Subject: [Mpls] Housing and NRP Reform Proposals In short, less militant rhetoric, more practical talk, would be welcome. I've gone to the meetings here in Longfellow, and we're lucky if ONE minority shows up who can be DRAFTED to represent the whole community. The problem we seem to have is a Catch-22 that if the membership is overwhelmingly white, it therefore loses its interest to non-whites.
------------ Jim Mork--Cooper Jim, You just named a reason why no minority would show up. If I came to a meeting and you decided that I should be drafted to represent the WHOLE African American community, it would prove that you had one heck of a lot of nerve. We don't all look alike nor do we all think alike. I would be there representing my own views. If you want to know what we ALL think, go do a qualified survey. Think about it. If all it takes is one individual to represent a whole community, than there would be no need for YOU to show up. They can just bring in one of your race, and let that individual speak for all of you. Sounds ludicrous, now doesn't it? Unfortunately, this is how a lot of people want to think about and classify us. And, if the truth be told, if a bunch of us showed up with intelligent contributions, we would scare the pants off some people. Even in this day and time, EDUCATED minorities threaten the status quo. The ugliness of segregation is advancing like a film of pre civil rights demonstrations up the legs of our American flag. As a NRP rep, a majority of my neighborhoods were northeast ones. One group attempted to put together a housing plan that basically redlined minorities. I told them that I would not, in good conscience, help push that plan forward. They went back to the drawing board to start over. Another entity wanted me fired. Not for not doing my job, because I was doing it well, but because of my color. My boss, Mr. Miller confirmed this. I must say, also, that this was the old guard; the younger members (30's - 40's) thought I was doing excellent. The older group put out untrue statements in regard to my performance. They were great friends with the then councilperson, who supported their unprofessional behavior. To keep peace, Mr. Miller had decided to move me to another neighborhood. I let it be known that if that were to occur that I would be suing that group for defamation of my character. If I had to, I would have sued NRP for helping contribute to that by their compliance. Needless to say, I was NOT moved. I had on my desk the next morning a bouquet of flowers from the group to let me know how much they appreciated me. They were from the younger group. The older group merely tolerated me after that. Now I merely worked in the neighborhood. I let them know that while I cared about the work I was doing, and I advocated on their behalf, when I went home, I left their problems at the door. Think how hard it is, however, as a minority person, trying to be involved in their own neighborhood with attitudes like this. And, while I do not profess this to be the reality of all neighborhoods, nor everyone's experience, the attitude of feeling of being unwelcome is prevalent. Pamela Taylor (In Tampa, home of the world famous Super Bowl team, the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS :) ) TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ 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
