Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has denied that the homelessness crisis is caused by a lack of affordable housing, despite the fact that city leaders have privatized, demolished and eliminated Section 9 Public Housing, leaving people to freeze while profiting from their displacement.
Letter to the Editor
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes and values commentary and feedback from the community. The articles found here are edited for clarity and/or space, but the opinions are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the MSR.
Posted inLetter to the Editor
No warnings of active shooter
A resident of Minneapolis criticized the city’s lack of action to secure the neighborhood and inform citizens of the danger after a shooting incident, despite the presence of an active shooter.
Posted inLetter to the Editor, Opinion
Where is the outrage?
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has been accused of going to massage parlors in Jupiter, Fl. and having sex with women who are being held against their will and being coerced into prostitution.
Posted inLetter to the Editor, Opinion
There’s nothing fair and balanced about ‘fraudphobia’
After Fox 9 TV reported claims that Somali American daycare facilities were guilty of fraud and sending the money overseas, a Star Tribune editorial stated, “While nothing can eradicate greed, there’s always room to improve fraud detection… The Fox 9 TV report underscored that ongoing responsibility. Senator Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, struck the right tone about […]
Posted inLetter to the Editor, Opinion
More slanted coverage on “terrorism”
How can the Tribune not see the bigotry in how they report on terror?
Posted inLetter to the Editor, Opinion
People should be aware of flood-risk information
Dear Editor: This fall, as we watched the devastation of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, we are again reminded of the havoc that flooding can wreak on our own communities and the cost to taxpayers around the country. Unfortunately, while some states require flood-risk disclosure for new homebuyers and renters, many families in our state […]
Posted inOpinion
Concerned about Park Board election
As a long time observer of the MPRB, I am concerned about the possible outcome of the Park Board election in November. When Nekima Levy-Pounds was attending Park Board meetings she would criticize the all-White Park Board because of its lack of racial diversity. The current Park Board is composed of five White women and four White […]
Posted inOpinion
Lawmakers denounce Police Federation attack
Call on candidates to repudiate tactics We read the St. Paul Police Federation’s thinly veiled racist attack on Melvin Carter with sadness but not surprise. For too long, trust between law enforcement and communities of color has eroded to the point where the people we represent think it is safer to not call the police […]
Posted inLetter to the Editor
Thanks for Hallman’s Lynx coverage
I realize this is late in coming, but it is no less sincere. Thanks to Charles Hallman for his wonderful coverage of the Lynx. Not only this year, but he has always been there to share the Lynx with us through his writing. In his October 12-18 article he was right on when he said […]
Posted inOpinion
Vote no on menthol poision
The Saint Paul City Council has a crucial vote coming up on Oct. 25. How they vote will illustrate just where their priorities lie. Our city leaders can choose to help protect communities of color from the tobacco industry or maintain business as usual: Choosing money over Black lives. The ordinance to restrict the sale […]
Posted inOpinion
U.S. Flag: A conflict in patriotism
My question: Have White people lost their minds or do they believe Black people are stupid or crazy when it comes to the history of the American flag? All this talk about the pride Black people should have for the American flag is nonsense. Our tenure under the American flag has been nothing short of […]
Posted inOpinion
St. Paul youth program warns peers against menthol tobacco
I am writing on behalf of Vision in Living Life (VILL), “Change is Possible” our youth count program of Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation in St. Paul. VILL engages youth in a range of activities and educational opportunities that promote and support their passage to be healthy, responsible and law abiding citizens. Our youth […]
Posted inOpinion
Thankful for menthol ban
As a community elder, I want to share my appreciation for the Minneapolis City Council voting to restrict menthol tobacco to adult-only stores. We, as African Americans, have been heavily targeted by the tobacco industry for five decades. So, it was exciting to witness Minneapolis be a leader in the state and the nation by […]
Posted inOpinion
Local media key players to deal with Park Board obstacles
The letter to the editor by NAACP President, Jason Sole, (May 25-31) calling for action against the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is long overdue. It took a fellow veteran and me 18 months to correct civil rights violations, health violations and quality of life issues inflicted by the MPRB on the homeless veterans facility, […]
Posted inOpinion
Enough is enough
Tenants at apartments owned by Steve Frenz and Spiros Zorbalas and managed by the Apartment Shop, have dealt with unsanitary and unsafe housing for years. On May 1, tenants representing the more than 1,200 apartments owned by Frenz protested to call for a rent freeze. Tenants at Apartment Shop have faced a myriad of poor […]
Posted inOpinion
Will Metro Transit address racial disparities in fare evasion?
On a very cold day near the end of winter in Saint Paul, a low-income woman of color on her way to work races across the street on Dale and University to catch the light rail while pushing a stroller with her seven-month-old daughter in it. If she does not catch this train she will […]
Posted inOpinion
Our community is being targeted
As we celebrate our history, I find myself reflecting on the health of my African American community. As the director of programs at Stairstep Foundation/His Works United, we work to build wellness in our community. The African American community has long been targeted by tobacco industry marketing. Tobacco companies have poured millions of dollars into […]
Posted inOpinion
Sharpton visit has ulterior motives
Thanks to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder for its article “Sharpton straddles fence on menthol cigarette ban” that ran on Feb. 2. Along with several advocates of the Menthol Coalition, I attended this meeting. I am part of a coalition of health and community organizations committed to reducing the harm caused by menthol-flavored cigarettes and other tobacco […]
Posted inLetter to the Editor
In response to “Gentrification plans of MPHA and Sherman Associates”
In response to “Gentrification plans of MPHA and Sherman Associates,” MSR, January 19 issue A letter published in a recent issue of the Spokesman-Recorder discussed gentrification in the Twin Cities, as well as the writers’ concerns about possible changes at the Glendale Townhomes owned by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. Given MPHA’s mission to provide […]
Posted inOpinion
Marketing of menthol cigarettes harmful
Last night I heard an interesting radio commercial about the harms of menthol cigarettes. The ad exposes how tobacco companies target menthol products to African Americans, members of the LGBTQ community, and young people. As an African American, I’m concerned about the alarming number of people I see using these products within my community. The […]