‘Commentary’ Archives
The Rand Report: Who is really listening?
By Rand Retterath Rand Retterrath I know, let”'s put in a bike lane! AFTER we approve the construction of five new parking ramps to join the existing five -- and all within a mile of each other! Makes sense to me! Oh, wait, we already did that! Silly me! And still we have cars parking all over residential streets! RAMP TALLY 1) Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Blue/26th St. Ramp:  477 vehicle spaces 2) Abbott Northwestern Piper Building, 60 vehicle spaces 3) Childrens”' MN Hospital and Clinics, 26th St. Ramp: 700 vehicle spaces 4) Midtown Doctors Building: 19 vehicle spaces 5) Midtown Exchange: 1,000 vehicle spaces + 400 Surface Lot spaces 6) Wells Fargo: 2,239 vehicle spaces 7) Wells Fargo new ramp: 696 vehicle spaces At time of press, specific number of vehicle spaces was unknown at these following ramps: 8) Abbott Northwestern Hospital Main Ramp, 2800 Medical Building: 1 Ramp 9) Phillips Eye Institute: 1 [...]
Omissions and distortions abound in libraries, too
To the Editor: by SANFORD BERMAN Much recent reporting and editorializing has concerned the removal of racist public monuments, changing objectionable names (like Lake Calhoun and Lindbergh Terminal in the Twin Cities), and the enshrinement of colonialism in galleries and museums. Never mentioned is the alarming and pervasive fact that libraries, too, often misrepresent, overlook, and even defame marginalized, exploited, indigenous, and ostracized communities. Try searching almost any school, public, or academic library catalog under the subject ”Native American Holocaust” (or “Native American Genocide”). You”'ll find nothing. It will seem as if the library either owns nothing on that topic or that such an event or experience never happened. Why? Because nearly all libraries rely totally on the Library of Congress (LC) to create subject headings. And LC has thus far failed to recognize the 1492-1900 Indian tragedy by [...]
Raise Your Voice: Contradictions within the popular front
By PETER MOLENAAR Peter Molenaar Readers will recall that, owing to internal contradictions, everything exists in motion, both coming and going; changing under the influence of external factors. Our “popular front” form of resistance is no exception to the rule. Yes, indeed: “the lesser of two evils sometimes rises to the level of a necessity.” But, given the opposing camps within the Democratic Party, we must reckon with certain consequences of our actions. Positively speaking, though, we of the fifth district should feel very proud for having elected Ilhan Omar to the U.S. Congress. Already, Ilhan has achieved a degree of planetary fame, for having slapped the face of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (and all Trump supporters) who are hell-bent to destroy our country by dividing us. And now, from within the Progressive Caucus, Ilhan has joined hands with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in support of a Green New Deal. Should we all join hands to preserve [...]
