‘Commentary’ Archives
Let’s get smart
Raise Your Voice By Peter Molenaar As it happened, I was assigned to do strike support work for the Anne Sullivan unit of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers strike. ON STRIKE FOR LIVING WAGES, ON STRIKE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS, ON STRIKE FOR SAFE STABLE SCHOOLS… I would hold up these picket signs on behalf of those needing a break. 33rd and Lake Street was the site. The Sonora Grill was our sanctuary. Passing motorists registered their honks in support. From the standpoint of justice, our teachers are defending our schools from the threat of corporatization. Moreover, they demand adequate funding and respectful remuneration for mental health staffers. Why? Hey, our kids have been traumatized by a pandemic in combination with stark images of police brutality. Looking beyond… Harmoniously, it is the unionized sector of the nursing trades which advances MEDICARE FOR ALL. This program would eliminate the labor redundancies inherent in the regime of private [...]
Letter to the Editor April ’22
Two Reactions to Articles in the March 2022 Issue: For Marti Maltby: Please stop perpetuating the myth that panhandling and homelessness are the same thing. As a block leader who has tried unsuccessfully for years on behalf of my block club to get some kind of regulation of panhandlers, I have been told by neighbors that they could actually identify a house where the panhandlers lived at one point. These are the people I encounter at literally every street corner and, in my neighborhood, all up and down the 35W entrance and exit ramps. And yes, as I have also been told by neighbors, every one of them was high on something when the neighbor attempted to speak to them. They and their friends leave their needles and other paraphernalia for little children to find or step on, creating a public health problem. And when one of my neighbors asked a panhandler to please not panhandle on the sidewalk surrounding his corner lot, he was rewarded with a brick through his truck window. Both [...]
Raise Your Voice
Silica Dust & Molten Iron By Peter Molenaar Upon retiring from Smith Foundry, this writer undertook distribution of the Alley to the various agencies and businesses of the Phillips Community and surrounding neighborhoods. In the realm of said distribution, a sometimes annoying competition for space exists with our friends from Southside Pride. However, of greater concern is Tony Bouza’s column in the February issue of that paper, How to get rich. “Capitalism is very cruel,” writes Bouza, “its only saving grace is that it accords with human nature… My reaction to such cruelty? Bravo!... Altruism doesn’t work … is this so complex?” “Look around you, for God’s sake. I didn’t invent it and I much rather socialism worked.” He appears even to slight Jesus for manifesting communistic proclivities! And then, “Stop kidding yourself… if you are so smart, why aren’t you rich?” Is the man being facetious? [...]
