As I understand Lydia House it is for those who have experienced homelessness, chemical dependency, mental illness(rightly called brain disease) and those who suffer from AIDS.
The words "have experienced" are key here. Do the residents of Stevens Square and Whittier who oppose this project believe in the concept of change? Healing? Remission? Redemption? If not, perhaps this is not such a good place to live after all. Are the neighborhoods of Minneapolis solely for those who are acceptable to the neighbors? What happens for instance if a whole bloc of people of one nationality take up residence in a neighborhood? Should we limit the number of those people if we, the neighbors, decide that their presence destabilizes the neighborhood as we know it.. Do we have a right to restrict their habitation to a 1/4 mile spacing? Don't be ridiculous. The problem is that we think of the future residents of Lydia House and Eliot Arms(?) as less than valued people like us because of an affliction to their body or a state of livelihood beyond their control. Is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness just for those who can bond together and, in this case, hire an attorney? Here's what I think the supporters of Lydia House and the other place should do. Forget about institutions facing off against Citizens for a Balanced Community or whatever they call themselves. Screen and identify potential tenants. Get the best lawyer possible. Go to court and seek standing and the opportunity to bring a class action suit against this group. Hey when all is said and done, what we are discussing is real live human beings having the same choice to live wherever they please as do the good people of the neighborhood. Isn't this about equal access? Nothing more, nothing less. Tim Connolly 12th and LaSalle (a kind of no man's land) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ _______________________________________ 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
