The Experience of Ron EdwardsA Renaissance Black Man in a White Man's WorldA Beacon for Freedom in the City
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Novvember Blog entries below:
November 8, 2016: Understanding Election 2016:
November 16, 2016, The Decision has been made: 2nd degree manslaughter charge for Cop who shot Philando Castile, July 6, 2016.
November 22, 2016, Criminal update
The Decision has been made: 2nd degree manslaughter charge for Cop who shot Philando Castile, July 6, 2016.
November 16, 2016
So how will this be balanced in America's melting pot, as the case again draws national attention: Asian prosecutior. Black victim. Hispanic police officer-suspect. To be judged by an all white jury.
Posted Wednesday, November 16, 2016, 11:45 am
November 22, 2016
It is a sad commentary that the African American communities in Minneapolis and in St. Paul refuse to address one of the tragic cancers that is suffocating the legal drugs.
When we mentioned that a plan is afoot to implement quarantine zones under the guise of fighting drug addiction in the black community, we were not whistling in the dark.
Three days after our expression of concern, the drug enforcement administration (DEA) issued a report which clearly coincided with my observations, as a long time black activist and journalist: drug addiction is out of control in black America. The far right appears to be considering the extreme, given the way they are talking, of quietly and very cleverly, advocating putting in place quarantine zones. Readers would be well advised to watch very closely the appointment of the next Attorney General, his or her agenda, and the statement of Mr. Trump in a speech in which he stated that it is just a “coincidence” that the enthusiasm of neo-nazi fanatics parallls those who are already identify with the President-elect.
What kind of leader or guide will Donald Trump be, a tyrannical der Führer or as a constitutional democrat, or something in-between? My concerns and suspicions are not something you can make up, given what we are hearing, seeing and reading. It is an outgrowth of meetings in which there are those seeming to come out of the closet of some of the most dangerous, extreme, far right fanatics this country has ever known, especially in light of the use by Trumps’ new Senior Advisor, Stephen Bannon, of such terms as nationalist, economic nationalist vs. ethno-nationalist, as if catering to white was not just political but real. Can you be anti-globalist and not also be anti-diversty? Can you be for inner city development by inner city residents when “importing” white and other educated minorities to achieve gentrification, development by displacement of African Americans as done with Heritage City?
Which brings us back to our question? How will Trump deal with drugs, especially in the inner city, and especially as our leadership doesn’t want to, given the first item on one Trump’s first 100 day speeches, was inner city economic development? A recent headline by a Black columnist stated “Harlem gives President Trump a Chance,” because, in the word of a Black Bishop in Harlem, Bishop Gibson, Trump’s “law and order” message “resonated with Harlemites.” But solvihg crime, he Bishop stated, “has to start with the communiteis—churches, families and fathers in particular. Many say this in black neighborhoods, but who is listenting. Given how leaders, black and white, have ignored the over 50 Solution Papers on our web site, we are not convinced. Will Donald Trump be different? We hope for the best while being concerned by the potential worst.
Which will it be Donald?
Stay tuned.
Written November 22, 2016
Posted November 24, 2016, 10:52 am
Understanding Election 2016:
November 89, 2016
I am first an American, then a person of color, then a community and civil rights advocate, then a Democrat, then a supporter of our over 50 solution papers, then a Vikings fan, and finally a supporter of religious and cultural freedom. As seen in the columns listed below, Trump's win came as no shock to me, as I have indicated on my media platforms. They speak for themselves: this blog (14 years), my radio shows (14 years), my public access TV shows (27 years), my blog radio show 5 years(), and my column in the Minneapolis Spokesman-Recorder (14 years). Columns related to Election 2016:
3-9-16: The Donald is not a historian. He doesn’t know what a White
supremacist is?
3-31-16: Trump’s anger and statement on rioting is troubling, helpful.
6-23-16: Terror grips America, again. Advantage Trump?
9-1-16: Trump challenges. Can Democrats respond?
9-15-16: Betrayal: will we fight it or feed it?
10-13-16: Why the violence in the face of prosperity?
10-27-16: Trump: The Fire Now. Tensions rise in the U.S.A.
11-10-16: Murder in the streets of Minneapolis continue.
The myth of good times are here again
Had the Democrats heeded my warnings as well as also followed the over 50 solution papers papers on this site, they would have won.
Trump won for many reasons, but a big one was that he spoke the truth, especially about Black America. He asked, "what do you have to lose voting for me?" The two parties had become so joined at the hip, that Trump beat the “regulars” in the Republican Party, as Sanders almost beat the "regulars" in the Democratic Party. Indeed, had Sanders not been sandbagged by his own party at Hillary's request, Sanders would have beaten the “regulars” in the Democratic party, including Hillary.
That raises this question: why did Blacks vote for her, knowing she had cheated Sanders, had proven to be a liar on much, betrayed Blacks on many issues, and used, as her people did, much of the language they found offensive in Trump? The Democrtatic Party and some Black leaders have long played us for fools (see our inner cities and our rates of education, jobs and housing).
As we asked in our November 10, 2016 column:
We put our faith in Barach Obama, and Barach Obama also played us for fools. Thus, many people of color stayed home for Election 2016, despite President Obama’s request to turn out to vote for HJillary, in order to save his legacy. Black America would have had he not played us for fools.
We have long memories. Many remember that in the 90’s, Bill and Hillary referred to us as predators and thugs. They passed the most onerous "justice" bill that led to the jailing/incarceration of many more Blacks than Whites. There is so msuch anger at Hilleriy's loss among white voters and millenials. It is becaue they wer enot paying attention, and especialliy not paying attention to Black America. Cldar evidence was when everyone fell all over themselves to call Clinton "the firsrt Black President." There was a lack of enthusiasm for Hillary becaues we rememered what she and Bill did to Black America in the 1990s and contributed to the same during the 2010s.
We will soon convert this list of colimns to a "solution paper" and keep gathered together columns and blog entries focussed on the Trump - Black interactions regarding who is paying attention to and who is telling the truth abougt Black America, especially in the key areas Nellie Stone Johnson never forgot: education, jobs and housing: bad education means bad jobs; bad jobs means bad housing. And these three failures have led to failed families and failed communities.
Martin Luther King pointed the way: non-violence. The best path: cooperate while working to make progress on achieving the 4 great prizes: (1) winning the congressional elections in 2018, (2) working with whoever, Democrat, Republican, and/or Independents, who focus on fixing education, jobs, housing, and public safety in our neigbhoroods, so if we come up short in the 2018 elections,, we still win for our neighborhoods, (3) pursue real economic developments in our neigthborhoods, especially in partnership with major companies as well as with the sports stadiums and their occupants, and (4) encourage leaders, Black and White, to pay attention to, learn from, and utilize what will work best from our over 50 Solution papers and their good ideas for solving the our neighborhod problems of education, jobs, housing, public safety, and economic development.
Written November 8, 2016, posted November 10, 2016, 1:39 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
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.
Permission is granted to reproduce The Minneapolis Story columns, blog entires and solution papers. Please cite the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and www.TheMinneapolisStory.com for the columns. Please cite www.TheMinneapolisStory.com for blog entries and solution papers.
