Unfortunately, and probably without intention, David Brauer has engaged in
abstract polemicizing to defend a very bad decision by RT Rybak.
Polemicizing that others were asked to NOT do. This does not help RT to be
able to solve his problem. In fact it exacerbates it because as Burke might
say David has provided an outside "motive" for the action.
I believe Barb Lickness and I have in fact carefully laid out the facts in
this case. The question is not one of the facts, but a breakdown in the
system to the point where City Planners and elected officials have a failure
to even consider the facts. Is David Brauer asking us not to bother him
with the facts, not to stir the pot because it makes the crap smell worse.
What can RT do to rectify this mistake?
What RT can do is read the conditions of the deed. What RT can do is have a
Real Estate lawyer with experience in contract law explain the conditions of
that deed and the ramifications of that deed. What RT CAN do is talk to Amy
Klobachar about the treatment of shop owners by Sabri, or better yet to the
Somali's themselves, (but only when their anonymity and safety is assured).
Talk to Somalis who do not have shops, or whose relatives do not have shops
that might be jeopardized. Have investigators truly investigate this
situation.
What RT can do to go forward is to have a meeting with the leaders of the
Somali Community to seek ways Minneapolis can open up other opportunities
for Somali people. So they have more choice! Assist the Somali community
to have more choice than whether to not have a business or to have a
business where they are victimized in 'sharecropper malls'. RT can bring
the "Corporate Community" of Minneapolis to bear to create that choice and
those business opportunities. The reason Sabri is successful with the
exploitation is that there are hundreds of Somalis wanting businesses, but
no places for them to do business. No matter how shop keepers are exploited
and victimized there are always others who are hungry to take their place.
Sears, and the alternatives it offers, will help, but there needs to be
more.
As a person who puts out newspapers I would guess that David Brauer could
also investigate those situations. Media is the way to shine a spotlight on
this situation and cause political action to correct it. What David
presently seems to be suggesting is that sales contracts with the City of
Minneapolis are meaningless. David apparently feels that rewarding someone
known to attempt to buy politicians is alright because "that's water under
the bridge." These are not water under the bridge matters, this is a flood
of outrageous behavior over the bridge. If Watergate and Monica-gate have
taught us anything it is that attempting to cover up a mistake is far more
heinous a crime than the original mistake. I choose to believe that RT
Rybak has simply made a mistake and that he has not acted knowledgably to
harm the residents of Minneapolis. I know that RT has made a terrible
mistake, probably from bad advise due to political expediency. The
alternative is unacceptable and would shame me for the support I gave for
his original election.
I am sure that David Brauer means well and is attempting to justify this
awful mistake to help a Mayor whom he supports, but such does not do RT
Rybak a favor. Just the opposite, it might allow RT to compound that
mistake to the point of it becoming a political scandal that will taint his
term in office and his chances of re-election.
How do WE go forward? We can demand that the original contract be honored.
We can demand that the matter be turned over to an independent outside
real-estate attorney for action if the attorneys working for the City are
not competent in contract law. Such would remove RT from the scandal that
may attach to this situation. Imagine what will happen when Sabri goes to
prison and this stigma is attached to him in the election year to come. We
need leaders in Minneapolis that are above such scandal if Minneapolis is
ever to become the City RT tells us he dreams of. Getting into bed with
Sabri is not the way to demonstrate that purity of such purpose.
What can David Brauer do to help this situation? Instead of wasting effort
by engaging in "abstract" polemicizing, he can post the actual contract for
the List to read. He can publish the actual contract and deed in the
newspapers he publishes. Just the facts David, and leave the polemicizing to
the politicians. After your post I think you might owe us that.
Jim Graham,
Ventura Village
>"If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the
corridor in the other direction."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad
judgment."<
- Will Rogers
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