Thank you Chris. I do not have a personal vendetta against Sabri. Any more than I would have had one against Al Capone if I had lived in Chicago during the 1930's. I must admit that I have watched Sabri stage a take over of Central Neighborhood, his attempt to take over Ventura Village on more than one occasion, his attempts to create animosity among my neighborhood's people. The attempts to do the same at Whittier neighborhood. I have had people from his and his brother's "Somali Malls" come begging me for assistance because they were being exploited. I have sat and listened to Somali women cry as they recounted stories of their abuse at the hands of the Sabri's and listened to them say they are helpless to defend themselves as the women cry and say , "They treat us like dogs".
Do I feel anger and outrage that people, and in particularly defenseless women, are allowed to be treated as dogs? Yes!!! But it is the anger and outrage I feel towards a pimp, or the drug dealer using children to sell his drugs. It is the human outrage that one feels towards the predators that exploit helpless people everywhere. I must admit an even greater outrage at a liberal city such as Minneapolis that allows such predation of the helpless, and even assists the predator to devour the helpless. These supporters of Sabri say Jim Graham does not know about the Sabris taking advantage of Somali people. I do not call it "taking advantage" I call it EXPLOITATION. Like I said I have had twenty to thirty Somali business people at my office on several occasions begging me to do something to help them. For documentation call Amy Klobachar, she met with only a few of those women. But let us only view the matter as taking advantage. The City of Minneapolis and Saint Paul have not adequately provided for this new influx of Somali people eager to become business owners. Sears and the Saint Paul African Mall offer some hope, but now I hear that the Saint Paul Mall may close. This leaves hundreds of people who wish to do business with no alternative but the Sabri Malls. Sabri, wishing to maximize their profits, do take advantage of this captured market. The leopard and jackal sitting beside the waterhole in a drought are also just taking advantage of a hunger and thirst to advance their "Business Opportunities". Charging $500.00 to $550.00 per month for a 6 feet by 8 feet hole IS what I call taking advantage. Perhaps those supposed happy renters of shops could tell us what exactly Sabri does charge for space? How much per square foot? What exactly are the terms of the leases they have with Sabri? Readers will be amazed if they are truthful. This is more than the cost of prime commercial retail space anywhere in Minneapolis. Unfortunately Somali people are shut out of many retail opportunities by the prejudiced building owners, and also because of in their newness to this country many do not have the "history" that will allow building owners to enter into long term leases with them. This creates the drought of business space open to Somalis and makes them have to go down to the "Somali Mall" waterhole where predators may wait. Somali people are NOT a bunch of sheep. They are wonderful people eager to become part of the American dream and own their own business. It is unfortunate that Minneapolis has not done more to help them, rather that helping in their exploitation. Perhaps there is still room in Minneapolis' development plans for Somali dreams. Perhaps along that dream of development called the "LRT Planning District" some small space can be allocated. The Somalis could be the nucleolus to begin something like Pike's Market in Seattle or the Market under the bridge in Vancouver. In past years Minneapolis approved applying for LCDA funds to plan such a "Hamar Weyne" business center that Somali people would own. Minneapolis should resurrect that plan for self determination rather than assisting in their bondage. Let us get back to advantage. It is usual for a developer to present a cost of units and terms of sale when presenting development plans to the City Council. Has anyone seen this from Sabri plans on Elroy. What is the management plan? Perhaps some on the City Council expect Sabri to be generous after he has the property developed. I don't think so! I think history shows that Sabri will squeeze as much blood out of the opportunity as possible. Perhaps since the Sabri supporters who have written to List, and seem to know so much about Sabri's benevolent plans, could enlighten us. What will be the cost to the Somali people? How many years of bondage will be required? A side question. If Minneapolis spent over 600,000.00 dollars of Whittier Neighborhood NRP and MLS dollars to get a specific product (South Whittier Redevelopment plan) will those dollars be returned if the City does not exercise the conditions of the deed? Who will pay that amount to the neighborhood and federal government? Will it be Sabri, or the taxpayers of Minneapolis. I personally resent the use of my tax dollars to subsidize someone infamous (as seen on television) for bribing City officials to exploit those dollars. I also resent having my tax dollars spent to exploit Somali people. The Cities motto should be "Millions to help people, but not one damn dime for graft and exploitation". Shows what watching the "Barbary Pirates" on the History Channel will do. Jim Graham, Ventura Village, Phillips Community Planning District, Sixth Ward of Minneapolis >"It is always an utter folly to underestimate the lure and attraction of a great evil. The whitened bones of their victims litter the highways and byways of mankind's history. Stopped only by the few willing to pay the ultimate price and make a stand." - Toe 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
