Gene:
I am what many call a "DFL Guard" and I very loudly oppose the redistricting plan that the commission supported. I appreciate your zeal for the Green Party, as I have as much zeal for the DFL Party.
I think that folks need to remember that the NAACP Plan was voted down 4-4 with the Chair, who was voted on the Commission to break ties, abstaining. The Chair of the Commission was a Republican, who basically ended up with a lot of power on a plan effecting a DFL City - Minneapolis.
I believe that Mr. Schiff and Mr. Lilligren need to get the progressives actively involved in the party workings of the DFL Party. I believe we all need to take a hard look at the Charter Commission and make some serious changes to the Charter, which really has hurt poor people and people of color in this redistricting cycle.
I want to remind you that Rick Stafford was appointed by the City Council, and while he is a DFLer he was not on the Commission necessarily representing the DFL Party. My understanding is the many of the Minneapolis DFL Party leadership are not happy with that plan.
I don't see many people of color in leadership roles in the Green Party. From a person on the outside looking in, it looks much like the DFL looks, just younger members. How many people of color does the Green Party have running for Governor? How many people of color does the Green Party have in Party leadership roles. Shane Price and Natalie Johnson Lee are the two Black leaders that I know who have received Green Party endorsement, but I don't see either one of them working endlessly to recruit people of color to the Green Party.
I believe that it is time for all Parties to "practice what they preach". If you are a progressive party, let me see an aggressive party outreach, with people who traditionally have been ignored in other parties taking leadership roles and moving agendas that have been traditionally ignored forward.
I want to reiterate that the NAACP map, for me, was not about any party or any individual, it was about the people of the City of Minneapolis. The most political move I made was making sure we corrected our error of the 5th Ward line moved north to Golden Valley Road to make sure that the only woman of color on the City Council wasn't redistricted out. This was not because she was a Green Party person, this was because she was a competent woman of color on the City Council.
Matthea Little Smith, Powderhorn Park - Maybe ward 8?
"Martinez, Gene" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Editor, City Pages:
The Minneapolis Redistricting Plan, unfairly requires only progressive
council members to run against each other, while protecting old guard
DFLers. There is an easy way for progressives to get quick revenge. Gary
Schiff and Robert Lilligren should immediately announce that they are
joining the Green Party. Schiff would stay in the 9th Ward. Zimmerman
would move to the new 6th Ward. Lilligren would into the new 8th Ward.
Suddenly, the Green Party would have four members on the City Council and be
in a position to gain control of the council in the next election cycle.
What a great way to pay back Rick Stafford and the out-of-touch DFL machine!
Gene Martinez
Minnehaha, Ward 12
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