I am deeply saddened, if the account of those who voted is accurate. It is hard to believe my own Council Member is so out of touch with the Neighborhoods he represents as to not vote against this clear attempt to undermine poor people's chance to own and control their housing. I am also saddened by Don Samuels failing to support neighborhoods. I guess Don owes more to Rybak's cadre than he owes to the neighborhoods. Jordan and Hawthorne have shown a clear appreciation for home ownership and yet a vote to sustain the CD committee vote?
I do thank the CM's who have shown consideration for poor people and neighborhoods. I would have expected each of those people to do just that. Lillegren, Johnson, Johnson-Lee, and Paul Zerby have repeatedly shown concern for the poor neighborhoods and people, and I thank them. I am surprised by the votes of Samuels, Zimmerman, and Paul Ostrow; in the past these CM's have shown support for both poor people and neighborhoods. I guess their promises about NRP were just to get elected. Some of the rest I might have expected; those three I am deeply saddened by. I guess some are more concerned with the rich non-profits and developer subsidies than they are about poor people. Or I guess they decided that to be part of politics as usual was more important. I would ask Dean Zimmerman to remember not too long ago, and what a house that he personally owned did for his security. Sustainability means more than just lip service about something green. As for Peter McLaughlin supporting affordable homeownership as a ploy to run against RT for Mayor, I would ask someone to do a little checking on recent history. Peter McLaughlin was involved in poor people's issues and creating affordable housing when he was busy helping create NRP and was a State Representative; and when RT thought airport noise was the biggest issue in town. There are a few Johnny come lately around the issue of housing, but Peter has been involved from before there was an NRP and before there was an y great public concern about affordable housing. The deference is that Peter is interested in real solutions and not fluff. Come to think of it that IS quite a difference. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Some have written about their pride in their children for walking out of class to protest the sadness in Iraq. Children motivated by true conviction are to be proud of. Some others of us are so very proud of our children, and other young people, who have chosen to go fight and possibly die for what they believe in. Many Veterans from Minneapolis will be at the Capital tomorrow, (Saturday at noon). They will be there to support our young men who are in harm's way tonight. I will join my brothers in that solidarity. Many once served in just such an "Unpopular War" and were unappreciated and cursed by their own people when they returned. The Native American community was the only community I can remember who welcomed those young people home and honored them. That sadness has once again come to our land, rending our community asunder. Making well meaning people take sides and dislike each other. With both sides preaching morality versus duty. Hopefully this divisiveness will all be over in a few days and those returning will not experience such humiliation, and not have to carry that pain and those scars forward. Some of those who returned over thirty years ago have not forgotten. We will welcome our young people home again with honor. Just as we honor the Native People who once welcomed soldiers home with a welcoming hand and a "Welcome Home, Brother." We do not forget them, just as they did not forget us. Jim Graham, Ventura Village >"With calm eyes gauge your fellow men; >with a calm heart deal with all matters; >with a calm mind find the reason in things. >- Hong Yingming 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
