Richard is correct, "Who really cares" if religious institutions stay in Minneapolis? Those Catholics and Lutherans, you know they own a lot of land in very prime areas of Minneapolis also. You know a little eminent domain on their properties would create a lot of development opportunities? Brighton, Brookfield, and Sherman could get their hands on some very valuable Real Estate this way. With a few million dollars in development subsidies these mainstays of Minneapolis"Development Philosophy" could do some real development. (if you could just "take it away from THEM".)
I have an idea, how about if we tax ALL religious institutions as if they were businesses. After all, they usually are incorporated and we do have "Separation of Church and State". If they are truly separate then Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and the State of Minnesota should be treating them no different from other corporations. They tax Karate Schools, and those have a philosophical base. I know some define eastern Martial Arts as recreation and some as "mind control" for the weak minded, but don't non-believers and some governors define religions and churches as the same? Such statements while possibly true, are not sensitive to those who belong to those particular religions, and Mr. Anderson's statement is not very sensitive to another's religious institution either.. I wonder why we are so willing to tolerate religious insensitivity, as long as it seems to be directed at those "WASPY" type institutions? Also before the Brighton, Sherman, and Brookfield start salivating at the idea of exacting further such "tithing" from us, I want the readers to know all the suggestions in the previous two paragraphs were meant as humor, not as serious suggestion. Of course if you had told me we, (City of Minneapolis) would make such large "offerings" in the past to these corporations, I would have thought you were also kidding, but hey here we are. Jim Graham, Ventura Village ----- Original Message ----- From: Richard K. Anderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Minneapolis Issues Forum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2002 9:00 PM Subject: [Mpls] Good-By Billy Graham > The Billy Graham Association has apparently decided that historic > designation of their properties is enough reason to depart the Loring Park > Neighborhood. Since they won their lawsuit this week against designation > does that mean they want to stay? If so, who really cares? > I intend to say a lot more about the Billy Graham organization in the next > few months, at least until they really get out of the neighborhood. > Richard Anderson > Loring Park > > _______________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
