‘Commentary’ Archives
The Great Extinction
by Peter Molenaar July 17, 2010, a storm is brewing”¦ In the past 540 million years there have been five major events during which over 50% of animal species died. The most recent occurred 65 million years ago with the extinction of nearly all dinosaurs. What an incredible bonanza this was for the tiny ancestral shrew-like mamaliform whose gene pool was to explode and then radiate in every direction. As for the birds, they descend from that line of dinosaurs which included T. Rex. Surprisingly, the more archaic of present day birds have existed unchanged in form for merely one million years. The cormorants residing at Powderhorn Lake appear more ancient than that. From their island perch, our cormorants display horizontally spread wings bent vertically at the joint to declare: here I am. Their oil-drenched cousin, that iconic pelican, posed similarly before the camera. Moreover, elements of the old hadrosaur culture have been revived by our Powderhorn geese. Some [...]
Open Letter to the Community Historic Community Protection Legislation is studied locally by North Mpls. and nationally by CA”“Re-Elect Responsible Lawmakers
With regard to a post on Mpls.e-democracy forum suggesting we sweep all the incumbents from the legislature, I just received a note from a friend in north Mpls. telling me to hang on to Rep. Karen Clark and Sen. Berglin. My friend”'s neighborhood is facing exposure to becoming host to a hazardous waste site and is aware of what Rep. Clark, Sen. Berglin and many neighborhood folks have accomplished together to bring about a first-in-the-nation environmental justice zone protective of the Phillips”' population through a bill in the legislature. The legislation requires far stricter guidelines than currently exist to protect a large section of the urban core neighborhood of Phillips, based on poverty statistics, already existing area pollution, health challenges and intense diversity. Phillips and Clark/Berglin”'s high profile protective bill are being watched from as far away as California for implications and responses. The bill is historic on the environmental [...]
Elders met where Rivers meet Genesis and Genocide are Whitewashed
Have you ever wondered why Hiawatha and Minnehaha Avenues run counter to the north/south grid system of most streets? It”'s because those roadways were originally entrenched trails between major water sources--the falls of rivers and creeks--- made by the indigenous people and animals long before the imposition of a European geometric grid street system. The same is true of Hennepin Avenue from river falls to the lakes southwest. This part of our history is “marked” indelibly in the landscape. Other parts of our history are written. And there are parts of our history that are passed on from person to person, decade to decade as oral tradition. Some oral history is remembered within rhythm having been made into song with music. Here are excerpts from an article in the StarTribune by Nick Coleman, June 6 column, “Fort Snelling: State”'s cradle -- and stain” suggested that the Minnesota Historical Society has neglected to tell [...]
