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2008 Blog Entries
May

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5-24-08, Blog #12: Chief's dog now also subject of investigation

Tim: When will it stop?

Current situation under investigation: The leaving of his dog by the Minneapolis Chief of Police, Tim Dolan, at the tax payers' expense, in the MPD K-9 Kennel, in violation of Minnneapolis and Minnesota law. Hence, another reason for investigating the Chief. The mainstream media continues it silence.

Two themes 5-21-08: CLOSINGS, schools, jobs, hiring.
Nellie:
"No education, no jobs, no housing."
Minneapolis closes options, fights change.

And HYPOCRITICAL SILENCE: As Martin Luther King put it, "Not only will we have to repent for the sins of bad people; but we also will have to repent for the appalling silence of good people."

As Tomas Sowell has said, "It's amazing how much panic one honest man can spread among a multitude of hypocrites."

Posted 5-24-08, 2:35 p.m.


5-21-08, Blog #11: Stadium builder failing to meet hiring goals

In May and June 2006, we asked for the plan for stadium construction minority hiring. MA Mortenson and the Department of Civil Rights both said all was under control. They lied. No other way to put it. But worse than their lying is that the mayor and council knew it and still said nothing. And the NAACP and Urban League and other so-called leadership folks knew it and said nothing. In a campaign season when candidates on both sides of the aisle call for change, Minneapolis calls for the same old sorry status quo.

James Paterson had to admit that MA Mortenson, the company building the Twins Stadum, " has not met its goals for hiring minority workers and contractors."

We asked for planning two years ago. Not done. Now they say that despite not meeting the goals, they will. How? It takes time to plan and execute. And Mortenson has already planned everything that needs to be done and hired the subcontractors. Who are they kidding?

And when they say, "we expect to see the number of minority workers increase as we go on," what we need to see is how many of that "number" are full time, long time, and how many are rushed in for day or hour work to pad their reporting numbers?

The Minnesosta Baseball Authoirty has accepted responsibilty to try to make a diference and bring about change. This is more than can be said for the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, which continues to endorse denial of access, as no one talks about MA Mortentson and their non-compliance of minoirty hiring on the University of Minnesota football stadium.

The statistics indicate no minorities and no Black Americans are employed at any level. Is this why the office of compliance for the University of Minnesota doens't even release compliance reports on their performance or lack thereof in terms of hiring Blacks and minorities?

The U views this is as a State Human Rights issue, and wants the Minneapolis Civil Rights Deparatment to stand down as it isn't their jurisdiction. When the morality of civil/human rights is boiled down to jurisdictional lines, there is no morality at play at all.

Posted 5-21-08, 9:30 p.m.


5-21-08, Blog #10: Budget cuts threatening internship program

For some time, our mayor has used the "talk" of the Step Up internship program to pat him self on the back about how well he is doing for the little colored children. He can do the "talk" but refuses to do the "walk." Kids plan all year in special training and mentoring workshops to prepare for these summer intern jobs and then, after high school, are promised two years of college. These are among our talented tenth who are being told their talent is unwanted.

950 jobs are now 450. 500 short. The program was to help improve high school graduation rates. We want our young people educated, trained, and employed, not pushed out of school, denied jobs, and joining gangs. And the word I'm receiving from kids denied is, "what's the use."

The Mayor is again saying he doesn't have to keep his promises. He got his publicity. He got his back slapped. He got his. But kids won't get theirs. The Mayor is killing dreams aborning, and again, not the NAACP, not the Urban League, not the churches, not the so-called Black leadership is uttering a word. It is bad enough when the city tries to put our kids "in their place." It is even worse when their adults remain silent.

We have begged the leadership of our city to step up, only to be told we don't know what we are talking about. That refrain continues in the face of on-going evidence to the contrary. That can only mean they not only won't keep the promises, they don't intend to. And then they wonder why kids shrug, become cynics, drop out and become prey for gangs.

Posted 5-21-08, 9:30 p.m.


5-19-08, Blog #9: School closing policy reminds us how school closings close communities. A Minneapolis goal for Black communities?

People have asked about the rumors of North High School being closed. So far: rumors.

But is the pending " St. Louis Park's policy on closing schools nearly ready" a hint of the future for North High? As the article points out, "State laws outline the process districts must follow, such as holding public meetings, as board members decide to consolidate schools".

But for St. Louis Park, "if cuts become necessary, the district for the first time will have a school closing policy in hand." So why not end the rumors about North High?

Truly disturbing is this line from the article: "'This is going to be more and more common in the future' as enrollment continues to decline in districts across the state," said Charles Kyte, executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators."

Fewer kids in schools means fewer people. Why? What is it about Minnesota's once vaunted "good life" now considered not good enough that is causing more people to move away, fewer to move here and fewer of those here to have babies?

And again: silence from the so-called Black leadership.

Posted 5-19-08, 9:30 p.m.


5-15-08, Blog #8: Security breach, rules of the game

One of the provisions embodied in the security provision of the Republican National Committee (RNC) is that no officer under investigation can work inside the Republican National Convention. This raises serious questions regarding Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan's involvement when the Republican convention is gaveled to order in the Twinc Cities of Sept 1, 2008.

Posted May 15, 2008, 11:05 a.m.


5-14-08, Blog #7: Historic Law Suit, Historic Hearing

1. Historic investigation of Minneapolis Police Chief Requested. Police Chief Under Fire

On May 12, 2008, the attorneys for the Minneapaolis Police Federation requested, following the procedures outlined under Minnesota law, to have Hennepin County Sheriff undertake a criminal investigation of Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan in the matter pertaining to data privacy rights of Police Sgt. Charles Adams, the first time the Police Federation have asked for a criminal investigation of a sitting Chief, and the first time ever for an African American. It represents the results of the team effort by the Minneapolis Police Federation and the Minneapolis Black Police Officers Association.

2. Historic hearing called by the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission

On May 9, 2008, the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission ordered a public hearing on the appeal of Ronald A. Edwards in the matter of Ronald A. Edwards vs. the Minneapolis Police Department. The MPD has 20 days from May 9th to respond the request for informiton and documents regarding the appeal iin preparation of the public hearing, which will take place probably in late June.

Once again, the NAACP, Urban League, African American Leadership Summit, and 100 Black Churches remain silent.

Posted 5-14-08, 10:21 p.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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