I agree. I have never heard Neva come down one way or another on the issue - I get the impression that the positives are balanced by enough negatives that she is having difficulty with it. As for McLaughlin - I'll work against him in the next election.
Dave Piehl --- evausucceed <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > A reminder: Contact the Governor's Office: > 651-296-3391 to ask him > to veto this project (the Colin Powell Youth > Center). This is prime > veto bait. It certainly does not fit into the state > wide impact the > Governor has stated publically. > > I got the following in the mail from Sen. Berglin: > > Dear Eva: > > Thank you for your phone call to my office regarding > your concern > about The Colin Powell Youth Center and Urban > Ventures. > > The County is the fiscal agent for the Colin Powell > Youth Center. > Peter McLaughlin is in support of the center. This > was the only > project that was designed to help children of color. > > > EY: I just called County Commissioner McLaughlin's > office. Lisa > Vecoli of his office stated that McLaughlin has a > long history of > supporting Urban Ventures, and she will give him the > message to have > him call me to explain why. > > Berglin continues: > > Neva Walker is a strong supporter of this project > and came to the > Senate Finance Committee to support it. > > EY: Neva disputes this. She claims that she only > inquired about > what was going on with this. Lou of Linda Berglin's > office said that > Neva came to the Senate Finance Meeting along with > the Urban Ventures > Lobbyists. She did not speak for the program, but > her presence with > the lobbyists implied her support. > > Berglin continues: > > The funds it received in the Senate were small. The > program will not > be connected to any religion. > > EY: Interesting -- this is what a funding proposal > Urban Ventures > has for a "youth ministry" says: > > "The goal of Leadership Development is to develop > students who by > their senior year in high school are so committed to > Jesus Christ > that they can survive and thrive in any > environment." Now, how is > this an organization that is not pushing one > particular religion? If > the Governor does not veto this, there's going to be > alot of hassle > making sure the organization does what they said > they were going to > do -- rather than using the money to evangelize a > community that has > a wide variety of religious backgrounds. > > Sen. Berglin continues: > > Urban Ventures has no position on gays and lesbians > and currently > there are openly gay young people in the programs at > the center. > > ------------------------ > EY: > So they say, but then these people should be > testifying on the > matter. Art Erickson is not known for telling the > truth. He claims > support from the Minneapolis School District and the > Minneapolis Park > Board -- which he doesn't have. I confirmed this > with Catherine > Shreves, School Board Chair, Judy Farmer, School > Board member, and > Craig Vanna who oversees partnerships with the > district, Annie Young, > Park Board member, by going to a recent Park Board > meeting and > talking with Park Board Staff. > > Then Berglin's PS is interesting. > > P.S. The Phillips West Planning organization for > NRP where the > facility will be located has voted in favor of > funding for it. > > ======================================================== > > Rep. Neva Walker writes: > > I am playing catch with my email today. I actually > am a supporter of > this project. I wouldn't say that I strongly > supports the project. > That level of support would depend on what other > projects need to be > funded. > > The issue about this being the only project that > directly targets > young people of color is valid and important to me. > I am not aware of > any issue with Urban Venture and the LGBT community. > If there is > somehting specific that I should be aware of - > please let me know. > > David just to let you know I am not aware of any > other organization > that focuses on youth of color or even people of > color that put in a > bonding request. > > Thanks - Neva > > =========================================== > The Anti-Gay history of the Urban Ventures > Leadership -- Art > Erickson, and Ralph Bruins has been mentioned on > this list. > > I talked to Annie Young during the redistricting > circus about why the > Park Board was partnering with Urban Ventures. She > said she is > asking staff to investigate. Annie also suggested > that people > concerned about this issue, come to the next Park > Board's meeting and > speak on this issue. From going to the meeting, and > speaking about > UV, I understand the Park Board is not partnering > with UV. UV has > provided referrees for Park sponsored sports -- but > that's it. It > all depends on the meaning of the word partnership. > This whole thing > reminds me of Clinton and his definitions of sex. > > I was curious about the school board also. Why > would the school board > partner with an organization like Urban Ventures? > The answer is they > don't -- and Urban Ventures is lying about that when > they make that > claim. > > This whole thing still puzzles me -- I thought part > of the reasons the > democrats oppose Bush's Faith Based Initiative is > that they were > concerned about overriding local anti-discrimination > ordinances. > However, in this case, they seem to want to fund an > organization that > has their clients "targeted by the Leadership > Development staff for > Bible study and discipleship, Scripture memory". > > This is also rather ironic considering Rep. Walker > worked on a bill > to put a moratorium on facilities such as the one > Mary Jo Copeland > wants to build in Eagan. > > As Alice in Wonderland would say "Curiouser and > Curiouser." > > ========================================================= > > Eva > Eva Young > Central Neighborhood > Minneapolis > > "You do not have the right to never be offended. > This country is > based on freedom, and that means freedom for > everyone - not just > you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, > express a different > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health.yahoo.com _______________________________________ 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
