Booker Hodges wrote: <snip> The solution to getting > rid of these “Hood Stores” is simple. We as Blacks must own the corner > stores in our community and start a selective buying campaign against the > “Hood Stores” exploiting our community. > I hope everyone who reads this thinks about what these stores are doing to > our community. I understand that they may be convienient, but are they worth > the price we are paying?
Mark Anderson replies: Booker writes many outrageous anecdotes about activities taking place at these "Hood Stores," and then at the end of his essay, lo and behold, I find out it's because White people own the stores. Pretty racist attitude, in my opinion. Booker, why do you think Black folks would be better owners than White ones? Is there something in their genetic makeup that makes them less likely to exploit the community? One of the anecdotes stated that Asians were also treated poorly by the "Hood Store" owners. Would it be okay if an Asian owns a corner store? As I recall, it was an Asian store owner that was driven out of Brooklyn some years ago by a buying campaign similar to what you mention above, because the Asian wasn't the right shade. On the same topic, Barbara Lickness has stated that she thinks there should be a limitation on convenience stores in the city, basically because they draw crime around them. It seems to me unlikely that the crime would go away just because the store did, although maybe it wouldn't be packed around one area. Also, one of the issues with these stores is that they charge so much. Limiting the number of stores would just make that situation worse, because each store would have less competition, and residents fewer choices to patronize. Mark V Anderson Bancroft 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. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ 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
