SUMMARY: Booker T Hodges and Ron Edwards did not lie. The Ellison - Higgins fund raiser was scheduled, twice. They printed flyers. Twice, giving the date and location (Linda's home). The story about it appeared in the Spokesman and was old news before Ron put it on his web log. You can tell Booker T was NOT quoting Ron, as Ron never indicated a date nor a location, although Booker T did. There is a terrible double standard here. Higgins is taken at her word, despite her artful spin (and it is a glorious job indeed; one of the best I've seen), yet Booker T and Ron are not. I am troubled that those complaining did not double fact check because of their eagerness to smear the reputations of Booker T and Ron. Both Booker T and Ron have the proof. They acted independently. Both care enough about the community to speak the truth. And if that means exposing the DFL as serving itself rather than the community, they will say so. But the truth is not wanted. So they call the truth tellers liars. And people want to know why there is such tension in this town along racial lines. Very cleverly, Higgins is trying to get people to shoot the messengers of truth for her.
DETAILS. When I read Linda's post I immediately got on the phone to call my contacts. None of my contacts have ever misled me. Which makes me wonder why Linda is so willing to mislead and squander her credibility. But because her spin was so artful, she has nothing to retract except her self-confessed crankyness, which is also part of her spin. I can only conclude that too many want Booker T and Ron discredited precisely because they speak the truth. Booker T and Ron expose the reality that the truth is for sale, as seen in the fact that most of Jackie's files are missing, about which the White community has raised not a whimper in complaint. MORE BACKGROUND. Higgins is very clever. She protests reading about a fund raiser that is not being held on a specific date. That is true. It is not on that date. What is not true is the implication that it was never planned. There is the lie. It was scheduled. The flyers exist. She suckers others to then shill for her and tell the list that what Ron wrote is a LIE (yes, it was capitalized). The leap is ten made about the redistricting bill being dead, as if in death it never existed and that in death it doesn't represent an attempt by the DFL machine to steam roller the elections. Is this said to lull people into sleep so they can try again? Because Booker T and Ron have written about this the DFL has chosen to slander them. . REDISTRICTING COVER UP. What irks people is that both Booker T and Ron DO know how the political process works (and both the stone walling from the police chief and city council on mediation and the denials about the redistricting gamet have been a "politics 101" repeat for some and a real eye opener for others). Another complaint is that the DFL is being credited for being organized when they say it is not. More spin. The redistricting plot discussed in Chapters 12 and 13 of Ron's book shows tremendous organization and strategy, as does Jackie's taking most of her files. So yes, they are giving the DFL credit for trying to derail the elections, for trying to get rid of Natalie Johnson Lee and for trying to pave the way for Jackie's return. If she doesn't run again it will be precisely because the community people understand the process and stepped up to fight it and beat them. Note Linda doesn't say Jackie isn't planning or isn't intent on returning. That is a nice omission on Linda's part and part of her artful spin. And, their opposition to a DFL "machine" is precisely because of what the DFL has done to hobble and hold down Blacks in Minneapolis. This is another example of the DFL serving itself not the people. This is but one more example to go along with the many in Ron's book, "The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes." That story continues. So what is this all about? I believe two things. First, to cover Jackie until she can make whatever moves she is planning. I suspect we'll know soon enough. Secondly, to discredit two fine journalists who have gotten too close to the truth the DFL doesn't want published. The Star Tribune goes along and doesn't publish it either Which raises the question of what are they so desperate to hide that they would attack Booker T and Ron for speaking the truth. I suspect we'll find that out soon enough as well. Peter Jessen, Portland, www.BeaconOnTheHill.com, publisher of www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of List Manager Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 7:07 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Mpls] Jackie - please end thread Hi folks - This topic seems sure-fire to cross the line of our rules against inflammatory dialogue..and with few facts, it has. The only one who's qualified to answer the "will Jackie run?" question is Jackie Cherryhomes. If she chooses to respond, she has an open invitation here. But until/if she does, let's let the thread die. This is a sure-fire flame-maker. David Brauer List manager TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ 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 TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ 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
