I think Mark is correct, the 1/4-mile ordinance should be situation repealed. The only situation I can think where this would be acceptable would be in Bancroft neighborhood. Perhaps allow three to be built within a 1/4 mile of Mark Anderson's house. That would be less than thirty percent of the number within 1/4 mile of my house. Seems fair to me allow two or three within 1/4 mile in all neighborhoods that presently have none.
There were only EIGHT (8) rapes in Phillips last month. How many were in Bancroft? How many assaults and robberies were within 1/4 mile of Mark Anderson's house? We probably need to send some of those to Mark's block also! How about drug dealers? I bet Mark would have to come all the way up to Franklin to buy his illegal drugs if he uses, his neighbors often do. Next I guess Mark will be suggesting that concentrating the prostitutes will save on the gas "Johns" have to use to find the right one. How about a brothel on Mark's block? Keep people from bothering innocent women and young girls on Lake Street and Franklin. Perhaps having a green house on Mark's block where they could grow coco leaves and high-grade hemp would be good. That would also concentrate such usage. You could have the drugs, prostitution, and sexual assault all rolled together and concentrated just next door to you. We have had that situation for years, it seems only fair that Mark has it for a short period of time since perhaps it is valued there. No thanks Mark! We have had quite enough of caring people like you attempting to concentrate YOUR problems in our neighborhood. Many of us were here before such concentrations. Many of us were here when PPL was just a thought somewhere in the back of Joe Savaggio' s head. Hell ,we even remember when PPL made pretence of serving our community. We were more compassionate than people in YOUR neighborhood, Mark, so we tried to help people and allowed the first, second, third of such projects. Realizing how HEARTLESS the rest of Minneapolis was, we allowed a couple of more, because we knew how much you and your affluent neighbors discounted these people. Now we are over run and our kindness has become an affliction that discriminates not only against our own families, but also against the unfortunate people forced to live in these projects. We are the classic enablers who have allowed the unhealthy attitude you and many whiter more affluent neighborhoods to take. It might surprise you Mark, but most people living in such housing are not from our neighborhood. Most drug dealers doing business are not FROM our neighborhood. Most people buying drugs and prostituting themselves are NOT FROM out neighborhood. Many are the sick and unfortunate that start out in your neighborhood, your brothers, your sisters, your sons, and your daughters. Many are from other areas of the country that come seeking opportunities. A drug dealer recently confided to a storeowner that he had only been in town two days and did not know anyone, but business was good. The owner asked how he knew where to go to do his dealing. The dealer replied that he just got in a cab and asked to be taken to "Chicago and Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis". He said that corner is famous around the country with drug dealers as the most lucrative place in the country to do business. This is the place some like Mark advocate concentrating chemically dependent people! I certainly wish Mark and his family could experience this for about a week. Perhaps then he would not want to concentrate poor people suffering from problems of addiction in such an area. Mark reminds me of those who advocate for concentrating people in leper colonies and perhaps other things. Remember we, (America), once allowed the "concentration" of Japanese people, and there were other places they "Concentrated" people in Europe. This is sort of like "concentrating" black people on the back of the bus and in "those neighborhoods" that went on into the sixties in this country! Fortunately the prevailing law, in this federal jurisdiction, says concentrating people with handicaps discriminates against them. So even though "Caring" people from affluent white neighborhoods, such as Mark's, like the idea of "Concentration" areas for the unwanted, he and they are out of luck, the Constitution just gets in the way of that practice. The City of Minneapolis would do well to see if they could settle the existing lawsuits. Otherwise Mark, guess what? The Federal Court is liable to "Decree" that "Your" tax dollars be spent to create a couple of these projects in "Nice White Neighborhoods". The purpose of the lawsuit is to force the City of Minneapolis to affirmatively desegregate such housing, so as to not discriminate, and to allow a "Reasonable Choice of Accommodation" for people needing supportive housing. Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to have Federal mediate of this problem than to wait for another Federal "Decree"? One of the first things City Council people will say publicly about issues of siting supportive housing is to assure their constituencies that such a law or "ordinance change" will not affect them and "their" neighborhoods. Sort of reminds one of George Wallace standing in the door of the University, or at the Legislature, shouting "not in Alabama". Only they are quietly saying, "not in Southwest Minneapolis, not in Linden Hills, nor in Kenwood, and not in Bancroft. If the supportive housing cases are not settled and a Federal Judge orders it, guess what? Their affluent supporters just might get one. But don't worry folks, as long as it is just ONE supportive housing development, with no more than 32 beds, (the Minneapolis Law), it will not affect your neighborhood. It will add to the diversity and quality of the neighborhoods for all involved. It is only when a neighborhood has a concentration that it becomes problematic. Any good, caring, "family" can take care of, and nurture, a dysfunctional member. It is when you have several dysfunctional members that the "Family" is no longer nurturing, but becomes dysfunctional itself. Anyone who advocates for a concentrated "combat" zone for crime and social problems be sure to list your address, so the politicians know where to do the concentrating. Poor people suffering from addiction and victimization do not need to be concentrated in such areas! Jim Graham, Ventura Village _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
