Recently I posted the text of a flyer distributed at the Schiff/Bicking campaign forum on October 26 and speculated that it was authored by David Tilsen and possibly distributed by Barb Tilsen.
http://www.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2005-October/046153.html David Tilsen responded to my post: "Well I did not see the original post, but I did not write anything that mentions Annie Mae. whom I did know and whom I mourn. Barb certainly did not hand out any materials at any forum, as she is eschewing electoral politics this year and has not attended anything." I accept this statement and apologize to David and Barb Tilsen. I found some similarity between the logic I heard David use on his Northern Sun Radio appearance on behalf of Zimmerman for Justice recently, went too far based on innuendo, and jumped to conclusions. I am sorry for going out on that limb, but I remain angry about this offensive flyer which is no less real. It remains unattributed; that was the intention of whomever produced it. Silly me. On primary day, Brandon Lacy Campos posted a report from Farheen Hakeem that a McLaughlin campaign worker was campaigning in the Somali community of Cedar-Riverside by "telling voters not to vote for Farheen Hakeem because she is a lesbian and therefore not a true Muslim." The McLaughlin campaign said that the individual was not affiliated with the campaign, despite the public protestations of Brandon and/or Hakeem, but Peter himself responded, clarifying that the individual was not one of his campaign workers and condemning the tactic of using a homophobic appeal in campaigning. End of story. So why not ask the Zimmermann and Bicking campaigns to say that they had nothing to do with his flyer? Why not ask that the Zimmermann and Bicking campaigns say that they don't approve of this tactic of laying prejudicial, unattributed, and (what I consider) offensive information in the form of suggested questions on the chairs prior to a public candidate forum? (The act is akin to push polling, which the American Association of Political Consultants condems.) Why not ask that they publicly condemn the use of Stonewall as a slur against an openly gay council person? I challenge the Zimmermann and Bicking campaigns to be address each of these issues. Russell Raczkowski Bancroft 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. 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
