Eva Young wrote: > From what I understand, Peter McLaughlin is quite angry that Felien > dares to run against him. It goes against the Divine Right of Peter > McLaughlin doctrine.
WM: This doesn't even make sense. A politician loves an opponent like Felien, it's less work. Felien knows, if no one else does, that it was a no contest between him and McLaughlin. The unfortunate part is that it doesn't test the mettle of the incumbent and I do like a debate on the issues.. > It will be interesting to see if there are going to be debates. My > guess is Peter McLaughlin will want to do the Rosegarden strategy -- > all part of the Divine Right theories. WM: This is pure slander in the interest of the writer and perhaps in the interest of her political party, the GOP. Peter McLaughlin has done a pretty good job as commissioner. Good incumbents do not have to assume "divine rights," (even if they were both divine and right on the same occasion). They do their work and get reelected on that basis. It helps if they're presentable to the general public as well. > McLaughlin also is a big booster of Urban Ventures Colin Powell Youth > Center in the Central neighborhood -- something a number of Central > Neighborhood residents weren't fond of. Peter brags about (on his > website) getting the county to give Urban Ventures a $500,000 loan. > UV is clearly a fundementalist organization (not like Lutheran Social > Services or Catholic Charities which truly do lots of good in the > city). In my opinion UV Leadership -- Art Erickson and Ralph Bruins > -- have a history of anti-gay activity in the Central neighborhood. > They were also involved with the Motel Central scheme along with Basim > Sabri. (That was the scheme that ultimately brought Brian Herron down). WM: Where to start. Catholicism, as practiced in the US is "fundamentalist," as are all the Christian religions, in the sense that they proseletize for their viewpoint every chance they get--and make chances when there is a lull in the proseletyzing. They use it for political purposes (a woman's right to choose, equal rights for women, both adamently opposed by Christian churches). As a cradle Catholic, I have a bead on what my bunch have been and are doing, but the Prostetants don't seem to be doing any differently in the area of "missionary" work. All the hoo-hah about Urban Ventures is based on personalities--Erickson and Bruins personalities and the personalities of those who oppose the Powell Center. Erickson doesn't thrill me either, but a place that's willing to address some of the needs of the kids around here, now that's a plus. Parents get to choose to send their children there or not as their consciences dictate. Erickson's alleged homophobia is based entirely on a pamphlet or flier that no one has been able to produce during the last ten years. Produce one reliable instance of Erickson acting out his homophobia and you might, just might, be able to build a case. So far, you got bupkus. 95% of the population of Central is homophobic in one way or another for whatever reasons--and that includes gays and lesbians. The "hotel scheme" wasn't insidious. It was developers wanting to put a hotel where some folks thought one should not go. The anti-hotel folks won. Whether Erickson had an interest in the hotel or not is beside the issue sine there ain't no hotel on Second Av. between Lake and 31st. and now no possibility of building one since Sabri filled the seven lots with store fronts. One of the unavoidable truths about competing desires over land use is that someone wins and someone loses due to physics (no two things can occupy the same space at the same time). I'm glad Peter could find money in the county budget to target kids in this area for special, positive attention. Anyone else could have applied for the money if they had the pieces in place to build programs for kids. Everyone who was into kids in the area had an equal chance to get the money IF they had the programs in place to deliver the programs. If the choice is between playing soccer on a field Art Erickson raised the money for and standing around bored thinking of ways to create havoc in the neighborhood, between fundamentalist Christians and fundamentalist gang bangers, guess who gets my vote every time? I'm sure McLaughlin will give us all the particulars of why we should reelect him. Argue the issues, not the rumors. WizardMarks, Central > > > _______________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________ 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
