This letter was in the Spokesman-Recorder. I may shed light to end all speculation and to end this matter for good. Or maybe not. It helped me. I hope it helps others.
EDITORIAL The real reason we’re being silenced By: Booker T Hodges Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Originally posted 5/25/2005 First, I would like to say to [Minneapolis City Council Member] Don Samuels and his family that I am truly sorry if my comments on MTN [“Real State of the City Address,” May 6] caused you and your family any undue stress. I would also like to apologize to the African American community for using the term “ ni##as.” In this column, I will tell my side of the story that many read in the Star Tribune (or the Rybak Times) about the conflict going on between myself and Samuels. The whole story You may or may not have read what I said about Samuels in the Rybak Times, but I will transcribe what I said in its entirety. The mainstream media has no clue about our community. I used the term ni##as, not ni##ers as transcribed by Samuels’ camp and distributed to the media. We know that there is a difference. So, when the Rybak Times just puts the [epithet] term in place of my actual words, people have no clue what I really said. But here are my actual comments: “Ultimately, all the things that we sit here talking about, whether it be economic development, which is job creation, people like Council member Samuels...it’s simple. We as a people, one, must unite. We have to learn from like Nat Turner’s mistake, and we have to kill the house ni##as, we got to kill ‘em, and that’s what we’re doing on this show. We trying to kill the house ni##as. And we have to get in power. You have to understand, as long as we have to go begging to somebody, we are never going to get where we need be.” These are the comments that Samuels and his crew have used against me. At the end of the show, I said the following (but these comments, along with various others, were not covered by the mainstream media): “If you see a house Negro, deal with them appropriately. Call them out. Don’ t allow these people to continue to sell us out.” During this show, I also talked about Samuels and his Peace Foundation losing their financial records for 2004, State Rep. Keith Ellison and others selling our community out to the DFL, and Mayor Rybak’s lack of commitment to public safety. I feel that these people worked together to shut me up because Al Flowers and I were giving the community too much information. My comments got me removed from MTN for three months for violating the First Amendment, which five of the five lawyers I talked to say I didn’t do. The American Civil Liberties Union is even looking into this case. We were really taken off MTN because elected officials and other City staff threatened MTN’s budget. So I guess being from the Big House does have its privileges. I just feel bad for Al, because he didn’t even say anything and was drawn into this. For those who watch my shows and read my column, you know I meant “kill ” in the political sense, and that’s just what I was doing, just like I try to “kill” my opponents in hockey. That, my friends, is why they had to shut us up. I guess I ran the Big House statements of Samuels, talked about the mayor, and gave too much information to the community for those in the Minneapolis Big House. The Samuels camp, along with Ellison and the rest of them, also know that I am seeking to become a police officer. They know that this could damage my career, so I know what game they are playing; but don’t forget, I got more games than Milton Bradley. Samuels true to his word In June of 2004, myself, Al Flowers, Zack Metoyer and Jimmy Stanback met with Samuels, Jonathan Palmer and Sherman Patterson at the Bean Scene in North Minneapolis. Listed below is a partial transcript of the conversation between Samuels and Flowers that we taped: Samuels: “You can’t expect to get anything done by offending those in power.” Flowers: “What you say, man?” Samuels: “You can’t expect to get anything done by offending those in power because when you offend me, I am not going to do anything for you or anyone you ’re fighting for.” Flowers: “I don’t take threats too well, man. I don’t care who you are.” Then, in August of 2004, Samuels met with at least 12 Black business owners at the Urban League. These business owners were seeking $25,000 in Empowerment Zone (EZ) small grant funds. Samuels wrote the majority of these businesses letters of recommendation. Then, according to the minutes of 9/16/04 of the EZ board: “Council Member Samuels moved to approve the staff recommendation to approve a policy to not allow grant funding through the small grant program to for profit business.” Samuels’ motion effectively cut the hopes of these business owners and fulfilled the promise he made to Flowers at our June meeting. Let’s not forget the real issue here, which is ridding our community of the Big House mentality. Booker T. Hodges welcomes reader responses to bhodges REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 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