Don’t be fooled. The minor modifications are not evidence of widespread community support of the proposal.
Opinion
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (MSR) welcomes thoughtful commentary and feedback from the community. All articles in this section are edited for clarity and space; the views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the MSR. MSR does not provide payment for commentary. To submit an opinion piece, please send inquiries and submissions to submissions@spokesman-recorder.com.
Rittenhouse verdict only part of the problem
There is no way to carve out little bits of justice here and there. We either have it everywhere or we don’t have it at all.
Rep. Ilhan Omar responds to Rep. Lauren Boebert’s anti-Muslim attacks
‘The truth is that Islamophobia pervades our culture, our politics and even policy decisions.’
A Black Happy Thanksgiving 2021
We have won some victories. We have suffered some defeats.
Critical Race Theory controversy is about denial of truth
Money-saturated right-wingers have seized the term strategically as a convenient rallying cry for their agenda.
Why the Mpls effort at police reform failed
The vote should not be seen as evidence that Minneapolis residents are content with city policing
Organized labor welcomes Biden’s new Labor Relations Board
America’s workers are hurting, and they know they need a voice in the workplace.
The problem with vaccine mandates
The long-term impacts of forcing someone to either get a shot they do not consent to or to lose employment are significant and life-changing.
Elections give the illusion of real political power
The demonization of even a little bit of progressive talk is a sign that the system lives in fear that someone may come along who will actually fight for change.
Stillwater policy enables prisoner ‘fight clubs’
‘The idea that it’s prisoners’ responsibility to alert staff about prisoners living in the cell block together after fighting each other is ridiculous.’
Vaccination and diligence are key to controlling COVID-19
The colorful fall season is also bringing some good signs that the United States is making progress in the fight against COVID-19.
Child care should be deemed essential
Compensation for child care teachers and providers, overwhelmingly women and women of color, has barely inched up.
CWA 7250 union: Vote Yes on Question 2 in Minneapolis
‘The MPD has proven immune from reform—over the years many attempts have been made to rein in the cops and hold the police accountable.’
The working poor deserve a place to call home
Too many people have to work two jobs to even afford a place to live.Â
We need a real public safety system
Our policing system is equally old and ineffective technology that rarely prevents crime, inflicts trauma and (at worst) death on our residents, and rarely tries new ways to keep people safe.
Our first concern must be health coverage for those with none
I would prioritize healthcare coverage to low-income Americans who have no coverage at all over additional health coverage for millionaires and billionaires, who already have basic Medicare.
Colin Powell embodied the ‘two-ness’ of the African American experience
A scholar explores how the former secretary of state, who died at 84, dealt with what W.E.B. DuBois described as the ‘double-consciousness’ of being Black and American.
Blanket labels like ‘violent offender’ are misleading
People experience personal transformation when others treat them as people-in-process, humans full of potential that are not judged for the one bad thing they have done in life.
We can have both police accountability and safety
It is time for state and local governments to take the lead in reimagining public safety.
Debunking misinformation about Ballot Question 2 on police reform
The Minneapolis Police Department as it exists now is failing at its one job—keeping the city safe.
