(apparently the original post was too long, so here it is, broken up.)
These posts are a little out of order because my original posts were too long,
but here are the rest of my council opinions.
Ward 2.
I'm a little annoyed by the Star Tribune's desription of Cam Gordon as a "Green
Moderate." It suggests that someone who really cares about our air and water
quality and carries a Green Party endorsement is some sort of wing-nut
extremist. Also, Cam's (or his campaign's) earlier attempt at flirting with
the DFL endorsement is also disturbing. It shows a wavering of conviction.
I don't know Cara Letofsky, but I know Cam Gordon personally and despite the
above I believe he will make an excellent council member.
I would vote for Cam Gordon.
Ward 4.
I urge everyone to find a good write in candidate. There should NEVER be an
unchallenged incumbent.
Ward 5.
This is a very negative race. The negativity is not so much perpetuated by the
candidates, but by the supporters of both candidates and thier pure contempt,
not for the candidates so much, but for each other. The 5th ward class war has
been going on since I lived on Girard Terrece as a kid in the 70's. This is a
contest between the haves and have-nots. Natalie Johnson-Lee is clearly on the
side of the have-nots.
Natalie Johnson-Lee has the proud distinction of being openly attacked by the
Police Federation, merely becuase she asked her constituents to acknowledge the
humanity of someone's family.
Despite the City Pages article, she is also approachable and does her best to
help ORDINARY people, whether it's helping someone get their taxi license, or
generally navigating the beurocratic maze at city hall. She's a good person
and a great council member.
I also recently moved from the 3rd, so I have a perspective on Don Samuels as
well.
Don Samuels has been ONLY a cartaker council member. As a result he pays
attention to neighborhood orginizations, but has been inattentive to the
ordinary things that the 3rd ward council member would do.
An ex-neighbor of mine needed wanted to put an extention on his garage (why you
need a permit for these things, I have no idea.) After getting the run around
from the licensing department, he called his council member. He is still
waiting for his call to be returned.
Secondly, I have serious questions about Don Samuels belief in freedom of
speech. His supporters really went after Booker Hodges and Al Flowers' show on
MTN, but didn't seem to mind that a white supremacist, who was a political
candidate, advocated Nazi-like policies.
Thirdly, Samuels' rhetoric is disturbing. You can take his statements about
the Trendsetter, the way young African African Americans dress, and the Big
House each individually, or you can put them together.
When you put them together, and then take his many references to his religious
background in to account, as well as who he chooses to attack and who he leaves
alone, Don becomes somewhat threatening in much the same way that Buchanan or
Bush does.
Someone in his campaign should advise him that such rhetoric is threatening,
especially to someone of a non-Christian background. It leads to other
questions (ie his stand on abortion rights, religious freedom and freedom of
the press, exactly where he agrees and disagrees with the religious right.
Something I couldn't get out of him in 2003.)
I would vote for Natalie Johnson-Lee
Tamir Nolley 9-9
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