Thanks you, Margaret, for backing me up on this. If we can't make an impact locally, how can we expect to make a difference globally? Now, to address a couple of personal responses I've received: Yes, I realize from working a full-time job myself that people have other obligations during the week when council meetings are held. But I also know for a fact that plenty of folks in the anti-war movement work alternative shifts as well as weekends and are therefore available for some of the council meetings. As for those of us who work M-F, 9-5, who says we can't use vacation time, personal time and flex time? And would it really be that difficult for the coordinators of local anti-war movements to recruit five to fifteen members from their organization to ensure that the council chamber is packed? Yes, I know constituents are calling and writing their council representative, that's good, but our actual physical presence at the chamber can make a difference as well. This being said, I'd like to make a couple of humble suggestions in case another anti-war resolution is brought to the Minneapolis City Council: Those of you living in the Third Ward can mobilize to pressure your new council representative. Let him know that you don't expect him to be Paul Ostrow's lap dog. Likewise, I would like to encourage people in my district to put the heat on Dan Nizoliek since he's sometimes a swing vote. As for the Mayor, what can you expect from someone who advocates a raise for the Minneapolis Police while doing nothing to address their brutal behavior towards homeless people and racial minorities? And what's he doing to address anti-camping ordinances and laws that make homeless people more vulnerable to rogue cops? NOTHING!!! He's not even securing more shelters so that homeless aren't sent back to the streets. Like George W. Bush, he's another privileged white boy holding office to preserve the status quo. It's ironical to hear locals whining about being taken by pahnandlers in Downtown and Uptown, when you consider that those of us who supported Rybak's campaign (either through donations or votes or both) were hustled even worse. If I could get back the fifty dollars I so stupidly gave to his election bid, I'd gladly hand it over to a panhandler at any of the bus stops on BLOCK E. At least they're less dishonest than RT.----------------Peter Schmitz, CARAG
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