‘Commentary’ Archives
Native Women Write About Protecting Little Earth : A Chapbook Edited by Marcie Rendon and Diego Vazquez, Jr.
from Something I Said Reviewed by DWIGHT HOBBES Dwight Hobbes Native Americans matter. Shouldn’t need to be said. Twin Cities black communities weren’t the only ones devastated by the George Floyd uproar. All that came to many minds was the most visible and vocal, black folk. Unconquered Nations (Wiishkoban) reflects on the thoughts and feelings of women of Little Earth (Minneapolis) who saw their neighborhood put through hell. Brilliantly. The Unconquered Nations Writing and Healing Project gathered seven prose-poets, Little Earth Protectors to convey, along with property damage, the shock, hurt, dismay and personal experiences, a glimpse inside their personal and communal realities. Cover photo credit: Maricela Diaz Author Marcie Rendon and co-editor Diego Vazquez, Jr. shepherded the project. Rendon, who has spent a successful career looking into and looking out for Native women’s concerns, stated in an interview, “During the school year of 22-23 I, with [...]
Something I Said- Dec. ’23
Victimizing Incarcerated Women By DWIGHT HOBBES Dwight Hobbes On a whim, I signed up at a pen pal service for women in prison. And caught wind of something that stinks to high hell. These gals have done the crime and, accordingly are doing the time. Fine. That’s one thing. It’s altogether another, now that they’re hemmed up, for prisons to exploit them for what little money (it’s chump change) they earn inside and, into the bargain, arbitrarily abuse and abridge whatever liberties these women have left. For obvious reasons – one being to protect individuals from retaliation, the other being to protect the paper from liability – I’m not naming names or particular prisons. But complaints have reached me and you can look it up that every word here is researched.For instance, at the pen pal site for a person locked up in California, it is listed what she can and cannot receive: stamps – (no), gifts – (yes, stationery, etc., but must be shipped from the store), [...]
Raise Your Voice: Babies of the World Unite!
By PETER MOLENAAR Peter Molenaar Smith Foundry,November 10, 2023:Joe Vital of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute had alerted me to a 5:00 pm rally at the front entrance to my place of longtime employment. Yes, I too was appalled that federal inspectors had seemingly been compelled to intervene after years of disrespect leveled at our community by the state agency (MPCA). I would enter the scene with mixed emotions and some trepidation. Note:The splendid rally was, in no small measure, the handiwork of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. FRSO has been at odds with the CPUSA (Community Party of the USA)for many years. However, they mostly greeted me with warm affection. So, perhaps there is hope.As it happened, I asserted myself and the gatekeeper to the speaker’s list gave me a pass. My co-workers were to be commended for having sacrificed their health and longevity for the sake of their families. On the other hand, nobody has the right to diminish the development [...]
