Hello Minneapolis Issues Folks:
I worked for R.T. as his first campaign staff person. I was involved with DFL convention part of the campaign. I left to work on another project and conitued to support him as a volunteer. I encourage all of my friends to support him before the convention and after. I put up hundreds of lawn signs across the city and dropped my fair share of lit. I am a firm believer in grassroots democracy.
I understand that Democracy involves disagreement and that no candidate can be all things to everyone. R.T. did not have a record and that was an advantage because he could be all things to all people during the election. Once elected that is impossible to achieve. Every politician has to deal with that issue. The voters have the right to educate, persuade, and reevaluate every four years. I believe as individuals we should be most committed to our own beliefs not a particular candidate or party and make our own decisions based on those convictions. The mayors position on the war will be just one of many issues that I will use to evaluate him next election. We disagree. I have never met a politician or human being that I agreed with on everything. I am not offended by the disagreement but troubled by his argument.
R.T. stated in the Doug Grow article, "It's not a split personality at all," Rybak said, sounding as reasonable as Zerby. "I know the deal I made with voters. I crossed ideological lines. I told people where I wanted to go on issues before the city, issues like housing, the budget, the environment. No one asked me my views on foreign policy. I believe it violates the deal I made with voters to pass official resolutions about international affairs. . .."
KB wrote: I don't believe war is just an international issue. I believe war will have profound impacts on our country, state, and city. To say this is just about international affairs seems to lack an understand about who will be impacted by war. I can not agree with the Mayors position. I also rember R.T. pitching himself as a good listener that would listen to all everyone and be inclusive. If the mayor is listening and looking around his community he will understand that thousands of people in this city oppose the war. I believe the far majority of voters in the city of Minneapolis oppose the war. I would encourage our friends at the StarTribune to take a poll of city residents.
R.T. went on to say, "What people should know is that I'm deeply opposed to a war in Iraq. I will express that outside the building."
KB wrote: I am deeply oposed to this war inside and outside of buildings. I am deeply supportive of human rights inside and outside of buildings. I am deeply committed to improving and protecting the environment for future generations inside and outside of buildings. I am deeplys committed to democracy inside and outside of buildings. I believe it is difficult to have one position inside a building and a diffrent position outside.
Doug Grows article also reported, "Think about it. The mayor of Chicago is Richard M. Daley, son of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley, who turned his police force on peace protesters during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Now, Chicago has a City Council that has voted 46 to 1 in support of an antiwar resolution, with nary a grunt of displeasure from Daley the younger.
In progressive Minneapolis, however, such a resolution faces tough sledding. Even though Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Paul Ostrow say they support the spirit of Zerby's resolution, they're blocking efforts to have it even be heard, just as they did to an earlier effort by Council Members Dean Zimmermann and Natalie Johnson Lee."
I have a hard time understanding why the Mayor and Council member Ostrow believe not supporting such a resolution is a better use of tax payer dollars then supporting the resolution. We could have voted on this issue and sent a message to the President a long time ago. I do not believe this issue will be going away anytime soon. We can only pray for peace.
Ken Bradley Corcoran Neighborhood
612-728-8962
Doug Grow's Article:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/3622216.html
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