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The Experience of Ron Edwards

A Renaissance Black Man in a White Man's World

A Beacon for Freedom in the City

2008 Blog Entries
December

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12-6-08, Blog #30: Obama invites Americans to take a "Seat at the Table."

The President elect's web site, Change.gov, has opened a new section, YOUR SEAT at THE TABLE.

He is inviting the American public to take a seat at the table and engage in a dialogue" with his transition team and leave him comments about the issues facing America. The site states, " We're inviting the American public to take a seat at the table and discuss documents and materials provided during meetings between outside groups and our Transition team."

You can both read about the explanation given by the President elect's Director of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, Michael Strautmanis ("Transparency is the process by which real change gets done."), as well as watch it on a You tube video. It is this kind of transparency that is reflected in my two books, the 2002 The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes, and the 2008 A Seat for Everyone: The Freedom Guide that Explores a Vision for America, and in my weekly columns. We will be submitting our materials to the President elect's via this site, as well as through other channels, and we invite all with a concern about the future of Minneapolis to submit their materials and comments and suggestions as well.

Posted 12-7-08, 1:30 a.m.


12-6-08, Blog #29: Remarks accepting an award at the 12-5-09 first annual Minnesota Community and Ethnic Media Awards.

Editor's note: due to a conflict in scheduling - attending an awards event for his mother in Kansas City, Ron was unable to attend Friday's event in Minneapolis. Spokesman-Recorder editor Jerry Freeman accepted the award on Ron's behalf and read Ron's acceptance remarks:

It is an honor to be recognized at this first Minnesota Community and Ethnic Media Awards ceremony of the Twin Cities Media Alliance and its local news web site, Twin Cities Daily Planet. I accept your ward with grateful thanks. I regret not being here, but I was earlier slated to attend and participate in a major awards program honoring my mother in Kansas City this same night.

I want to offer a special thanks to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder for their support. Our goal has been to be a beacon on the hill of Minneapolis, to shine the light of truth and to pull the covers back to expose what really happens in our community, with the goal of inspiring people to want to respond with fairness resulting in equal access and equal opportunity. We are all part of the media reform movement because of our deep and abiding love for this country and our desire to be there to push and prod to see that it becomes the best it can be and fully fulfill the founders vision and dream for all citizens.

For us old timers, we wonder how the party of Hubert Humphrey and Nellie Stone Johnson could get so off track, going from leading the charge regarding fairness and democracy, truth and justice, equal access and equal opportunity, to one that turns a blind eye to these ideals. Hopefully the greater change now taking place in governance in this country will lead to significant change in governance in Minneapolis as well.

I encourage everyone interested in more of our work to also read my two books, 2002's The Minneapolis Story, Through My Eyes , and my recent 2008 book, A Seat for Everyone: The Freedom Guide that Explores A Vision for America . And on my Minneapolis Story web page, you will find in the archive all of my columns, as well as a list of solution papers for Minneapolis, and my "tracking the gap" web log.

Much of what we have written about that was said to not be so has proven to be so. Much of what we have predicted would happen that people said could not happen, has or is happening. Too many of the Twin Cities media has abdicated their responsibilities. It doesn't practice journalism, it practices advocacy of status quo agendas. The role of trust and truth is passing from the legacy media of the out of touch to the in touch and truth telling members of the Twin Cities Alliance. There is much work to be done. I look forward to working with all of you in our common cause of a common community that will seek to provide education, jobs and housing for all, not the favored few.

Thanks again for all of your support. I'll "see" you in Wednesday's column or Sunday's TV show.

Let us continue to stay strong.

Posted 12-7-08, 1:30 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.

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