The Minnesota Daily had a brief article about a debate between Gordon and Zerby held at the UofM. The article's focus is on the controversy over the Prospect Park East River Road Improvement Association's decision to exclude dorm residents from becoming members of their association.
http://www.mndaily.com/story.php?date=20011023&storyID=4557 The comparison Zerby makes in the article is, to me, disingenuous. Non-student residents of the neighborhood shouldn't vote in student organizations because the organizations are for students and don't directly affect others. In contrast, he River Road is part of the students' neighborhood as much as anyone else's. To say their interests don't matter erodes the whole idea of democracy and citizen participation. If his underlying point is that students shouldn't be part of decision-making processes because they aren't tied to the area by a mortgage or might not be around for the long term, following this line of logic would lead to not allowing renters to be members either. No matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem to me to be an easily defendable position to hold. Especially when its public funds, as Gordon points out. Amanda Rondeau Cedar-Riverside Ward 2 _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
