Only painful sanctions will make these tales come true by Ron Edwards “There they go again” — what more can we say about Minneapolis as the City again demonstrates its fairy tale that it meets its own compliance laws? In reality, it continues to deny African Americans equal access and equal job opportunity. Despite the […]
Post
Posted inOpinion
Young Black males are the canaries in our schools
Their struggles signal an entire educational system in trouble by Sondra Samuels “Nothing should be overlooked in fighting for better education. Be persistent and ornery: this will be good for the lethargic educational establishment and will aid the whole cause of public education.” — Roy Wilkins, civil rights leader Sometimes, when it comes to public […]
Posted inOpinion
Agree or disagree, Hobbes provides food for thought
Thanks for Dwight Hobbes’ “Something I Said” column. His Thanksgiving column was totally on the mark, meaning that I agreed with it — and I’m White. But he also can ruffle my feathers, as in his recent dissing of Keith Ellison for daring to defend his religion. What’s important is that Hobbes sparks my thinking, […]
Posted inOpinion
Hollywood’s delusion: The world is all about White folk
by Dwight Hobbes Picked up The Last King of Scotland. Always liked it as a big-time Forest Whitaker fan. Also, there’s a solid script and tight ending. The cast includes Kerry Washington along with Gillian Anderson in one of her few featured roles since X-Files. Always didn’t like, though, that the story is more about […]
Posted inOpinion
Where was the youth vote this time?
by Matthew Little Much has been written, broadcast, simulated, tweeted, and otherwise expressed through every medium of communication in existence since November 2 regarding the tremendous upset surprise Republican Party victory. I am sure that we have had our fill of the excuses, explanations and reasons by now. But for some reason, we have heard […]
Posted inHealth + Wellness
Givens Foundation launches reading campaign
The Givens Foundation for African American Literature has launched Givens Black Books, a community reading campaign celebrating the work of acclaimed African American playwright and author J. California Cooper. Givens Black Books will feature a series of public book group discussions, creative performances by local literary artists, artist residencies in area schools, and an after-school […]
Posted inNews
‘It’s rough, but you gotta do it’
Constance Anderson stays in constant motion to make ends meet by Dwight Hobbes Tireless tasking, thy name is Constance Anderson. She has been interning at Wellstone High School in the Minneapolis Public Schools system with a licensed school counselor, putting in 600 hours in preparation for 2011, when she completes there and will begin job […]
Posted inNews
Committee begins monitoring minority participation in building new MPS headquarters
By Mel Reeves The Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) held the first meeting of its Minority, Women and Diverse Business Participation Oversight Committee on Tuesday, December 7, at 807 Broadway NE. The committee, which has the responsibility of overseeing the minority and women labor participation and the Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) participation in the construction of […]
Posted inNews
Gang databases erode trust in law enforcement
by Sheila Regan Legislative work group on gang and crime databases hears from citizens Establishing trust in law enforcement versus maintaining security and safety proved to be the resounding themes at a legislative listening session on gang databases, criminal intelligence data and criminal investigative data. The listening session was hosted by the SF2725 work group, […]
Posted inNews
Accessing government data
Your rights • You have the right to inspect public government data at reasonable times and places at no cost. • You have a right to gain access to public government data without telling the government who you are or why you want access to data. • You have the right to get copies of […]
Posted inNews
Citizens have right to access most government data
This includes public’s right to view and challenge information in gang databases by Charles Hallman The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minn. Statues Chapter 13), passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 1979, allows citizens access to government data in general, and to public government data in particular. According to the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information […]
Posted inNews
Obama signs law for Black farmers
American Indians and Black farmers will be paid $4.6 billion to address claims of government mistreatment over many decades under landmark legislation President Barack Obama signed Wednesday. The legislation “closes a long and unfortunate chapter in our history,” Obama said. “It’s finally time to make things right.” At a signing ceremony at the White House, […]
Posted inNews
ISAIAH urges Dayton to eliminate state’s racial inequities
by Charles Hallman Although the Minnesota gubernatorial race is still undecided, Mark Dayton and members of his transition team listened last Sunday as faith and community leaders stressed their concerns that racial disparities in Minnesota must be seriously addressed by the next administration. ISAIAH, a group of 90 congregations from the Twin Cities and St. […]
Posted inNews
Sen. Franken: Top Republican priority seems to be obstructing Obama
by Charles Hallman As will likely come as no surprise to most of our readers, the current economy has caused “tremendous anxiety” for Blacks, says Minnesota U.S. Senator Al Franken. In a recent phone interview with the MSR, Franken explained, “Right now we have tremendous economic anxiety in this country, but certainly in the African […]
Posted inOpinion
Explosion on the Vikings plantation
By Ron Edwards Contributing Writer Sometimes you get what you did not wish for. We watched with great interest over the last three weeks as local fans and media called for the firing of Brad Childress. We wondered if the Vikings faithful understood what they were asking for: the promotion to head coach of the […]
Posted inNews
High inclusion goal set for new MPS headquarters
by Charles Hallman Committee will monitor diverse participation in contracting, workforce Construction of the new Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) headquarters is now in its beginning phase. Abatement and demolition of the former Broadway School building on West Broadway in North Minneapolis is expected to be completed before the end of the year, says MPS Equity […]
Posted inNews
Congressional Black Caucus gains one Republican member
Second Black Republican says he won’t join CBC A front page story in MSR’s November 11 issue raised the question of whether or not two Black Republicans newly elected to the U.S. Congress would join the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). The 42-member group is currently all Democratic. South Carolina’s first Black Republican congressman in over […]
Posted inOpinion
Some leaders put personal agendas ahead of community interests
By Booker T Hodges Contributing Writer It’s time for them to go The recent talk about closing North High has revealed a troubling division within the leadership of our community, one that has been in existence for a long time. The division that I am speaking of is that between those who put their personal […]
Posted inOpinion
Ellison risks becoming as intolerant as those he rails against
By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer U.S. Congressional Representative Keith Ellison has become a Muslim mirror image of reactionary right-wingers. I refer to the kind of Bible-thumping, soapbox grandstanders who condemn as hell-bound heathens and disloyal traitors to the nation anyone who says anything that happens to rub these self-righteous soldiers for God and country the […]