Keith:
<< The activists were extremely active and want their money.
> Keith Reitman, Capitalism works better when it is not covert, NearNorth
In a message dated 2/7/02 3:19:39 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
I'd agree -- when I went to the Candidates Forum sponsored by the adhoc
group in favor of complete NRP funding, the attendees at the forum were
predominantly people who were employed by Neighborhood Organizations. I'm
also not convinced that the Mayor's race result was a mandate on continued
complete funding for NRP. I think the mayor and council races were at
least as much a "throw the bums out" because of Herrongate.
I still have this feeling that NRP is an incredibly wasteful and
unaccountable way to spend alot of money >>
Keith adds; This ad hoc group appeared to me to be mostly neighborhood
activists from all over the city. It would be interesting to see the sign-in
sheet one list member offered. It was a watershed gathering for another
reason and I will never forget that evening.
Up until that point, all candidate debates had included only the "big
four" candidates and not the gaggle of others who had legitimately
registered. Polite and boring was the sanitized debate format and outcome.
Till that magic evening, when all candidates present got a chance to share
their ideas and debate, including Leslie Davis/Tree climber for free speech.
Perhaps some of the attendees that night participate in and monitor this
forum. If so do you recall the fellow standing at the front entry, by the
cannon, wearing a Stenglein T-shirt and holding aloft a Leslie Davis placard?
Each person who approached the entry was asked to support opening the debate
to those whom he called the neighborhood candidates. The little guys should
be heard he told each approaching person and people agreed. This was billed
as a rally for neighborhood participation and silencing registered candidates
seemed more absurd here then anywhere else.
I had been at Mayo Clinic for surgery the week before and was supposed to
chill out for three months. I was that fellow/goof that tweaked those
hundreds of people into allowing that free and open debate that night. By
standing at that entry and working that crowd, one at a time, I helped open
that closed format. An honest representation of candidate outlooks was
presented. We all did the right thing that night, but I could hardly stand
up.
It is ironic that the reporter in attendance for the Star Tribune (one
sponsor of the debate/huge fighter for free speech) declined to report this
important occurrence in the article he wrote the next day. Steve Brandt, what
policy or reason had you leave this detail out of your article? It was a
watershed, and readers should have been told.
There is a large military cannon in front of the armory over NorthEast.
It is pointed toward downtown to the SouthWest. There was a rumor that the
cannon was to be fired that night, after the rally, toward City Hall. Little
did we know how loud would be the KABOOM of that year's city elections. How
glad and hopeful many are today.
Keith Reitman, supporting free speech, NearNorth
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