--- Shawn Lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> EDITORIAL
>
> The legacy of Natalie Johnson Lee
> By: Ron Edwards
> Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
> Originally posted 11/16/2005
>
> She carried out her mission with dignity and grace
>
> The election for public office in the Fifth Ward of
> the
> City of Minneapolis is now history. Ten of 10
> precincts
> representing the voice of the people voted: 1,718
> for Don
> Samuels and 1,376 for Natalie Johnson Lee. The DFL
> has
> recaptured a part of its political discontent, the
> cherished
> Fifth Ward seat of Boss Jackie Cherryhomes.
Let's remember this one. It was the Property Rights
group that had Jackie Cherryhomes on their hitlist.
They worked hard to defeat Cherryhomes.
The other thing that defeated Cherryhomes was her
association with the "old guard" - the people who put
the city into debt - bit time.
> The DFL feared the Black populace of North
> Minneapolis would
> once again have a voice that, unlike the DFL, would
> support
> them. Within hours of that historic victory four
> years ago,
> many, both Black and White, set about to undermine,
> circumvent,
> and ultimately defeat the newly elected Black
> councilwoman.
>
A DFL endorsement for me is always a reason to vote
AGAINST a candidate in Minneapolis.
Natalie's defeat had nothing to do with the "DFL
machine." Natalie Johnson Lee defeated Natalie
Johnson Lee. It was her failure to condemn the
incendiary "let's kill the house nigger" rhetoric of
Booker Hodges (husband of her assistant) that defeated
her.
She also failed correct publicly the column where
anti-gay Black minister Bob Battle invoked Natalie
Johnson Lee's name as a reason that many black
politicians are supporting the Bachmann amendment.
She would have been better off if she'd made a clear
statement either way - Yes, Bob Battle represents my
views, or no Bob Battle did not. She chose to avoid
the issue.
When confonted with constituents that disagreed with
her, Natalie had the habit of losing her temper and
yelling at the constituent. That happened to me at
Juneteenth, when I asked her again about the Battle
column. I had heard of this happening to others.
> Natalie Johnson Lee will be able to face her God and
>
> say, I have, that Mine was one of dedication
> against
> the obstruction of destroyed records, missing files,
> gerrymandering,
> and dedication to efforts to improve neighborhood
> life,
> as well as to stand against legal opinions that said
> that
> if it is a White woman sticking it to you, that
> makes it okay.
How did the gerrymandering hurt Natalie Johnson Lee?
If NJL had the downtown neighborhoods, how would they
have helped her campaign. A race baiting campaign -
such as the one used by NJL would not have gone over
well in those neighborhoods.
>
> Make no mistake: There will now be hell to pay by
> the Black
> community. You dont have to take our word for it.
> Just wait
> and see.
Don Samuels would not have won if he didn't get
significant support from blacks on the Northside.
>
> In closing, let us give you a small example of what
> we are
> talking about. On Wednesday, November 9, the Public
> Safety
> Committee met to review the continued decline of the
> number
> of officers of color in the Minneapolis Police
> Department.
> Although Natalie Johnson Lee is not a member of that
> committee,
> she attended. Don Samuels, gerrymandered into the
> Fifth by the
> DFL, who is the committees vice-chair, did not
> attend.
>
Don Samuels poor attendance record is a legitimate
issue. Natalie Johnson Lee's record is marginally
better on that score. I got attendance records from a
city hall source and analysed them.
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
Blogs:
http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
http://www.outletradio.com
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