see. My apologies, David. I imputed arguments I've heard others make - that graffiti is ok because billboards exist - to you. But I now understand that your point was different. No intent to misrepresent, but sometimes it happens. Again, I'm sorry. David Brauer King Field Giving peace a chance on the list TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] 35W Access Project -- 35W specific issues
After reading all the thoughtful comments, both pro and con, regarding the 35W Access Project, I was wondering what Mayor Rybak's position is on this issue. Can list members help me out here? Also, I was recalling the Mayor's passionate and gallant defense of State House Representative Phyllis Khan a few weeks ago after some on the list, myself included, may have been too harsh in our criticisms of her. Does anyone on this list recall him extending a similar courtesy to Council Member Natalie Johnson Lee last August when the white leadership of the Minneapolis police union called for her resignation after she referred to the untimely deaths of two fellow citizens (Police Officer Melissa Schmidt and her alleged killer Martha Donald)?-Peter Schmitz CARAG The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.-Willa Cather, O Pioneers TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Free Speech/Affordable Housing/Small Business/typo
In a message dated 3/20/03 6:45:22 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: His tenants postings of, NOT Mpls. specific issues, personal attacks, and all cumulative violations of List rules, shall be violations of his landlord licensee. Sorry I mean't license. Keith Reitman NearNorth TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] School Walk outs against the war
Well Paul. Congratulations! This is my first post in over three years of being a passive observer to the Minneapolis Issues bulletin board. You just hit a little too close to home and I thought I would comment on your comments. Just so you know, Paul, I am one of those obnoxious parents who has not one but two children at Field School. My eldest told me the night before of the planned demonstration, which was being planned solely by one of her close friends at school. I told my daughter that I was not going to persuade her either way about whether she should protest or not. But I did tell her that she would have to bear the consequences of her actions, whether a detention or worse. Understand, Paul, that most of the kids organizing this protest were in the top of the 8th grade class in one of the District's top schools. They are very capable of organizing a protest without their parents making the signs for them. To my knowledge, no parent assisted in convincing any of the kids to do this protest. My understanding is that nearly all of the kids protested during their lunch hour and remained on school property. It just so happens that the property line of the school falls on 46th Street, a very busy street in that part of Minneapolis. The Administrators of the school felt that this was acceptable, as do I in retrospect. Some students chose to walk off the school premises and hold signs over the 35W and 46th Street bridge. Those students were hit with a truancy violation, which can end up in suspension, because they walked off the property during school hours. I thought this also was very acceptable. In whole, I believe all acted civil and First Amendment rights were upheld very well. I don't always agree with the School District and I don't always agree with my children's opinions on things, but I do respect them and I think they both deserve our respect in this case. Jeff Seidel Lynnhurst Paul Kuettel wrote: TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] What is your school up to?
I believe that the schools that organize and allow kids to take class time off to go out and protest are using taxpayer money for political purposes and bordering on brainwashing the kids. It has been many years since I was on the frontline of management in the private sector. You know the position, hiring firing, and being the one who shows up early and stays late. Well, if I ever have to be in that thankless position again, I've got news for the Mpls School Board. All things being equal between two job applicants.I'm going to remember which school district thought it was ok to stop teaching math, reading, and writing. Tough decisions made easy by the Minneapolis School Board. To those parents who fail to prevent this nonsense. Shame on you. Your doing your children such a disservice. Craig Miller Rogers MN [EMAIL PROTECTED] TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] What is your school up to?
--Original Message Follows From: Craig Miller [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I believe that the schools that organize and allow kids to take class time ff to go out and protest are using taxpayer money for political purposes and bordering on brainwashing the kids. I take it that this is brainwashing, where as having them stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance would be ok? I may be reading between the lines in your message, but I'm extrapolating from your bias. I would argue that, perhaps, protesting is a lesson in civics. The schools shouldn't condone it, but neither should they condemn it. The rest of your message showed your intention to discriminate against any future hirees based on their political beliefs. Seems rather counter-productive. Jim McGuire Como _ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] $17,000 per student for political activism?
This is just a guess, but I'll bet a lot of Minnesota taxpayers would object to making involuntary political contributions to the tune of $17,000 per child in Minneapolis. This dog and pony show (the small children protesting) should be added to the list of reasons why less than half of Minneapolis students graduate from high school. They may be illiterate - but, boy oh boy, do they have political opinions - in 2nd grade! I agree with Paul Kuettels, the teachers who organized this should be fired. Vicky Heller Cedar-Riverside and North Oaks TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Children protesting
How very poignant, led by eighth graders, children at Field school held signs against a fence protesting this war. If there is any other sight that should make a grown person cry, that's the one. Who will the war hurt most? Shouldn't they speak out to say this is not good? We all have got to learn to speak truth to power; from a child's point of view, all us adults are more powerful than they. Who better to tell than us, the adults in their world? Our children do not want war. They are bright enough to know that it will be on TV, in the papers, talked about by all the adults, parents and siblings may not come back. They have a stake in this war--and it's huge. WizardMarks, Central TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] School Walk outs against the war
Hi All! I really appreciate Jeff Seidel's excellent and informative post. It took much of the wind out of my sails and went a ways toward restoring my faith in The Public Education Establishment, at least the that consists of Field Elementary. My biggest misconception was that all Public Elementary Schools are K-6 nowadays. Throwing 7th and 8th graders into the equation does give some credence to the possibility that the protest was organized by soley by the kids. Jeff says that it occured during lunch hour and that most of the kids stayed on school property -- I assume he means the playground, and that the ones who strayed face consequences. Assuming all of this is true, I am sorry for having reacted so viscerally to Linda Mann's initial post. There is still plenty to be concerned about, but the information provided by parent Seidel puts a better, saner perspective on the incident. Cheers! PK Paul Kuettel Falcon Heights Kids in Elementary (my innocent baby girl) Middle-School (the smart-ass with more smart than ass) and High School (a good boy who is staying in class today during a planned walkout) TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] What is your school up to?
Why not just go ahead and complete the process that has been taking place for the past 20 years. Make the schools nothing but a training ground to mold students into corporate commodities. Forget about independent and critical thinking. Forget about training students to become politically aware and even active citizens who can come to their own conclusions about social and political issues, and even, god-forbid, exercise their prerogative to dissent. In fact, don't just forget about teaching students about freedom and democracy. Fire any teachers and administrators who dare to encourage such development. And to enforce the corporate oligarchy and emerging dictatorship, systematically deny economic opportunities to anyone who anyone with the gall to have even been placed in a school district that shows any sign of tolerating political diversity. Sounds like Craig, et al. have the program for destroying any liberty for future generations. Jordan Kushner downtown lawyer - Original Message - From: Craig Miller [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 7:57 AM Subject: [Mpls] What is your school up to? I believe that the schools that organize and allow kids to take class time off to go out and protest are using taxpayer money for political purposes and bordering on brainwashing the kids. It has been many years since I was on the frontline of management in the private sector. You know the position, hiring firing, and being the one who shows up early and stays late. Well, if I ever have to be in that thankless position again, I've got news for the Mpls School Board. All things being equal between two job applicants.I'm going to remember which school district thought it was ok to stop teaching math, reading, and writing. Tough decisions made easy by the Minneapolis School Board. To those parents who fail to prevent this nonsense. Shame on you. Your doing your children such a disservice. Craig Miller Rogers MN [EMAIL PROTECTED] TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Children protesting (Field School) Proud Parent
Hello Minneapolis Issues: I want to take this moment to boast about my son Isaac Bradley, who attends Field School and has participated in the protest. He told me the teacher had the students vote if they wanted to protest. The teacher told them to make signs reflecting their opinion. I am very proud of my son to speak his opinion. Apparently 150 kids walked out of school yesterday in protest of the war. The Principal told me, They did not see this coming! I think it is truly amazing that middle school kids have the strength and courage to speak out against this war! Ken Bradley Proud Parent --- WizardMarks [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: How very poignant, led by eighth graders, children at Field school held signs against a fence protesting this war. If there is any other sight that should make a grown person cry, that's the one. Who will the war hurt most? Shouldn't they speak out to say this is not good? We all have got to learn to speak truth to power; from a child's point of view, all us adults are more powerful than they. Who better to tell than us, the adults in their world? Our children do not want war. They are bright enough to know that it will be on TV, in the papers, talked about by all the adults, parents and siblings may not come back. They have a stake in this war--and it's huge. WizardMarks, Central TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] re CCHT
In response to Jason Sittko's posted question, at mnforum.org, as to whether anyone has experience with the Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT): Yes. I have 14 ½ years of experience with the Central Community Housing Trust. In every single project done by CCHT in the past 17 years, no project has been developed without numerous planning and brainstorming discussions with, and building relationships with, people who live and work in the neighborhoods. As a matter of absolute fact, CCHT has developed almost 1,200 units of housing and has never developed a project without the approval of the neighborhood citizen participation organization. The proposed Ripley development in the Harrison Neighborhood is a case in point. Central Community Housing Trust staff people have worked with the Harrison Neighborhood Association intensively for over a year on different ideas and scenarios for the site. As with all sites, there are practical, political, and financial realities, both market and our own. If we are bullies to point those realities out, then so be it. We are certainly persistent, because that is how all development projects of any kind get done. But we have fully engaged with every committee and every process required by the Harrison Neighborhood. I doubt if any other developer, for-profit or nonprofit, would spend as much time working with a neighborhood, on as challenging a site, as we have in Harrison. There are always different opinions and concerns in communities about all development projects. Some concerns are based in fact and some based on fears and perceptions. Everyone always has a different perspective or idea about what would be perfect. One of our roles is to synthesize collective and multiple desires with reality and produce something great. CCHT is certainly as interested as the neighborhood and neighbors in helping re-capitalize this important site as a place that works for the people who will live there, for neighbors, and for the entire community. The current proposal incorporates many, many ideas that came from Harrison residents and neighbors, regarding both unit types and design. I recommend talking to the leaders and neighbors in the Elliot Park neighborhood, where we have helped bring over $70 million dollars of public and private re-investment over the past 17 years, including building the first market housing there in over 70 years. Ask them if the Central Community Housing Trust has made a positive or negative difference in their neighborhood. We always welcome rational discussion of concerns and perspective. Please always call us if you have any questions. Alan Alan Arthur, President, Central Community Housing Trust 1625 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404-1634 612-341-3148 ext. 201 Fax: 612-341-4208 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Learn how Central Community Housing Trust is responding to the affordable housing shortage in the Twin Cities. Please join us for a 1-hour Building Dreams presentation: May 5, 2003 at 4:30pm: We are also happy to present Building Dreams at your organization, church, or business. Space is limited, please register online at www.ccht.org or call Philip Schaffner at 612-341-3148 x237 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] What is your school up to?/If not teaching kids the 3 R's
In a message dated 3/20/03 8:47:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Why not just go ahead and complete the process that has been taking place for the past 20 years. Make the schools nothing but a training ground to mold students into corporate commodities Keith says; I wish that were closer to the truth, and the actual outcome. I will presume you are on point, this time, and thus referring to Mpls. Public Schools. The last twenty years, and the ten before them, have shown: Too high a percentage of the kids cannot read, write, or solve a math problem at appropriate skill levels. I will not blame a teacher; or teachers. I will blame the Kumbayah Clique that in the past (remember Green?) ripped down our public school stock, and stopped having a curriculum of education and student success, by measurable standards. If this institution does mold students into corporate commodities, it is into the shape of the burgers they will be flippin'. Nothin' corporate about, Would you like fries with that happy deal? I thank a teacher I can write this, Keith Reitman NearNorth TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] $17,000 per student for political activism?
I will never be a parent, but I burst with pride for our young people that were able to muster the courage to fight what they perceive to be an injustice. These kids, their parents, and teachers are a credit to our community and will be the spark for ongoing evolution of what it means to be a 'community'. Calling kids wholesale illiterate belies the truth, and diminishes the efforts of both teachers and students. Please reserve your damnnation of teachers until you have grounded your opinions in facts - until then they are my heroes. Regards, Jason Stone / Nokomis --- Victoria Heller [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is just a guess, but I'll bet a lot of Minnesota taxpayers would object to making involuntary political contributions to the tune of $17,000 per child in Minneapolis. This dog and pony show (the small children protesting) should be added to the list of reasons why less than half of Minneapolis students graduate from high school. They may be illiterate - but, boy oh boy, do they have political opinions - in 2nd grade! I agree with Paul Kuettels, the teachers who organized this should be fired. Vicky Heller Cedar-Riverside and North Oaks TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
re: [Mpls] $17,000 per student for political activism?
We decry our children's lack of civic engagement, and then when we don't agree with the form that engagement takes, we criticize it. How many times has someone on the list said, directly or indirectly, Democracy is for those who show up? Well, the kids are showing up, making their own signs, giving their energy and passion. There were dozens of kids on the Lake Street bridge last night, carrying handmade signs, waging Peace on Earth. It was very heartening, considering the circumstances. Because of the excellent peace and justice curriculum at my daughter's pre-school, the Mpls. YWCA, she understands more about non-violent conflict resolution and the importance of respect for herself and others than most of our national leadership (IMHO). Oh, and by the way, she can read and do math as well. You CAN have both! You should be cheering for the future instead of counting beans, Vicky! Eric Oines North Minneapolis When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall - think of it, always. ~ Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948), Agitator _ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Children protesting (Field School) Proud Parent (Correction)
On Thursday, March 20, 2003, at 11:04 AM, ken bradley wrote: The teachers did not have the students vote for walk out at Field Middle School yesterday. The staff was truly surprised by the students walking out, and they have been informed future walk outs will have consequences. I think that is as it should be. The student walkout, regardless of who organized or led it, was an excellent lesson in the exercise of first amendment rights. But the lesson would be lost if some or all of the students did it because they thought it was fun. In order to make the lesson viable, it should reflect real-world implications, i.e. if you break the rules, their will be consequences. I hope the students do walk out again. I hope their parents encourage them to do so. For the first time since 9/12/02 I have hope that we will once again be 'the land of the free and the home of the brave' instead of the land of make me safe! Robert Schmid Central TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Senator Berglin and Responses to Graffiti
Chris Johnson wrote: Mr. Donnelly confuses correlation with causality, a common mistake. I recommend spending the time necessary to clearly undestand the difference, as it's a frequent problem when people are arguing. CD: I'm not confused about the difference between correlation and causation. I simply demonstrated the facts contained within the police report showing that most incidents of tagger graffiti are concentrated in a thriving and prosperous part of town. Sure, there are many explanations for this, but assuming a causal relationship to increased crime and deterioration is precisely what I'm urging people to avoid. CJ: This report lends just about zero credence to an argument that says graffiti does not help lead to greater crime in areas plagued with graffiti. CD: This report lends zero credence to either side of that argument. All it does is describe the spatial distribution of tagger graffiti. Make of it what you will. For now, I agree with Keith Reitman on West Broadway. The field of urban problems is scattered with much greater monsters. Conor Donnelly Waitepark TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Local Arab Leader comes out against war
http://santafenewmexican.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7421833BRD=2144PAG=461dept_id=367954rfi=6 Farok Hamod, the imam at a mosque in northeast Minneapolis, said Tuesday that he does not support an invasion of Iraq and wonders whether all other alternatives have been exhausted. AP | Jim Mone __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] What is your [school] list up to today?
Has this list gone absolutely mad? About remembering which job applicants are graduates of Minneapolis Public Schools and which aren't, I have 2 things: --Be sure you apply that standard to the Rhodes Scholars, IB Diploma winners (including myself), Ivy grads, and Athena winners who graduated from MPS. --Your suggestion sounds pretty unethical, if not outright illegal. I frankly hope that this type of behavior doesn't pervade HR departments. If so, maybe I should go to law school -- I could make a fortune on unlawful discrimination suits. About the protest itself --Recall that it was a bunch of kids who persuaded McDonalds to change their packaging from styrofoam to paper-based packaging, and that Kids for Saving the Earth (a successful environmental awarness group) was started by kids in the metro area (I believe). They were somehow able to persuade Target to carry their magazine in their stores for a long time (they were near the community information kiosks), which were extraordinarly well-produced. Perhaps your perceptions do not fit the evidence. --I don't doubt that some students wanted to talk about the war one day in class and batted around the idea of a walkout (probably based on things that they had studied about the Civil Rights Movement or things they saw on TV). Did teachers and parents help? Maybe -- I'll even venture to say Probably. Did they force them to hold an anti-war sign or walk out? Probably not. About $17,000 for activism (Victoria's comment): --Frankly, if this activity teaches students to question media and their leaders, think for themselves about issues important to them, and take action, I think it's worth more than $17,000. --Look: public education is supposed to teach young people about their community and how to make a difference. This walkout probably generated inumerable discussions about government and how it makes decisions. Also discussed probably were what other people thought of a war, why nations go to war, Iraq, how individuals can take control of their lives, and how to participate in civic participation. In a school system where the required civics class is a sad joke, this is sorely needed. I wonder if the types of people who were upset would be so upset if there was a walkout in support of the war? Doubt it. Patrick Peterson Dinkytown From: Craig Miller [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 09:57:43 -0600 Subject: [Mpls] What is your school up to? I believe that the schools that organize and allow kids to take class time off to go out and protest are using taxpayer money for political purposes and bordering on brainwashing the kids. It has been many years since I was on the frontline of management in the private sector. You know the position, hiring firing, and being the one who shows up early and stays late. Well, if I ever have to be in that thankless position again, I've got news for the Mpls School Board. All things being equal between two job applicants.I'm going to remember which school district thought it was ok to stop teaching math, reading, and writing. Tough decisions made easy by the Minneapolis School Board. To those parents who fail to prevent this nonsense. Shame on you. Your doing your children such a disservice. = __ PatrickPeterson [EMAIL PROTECTED] aim:a11235patrick tel:612.379.4722 __ __ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Walkouts
The schools REALLY missed an opportunity here. They should have cancelled regular classes and convened the student body in the auditorium to get a full-school discussion going about things like wars that democracies fight, the history of the War Powers Act (which is allowing Bush to attack without a Congressional resolution), the process in which the Constitutional drafters forced presidents to consult with Congress, etc. In short, the war is THE most important issue of the day in schools and they should have IMMEDIATELY switched education into a relevant mode. Heck, they could even have allowed students to express their views by making signs. In short, why let 'em walkout because you, the administration, must trudge stupidly on as if this day were no different from any other day. And what I'm also wondering: What happened at the private schools of Minneapolis? We have those who think they are INHERENTLY superior. Did THEY realize the teachable moment was here? Jim Mork Cooper Only a LUNATIC would cut schools to buy more bombs. We hold these truths to be self-evidentthat governments are formed, deriving their just powers by the consent of the governedDeclaration of Independence _ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
RE: [Mpls] re CCHT
I am unimpressed with CCHT's work; in my opinion, they use way too much public funding to "create" precious few units of housing. I use the word create in parenthesis because they destroy a lot of housing too, and I would call their projects poorly managed. CCHT has wreaked havoc in Elliot Park and Phillips when I lived in that area. Tom WellingUptown--- On Thu 03/20, Alan Arthur [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:From: Alan Arthur [mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 11:01:35 -0600Subject: [Mpls] re CCHTIn response to Jason Sittko's posted question, at mnforum.org, as to whether anyone has experience with the Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT) :Yes. I have 14 ½ years of experience with the Central Community Housing Trust. In every single project done by CCHT in the past 17 years, no project has been developed without numerous planning and brainstorming discussions with, and building relationships with, people who live and work in the neighborhoods. As a matter of absolute fact, CCHT has developed almost 1,200 units of housing and has never developed a project without the approval of the neighborhood citizen participation organization. The proposed Ripley development in the Harrison Neighborhood is a case in point. Central Community Housing Trust staff people have worked with the Harrison Neighborhood Association intensively for over a year on different ideas and scenarios for the site. As with all sites, there are practical, political, and financial realities, both market and our own. If we are "bullies" to point those realities out, then so be it. We are certainly persistent, because that is how a ll development projects of any kind get done. But we have fully engaged with every committee and every process required by the Harrison Neighborhood. I doubt if any other developer, for-profit or nonprofit, would spend as much time working with a neighborhood, on as challenging a site, as we have in Harrison.There are always different opinions and concerns in communities about all development projects. Some concerns are based in fact and some based on fears and perceptions. Everyone always has a different perspective or idea about what would be "perfect". One of our roles is to synthesize collective and multiple desires with reality and produce something great. CCHT is certainly as interested as the neighborhood and neighbors in helping re-capitalize this important site as a place that works for the people who will live there, for neighbors, and for the entire community. The current proposal incorporates many, many ideas that came from Harrison residents and neighbors, regarding both unit types and design. I recommend talking to the leaders and neighbors in the Elliot Park neighborhood, where we have helped bring over $70 million dollars of public and private re-investment over the past 17 years, including building the first "market" housing there in over 70 years. Ask them if the Central Community Housing Trust has made a positive or negative difference in their neighborhood.We always welcome rational discussion of concerns and perspective. Please always call us if you have any questions. AlanAlan Arthur, President, Central Community Housing Trust1625 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404-1634612-341-3148 ext. 201 Fax: 612-341-4208 [EMAIL PROTECTED]--- Learn how Central Community Housing Trust is responding to the affordable housing shortage in the Twin Cities. Please join us for a 1-hour Building Dreams presentation: May 5, 2003 at 4:30pm:We are also happy to present Building Dreams at your organization, church, or business. Space is limited, please register online at www.ccht.org or call Philip Schaffner at 612-341-3148 x237 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) TEMPORARY REMINDER:1. Send all posts in plain-text format.2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-DemocracyPost messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mplsJoin Excite! - http://www.excite.comThe most personalized portal on the Web!
[Mpls] I-35W Access Project and RT Rybak
Peter Schmitz:After reading all the thoughtful comments, both pro and con, regardingthe 35W Access Project, I was wondering what Mayor Rybak's position is onthis issue. Can list members help me out here? Tom Welling:I'm sure it won't be a big suprise, but I've gotten only vague answers from the mayor's staff on this. Isn't it odd that the so-called environmental mayor who was and is so concerned about the airport issues has difficulty making this decision? I've heard that some of his staff (Wagenius) support it as a courtesy to Peter McLaughlin, and others oppose it on their own assessment of the project. I guess the question might be how strong the relationship between RT Peter is, I've heard a lot of people say they are feuding - anyone have more info on that? Tom Welling UptownJoin Excite! - http://www.exci te.comThe most personalized portal on the Web!
[Mpls] Field Protest
Paul, Perhaps you should get your information correct before you start making unfounded accusations about schools and teachers. First, the district, in anticipation of walkouts and protests, sent specific guidelines to ALL schools and teachers. These guidelines specifically laid out what could and could not be done in the event of a student walkout. The teachers could say NO but they can NOT restrain students if they do walk out of the classroom. Students, upon THEIR request, were given the opportunity to form a protest during their half hour lunch time. Many anticipated this, due to OTHER PARENTS AND SCHOOL activities which they learned about from older siblings and friends. Therefore, some had their own signs and participated. Others, as is always true with a protest or walkout, participated because it looked like fun. Regardless, this WAS IN NO WAY planned nor was assistance provided by teachers or school officials. The only participation by the adults was to observe and provide a safety net in case of harassment or incident outside the ability of the students to handle. And this was only as long as they remained on school property! Second, I happened to be at the school right after students dispersed for the day. I found teachers greatly distressed that their students did walk out and they felt powerless to prevent them. Again, physical restraing is NOT nor should it be condoned in today's schools. There was an officer present had such restraint been necessary. Many teachers encouraged their students to remain in the classroom and a number of them took the time to allow students to talk about their feelings about the war as part of the class curriculum. Others have encouraged students to write how they felt - and those who participated in the walkout may face similar requirements. Some who did not return in the time allotted will also receive no credit for missed classwork. All students who exceeded the lunch time allotment, will have at least one half day of unexcused absence on their records - officially as this information will be sent to the District. This is per District guidelines. Students who left the school grounds will have additional actions taken as they are considered truant. Although warned, some still left the grounds and returned only to board buses for home. Finally, perhaps your children are too young, too old, or simply don't care, but I can tell you there are many, many students at the middle school level who have very strong feelings about the war. I certainly remember the air raid drills we had and I had no information to form an opinion since details weren't broadcast into my home for breakfast and dinner every day. Today's children have opinions and they have the guts - and the right - to be heard in a way I never did. Did I support my child's participation in the protest? First, I didn't know about it until afterwards. By then, I had heard the comments from teachers, the principal and other parents. Regardless of my feelings, I was proud that my son decided for himself how he felt about the war and participated because HE wanted to . . . it had absolutely nothing to do with my feelings nor with the teachers. Just because you are an adult, it doesn't mean your intellectual and moral judgements are right or supported. I hope my child always keeps the right and the wisdom to determine what he feels about an issue and I certainly hope he always has the right and opportunity to PEACEFULLY show others his perspective. Thank you Field School and the Minneapolis District for preparing our teachers to deal with the anticipated walkouts in an intelligent and non-combative manner while giving students the freedom to make their choice on how to show their feelings about war. Kathy Hacmac PTA Chair, Field School and active parent _ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] PiPress on Bill of Rights vote
Title: PiPress on Bill of Rights vote http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/5433663.htm MINNEAPOLIS: Federal security laws are targeted With the nation at war, the Minneapolis City Council is expected to pass a resolution Friday that would prevent the city from enforcing some sections of the federal Homeland Security and USA Patriot acts.
Re: [Mpls] What is your [school] list up to today?
Well this sure set off a hornet's nest. Anybody been reading Doonesbury lately? How all Oregon High School Graduates are being kept out of the mythical Ivy League college. This is how it starts to happen. All things being equal one kid graduates from Kerkhoven-Murdoch-Sunburg and the other kid graduates from SW High Mpls. All things being equal, then you read the headline of what MPS does DURING school time. Now picture yourself as the employer, administrator, Dean, etc. One of my critics on this thread, claimed that this is how we share and express our values. What if they aren't your neighbors or neighbors children's values? Let the school teach two plus two, Shakespeare, Langston Hughes, Stravinsky, Ravel, Newton, Einstein, Lincoln. Knowledge held in common. Not the political opinion of SD 60 of the DFL party. Craig Miller [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rogers, MN Has this list gone absolutely mad? About remembering which job applicants are graduates of Minneapolis Public Schools and which aren't, I have 2 things: --Be sure you apply that standard to the Rhodes Scholars, IB Diploma winners (including myself), Ivy grads, and Athena winners who graduated from MPS. TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] the Attack on Iraq- another unfunded mandate! (MPD blows the budget on overtime)
Besides the $3,000,000,000 a day of our tax dollars our military is spending making Iraq safe for big oil, we taxpayers are having our pockets picked at home here too. Minneapolis Police seem to be ordering mandatory overtime for saturday, and ordering overtime for later today also. At the state level Governor Pawlenty has completely forgotten about his fiscal crisis and put a couple hundred guardsman on the state payroll to ineffectively secure our water supply and such. Your tax dollars at work? peace, Dyna Sluyter, hanging on in Hawthorne TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] What is your [school] list up to today?
What WOULD Einstein do? He was a professor - I suspect that he would applaud these children for stretching their minds. He was a survivor of Nazi germany - He would applaud these children for using the voice they still have. He was an opponent of war. You do the math. And he showed that Newton was wrong. And Lincoln? I seem to remember he had some pretty strong politcal opinions. What about Eisenhower, who warned us against the rise of the military-industrial complex? Or Theodore Roosevelt who said - To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. I was taught Thoreau. Who taught me about civil disobedience. Did my school make a mistake? What about Oppenheimer? - he was also a physicist. Or is his history a little too embarrassing? What about Schroedinger? Heisenberg? You don't even want to know what those two little subversives were hiding in their equations. Or Darwin? Knowledge held in common? That must be a very tiny amount of information. On Thursday, March 20, 2003, at 12:34 PM, Craig Miller wrote: express our values. What if they aren't your neighbors or neighbors children's values? Then we start a DIALOG. Robert Schmid Central TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Excess Project NRP mtg ins beneficiary gets ACORN Shark of the Year award
Wells Fargo Mortgage, primary beneficiary of the nearly $200 million Access Project, and potential beneficiary the recent NRP mortgage insurance proposal is alleged to engage in predatory lending in the very community they claim to serve!! Article from Insight News, published 03.12.03 online at http://www.insightnews.com/articles.asp?mode=displayarticleID=499 ACORN charges Wells Fargo with predatory lending As a Twin Cities coalition plans to launch a consumer education campaign against predatory lending called Dont Borrow Trouble, a grassroots community organization says that one of the lenders involved in the coalition engages in predatory lending. According to Alton Bennett, an ACORN representative, The best way for Wells Fargo to prevent predatory lending would be to not practice it. Minnesota ACORN charges that as a Twin Cities coalition plans to launch a consumer education campaign against predatory lending called Dont Borrow Trouble, one of the lenders involved in the coalition engages in predatory lending Wells Fargo last week was presented with a shark of the year award by Minnesota ACORN for its predatory lending. According to ACORN, Wells Fargo uses fraud and deception to trap homeowners into mortgages with high interest rates, excessive fees, and harmful terms. ACORN cited the cases of a number of families who had been lied to about the conditions of their loan and were refinanced out of a good loan they had at a much lower interest rate with a different lender to the new loan with Wells at a much higher rate, such as: Nina and Leandro Mata are South Minneapolis homeowners who had a loan with an 8% fixed rate and a monthly payment of $738, including taxes and insurance. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage refinanced them and gave them a new loan with an adjustable interest rate that started at 12.15% and could rise as high as 18.25%. Their monthly payment is now $1,144, this not including taxes and insurance, which are an additional $160. Their $109,000 loan included almost $10,000 in closing costs. Another, example is with Richard and Lynn Morneau who had a mortgage at 7.875% interest and a total monthly payment of $724 including taxes and insurance. Wells Fargo financial refinanced them and gave them a new mortgage at 11.98% interest and a monthly payment of $1,950, not including taxes and insurance which are an additional $150 permonth . Their $162,651 loan included over $8,500 in closing costs. Birdell Beaks is a North Minneapolis homeowner who had a 7.25% interest rate and a $320 per month mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, and always paid her mortgage on time. Wells Fargo Financial refinanced her and gave her a new loan with an 11% interest rate and an $880 monthly payment, not including taxes and insurance which are an additional $120 a month. The loan for $51,394 included $5,700 in closing costs. After an article about ACORNs accusations ran in the Pioneer Press, the group says they received a number of calls from other Wells Fargo customers who saw the article and felt they had been ripped off. ACORN and ACORN Housing have brought the above cases and others to Wells Fargos attention, but they say Wells Fargo has refused to make any changes to the loans or talk to a housing counselor about the borrowers. In Minnesota and throughout the country, ACORN and its sister organization, ACORN Housing Corporation, are engaged in a multi-faceted campaign against predatory lending. The campaign involves outreach and education to help homeowners avoid becoming victims of predatory lending, counseling and assistance for people who have already fallen prey to abusive practices, direct action protests against predatory lenders, work for greater regulatory supervision by state and federal agencies, and efforts for stronger legislation on the local and national level. ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, with over 120,000 member families organized into 600 neighborhood chapters in 45 cities across the country. Since 1970 ACORN has taken action and won victories on issues of concern to our members. For more information on ACORN www.acorn.org. To receive updates on ACORN's work every two weeks go to www.acorn.org/getinvolved Since 1991, AHC has helped over 1,000 low and moderate income families purchase homes in the Twin Cities, and in 1999, AHC expanded its efforts to also assist existing homeowners. For more information visit www.acornhousing.org David Piehl Central __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn
[Mpls] RT Peter
From Tom Welling I guess the question might be how strong the relationship between RT Peter is, I've heard a lot of people say they are feuding - anyone have more info on that? I would suggest you think about who could be possible candidates against RT next time around in the election cycle. I keep hearing Peter is running... could that be why there appears to be strain between them? Just guessing, Annie Young East Phillips
Re: [Mpls] What is your [school] list up to today?
Craig writes: on 3/20/03 12:34 PM, Craig Miller at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is how it starts to happen. All things being equal one kid graduates from Kerkhoven-Murdoch-Sunburg and the other kid graduates from SW High Mpls. All things being equal, then you read the headline of what MPS does DURING school time. Now picture yourself as the employer, administrator, Dean, etc. Depends on who's doing the hiring. If I'm in a top-down, order-driven kind of company, I'll pick the former student. If I'm in a knowledge-based, creativity biz that values independent thought, I'd pick the protest kid every time. I don't think these are just District 60 values - but there are a heck of a lot of jobs in that District (including the south half of Downtown). I would also hazard a guess that it wasn't the at-risk kids who did this - they just skip for the hell of it. Sounds to me like these were the smart kids that most employers seriously crave, especially in a knowledge-based economy. David Brauer King Field Used to have District 60 values but will soon adapt to District 61 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] RE: Mr. Arthur's CCHT response
One can see the reasons why I needed help. Mr Arthur's staff generated response appears to come straight from it's literature; save the Harrison comments which I'm sure CCHT wants to edit in soon. Mr. Arthur's 14 year's of experience is in geographically containing poverty under the guise of being the only economically feasible option. Low income wage earners are forced to travel numerous miles because these projects are not pursued in neighborhoods that the likes of Mr. Arthur inhabit: Orono, Wayzata, Woodbury et. al. Accordingly, neighborhoods such as mine that are already among the poorest are forced to remain that way for the profit of others. Mr. Arthur paints a picture of a solid cohesive working relationship that his CCHT initiates with the neighborhoods he enters. Yet, all the responses I have received from my query are negative except for one...his own. My own year-long experience is negative so far as well. The project at Penn and Glenwood will add 60 units into an a space that they will not be able to work with due to historic limitations. CCHT did not even bother to research this when they spent over a million on the project because...why bother when you're connected enough to deal with it later. Well it did not work this time and now the density is going to be pushed hard. It has to be because now the project is constrained and to make it financially feasible they have to push the density even more. Moreover, it will be pushed on the low income side so the project looks palatable to the free money trough that CCHT soon hopes to belly up to. The effect? The Harrison neighborhood will see it's average home ownership rate decline when it is already approximately only 35% and we are already among the top 10 poorest neighborhoods. CCHT can jam 150 tenants in the building and walk away with a nice talking piece for future pamphlets..they created low income housing, they refurbished an old building etc etc. The problem is that they will not be the ones who have to live day to day with such low income density. Also, to be certain, this is not a latent misguided fear of low income citizens. This is a neighborhood fed up with being the social engineering playground for every mayor, think-tank or non-profit organization that wants to feather its cap by claiming to help the poor only to pen in the poverty. We simply don't want their brand of development in our neighborhood. They say tough..you're going to get it. It's a simple story that's been told before. We're getting the shaft because CCHT feels it can give it to us. Like I've said before, there are some supporters in the Harrison leadership that are for the project. Interestingly, some of these people have ties to CCHT or don't even live near the project. TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] What is your [school] list up to today?
Title: Re: [Mpls] What is your [school] list up to today? Craig Miller wrote: This is how it starts to happen. All things being equal one kid graduates from Kerkhoven-Murdoch-Sunburg and the other kid graduates from SW High Mpls. All things being equal, then you read the headline of what MPS does DURING school time. Now picture yourself as the employer, administrator, Dean, etc. One of my critics on this thread, claimed that this is how we share and express our values. What if they aren't your neighbors or neighbors children's values? Let the school teach two plus two, Shakespeare, Cry 'havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war. (Julius Caesar 3.1.275) We go to gain a little patch of ground That hath in it no profit but the name. (Hamlet 4.4.18-19) http://shakespeare.about.com/library/weekly/aa012503a.htm Langston Hughes, Hughes' revolutionary voice was so strong, so biting in presenting the harsh conditions of everyday working folk, especially those Black and others of color, that in 1953 he was called before the so-called Un-American Committee led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. Hughes, as well as W.E.B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson and so many others, was accused of being a communist and communist sympathizer. His passport was taken away, and his ability to earn a living greatly affected. http://www.seeingblack.com/x022102/langston100.shtml Stravinsky, Stravinsky remained in the West when World War I broke out, and the Russian revolution of October 1917 turned him, like other members of the Diaghilev circle, into a permanent exile. http://www.iclassics.com/iclassics/timeline_article.jsp?articleId=148 Ravel, World War I pushed France's musical life to the sidelines. Ravel himself volunteered for the army, but was rejected-he was too short and underweight. In 1916, he finally made it into the army as a truck driver, and even saw the front lines, but his ill health got him discharged a year later-they thought he had tuberculosis. http://www.wgms.com/index.php?nid=155sid=518 Newton, He modestly attributed his discoveries largely to the admirable work done by his predecessors; and once explained that, if he had seen further than other men, it was only because he had stood on the shoulders of giants. http://www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/People/Newton/RouseBall/RB_Newton.html Einstein, A country cannot simultaneously prepare and prevent war. The pioneers of a warless world are the youth that refuse military service. He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable an ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder. http://www.humboldt1.com/~gralsto/einstein/quotes.html Lincoln. that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html Knowledge held in common. Not the political opinion of SD 60 of the DFL party. Mr. Miller, examine the quotes and descriptions attributed above to your scholarly heroes. The words can easily be used to discredit your view that any child in the Minneapolis School District who opposes the war is being led astray. It would seem that your cultural icons REQUIRE a critical eye on warfare and state power and unbridled authority. It seems that according to criteria you have selected, our children are learning well -- probably because they are being taught well. I am immensely proud of the them. I'd hire one of them in a minute. By the way, my ancestors homesteaded in the Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg area and I grew up in the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa area. A rural education is no guarantee of lock-step homogeneity. I am a living example of that. Keith Nybakke Nokomis East Minneapolis
[Mpls] Children taking time from school to learn about life and death
What are the benefits of children engaging in civil disobedience against a war most of their elders in the United States are supporting? Among them surely must be the education (not schooling) they are receiving about the consequences of confronting existing power relations. They are also increasing their capacity for human empathy because they are feeling and understanding that the tragic deaths of other children are connected to their own lives. If only more adults felt and thought as deeply about our collective responsibility for the taking of innocent life. If only more adults were as courageous as these children in confronting the existing power relations that are bringing this horrific war to Iraq and into our classrooms and homes as well.
[Mpls] Children taking time from school to learn about life and death
What are the benefits of children engaging in civil disobedience against a war most of their elders in the United States are supporting? Among them surely must be the education (not schooling) they are receiving about the consequences of confronting existing power relations. They are also increasing their capacity for human empathy because they are feeling and understanding that the tragic deaths of other children are connected to their own lives. If only more adults felt and thought as deeply about our collective responsibility for the taking of innocent life. If only more adults were as courageous as these children in confronting the existing power relations that are bringing this horrific war to Iraq and into our classrooms and homes as well. Arthur T. Himmelman Loring Park
Re: [Mpls] What is your school up to?
--- Jordan S. Kushner [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: (snip): Forget about independent and critical thinking. Forget about training students to become politically aware and even active citizens who can come to their own conclusions about social and political issues, and even, god-forbid, exercise their prerogative to dissent. I agree that this is already happening, but would argue that it's not going in quite the political direction you think. I attended Northrop Montessori (not so very long ago either) and recall quite clearly how we were encouraged to support (through posters and discussion with our parents) Michael Dukakis in his presidential bid because he was nicer and of course, a democrat. This while my fourth grade teacher there, one Ms. Cheryl Bradford, was teaching multiplication incorrectly. (I swear to God, you can ask my mother and former classmates, many of whom are still angry about that!) The direction that public schools have taken merely during my educational career, (especially montessori) is appalling. We spent more time discussing global warming and protecting the trees in 5th and 6th grade than we did preparing for the academic demands that middle school would bring. Sadly, many of my classmates had to take remedial math and reading classes as we moved on to Anthony or Anwatin, or wherever. This is real, and it's a problem, and I remember it very clearly. My children will not be subjected to the kind of education that I was - they will go to private or charter school - at least as long as we live in Mpls. Connie Nompelis Ventura Village __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] RE: Mr. Arthur's CCHT response
What does CCHT say it is going to cost per unit for this housing in the Harrison neighborhood?? Steve Meldahl Jordan (work) - Original Message - From: Jason Sittko [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 2:31 PM Subject: [Mpls] RE: Mr. Arthur's CCHT response One can see the reasons why I needed help. Mr Arthur's staff generated response appears to come straight from it's literature; save the Harrison comments which I'm sure CCHT wants to edit in soon. Mr. Arthur's 14 year's of experience is in geographically containing poverty under the guise of being the only economically feasible option. Low income wage earners are forced to travel numerous miles because these projects are not pursued in neighborhoods that the likes of Mr. Arthur inhabit: Orono, Wayzata, Woodbury et. al. Accordingly, neighborhoods such as mine that are already among the poorest are forced to remain that way for the profit of others. Mr. Arthur paints a picture of a solid cohesive working relationship that his CCHT initiates with the neighborhoods he enters. Yet, all the responses I have received from my query are negative except for one...his own. My own year-long experience is negative so far as well. The project at Penn and Glenwood will add 60 units into an a space that they will not be able to work with due to historic limitations. CCHT did not even bother to research this when they spent over a million on the project because...why bother when you're connected enough to deal with it later. Well it did not work this time and now the density is going to be pushed hard. It has to be because now the project is constrained and to make it financially feasible they have to push the density even more. Moreover, it will be pushed on the low income side so the project looks palatable to the free money trough that CCHT soon hopes to belly up to. The effect? The Harrison neighborhood will see it's average home ownership rate decline when it is already approximately only 35% and we are already among the top 10 poorest neighborhoods. CCHT can jam 150 tenants in the building and walk away with a nice talking piece for future pamphlets..they created low income housing, they refurbished an old building etc etc. The problem is that they will not be the ones who have to live day to day with such low income density. Also, to be certain, this is not a latent misguided fear of low income citizens. This is a neighborhood fed up with being the social engineering playground for every mayor, think-tank or non-profit organization that wants to feather its cap by claiming to help the poor only to pen in the poverty. We simply don't want their brand of development in our neighborhood. They say tough..you're going to get it. It's a simple story that's been told before. We're getting the shaft because CCHT feels it can give it to us. Like I've said before, there are some supporters in the Harrison leadership that are for the project. Interestingly, some of these people have ties to CCHT or don't even live near the project. TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Re: Management
You know, Craig, for years I've heard Managers whine about how hard they had it. How they showed up first and left last. And in 25+ years of consulting experience, at all kinds of companies all over the Twin Cities, I've only seen it actually be true twice. In general, my experience has been that it's the frontline workers who work the hardest and get paid much less than the Managers. It has been many years since I was on the frontline of management in the private sector. You know the position, hiring firing, and being the one who shows up early and stays late. . . . Craig Miller TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
re: [Mpls] re CCHT
I am very glad that CCHT, with the approbation of the Elliot Park neighborhood and substantial participation by a number of funding sources, has undertaken to convert the five-story St. Barnabas hospital for use as a safe and secure residence for homeless youth. St. Barnabas is in the shadow of the Metrodome and what used to be Metropolitan Medical Center (MMC - a large private hospital incorporated into HCMC some years back). St. Barnabas was a classic white elephant - obsolete for its original use and standing vacant year after year. CCHT, to its credit, undertook to address the chronic shortage of suitable facilities for homeless youth by undertaking to rehab this structure with provision for affordable private living quarters for 50 youth and also provision for supportive services. The intended beneficiaries are young people who are old enough to be capable of independent living but in considerable distress for lack of stable housing, counseling, and a way back into the world of schooling and employment and trustworthy social relationships. There are hundreds of these kids in Minneapolis and only a handful of places for them to live. CCHT is not new to this effort. They have an established facility elsewhere in town and in general a solid track record with supervising agencies, funding sources, and neighborhood entities. Alan Arthur may be a bit forceful at times, but he is very good at what he and his associates do. As a former board chair at the now defunct Lambda Sobriety Center for recovering GLBT folks, I am very aware of the ameliorative effect of CCHT's initiative. Instead of a dead building in a development cul-de-sac, I see hope and a secure sense of belonging being offered to at least some of our very young walking wounded. As a student of our urban scene, I'm glad to see a big old building put to a good use. Good for Elliot Park and good for CCHT! Fred Markus, Horn Terrace, Ward Ten, in the Lyndale Neighborhood --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.459 / Virus Database: 258 - Release Date: 2/25/2003 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] School Walk outs against the war
Paul, Perhaps you should get your information correct before you start making unfounded accusations about schools and teachers. First, the district, in anticipation of walkouts and protests, sent specific guidelines to ALL schools and teachers. These guidelines specifically laid out what could and could not be done in the event of a student walkout. The teachers could say NO but they can NOT restrain students if they do walk out of the classroom. Students, upon THEIR request, were given the opportunity to form a protest during their half hour lunch time. Many anticipated this, due to OTHER PARENTS AND SCHOOL activities which they learned about from older siblings and friends. Therefore, some had their own signs and participated. Others, as is always true with a protest or walkout, participated because it looked like fun. Regardless, this WAS IN NO WAY planned nor was assistance provided by teachers or school officials. The only participation by the adults was to observe and provide a safety net in case of harassment or incident outside the ability of the students to handle. And this was only as long as they remained on school property! Second, I happened to be at the school right after students dispersed for the day. I found teachers greatly distressed that their students did walk out and they felt powerless to prevent them. Again, physical restraint is NOT nor should it be condoned in today's schools. There was an officer present had such restraint been necessary. Many teachers encouraged their students to remain in the classroom and a number of them took the time to allow students to talk about their feelings about the war as part of the class curriculum. Others have encouraged students to write how they felt - and those who participated in the walkout may face similar requirements. Some who did not return in the time allotted will also receive no credit for missed classwork. All students who exceeded the lunch time allotment, will have at least one half day of unexcused absence on their records - officially as this information will be sent to the District. This is per District guidelines. Students who left the school grounds will have additional actions taken as they are considered truant. Although warned, some still left the grounds and returned only to board buses for home. Finally, perhaps your children are too young, too old, or simply don't care, but I can tell you there are many, many students at the middle school level who have very strong feelings about the war. I certainly remember the air raid drills we had and I had no information to form an opinion since details weren't broadcast into my home for breakfast and dinner every day. Today's children have opinions and they have the guts - and the right - to be heard in a way I never did. Did I support my child's participation in the protest? First, I didn't know about it until afterwards. By then, I had heard the comments from teachers, the principal and other parents. Regardless of my feelings, I was proud that my son decided for himself how he felt about the war and participated because HE wanted to . . . it had absolutely nothing to do with my feelings nor with the teachers. Just because you are an adult, it doesn't mean your intellectual and moral judgements are right or supported. I hope my child always keeps the right and the wisdom to determine what he feels about an issue and I certainly hope he always has the right and opportunity to PEACEFULLY show others his perspective. Thank you Field School and the Minneapolis District for preparing our teachers to deal with the anticipated walkouts in an intelligent and non-combative manner while giving students the freedom to make their choice on how to show their feelings about war. Kathy Hacmac PTA Chair, Field School and active parent TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns
It would appear that the City Council will pass a resolution tomorrow, 3/21/03, sponsored by CMs Johnson and Zirby, to direct the police chief to proceed with mediation IF, IF, IF these three conditions are met: (1) the writ of mandamus (writ from superior court to lower court directing some action) is dropped; (2) that a recognized community organization sign off on the mediation, and (3) that the Federal mediation office agree to proceed. With these three, the City Council and the Mayor will then direct the chief to participate. Asked his opinion of this, Ron Edwards, author of The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes (in which he discusses the origin of this whole mediation action and problem in Chapter 16) has noted that this is just another example of the council to avoid its duty. He went on to say that the two Jills will never drop their writ (see story in City Pages (http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1163/article11127.asp http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1163/article11127.asp ), and that the second requirement is stupid and infantile as there are already credible people at the table. As to the third requirement, Edwards noted that the Federal mediation office has already agreed. Further, said Edwards, I am troubled by the designation of a lame duck chief who will be departing on or before January 4, 2004. What incentive and passion will he now have to work with the community? According to Edwards this is just another sign of how messed up the city system of operations is, as seen in the other news, that Ann Albright resigned as Human Resources Director. As Edwards stated, I'm not surprised by her resignation. Her office is responsible for all of the layoffs and job banks. I predicted she would leave six months ago. Its too chaotic and messed up. As background for the writ of mandamus: it is interesting to note that a writ of mandamus, a writ or court order directing a public official to perform his official duty, can be used on any official to fulfill their constitutional duty, from the President (can only be issued from the Supreme Court) to the Mayor or Police Chief (which can be issued by a local court). Learn more at http://www.jurisdictionary.com/dictionary/dictionary%20w.htm#Writ%20of%20Man damus http://www.jurisdictionary.com/dictionary/dictionary%20w.htm#Writ%20of%20Ma ndamus , about how this allows for ordering a government official (regardless of branch or level) to give an answer on the public record explaining by what authority he or she is acting in a particular situation. Thus, it is a very powerful writ. One may not agree with the two Jills and their Writ of Mandamus, but they open up to all the existence of a very powerful writ that many don't know about. That raises the question of what it is that the chief is hiding that he, the mayor, and the council don' want him on the public record explaining his actions? Thus, although a writ of mandamus can only be issued by a court, it exists as a way to enable people to get their officials to do their job, to make leaders do what their Constitutional job descriptions require of them. The very act of their doing so shows that one side believes another side is not doing its job. Clearly one can disagree with this strategy but one can also not disagree that the Chief is not doing his job and that neither the Mayor nor City Council is forcing him to do his job. What better sign is there of urgent need for mediation between police and community? Peter Jessen, Portland, www.TheMinneapolisStory.com http://www.TheMinneapolisStory.com attachment: winmail.dat
[Mpls] Wellstone's Memorial
List member Susan Marcicle asked me to post the URL to a column that Doug Grow wrote about political discussions at Schneider Drug, which is owned by Tom Sengupta. There's no live link but those with access to the Library can look it up online. It appeared on page 2b on Aprtil 10, 2000. Steve Brandt Star Tribune TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Re: Mpls School walk-outs
I just got back from the protest down at the Federal Court Building. Thousands, many children and youth among the crowd. Very serendipitously, I was talking to a staff member from Anthony Middle School this afternoon, and he told me that my 12-year old son was one of 200 of their students that walked out in protest against the war. He didn't tell me anything about it, nor do I think I will hear about it in retrospect since he tends toward the taciturn. I am very proud, and happy that the acorn didn't fall very far from the tree. Incidentally, the school decided that all kids that walked out would receive after school detention on Monday and write a short reflection piece on what they believe about the war - and why they choose to protest. Seems fair to me. Susan Herridge To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. --- Ralph Waldo Emerson TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Wellstone's Memorial
I regret that Paul's only cogent connection with Prospect Park ( Where Schneiders has dwelt all these years) was that he garnered something like 90%of the vote there. If he and family had only lived there awhile I don't think there would be too much outcry if it were proposed that the neighborhood landmark tower were named after him. It's never been named anything. We who grew up there just called it Tower hill. It hasn't functioned as a water tower since who knows when. It's kind of waiting for a purpose. A landmark tower on the highest point of land in Minneapolis. Not a bad memorial for a towering liitle man. Jon Gorder Loring Park ` Let me make the superstitions of a nation and I care not who makes the law. Puddin'head Wilson TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) MinneapolisHuman Resources Director resigns
Peter Jessen wrote: It would appear that the City Council will pass a resolution tomorrow, 3/21/03, sponsored by CMs Johnson and Zirby, to direct the police chief to proceed with mediation IF, IF, IF these three conditions are met: (1) the writ of mandamus (writ from superior court to lower court directing some action) is dropped; (2) that a recognized community organization sign off on the mediation, and (3) that the Federal mediation office agree to proceed. With these three, the City Council and the Mayor will then direct the chief to participate. [snip] The information about the writ of mandamus was interesting and useful knowledge. It really wasn't necessary to cloud it in the self-promoting inflammatory rhetoric of Ron Edwards. But I guess I do thank you for including those choice quotes from Mr. Edwards, as my opinion of him has now dropped several dozen notches. The Jills will never drop their lawsuit? They have stated publicly that as soon as Chief Olson shows up at mediation, they will drop it. I see no reason for them to lie about that. I'd sure like to get to the bottom of this whole issues -- it stinks like a pile of dead fish, but just exactly who is doing what for what obscure personal gain is impossible to see. I do know that you ought to have let us know with each of your recent references to Ron Edwards book that you make money for each copy sold. Otherwise we might come to think you're trying to promote sales of it on this list, which strikes me as rather unethical. Chris Johnson Fulton TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] School Walk outs
Below is an excerpt from the the Wrap a news service from the Guardian newspaper in England I subscribe to. It concerns school walk outs in England (the right wing carping should strike a familiar note). I certainly hope that there isn't any retaliation against students at Field or any other school for exercising their first amendment rights. But in case there is, we can help them by contacting school board members or going to the school board meeting at 807 NE Broadway on the 2nd and last Tuesdays at 4:00. Go to educationright.tripod.com for details (wait until tomorrow, Friday - Doug and I still coming down from that awesome demonstration in town this evening). Lets not let today's students experience the same types of civics lessons my generation received in the 60s around protests against the Vietnam war (I remember being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance once when my best friend I were caught just mouthing the words). A sort of pacifist jingoism has gripped the country, complains the Telegraph: schoolchildren are taking to the streets to oppose the war. Unauthorised absence from school may still be truancy as far as the authorities are concerned, but that didn't prevent hundreds of pupils massing in Parliament Square yesterday. The only ones with permission to be there, the Times notes ironically, were the Etonians. Prince Harry pulls my peace badges off, one sixth-former said, but revealed that Eton had sanctioned the day off because it believes in free speech. The Mirror's John Pilger urges readers to leave your home, work, college, school ... The polite term is civil disobedience. The street term is rebellion. * Britons urged to join anti-war protests http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,918039,00.html * Times: Schoolchildren bring city to a halt http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,173-617296,00.html TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] School Walk outs
Forgot to sign my post. So in case people out there don't know who's responsible for this latest outrage, Linda Mann Kingfield TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Kid Protests
Wizard is right about kids protesting. Bush is running up the bill for them to pay off in the future. They probably don't UNDERSTAND that part of it. But if they did, they were making the best use of their time to get out there and say SPEND YOUR OWN MONEY, CAESAR. WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT USES FOR OUR MONEY IN THE FUTURE THAN PROTECTING YOUR POLITICAL FUTURE. Jim Mork Cooper Only a LUNATIC would cut schools to buy more bombs. We hold these truths to be self-evidentthat governments are formed, deriving their just powers by the consent of the governedDeclaration of Independence _ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Wellstone's Memorial
Jon Gorder said: It's never been named anything. We who grew up there just called it Tower hill. It hasn't functioned as a water tower since who knows when. It's kind of waiting for a purpose. A landmark tower on the highest point of land in Minneapolis. Not a bad memorial for a towering liitle man. Diane Wiley of Powderhorn says: Many of us who went to the U of M in the sixties called it Yeats' Tower -- or The Witch's Hat -- I can't think of anything better than to name it after Paul. TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Kid Protests
Children may be our only hope in stopping this war which is costing citizens of Minneapolis dearly. Just imagine the possibilities if 25 to 50 per cent of school children in Great Britain and the United States refused to attend classes until our governments ended their war and sanctions against Iraq. I'm terribly proud of Minneapolis's elementary, junior and senior high school students who are showing a lot more courage and integrity than our cowardly Mayor and City Council.Peter SchmitzCARAG But I don't believe in a big guy with a beard on a throne, telling us we're bad; I certainly don't believe in original sin. I believe in the opposite of that; you have an Eden immediately from the time you are born but as you are conditioned by your caretakers and your surroundings, you may lose THAT ORIGINAL THING. Your task is to get back to it, to claim responsibility for your own perfection.Jeff Buckley, 1966-1997 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Kid Protests
On Thu, 20 Mar 2003, Peter T Schmitz wrote: Children may be our only hope in stopping this war which is costing citizens of Minneapolis dearly. Just imagine the possibilities if 25 to 50 per cent of school children in Great Britain and the United States refused to attend classes until our governments ended their war and sanctions against Iraq. I'm terribly proud of Minneapolis's elementary, junior and senior high school students who are showing a lot more courage and integrity than our cowardly Mayor and City Council.Peter SchmitzCARAG Well, but, they have MUCH bigger backsides to protect. (When they turn the other cheek, it's something to behold). --David Shove Roseville TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] (1) Council will duck mediation tomorrow, and (2) Minneapolis Human Resources Director resigns
The problem of course is that the judicial system is populated by politicals who will not force their party to do their job or risk embarassing their party by insisting they do their job. Dain Lyngstad,phillips/edina --- Peter Jessen [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It would appear that the City Council will pass a resolution tomorrow, 3/21/03, sponsored by CMs Johnson and Zirby, to direct the police chief to proceed with mediation IF, IF, IF these three conditions are met: (1) the writ of mandamus (writ from superior court to lower court directing some action) is dropped; (2) that a recognized community organization sign off on the mediation, and (3) that the Federal mediation office agree to proceed. With these three, the City Council and the Mayor will then direct the chief to participate. Asked his opinion of this, Ron Edwards, author of The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes (in which he discusses the origin of this whole mediation action and problem in Chapter 16) has noted that this is just another example of the council to avoid its duty. He went on to say that the two Jills will never drop their writ (see story in City Pages (http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1163/article11127.asp http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1163/article11127.asp ), and that the second requirement is stupid and infantile as there are already credible people at the table. As to the third requirement, Edwards noted that the Federal mediation office has already agreed. Further, said Edwards, I am troubled by the designation of a lame duck chief who will be departing on or before January 4, 2004. What incentive and passion will he now have to work with the community? According to Edwards this is just another sign of how messed up the city system of operations is, as seen in the other news, that Ann Albright resigned as Human Resources Director. As Edwards stated, I'm not surprised by her resignation. Her office is responsible for all of the layoffs and job banks. I predicted she would leave six months ago. Its too chaotic and messed up. As background for the writ of mandamus: it is interesting to note that a writ of mandamus, a writ or court order directing a public official to perform his official duty, can be used on any official to fulfill their constitutional duty, from the President (can only be issued from the Supreme Court) to the Mayor or Police Chief (which can be issued by a local court). Learn more at http://www.jurisdictionary.com/dictionary/dictionary%20w.htm#Writ%20of%20Man damus http://www.jurisdictionary.com/dictionary/dictionary%20w.htm#Writ%20of%20Ma ndamus , about how this allows for ordering a government official (regardless of branch or level) to give an answer on the public record explaining by what authority he or she is acting in a particular situation. Thus, it is a very powerful writ. One may not agree with the two Jills and their Writ of Mandamus, but they open up to all the existence of a very powerful writ that many don't know about. That raises the question of what it is that the chief is hiding that he, the mayor, and the council don' want him on the public record explaining his actions? Thus, although a writ of mandamus can only be issued by a court, it exists as a way to enable people to get their officials to do their job, to make leaders do what their Constitutional job descriptions require of them. The very act of their doing so shows that one side believes another side is not doing its job. Clearly one can disagree with this strategy but one can also not disagree that the Chief is not doing his job and that neither the Mayor nor City Council is forcing him to do his job. What better sign is there of urgent need for mediation between police and community? Peter Jessen, Portland, www.TheMinneapolisStory.com http://www.TheMinneapolisStory.com ATTACHMENT part 2 application/ms-tnef name=winmail.dat __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Re: Mpls School walk-outs
Middle school students at Seward also walked out to go to the rally at the U. They too are facing detention as a consequence. Seeing all these kids taking a stand makes me think there may be hope for the world. I can't imagine why anyone would deny our children the rights we hold dear for ourselves. Diane Wiley Powderhorn Peace Zone TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Ways to Deal With Fake Posters
We should find their parents and make them pay. Mike Nelson - maybe Central TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
