Shawn Lewis: thank you for posting this article: > Drugs, race, police relations, economics and an > incident magnify a volatile, complex mix of issues > in the Jordan neighborhood > Curt Brown > Star Tribune > Two statements in particular resonated with me:
<snip> "People in the suburbs don't realize the reality is we have two communities of people up here," Dolan said. "One that works, owns property and raises families, and a community of people that is selling drugs and committing crimes and would like to see the police leave the neighborhood. </snip> In the Folwell neighborhood, we actually had 3 communities: upscale households; people like us who got by from paycheck to paycheck; and low-income households, some of which attracted a good share of 911 calls. You couldn't paint the neighborhood with one brush. Friends of mine who'd venture into the neighborhood would claim in surprise, "This is really NICE!" But as in Jordan, it just takes one or two households to destroy the livability for everyone. <snip> "To all those who say: 'Let's get these homegrown drug dealers off the street,' I'm saying let's look at what's creating all these dope dealers," said Steve Wash, a south Minneapolis housing advocate. "It's the only viable economic opportunity for many of these young men. People don't want to hear that, but the true problem is a solvable economic one." </snip> When my grandparents lived in southwest Detroit, I remember a balloon man would walk down the street in the mid 1960s, a time when there was industry and jobs and families and disposal income for things like balloons. Twenty years later, that balloon vendor was replaced by drug vendors. Seeing the neighborhood reminded me of a ghost town--deserted except for a lawless element like you'd read about in the old West. When jobs move out, the people who can will follow them. The remaining ones will start their own underground economy. I would love to see the Carlson School of Management begin a business program for inner city youth. If you sell drugs, that means you have a head for business. Here would be an opportunity to use that sales talent for a positive purpose. Susan Maricle Bruno, MN __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes http://finance.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
