----- Original Message ----- From: gemgram <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Ed Felien <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 6:22 PM Subject: Re: [Mpls] The most interesting meeting of the century
> I do not for a moment believe Ed Felien has heard "all the accounts" of our > most recent Ventura Village neighborhood meeting. Despite Ed's second-hand > version of what took place, Robinson Cook, Barb Lickness, and I were there, > and our own recollections vary considerably from his account. We have > attempted to assure folks that (contrary to what Ed says) the Ventura > Village Chairperson did everything possible to accommodate and facilitate > "communication" at the meeting. In fact, he went far beyond what I think was > necessary. He only adjourned the proceedings when it became evident that NO > meeting could take place in the chaotic conditions created by Basim Sabri > and his "associate" Zippin Zack Metoyer. He had by that time spent > approximately an hour listening to Zippin' Zack, and more importantly Basim > Sabri, yelling from the floor and refusing to be recognized to speak. > > Your covering for don Basim's attempt to stage a coup just won't cut it, Ed. > What you fail to mention is that a good part of the Chair's effort to > reestablish order was devoted to a fruitless attempt to allow Somali people > to speak when they were being harangued and spoken over by Basim and his > company. > > There are accepted means for electing a new Chair of our neighborhood > association. Unfortunately, the method Basim attempted happens not to be in > the by-laws. But Basim does not care about anything having to do with rules, > unless it is to further his own agenda. > > One hopes the County Attorney and the United States Attorney will > investigate the situation. I wonder where our elected City Officials stand > on this? Are they afraid to get involved because of possible federal > investigations and indictments? Are there continuing federal investigations > into other bribery charges? > > The sad thing is the disservice Basim did to the project he was supposedly > there to "help". Some people, coming to the meeting prepared to support the > proposal, found themselves opposing it for no other reason than Basim > Sabri's behavior and his mere association with it. When the Chair, out of > sheer exasperation, finally adjourned the meeting, he was attempting to > explain to Sabri and Metoyer that anyone wanting to make a motion had to be > on the list of speakers waiting to be recognized. Sabri was one speaker away > from that point. The motion would have passed without further conflict. But > Sabri was not > interested in any such outcome. He wanted to stage a takeover, NOT to > support a project going through. He knew very well what he was doing and > even gloated about it. > > Ah well, the neighborhood and the Somali community will come together and > the truth will be heard. More neighborhoods and communities will be > forewarned against the Sabri. So all in all, even though frustrating, it > has all turned out for the best. There are even reports that Sabri is going > to make another run at a neighborhood on the North Side. Fortunately, Barb > Johnson, Natalie Johnson-Lee, and Don Samuels are "neighborhood" people, so > I am sure they will prepare for Mr.Sabri. We will have to wait and see about > our own Council people. So Robert and Gary, what's happening? > > Jim Graham, > Ventura Village > > >"Reality is that which when you stop believing in it doesn't go away."- > Philip K. Dick > 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, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
