David Brauer wrote:
> Huge difference, I think, between attending a group's meeting and "embracing > them." I think the new council and mayor need to meet with everyone. Now, if > they only meet with PRAC and then refuse to meet with tenants or tenants > rights groups, that's a real problem. I don't mean to split hairs, but I was careful to say "seeming embrace" because that is what it seems. Less than two weeks after a major victory, in what I would guess is the first or one of few public fora that all of these folks will attend, it happens to be the monthly PRAC meeting. That appears to have a symbolic meaning beyond simply attending a meeting or, as Andy Driscoll counters, "acknowleding their existence." (but I'll stand corrected if it's not). It would be good to know if the RT, Lilligren, Z, and Johnson Lee are attending the Minnesota Housing Partnership's major housing conference earlier that day. That's a major happening that has been planned for some time. The question for me is providing that stamp of legitimacy to PRAC by coalescing around one of their meetings. My opinion is obvious: I don't think the legitimacy is warranted based on my experience and the public record of a number of (hear hear: not all) the landlords who have taken leadership positions within PRAC. Which gets to Eva Young's post, and the trouble with trying to criticize legitimately. I don't demonize landlords, and asking questions about the upcoming PRAC meeting shouldn't be interpreted as such. (I've explained my positions on a number of landlord-tenant issues on this list in the past and I hope they have not been interpreted as "demonizing"--if they have, so be it) But, at some point, I think it is wise not to engage a group or provide it with the stamp of legitimacy when to do so compromises your core beliefs. I don't agree that such an approach is purism-- I think it shows an ability to judge your own character by the enemies you happen to make, and no one pushes through extremely tough issues without making some enemies--that, I've learned. To take David's suggestion, I'll look into arranging a meeting of tenants and invite Z, Johnson Lee, Stanglein, RT, and Johnson Lee. We'll see if they come. Gregory Luce N. Phillips North Phillips Press is a publication of Project 504, a housing related neighborhood organization based in the Phillips neighborhood. _______________________________________ 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
