Neal Krasnoff wrote: According to the 2000 census, Minneapolis has a white population of 249,186, or 65.13%; the black population is 68,818, or 17.99%. Two out of the thirteen members on our City Council, or 15.38%, are black. The 2.61% difference, IMHO, will be balanced by the racial backgrounds of the ancestors of the white Councilmembers, or is within some margin of error. That is within your measure of racial equity. (the) assertion of institutionalized racism fails when applied to Minneapolis.
David Piehl notes: It's interesting to me that the only non-white Minneapolis council members did not have the support of the DFL in obtaining their positions. Natalie Johnson-Lee ran as a Green against a powerful DFL incumbant and Don Samuels ran against a DFL endorsed white male candidate. Robert Lilligren has Native American heritage, and he also did not receive DFL assistance, despite generations of DFL support within his family. As I recall, DFL activists dismissed Robert as "Not ready for prime time". Could part of the problem of institutionalized racism be within the DFL itself? The Green Party certainly challenges assumptions and structures better than the DFL; will the Green Party become the only true advocate for minorities? In any case, I'm glad that the "DFL endorsement" hasn't succeeded in ensuring an all white city council! David Piehl Central __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ 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
