The Voting Rights Act limits the dilution of minority representation in electoral politics, and I suggest for a quick background people read the state senate counsel's short article on Using Racial Data in Redistricting, at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/departments/scr/REDIST/race.htm
I have to say that using Eat Street as an example of ethnic diversity is initially appealling, but otherwise misleading. Eat Street is essentially a facade of ethnic diversity, in that it provides people an opportunity to eat foods from all over the planet, and also provides a iconographic example of diversity that, unfortunately, many white people use to show that we are a diverse and vibrant culture. But, does it assure power and representation to the people who run these businesses and to the people of various ethnic populations who may shop at some of the small groceries and stores? I don't think so--rather, it is a portal for folks to experience ethnic diversity safely and comfortably. The real test of ethnic diversity is to go two or three blocks into the neighborhood, see what is happening and who is in power and participates within that realm. For example, just a few blocks from Eat Street, renovation on an older Victorian building will ultimately displace four tenants of color (out of the five occupied units), some of whom have lived in the neighborhood for 12 years. It will be interesting to see who is able to afford rents once the building is rerented. To put it in a more startling pespective, consider that, of all the home improvement loans and grants that neighborhoods gave out through the NRP program from 1993 to 2000, 88% went to white homeowners, at a time when the white population in the city declined from 78% to 65%. We've got a long way to go, and redistricting necessarily must take race and ethnicity into account to shape our future and to allow proper strength to communities of color. Gregory Luce North Phillips (work) Bob GUSTAFSON wrote: > Nevertheless, something about this emphasis on ethnicity doesn't sit > right with me > > > > Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of ethnic diversity. > > > > Which brings me back to my problem with the Redistricting > Commissions apparent concern with the impact of ethnic groups in our > new redistricting attempt. I would like to state the official Middler > position on redistricting, which is a nice way to say that I am > speaking from a position that is merely a place that is a figment of > my imagination, but it is a place I take seriously nonetheless. > > > > Think of Eat Street. > > > > It is a wonderful collection of distinct restaurants and stores > representing an eclectic collection of wonderful ethnic foods. People > go to Eat Street. They go there for good food, that is often an ethnic > specialty. > > > > It is a neighborhood. > > > > It is not an ethnic neighborhood. > > > > It is a neighborhood with people from many ethnic backgrounds. > > > > What to you do if you try to take ethnicity into account while > redistricting? Do you gerrymander bits and pieces of Eat Street into > different wards based on race? I find that foolish. Do you gerrymander > all the minorities you can find together in one ward so there will be > a minority council member? That is just as foolish and discriminatory. > Why should minorities be deprived of the right to have an affect on > more than one or two wards? > > > > Lets drop the emphasis on race. Lets promote the ideals of our > democracy. Lets emphasize neighborhoods being kept together, not split > apart or artificially joined together just because of race. > _______________________________________ 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
