Loki Anderson writes:
I wonder if anyone has thought about proposing a
resolution to vote on at the Ward 2 DFL convention
opposing the Prospect Park-East River Road Improvement
Association's discriminatory membership practices. I
think it would be entirely appropriate for the party
to go on record opposing that neighborhood's
anti-student bias.
Loki Anderson
Marshall Terrace
Associate Chair
SD 59 DFL
P.S. As a former long term resident of Dinkytown and
frequent business patron in Stadium Village I can
testify to much of what Bob Johnson has stated
regarding a pervasive anti-renter and anti-student
attitude by the home owners in Southeast. The posts on
this list about the second ward race showcase that
pretty nicely.
Bill Kahn responds:
Because a few folks repeat a statement that is unquestionably false over and
over again, does not make it true; supporters of Dubya seem to get away with
it, but I'd like to think we have higher standards on this list.
Unquestionably, PPERRIA and other neighborhood organizations in Minneapolis
prefer owner occupied housing given the lower incidence of problems inherent in
that type of property compared to rental property typically leased or rented
to students in those areas adjacent to colleges and universities. To
extrapolate from this preference to some sort of membership discrimination, as
at least
three folks have done on this list recently, is just plain fallacious
reasoning. If requesting enforcement of any given city ordinance is considered
discrimination, perhaps there is a problem with the laws as some have pointed
out;
but to suggest discrimination by a non-profit organization based on what the
allegations recently made on this list have stated (that the Prospect Park
East River Road Improvement Association discriminates against student
membership)
is just plain wrong and no self-respecting Minneapolis DFLer would stand up
at a convention and make such a resolution.
On another note however, recent work in neuropsychology and physiology is
showing that human beings have incomplete central nervous system development
well
into the late twenties and perhaps later (I imagine there is great individual
variation in this). We don't discriminate much against these folks of a
certain age, but perhaps we should; I imagine the jury would be out for some
time
on this one (with the exception of some laws governing the driving privilege),
at least in PPERRIA. Certainly competancy of one form or another dictates how
some are and will be treated under the law. Are we guaranteeing some rights
beyond our own biological limitations in all sorts of classes? For instance, I
won't own a hand gun although I probably could qualify to have and carry one
these days; I'm unsure of whether instruction and conditioning can overcome
some underlying propensity I might have to use it in a given situation for
which I may not have prepared myself. I suppose if I were a peace officer with
greater, on-going training and commitment to a sworn duty, I might feel
differently--but I am not, so no one is likely to be shot by me. Like some
relatives of
mine who reached a certain age and realized some physical short comings, I
may give up automobiles for the same sorts of reasons. If people can't make
these decisions for themselves until some incident demonstrates given
performance
deficits to others, why shouldn't we discriminate against them in this small
way to protect both them and us.
Now, on yet another note and nothing that reflects on PPERRIA, I think
students are largely 'the scum of the earth'. I love them and I used to be and
may
still be one, but they are pretty much raw material for the future or grist for
the Ivory Tower mills. I mean, to paraphrase a favorite movie line, "Why not
discriminate against college and university students?"
Bill Kahn
an undesirably in Prospect Park with zoning issues of his own
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