Full Disclosure: I work at PPL, the target of many of Mr. Graham's barbs,
though I have nothing to do with CVI, development, funding, public policy or
anything else where I would interact with Mr. Graham or the Ventura Village
neighborhood group in any sort of professional capacity - formal or
informal. I do interact with many neighborhood residents and business
people on a personal and professional basis. Though I know Mr. Graham by
sight and he knows of my work, we have not met. I am always resistant of
criticising things he writes because of the above circumstances. I do not
ever want to be accused of doing a "hit" on behalf of PPL, something I
wouldn't be good at even if I were so inclined.
The below is a critique from a fellow list member. That's all. It's not
personal.
================================
Now...
The recent exchanges between Kejuan Miller, Jim Graham and Greg Luce are, of
course, following true to form to the classic rhetorical routine played out
across America every day in discussions of race and the excersize of power.
Mr. Miller writes a pointed, frustrated, angry post expressing that he feels
that the Ventura Village neighborhood group has discriminated in an
institutional way against people of color in Ventura Village and that
members of that group tend to overstate the crime in the area in a way that
Mr. Miller takes to be racist 'code' for 'we need to get rid of the Black
people' or at least 'we need to get rid of the Black people who don't own
property'. He states this because it is his perception and life experience.
Mr. Graham, in replying, wastes no time at all in branding Mr. Miller as a
racist (!?!), suggests that he may not even be a real person (!?!), and
defends himself and his position of influence and power, telling us about
his longtime Black friends, his inclusive neighborhood policies, etc. This
is the classic white response in defense of institutional racism. Instead
of querying further on why Mr. Miller feels this way and has these
perceptions, he attacks Mr. Miller's character and credibility in a very
thorough and persuasive manner. Discredit the accuser in order to discredit
the accusations.
When Mr. Luce defends Mr. Miller and relates his own personal eyewitness
experiences, he is also derided, his character attacked and marginalized.
Now, I am giving Mr. Graham the benefit of a doubt as I believe that he
really WANTS to be inclusive and he truly believes that they are doing the
best they can, and indeed believes he is doing much more than most.
It's his tactics I take issue with.
I would hope that Mr. Graham would work a little harder to investigate
further and try to empathize rather than attacking the person who perceives
himself as a victim. Unfortunately, this is the knee jerk response of most
white folks in my experience.
Whether Mr. Miller has been to this or that demonstration, this or that
meeting, knows this or that person, has NOTHING to do with his perceptions
of the excersize of power in his neighborhood. His life experience has
EVERYTHING to do with it. IF you consider yourself to be anti-racist, it is
incumbent on you to take at face value the life experiences of someone whose
life experiences you cannot possibly have had by virtue of your skin color.
Having some small inkling of understanding of my position of privilege in
America and especially in Minneapolis as a white male, I don't have a whole
lot of sympathy for white folks who call Black folks racists and frauds. I
don't care what neighborhood they live in. I lived in what is now Ventura
Village (in the nicest apartment I ever had) for several years and still
work there. I knew that I had more rights, more privileges, more police
protection, more opportunity and less trouble because I am white. It's a no
brainer. I still see instances of the excersize of white skin privilege on
a daily basis there, as in ALL of Minneapolis. If Mr. Graham is truly
working toward the destruction of institutional racism in his neighborhood,
then more power to him. Bravo!
But, judging from Mr. Miller's perceptions, pent up anger and frustration,
Mr. Luce's observations - and Mr. Graham's responses, there is much work yet
to be done... as there is in all of Minneapolis.
I hope Mr. Miller and Mr. Luce will continue to post here so that we can
continue to have a decent conversation about the relationship between race
and neighborhood politics.
I also hope that Mr. Graham will be able to take at face value this
critique.
Eric Oines
Lind-Bohanon
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