At 08:44 AM 5/22/02 -0500, Dooley, Bill wrote: >On May 21, 2002 at 12:59PM Eva Young writes: > >"This is one project that many in the Central >Neighborhood do not want." > >BD: Proof? Other than Eva and one or two other individuals complaining about Urban Ventures religious-based programs, I have yet to see criticism of Urban Ventures on either the Minneapolis or Minnesota discussion group lists. > Well I would not make such a statement if I hadn't discussed this issue with a number of neighbors. People have various reasons for opposing the Colin Powell Center. The proof is in the calls that have gone to the governor's office on this issue (651-296-3391). Wizard Mark's claim that this is a racial issue is bogus. I've talked to a number of African Americans in the neighborhood who oppose this center.
>"Instead, what would be >good is to portray the neighborhood as a place where suburbanites who are >sick of long commutes into the city, might want to move to, rather than a >place to give money to Urban Ventures to assuage their white guilt." > >BD: Since you have injected race into this discussion, many African Americans in this community could say that Central is ripe for gentrification and guess how many affordable units will remain in this neighborhood? > And again, African Americans aren't all one monolithic unit. I've heard folks in the African American community in Central be in favor of gentrification. There are whites in the neighborhood who are concerned about gentrification. >"Please help the >people who live in Central, and call Ventura's office (651-266-3391) and >tell him to Veto the Colin Powell Youth Center." > Actually the number is 651-296-3391 and I'm sorry for the mistake on that one. > >"Lou [Berglin's aid] also mentioned as fact that Urban Ventures >has an openly gay board member, and an openly gay employee. Those people >ought to be out at the legislature testifying on the bills behalf. If >that's the case, then why did UV refuse to return calls from Lavender >asking them to comment?" > >BD: Finally we get to the nitty-gritty! Eva, you need to be explicit. If you are saying Urban Ventures is an anti-gay organization, you need to cite concrete examples of organizational anti-gay behavior. It would be helpful if you not include alleged utterances or flyers distributed by volunteers not on the Urban Ventures payroll. Art Erickson is President of Urban Ventures. The anti-gay behavior was this: in a board packet sent to Walt Gutzmer, who was the designated Gay Representative of an NRP steering committee by Urban Ventures included a newsletter from the Central Community Church. Included in this newsletter was an article about how gay people should repent. No one else on the Steering Committee got this newsletter in their board packet. Walt was so angry that he tore up and threw away the newsletter. There are other contemporaneous witnesses to this one. > >"Recall that Basim Sabri has been one of the funders of Urban Ventures." > >BD:Basim Sabri funds a number of entities on Lake Street and in the Central area and is innocent until convicted. > There are plenty of people who are guilty as sin who avoid conviction in a court of law. The folks responsible for the Enron debacle haven't been convicted. In Sabri's case, Mr Sabri was caught on tape trying to bribe Brian Herron to facilitate the building of an AmericInn Motel that was opposed by a wide cross section of people in the neighborhood. Unless the tape was doctored, to me that is pretty compelling evidence. Art Erickson (UV President) and Ralph Bruins (UV Executive Director, who was convicted and served time for embezzling when he worked for a bank) were major boosters of the Motel -- and in fact had been trying to push through the idea of a Motel on that block for years -- and the CNIA business development committee kept on voting it down. Also, just for the record, both Art and Ralph are caucasion - since race is being brought into this, let's not forget that. >On May 21, 2002 at 3:12PM, Wizard Marks wrote: > >"In looking at the stink Eva Young has created about this center, it's >based entirely in a church magazine or newsletter alledgedly sent to one >gay mann in the neighborhood some ten years ago. I lived here then, >(I've lived here most of the last 30 years) two blocks away from the >recipient, and got no magazine. Why should African American kids, who do >need strength to thrive in any environment, have to pay for this alleged >church magazine? Erickson, whom I do not particularly like, is the >Director of UV, he won't be doing any athletics with these kids. > >I get a clear picture that Eva has a personal problem with religion--and >it's strictly a personal problem. > EY: It's not an issue with religion. I am a member of Calvary Lutheran Church -- which is a church in the neighborhood that does alot of good. However, I feel strongly that there are people who live in the area who come from a wide variety of religions -- not all Christian. For example, there is a growing Somalian population in Central -- who are muslim. I do have a problem with people who try to push their particular religion on others, and feel strongly that Government should not be in the business of forcing specific religions down people's throats. Mary Jo Copeland's proposal (which Rep. Neva Walker and Sen. Jane Ranum tried to derail in the legislature) will be entirely privately funded. It does include religious components. As long is it's privately funded, I don't have problems with this. I do have problems with the Government sponsoring specific religions. Wizard Marks writes: UV's Colin Powell Center isn't like public school. The parents CHOOSE to send their kids there. The parents have Christian backgrounds, so it fits with what they believe and they feel their kids are safe there. EY: Then why shouldn't elected officials in Minneapolis - such as County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Linda Berglin and Neva Walker - be out there publically supporting School Vouchers - so that African Americans can chose to send their kids to a Christian School? Why aren't folks promoting Brian Sullivan's Hope Academy -- which is a private Christian School serving many African American children? > >As an aside, it was also African Americans who wanted a hotel. African >Americans, who are not the majority, but do hold the plurality in >Central, probably should have some say in this. Us mixed Caucasians only >comprise some 25% of the neighborhood. As I said before, Urban Ventures is led by two white guys -- not African Americans. I wouldn't claim to speak for African Americans the way Wizard is. However I will say that African Americans were not united in supporting that Motel. Heck, the Urban Ventures Program Director told me that many UV employees thought Art and Ralph were making a mistake by dragging UV into the Motel controversy. >For some Central residents diversity is fine so long as the Caucasians >control what happens. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt; sucks big >time." That's the bugaboo that's been used for a long time here in Central that has been used to stop discussion. This isn't a argument between Black and White. This is a debate between those who want to make money on exploiting the image of Central Neighborhood as a bunch of losers and criminals (which is how Urban Ventures portrays the neighborhood) as opposed to an up and coming neighborhood, where there are opportunities for people to achieve the American Dream. What I see way too much of, is this attitude that black kids can't succeed because racism is such a prevalent attitude that there is no way a person can get beyond that. In my opinion, that helps contribute to the problem. People shouldn't be telling kids they can't succeed. They also shouldn't be giving kids the message to use the race card every time they get into trouble. Ironically I object to some of the Out for Equity curriculum for similar reasons. Some of that curriculum paints such a horrible picture of how oppressive this society is that it's impossible for gay kids to succeed. This stuff gets back into the "who is most oppressed" game -- which somehow says that the most "oppressed" or victimized person has some sort of badge of honor. Eva Eva Young Central Neighborhood Minneapolis _______________________________________ 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
