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"Through My Eyes: The Minneapolis Story Continues" All Column Archives & Column Archives by Year: Blog Archives | Solution Papers | Order the Book Honest, transparent discussion needed on new MPS superintendent Feb. 3, 2010, Column #5 The education portion of the President’s State of the Union Speech resonates with this column: “reward only success”; “only invest in reform that raises student achievement”. “Seize the moment to start anew, to carry the dream forward.” These words cause me to raise questions regarding the announcement by the Minneapolis School Board that Deputy Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson, sole candidate for the District Superintendent job and heir apparent to succeed outgoing Superintendent Bill Green (see Star Tribune, Minneapolis superintendent choice causes split, Tuesday, January 26, 2010). These divisions and concerns were discussed at the meeting I attended January 25, 2010, at the Minneapolis Urban League. The African American Covenant, endorsed by the Minneapolis Board of Education in May 2008 was discussed. Questions emerged that need to be answered by any Board seeking a new Superintendent. How will she handle the severe deficit of $28 million when the state, under law, borrows from the education fund for other needs? As Deputy Superintendent, what concrete plan has she in place for this long discussed budget crisis, and what was her role in the failure of the African American Covenant project? Given she doesn’t have her doctorate, can Minnesota certify Johnson as “Superintendent Qualified” while over 35 administrators at the 807 office building already have their doctorates? Is this another situation like that of former Superintendent Peoples, where there was a certification question, leading to her tenure being cut short? Parents, citizens and other stakeholders are concerned that the third largest school district in the state of Minnesota, of which Deputy Superintendent Johnson is the Academic Officer, is the 5th worst in the nation. Its decreasing test scores and other educational performance problems have brought warnings about falling below certain key thresholds from both the Minnesota Department of Education and the Federal Department of Education. Having been part of the school system unable to “Seize this moment to start anew,” and that has rewarded failure, not success, maintaining the status quo and shunning needed reform of value to our students, our city, or our state,” how can she now be the right person for the job? What significant part has Deputy Superintendent Johnson played in the recommendations leading to so many school closings in North Minneapolis that played a role in dispersing people of color out of North Minneapolis, just as closing down traditional Black housing has done? As the 5th worse school district in America, when will the Board of Education become concerned about the future of the African American community’s children? Given that Deputy Superintendent Johnson has not acted on her professed concern about the future of the children of the African American community, what are her real key concerns? As an African American columnist, I reserve the right to speak out on what impacts the future of African American students. The January 26, 2010 Star Tribune article reporting a $13 million deficit for the 2010 – 2011 school year adds to the concerns about the low level of education of students, causing me to ask the question of what plan the school district has for improving the schools and attracting new students rather than planning for downsizing schools? Both the Palenty administration and Minneapolis Board of Education have clearly demonstrated a lack of education vision. This all adds up to a lot that will be on the plate of any new Superintendent. The question is whether Bernadeia Johnson is the right Superintendent. This question has to be asked for the sake of our children. More status quo doesn’t bode well for the future of the children of Minneapolis, particularly the least of these children, those of color. These questions need to be discussed in an honest, transparent manner. It is important to have explained what happened to the African American Covenant entrusted to the stewardship of Deputy Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson. These are fair questions and issues for the purpose of discussion and clarification. It is important to the future of the children of color and, in fact, all children of the city’s schools. I predicted many of these current problems in Chapter 7,on Education (pp.. 119-126), in my 2000 Book, The Minneapolis Story, which I open with a sentence important to both Blacks and whites: “As a school system goes, so goes a city.” Ron hosts "Black Focus" on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays, 5-6 pm. Formerly head of key civil rights organizations, including the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, he continues his "watchdog" role for Minneapolis. Order his books at www.BeaconOnTheHill.com; hear his readings and read his solution papers and "web log" at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. Jan 27, 2010, Column #4: Let’s celebrate Minnesota’s success stories during Black History Month January 27, 2010 "Through My Eyes, the Minneapolis Story Continues..." Black History Month means little if all we do is celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. without also celebrating the success stories of Black Americans he helped make possible. There is nothing more appropriate this year than to celebrate the success stories of Alex Jackson, the first African American fire chief in the city of Minneapolis, and John Lyght, the first and only African American to be elected as sheriff of a Minnesota county. John Lyght was born and raised in nearly all-White Cook County along the North Shore of Lake Superior. A pioneering legend in Minnesota law enforcement, Lyght died January 15 at age 82. He held office for over 22 years, elected with 97.4 percent of the vote. I first had the pleasure of meeting Sheriff John Lyght in the late 1970s, when he used to visit the state capitol when he served on the State Committee on Law Enforcement. Over the next 20 years, I had the opportunity to visit with him on my travels into that part of Minnesota. He was a gentle giant. His parents had moved from Pennsylvania to Minnesota in 1913. He was an integral part of Cook County, and was well respected in the law enforcement community, as he protected the Cook County residents’ franchise. Hopefully there will be an enshrinement of his tenure and his legacy as a Minnesota first. Sheriff Lyght did proud by his profession as he built his legacy. The history of Alex Jackson, our fire chief, moves along a parallel path. See my columns of June 18, 2008 (“Long chain of perseverance led to new Fire Chief Jackson”) and December 30, 2009 (“Historic Success Story: Integration of the Minneapolis Fire Dept”). Chief Jackson is a native-born Minnesotan, a man who came up through the ranks, a man given guidance by the legendary Rocko Forte, chief of the fire department in the 1990s and a man who opened the door wide for the continued diversification of the Minneapolis Fire Department. In the year and a half that he has been fire chief, Jackson has maintained the legacy of Carter vs. Gallagher, the landmark court decision of 1972 that integrated this department. John and Alex share a similar legacy. They are Minnesota firsts. They did their jobs with integrity and effectiveness. Yet so little is known about them, as it seems White Minnesota only wants to hear about a person of color’s missteps, news items centered in the spotlight of controversy and analysis. Young men and women of all colors and races need to know about these great Americans, these great Minnesotans. They need to know they too can be successful. It serves no purpose to talk of their success after they are dead and gone, for it is when they are alive that our young people can hear from them. During this period of honoring King and Black history, there has been no recognition of these native sons of Minnesota. It bears repeating: John Lyght was the first and only Black elected sheriff in this state’s history. Too many of our so-called Black leadership groups are jealous of those who are successful in more than being self proclaimed victims. In fearing and thus ignoring doers, our true heritage is denied to our young people. John Lyght has departed this life. Chief Alex Jackson is still with us and, with God’s blessing, shall have a long and successful career. When will both Black and White Minneapolis celebrate and utilize the success story that Chief Jackson represents? Coming up through the ranks of his department, Chief Jackson has maintained and managed during a time of severe economic downturn. In these tough economic times, times that are also bringing violence and anger to our city and state, you would think that we would want to recognize and embrace these two great Americans, these two great Minnesotans, who understand how to get the job done. We need to tap into the success and style of Chief Alex Jackson, just as we need to remember a pioneer of the Minnesota experience, Sheriff John Lyght, who made history, who retained his integrity and dignity living an American success story. That’s what it’s all about it isn’t it, my friends? Stay tuned. Violence continues Ron hosts "Black Focus" on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays, 5-6 pm. Formerly head of key civil rights organizations, including the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, he continues his "watchdog" role for Minneapolis. Order his books at www.BeaconOnTheHill.com; hear his readings and read his solution papers and "web log" at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. January 20, 2010 Column #3: Surge of violence bloodies our communities of color. "Through My Eyes, the Minneapolis Story Continues..." All during the Minneapolis mayoral campaign of 2009, we were told — nay, guaranteed and reassured — that order was the norm in Minneapolis, with crime down, murders down, juvenile crime down, and the city as a whole as safe as it had ever been. I have periodically reminded my readers throughout 2009 that this was not true, that there were red flags and magnifying glasses drawing attention to and exposing the real conditions and the real horror stories, ranging from no jobs, failing institutions, disastrous educational goals and results, poor housing, and poor economic conditions, as well as fear for one’s public safety from one’s fellow citizens. Periodically I have reported stories of people who had lost hope that their concerns would ever be addressed. And as Election Day, November 2, 2009, came and went, City officials pretended, as they spun the spin, that everything was in order. The seven days beginning January 2, 2010, tragically, and in a most bloody and fatal manner, exposed that lie. Examples: A father taking his child to a sleep-over is gunned down in the street. Two clerks and a customer are gunned down in a community store on Franklin Avenue. A young honor student at Edina High School is brutally executed along the 3400 block of Chicago Avenue South. An 18-month-old baby, in the arms of her mother, is shot through the hip as they exited a bus on Olson Highway. People in their respective communities told me of the fear and terror they felt. Even our major dailies had to finally report stories of citizens speaking of their fear of venturing out of their homes. Businessmen of the East African community told me of their fear of the economic downturn that was taking place, of the robberies, of the assaults being committed against their businesses. No one can explain how an 18-month-old baby could be shot in broad daylight, nor how two African American men could be gunned down in the streets of North Minneapolis seven days apart. And yet, to get elected in 2009 our City officeholders told us that order was in place and the threat of crime and all that goes with it had almost been eradicated. We were told that, as part of this wonderful new order, certain organizations were working closely with the youth of our city. In fact, in November and December of 2009, the philanthropic and corporate communities did give hundreds of thousands of new dollars to the old and new overlords of our community. And yet, during this recent violence, it was those same overlords who, for the first 15 days of January, have been conspicuous in both their silence and absence. This in a city in which yet another police officer has been arrested, this time for what has to be one of the most bizarre crime waves in modern law enforcement history: a Minneapolis Police Department officer who has stuck up at least 12 establishments, including three banks, in little over a month. Minneapolis offers us another understanding of that old saying that the inmates are running the asylum, in this case the city. But of greatest concern is that communities of color once again have been bloodied, beaten and battered. The front page of the January 11, 2010, Minneapolis Star Tribune speaks volumes to the pain and fear of a community under siege whose concerns are rejected, recommendations dismissed, and respect not given. Our communities are dismissed out of hand as irrelevant. This does not bode well for 2010. Martin Luther King, Jr., and others would not be comfortable with the trend and pattern that has emerged in this new year of 2010. Let jus pray for the future and safety of our respective communities. And God save the children. Haitian tragedy Our prayers go out to the nation and people of Haiti. As this column is being written, facts are still being gathered on what may be one of the worst catastrophes in the history of the Western Hemisphere. The devastating earthquake has severely damaged Port Au Prince and has cost the loss of tens of thousands of Haitian lives. It’s a tragic part of a tragic history that has befallen a great and proud people. In my next column, I will take a look at a nation that has been severely broken and how we can help to repair it. We will continue to offer our prayers. Ron hosts "Black Focus" on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays, 5-6 pm. Formerly head of key civil rights organizations, including the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission, he continues his "watchdog" role for Minneapolis. Order his books at www.BeaconOnTheHill.com; hear his readings and read his solution papers and "web log" at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. Posted January 20, 2010, 2:50 a.m. January 13, 2010 Column #2: Who's monitoring minority hiring on stadium projects? Inclusion Compliance Report is long overdue "Through My Eyes, the Minneapolis Story Continues.." I questioned the accuracy of the numbers on diversity on major construction projects in my November 4, 2009 column. ("The stadiums are done. Where is the Inclusion Compliance Report?"). For example, the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department was given a $100,000 contract to monitor and report on diversity in the construction of the new Minnesota Twins stadium and yet, in violation of that contract, has not gathered the information. Instead, the department had operatives circulate the erroneous information that upwards of 25 percent of the work force on the stadium were African Americans. Another example is my May 14, 2008 column on the civil rights department's report on contract compliance for Jan.-Mar. of 2008: "Jordan [Michael Jordan, civil rights department director] reported that on nearly $700 million worth of construction projects, minority skilled participants totaled 26.59 percent of the workers, while 26.58 percent were minority unskilled workers." Really? As I wrote then, "That would mean 53.17 percent of the workers were minorities. As you walked or drove by construction projects, did you even see one percent that were Black, let alone half?" As these statistics are not true, I have asked State Representatives Champion and Hayden to request formal documentation. For too many this is a political hot potato that is too hot to handle. This comes at a bad time for the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department. It is under investigation by the City's finance department for questionable expenditures on trips taken by department officials, particularly a trip to Austin, Texas, in 2009, in which the numbers don't add up and the documentation appears to be not forthcoming, as questions go unanswered about unmarried staff members staying in the same hotel with married civil rights officials. Sometimes when you "play," the rule of thumb is to take the wife once in a while and leave the girlfriend back at the office. That does not seem to be the rule practiced by the civil rights department. Consequently, the responsibility to meet the obligation of their $100,000 contract, as an example, does not get done, along with other responsibilities. It is as if our civil rights officials are saying that if African Americans are not employed on the projects or awarded contracts, so what -- our conscience is clear and we got ours. Minneapolis is voluntarily in noncompliance. Black organizations (and so-called progressive White ones) are supporting this injustice when they remain silent. I am constantly haunted by the gnawing at the back of my mind of an earlier column when I reported Michael Jordan saying the City can achieve its minority compliance goals on any project without having to hire a single Black person. Stay tuned. The Whitest professional sport in America With the temporary departure of Tiger Woods from the PGA tour, professional golf has again become the Whitest professional sport in America. Whatever you may be feeling about Tiger Woods and his personal problems, the fact remains that Tiger reinvigorated the game of golf, gave it an international flavor in nations of color around the world, and generated a hope and expectation that others that looked like him would join him on the professional golf tour. But, as I have written before, the disturbing pattern continues of no breakthroughs for other African Americans to follow in his footsteps on the men's and women's tours, even though Tiger was clearly the dominant professional golfer in the game, bar none. The Augusta walls erected to maintain golf as a White person's game are high. There are more African Americans on the senior tour—three—than there are on the men's and women's professional tours in America combined. At least on the women's tour, young Asians have stormed the gates. Michelle Wie, playing out of Hawaii, is clearly an emerging star. The last great African American woman on the tour was Renee Powell, who left the tour almost a decade ago to help her father, William Powell. Mr. Powell, who passed away a week ago in Ohio at the age of 92, was the only African American to both build and own his own golf course. He too did not live to see a decent number of African Americans, male and female, play on the professional tour. These are the questions of race people don't like to talk about in America. With the exception of Tiger Woods, there are no African Americans on either the men's or women's professional golf tours in the Untied States of America. How long will silence enable the Augusta walls to stand? Posted January 13, 2010, 1:20 p.m. January 6, 2010 Column #1: Obama in 2009: Bold action to save the nation — He needs and deserves our redoubled support. "Through My Eyes, the Minneapolis Story Continues..." The early assessments of Barrack Obama’s presidency are in for 2009. He told Oprah he would give himself a grade of “B+.” Others have said “F.” I give him an “A-.” It has been a hard, challenging, and historic 11 and a half months since he was sworn in January 20, 2009. The problems facing his presidency and, thus, the nation, were many when he took office. To hear some criticisms and attacks, one would think he had been in office since 2001. We all know he didn’t cause the problems, but as he has been tasked with resolving them, as it is now his watch, he now owns them. He understands, as Harry Truman said, “The buck stops here.” I judge him on what I believe, in the long run, will show him to be a bold and courageous leader, able to slow the chaos down so it can be stabilized, so he can act to resolve the chaos. But he can’t wait for 2010 to make his “half-time” adjustments. He must make them now. President Obama reflects the best of Thurgood Marshall’s reminding us of the importance of a united nation. At the 2004 Democratic National Convention, then-Senator Obama said, “There’s not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.” Too many, even progressives, act to maintain differences rather than unity. But he can’t act in a vacuum. When FDR was urged by supporters to do things, he said to push him so he could. So let’s not complain. Let’s us not raise our hands to say that Barack Obama has not been an effective leader, but rather lets redouble our efforts to support him and urge him to be the Obama we elected. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Faith is taking the first steps even when you don't see the whole staircase." President Obama has been willing to take steps others feared to take. He will get us to the top of the staircase. President Obama shows he understands the key Bill Clinton reminded us of: “It’s the economy, stupid.” Thus, President Obama works to fix an economy in stress that he inherited. He understands that the economy touches on and has serious implications for every category of American life, from banks and other financial institutions to health care and economic growth, from energy independence and climate change to military strength and national security, from education to housing. Even our automobile industry was on the verge of collapse. President Obama is working to turn all of these around. As part of the economy, President Obama also inherited a housing crisis. Not since the Great Depression of the 1930s has there been such a feeling in many quarters of fear and apprehension, raising serious questions in some circles about the future of this great nation. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will America be righted in a day. President Obama also inherited two of America’s longest wars. We were reminded by the attempted act of terror in an airplane over Detroit on Christmas Day that came on the heels of the Ft. Hood incident, shaking the American public and its confidence in our homeland security. These issues and others, especially unemployment or the fear of it, have created anger, criticism, and a fragile balance in this country. Thus, it is not helpful when commentators, left and right, confuse the Big Picture in their attempt to blame President Barrack Obama for the apprehension, anger, and mistrust that existed when he took office. He didn’t cause it. He is boldly acting on it. Certainly there are things we are not satisfied with, but in this holiday season there are many who are unhappy even with Jesus Christ and his churches. No person is perfect, no agenda absolutely “right.” No human being moves within their area of responsibility without error and without mistakes. I believe history will show that President Barrack Obama, in the year 2009 and beyond, saved this nation from spiraling into the depths of anger, confusion and failures. Be aware of those playing the political and race cards to falsely state that he has achieved nothing and done nothing to strengthen this nation. God bless you, Mr. President, and may 2010 allow your positive presidency to grow, and may God continue to bless your presidency and this nation. Stay tuned. Throughmyeyes.23 Posted 1/8/10 December 30, 2009 Column #51: Historic Success Story: Integration of the Minneapolis Fire Dept "Through My Eyes, the Minneapolis Story Continues..." On December 26, 2009, a group of dedicated men and women met at Famous Dave’s, uptown, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Black Fire Fighters Association. We join them in celebrating the historic achievement of the Minneapolis Fire Department: nationally recognized for its diversity and being the most integrated department in the United States, an achievement of individuals who knew not to wait for City Hall. Their strong leadership opened the doors not only to people of color but also to women and Native Americans. Together, they held the line and did not compromise justice. Court records show that prior to 1972, the last Black fire fighter served in the department in 1928. From 1928 to 1972, Minneapolis had a lily white Fire Department. I salute the courageous acts of those Black applicants and the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis that joined in the tremendous, four year battle that lasted until Federal judge Earl Larson broke the strangle hold of segregation in the Minneapolis Fire Department. I can still remember the joy I felt in April of 1972, when the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Judge Larson’s ruling. Yet the city then, as now, fought equal access and opportunity. As the City of Minneapolis kept violating the consent decree, a special Committee of Ten was imposed by the Federal Court to monitor and to report directly to the Federal Court, finally enabling, as a result of the Committee of Ten, to achieve its goal of significant integration of the department. I know, because, to paraphrase Walter Cronkite: I was there. For 20 years, I chaired the Committee of 10 appointed by the Federal Court. As today, the City never stopped violating, forcing the late Federal Judge Robert Renner to twice impose sanctions on the city in the early 1990s that totaled $1 million for violating the Consent Decree. When the question was raised about also putting the Police Department under a consent decree, the MPD said it was not necessary, that it would follow the law. It is its violations and subsequent law suits that have resulted in recent calls for placing the MPD under a Federal receivership. Compare the difference in departments. The Minneapolis Fire Dept, half the size of the Police Department, has twice as many sworn fire fighters of color. The Minneapolis Fire Department, by percentage, is 19% African Americans, the largest percentage in any Fire Department of the United States, and twice that of the real percentage of people of color in the Police Department (despite the MPD’s false reports to the contrary). The recent appointment of African American Alex Jackson as Chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department is a clear testament to the department and to its individual members staying the course, fighting the good fight, and keeping the doors of opportunity open for all. I am honored by Chief Jackson recognizing the work of our Committee of Ten in his recent acceptance speech. The Black Fire Fighters Association has effectively gone about its business, protecting their membership and keeping to their vision of diversity and inclusion. I would remiss not to recognize a legend in the struggle for integration of the Fire Department, John Griffin. John departed this life at too early an age a couple of years ago, but his strength and his vision and his commitment to the integration of the department remains legendary. City Hall is notorious for putting in place statues of legends that look like they came from Stockholm. It is unfortunate that one has not been erected to John Griffen as a testimony to his legacy. We await the kind of recognition owed the Black Fire Fighters Association and their legacy of accomplishment. These men and women achieved something that is rare in City Government today, especially in Minneapolis, and that is true diversity, or integration or whatever you choose to call it. Having always had a couple of Black police officers since 1928, it is ironic today, at the conclusion of this decade, that there are now more African American firefighters than African American police officers, despite the MFD being half the size of the MPD. With the loss of the recent Police Academy class of 19, including at least 9 candidates of color (laid off after being on the job less than a week), we see diversity sliding backwards. Strength in one department, weakness in the other. Enjoy the holidays and develop a positive vision for the coming decade. Fire chief nominee is longtime integration activist Posted 12/24/09 9:30 AM December 23, 2009 Column #50: Urban League ‘Gateway’ passes the buck for leadership failure. What ‘stakeholders’ approved this assault on front-line workers? December 16, 2009 Column #49: No justice yet for Quincy Smith. One year later, his family still awaits some resolution December 9, 2009 Column #48: Local 'leaders' fail to confront decline in Black judges Read more 2009 Column Entries »
About my new book: A Seat for Everyone We are all part of a great country that still has what Lincoln called "unfinished business," about which Martin Luther King, Jr. said we can no longer wait to have it completed. Thanks to all who have offered congratulations and asked questions. You can order the book on my publisher's website, www.beacononthehill.com. It is subtitled "The Freedom Guide that Explores a Vision for America." The sad part is that this is a book that should have been written by the NAACP, the Urban League, the leadership forum, or the ministers association. They have remained silent. Worse: acquiescent silence. The Urban League tossed Nellie Stone Johnson and me out a while back, and five years ago the NAACP national expelled me for writing my first book. So much for the First Amendment. I will not be silent. I will not lie down. Sadly, our once young and energetic civil rights leaders have atrophied and become keepers of the status quo they once fought against. They have brought the Civil Rights Movement to a standstill in the inner city. My hope is that, win or lose, the candidacy of Barack Obama rejuvenates the Civil Rights Movement with its lost energy and enables it to again refocus its eye on the prize, a seat for everyone, not just for the self-appointed leaders who now serve the mastuh. They have their seats at the table. I say there must be a seat for everyone. You won't read about what is in my book in the Star Tribune and mainstream media. They don't want you to read all the news, only the news they want you to read. Only the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder provides you with the news they won't. A Seat for Everyone: The Freedom Guide that Explores a Vision for America discusses the major status quo areas that have shown little or no progress: inner-city education, jobs, housing and public safety. I also reference key past columns and where to find them on my Minneapolis Story website. Also discussed in detail are the two historic lawsuits against the Minneapolis Police Department brought by Black officers. The conditions resulting in this litigation have had a profound impact on public safety in our city and in the City/MPD's treatment of its Black officers. The outcome will also have significant impacts. Minneapolis is so delusional that it has defined "minorities" to include so many "diverse" groups that it proudly boasts it can now comply with minority hiring without having to hire Blacks. My book discusses this insult as well. Why is everyone else silent about this? A unique feature is that the book "marries" the online world with that of traditional book publishing. I present my argument in less than 100 pages. This slim volume (literally, as it is easy to put it in your pocket and carry around for easy reference) includes five columns and one blog essay and lists additional columns that can easily be found at: www.TheMinneapolisStory.com/tocarchives.htm. The book presents a beacon of hope for the current lows in inner-city education, jobs, housing, and public safety. We need to work together to stand up for Black youth and stop waiting for the city government and its teachers unions as they continue to lie down also, rather than stand up for our kids in our schools. It all starts with education. As Nellie always stated, "No education, no jobs, no housing." Senator Obama would add, "No hope." My book brings hope back to the discussion. A note from my publisher From Beacon on the Hill: "Thank you, Mr. Edwards, for allowing us space to announce more details about the publication last week of your new book, A Seat for Everyone: The Freedom Guide that Explores a Vision for America. We want your readers know that they can not only learn more about it on our website, www.BeaconOnTheHill.com, they can also order the book on that site. "Mr. Edwards presents his arguments and vision in just 55 pages. The rest of this slim volume (easy to put it in your pocket and carry around for easy reference) lists specific columns that can be found in the archive at: www.TheMinneapolisStory.com/tocarchives.htm. He combines the printed word with the new online world of the Internet in a small package that packs a giant wallop. "In addition to covering major Minneapolis civil rights events, Mr. Edwards shares with his readers the background to the historical lawsuit by the Black police officers of Dec. 3, 2007, against the city and the department."
Ron hosts “Black Focus” on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays, 5-6 pm. Formerly head of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and the Urban League, he continues his “watchdog” role for Minneapolis. Order his book, hear his voice, read his solution papers, and read his between columns “web log” at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. Column Archives | Blog Archives | Solution Papers | Order the Book | Back to Top | "Tracking the Gaps,” "Connecting the Dots" of "The Key 7": Education, Jobs, Housing, Public Safety (& the war on young Black men), Safe Environment, Governing and Moral/Ethical Stances ( access & opportunity, fairness & justice, liberty & freedom, rights & responsibility). Archives for 2003 - 2010. BLOG SIDE 01-07-10 #1: Alert: Police: aiding and abetting, just incompetent, or ran out of cover ups? Different standards for white citizens than Black citizens? It is all over the TV today, January 7: Minneapolis Police Officer Tim Carson, a 3 year veteran and Iraq vet, was arrested for robbing a dozen stores and banks, raising the obvious questions, (1) how many other police officers are taking advantage of their positions? (2) will there be yet another aiding and abetting cover up by the Mayor and his Police Chief? (3) As the Mayor and his Chief claims to know all and do all, they are either aiding and abetting or just plain incompetent, or their laxity regarding letting white officers do what they want has gotten so bad that even this could not be covered up as so much else in the past has been covered been. These are not questions I take lightly. Nor am I surprised as I raised these issues with the MPD while serving on the PCRC (Police Community Relations Council); we especially asked about background checks and rumors of white police officers out of control, being involved in drug dealings and thefts. The MPD would not answer; would not cooperate. Our concern was that questionable white candidates were passed while qualified Blacks were not, raising another question regarding whether the tests were rigged toward whites or just scored that way. Certainly we ask, "How did Officer Carson pass his profile tests?" And, we suggest, the city must lean to the best candidates, regardless of their color, and recognize the value to the city of having qualified Black officers rather than unqualified white ones. And how is it that when things happen to whites, nothing is said to the white "community" about "coming forth", but when it happens to people of color, they are asked to cooperate and come forward with information. This is currently going on regarding the 3 Somalis gunned down (some say executed). How can the community come forward when it doesn’t feel safe? The MPD terror investigation last year in the Somali community regarding killings that are essentially not street crimes as defined but political killings, have left Somalis feeling unsafe and unprotected. The mayor, broadcasters, and others follow the cue of the FBI and make the community the problem, not the public safety system. Many young Somalis are survivors of the Civil War in Somalia, and are here seeking a peaceful chance at life, something made more difficult with police like Tim Carson, whose precinct locker revealed guns and money. Carson reflects a department still out of control, which is what led to the establishment of the PCRC in the first place. The MPD continues to cover up the Metro Gang Squad, recently disbanded for their own law breaking. Public safety is more important than any Governor's race. We want to know how many others are like Tim Carson there are but who are more clever in avoiding getting caught, and why, if the MPD leaders claim to know all that's going on, why they let it ride and don’t act on it? Some have said it is because they are in on it. Others have said it is because they would rather have poor white recruits that excellent Black ones and thus have to admit more candidates of color to a department they'd prefer was all white. Stay tuned. Posted January 7, 2010, 11:30 pm, CST 9-17-09, #11: The demise of the Minneapolis Urban League. At 5:15 p.m., today, Thursday, 9-17-09, Minneapolis Urban League Branch President Scott Gray announced, in closed session, the new austerity: 10% salary reduction across the board; termination of ten employees within 30 days; and an indication that the staff of the Urban League Street Academy would go on part time employee status (thus loosing their benefits). Ever since the sell outs kicked Nellie Stone Johnson and me out 20 years ago, when I was the President of the Urban League with 118 employees, they have cannibalized the organization, reducing it from the 118 employees then to what will be less than 20 employees now. We show how this got started in Chapter 14 of The Minneapolis Story. Posted 9-18-09, 1:32 a.m. 8-30-09, #10: Who is our neighbor and how do we "do unto them"? 8-29-09, #9: Minneapolis Police Training Chickens Come Home to Roost. The key for police seeking to achieve public safety is the same for people of color seeking to achieve jobs: training. 8-28-09, #8: Trainers or plunderers? Demonstrating for jobs for people or money for selves? Yesterday we applauded the demonstration to draw attention to the plight of minority jobs and the efforts of those who train African Americans for jobs to obtain funding for jobs. We support the battle seeking the end of discrimination in economic development, especially that by the city and its contractors who openly violate City compliance laws by not hiring minority workers and contractors. Oh oh. It turns out their concern was money for their budgets that paid them, not jobs for those they trained. It turns out that money set aside for them has not been released by the State of Minnesota, and if not released by September 1, it goes back to the general treasury where, as one observe has put it, these hustlers can't plunder it. To "send a message" to the Department of Transportation in an effort to get it released, the demonstrators blocked traffic. We believe they would have a better chance if they admitted the truth reported in the columlns listed at the end of this blog entry and started there. In May of this year, Insight published a story about Louis King of OIC saying he had federal funds to create 1,000 jobs in the African American community. Last week Louis King had to admit he did not have the funds, that they had not been released. And so the demonstration was held about the funds for the leaders, not funds for jobs. As listed below, we will continue to advocate for jobs for workers, not funds for "leaders". This is what happens when the Governor of Minnesota and the Department of Transportation get tired of playing the games of the Mayor of Minneapolis and his allies that want to use government funding for themselves but not for the community. The state understandably doesn't want to take the blame for that. What is not understood is why the city and its minions think they can get away with their posturing. Our "leaders" spend much time training African Americans for jobs but little in standing up for their being hired to use their newly acquired skills. A lot of young men were expecting to get jobs. They will be disappointed, at the hands of Black "leaders." As seen below, we have written about the economic stimulus and its potential to help our community. It is the right cause with the wrong people in charge, as they plunder and tear asunder. We first published about this in The Corrupt and Racist Construction Contract System, Chapter 9 of our book, The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes, in 2002. We have continued updating this shame in our columns since then. Why haven't the "leaders" used the facts in the book and columns to plead their case for jobs? That is the best way to get funds for their organizations. We first published a roundup of columns in the Minnenapolis Spokesman Recorder in our Blog entry #21 of July 31, 2008 (Star Tribune...Denying Discrimination and Disinforming About the Black Community). That list is reproduced and updated below. It is with these that we urge Black leaders today, and those interested in "planning" for the communities of color, to start: advocating for jobs rather than seeking funds to plunderor or to recycle among nonprofits, neither of which profit the community. Here is that updated list of selected columns, 2005-2009: 4-20-2005: Black share of $5 billion construction: Zero. What can be done to reverse "Blacks need not apply" for the coming great construction boom? 7-13-2005: Where is The Plan for Black's share of jobs, development? 6-07-2006: Hallelujah! Good Times Are Here Again! "Best Effort". False alarm. 5-09-2007: Blacks remain barred from big-money projects 7-04-2007: Where's The Jobs Plan? Minneapolis Kremlin initiates retaliation 8-08-2007: Where is the jobs plan for Blacks for the bridge cleanup and re-construction? 1-23-08: Who will challenge discrimination in this city? 3-5-08: Response to a Challenge Baseball Authority Responds 6-4-08: Stadiums go up while compliance system breaks down 2-18-09: Where's the plan to ensure Blacks benefit from economic stimulus? Now's the time to ask your representatives. 2-25-09: With stimulus funds coming, where's the plan for inclusion? 7-15-09: Mismanagement forced re-bid of Marquette and 2nd Avenue Project. Cover-up keeps city council in the dark. We urge the Black leadership of the Twin Cities to begin with these columns if they are to be truly successful in obtaining jobs for our community and, in the process, funding for their organizations. Right now they have it backwards. We suggest they turn around and get it right. Posted 8-28-09, 11:10 p.m. 08-27-09, #7: In Minneapolis, training doesn't equal jobs for the trained, only the trainers (we are a city of over employed trainers with an "army" of underemployed, underutilized trained workers). 06-26-09, Blog #6: The Role of Black Organizations in the Minneapolis Story... 06-06-09, Blog #5: Welcome NNPA (National Convention of the National Newspaper Publishers Association) 06-06-09, Blog #4: Thanks for thrilling us 04-10-09, Blog #3: Minneapolis settles law suit with the Mill City Five, causing more questions to be raised than answered. 04-05-09, Blog #2: "Why, in an information age, they attempt such cover-ups, mystifies us. The truth will out." 03-31-09, Blog #1: The revealing of the truth: nearly three years in the making. EXCERPT FROM: July 31 2008 Blog Entry #21 Check out our columns of 2005, 2006, and 2007, when we raised the question: "When will Blacks be included in the billions worth of jobs in construction for stadiums, bridges, and other big money projects?" Here are six examples:
Posted July 31, 2008, 3:55 p.m. Read the complete July 2008 blog entry » Ron hosts “Black Focus” on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays, 5-6 pm. Formerly head of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission and the Urban League, he continues his “watchdog” role for Minneapolis. Order his book, hear his voice, read his solution papers, and read his between columns “web log” at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com. About This Blog | Blog Archives | Column Archives | Solution Papers | Order the Book | Back to Top |
