Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ I have to respectfully question parts of the above argument. The Mayor's visit to Thailand may very well be a very good thing and spur others to welcome newcomers to our city. I certainly hope so. But I'm not so convinced it is such a risky political move. In fact, I would see it as a very adroit political move with prima facie evidence coming from the widespread media coverage that Kelly is receiving. Beyond that it shouldn't be forgotten that we are at the beginning of a build-up to the Mayor's likely election challenge from a prominent St. Paul black man i.e. Corky Finney. Kelly's earlier efforts at outreach to the Latino community (while no doubt a good thing for any public official these days) could also be seen as a political move to reach an alternative and growing element of the people-of-color electorate. And it should not be forgotten that the Mayor had need to shore up his relations with the Hmong community after working against the election of State Senator Mee Moua a couple of years ago. None of this is to suggest that Mayor Kelly might not also have the best of intentions and might not be willing to take risks in helping Hmong and other new immigrants better adjust to their life in St. Paul. But how he works with social service groups and programs that have long been concerned with these issues and what he does with the powers of his office when the newcomers actually land here will be the truer test. Jon Kerr West Side ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Erickson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "St. Paul Issues Forum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 12:31 PM Subject: [StPaul] St. Paul Delegation in Thailand
> Index of SPPS Budget Discussion > http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html > _________________________________________ > > > I'd just like to go on the record in support of the St. Paul > delegations visit to Thailand. The little news coverage of the event, > that I've had the time to look at, reconfirms my own positive > feelings about the trip. > > In today's pioneer press, Tim Nelson suggests that the trip is a > political gamble for Mayor Kelly, given "significant" public > opposition to the Hmong resettlement. We should not fool ourselves > into believing that our entire community will be welcoming these new > residents. > > Having visited India two years ago and witnessed conditions that may > rival those that they Mayor and his group are now witnessing, I am > confident that the trip will be useful to all of them as political > leaders and public servants. I believe that this will be true, > regardless of whether or not we get the influx of refugees that we > are expecting. > > I also think that the Mayor's willingness to make this trip MAY > suggest something about him as a political leader that might get lost > in all of the debate over Twins stadiums and downtown developments. > > (see below for links): > > I hope that many of you will take time to read some of the coverage > of this trip, because it is an opportunity for all of us to reflect > on the role that St. Paul has played for many years as a destination > for Hmong refugees. > > I welcome your comments....... > > ================================================== > 'We put a face on America' > http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/special_packages/hmong_journey/8090393.htm > St. Paul mayor sums up the significance of his delegation's visit > with exiled Hmong living in a rural Thailand camp. > > BY TIM NELSON > > "And that may make the mayor's trip to Thailand, along with his bid > for a Minnesota Twins stadium in St. Paul, one of the biggest > political gambles of his career to date. Despite anti-immigrant > sentiment following the terrorist attacks of September 2001 and the > political repercussions of the recent recession, the Minnesota > delegation made a rare, if not unique, visit to a foreign refugee > settlement by American elected officials, and the Hmong were clearly > heartened." > > ================================================== > > St. Paul reaches out > http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/8090392.htm > > "For St. Paul School Board Member Kazoua Kong-Thao, once a Hmong > refugee in the camp, Tuesday's emotional visit was the first time she > had been back since she was a girl." > > ================================================== > > St. Paul mayor tours Hmong refugee camp > Matt Mckinney, Star Tribune > > http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4641489.html > > "A crowd of Hmong men and women eager to leave their destitute > village cheered for St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly as he arrived here > Tuesday with a delegation of 19 Americans bearing gifts and > assurances that a move to the United States is imminent." > > ================================================== > > Tim Erickson > Hamline Midway > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > -- > ================================================= > Tim Erickson http://www.politalk.com > St. Paul, MN - USA 651-643-0722 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] ICQ: 105978430 > ================================================= > > > > _____________________________________________ > SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 > Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
