‘Commentary’ Archives
Doo Wop And Cannon Falls
by Peter Molenaar The luckier members of my generation were again able to watch public television”'s annual review of the Doo Wop Pop Rock music emergence (late ”˜50s””early ”˜60s). As always, it was an awesome emotional head swoon. Moreover, let us self-reflect, the splendid performances of so many popular Black artists served to educate and humanize millions of white Americans Note: I was born August 26, 1950”¦ How is it that these tunes are lodged in my brain and subject to recall? Probably it is owing to the daily school bus rides into the town of Cannon Falls. The good bus driver had the radio on all those years. Yet the town remained white, with just a touch of Dakota blood mixed in. Any outside person of color was sure to incite such internal red flags as: Get a grip, be nice but do not touch. It was from elsewhere, moved by the music, that some white folks went South to confront the terror regime there. The news trickled in. We learned [...]
Farewell by Susan Young, Mpls”' ”˜Trash Lady,”' who “Bridged” to citizens
Editor”'s Note Regarding Susan Young “First Class Lady” Open Letter: The recent dismissal of Susan Young as Head of the Department of Solid Waste and Recycling has met with overwhelming disbelief, disapproval, and anger by scores of people. Her professional abilities have spoken for themselves only to be exceeded by her unique abilities to simultaneously relate public policy and service to the public for whom she has worked in a personable, nonbureaucratic manner. Her astute professionalism and sincere ethics are obvious here in her own words about her dismissal from a position where her performance has gotten rave reviews from tax payers but apparently not from the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for her appointment. Many open letters via e-democracy in support of Young and in opposition to her dismissal have been far too numerous to reprint here. Suffice it to say they were widespread and unanimous as they all poignantly gave witness to her explicit [...]
