‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
Path of the Lemming
Raise Your Voice By PETER MOLENAAR Gardeners in the Phillips Community are probably familiar with the vole. Like all rodents, voles are highly intelligent within their own realm. However, within the span of a day, one of them might take down every red beet sprout. “Oh”, they smile sheepishly, “I couldn”™t help it”, before scurrying back to the hole. Sadly, compassionate gardeners are compelled to purchase traps. I purchased mine from Welna Hardware. Living low in the northern tundra is a species of vole called the lemming. Lemmings are famous for their periodic mass “suicides”. Are there bigots in our neighborhood? Actually, I did meet one once. The poor white man was ranting about a display of Native regalia at the American Indian Center, and was disdainfully whining about similar expressions in Africa. Hey, I have a Sudanese immigrant friend who celebrates his traditional regalia in a series of smart phone [...]
The Forest Through the Trees
Raise Your Voice By PETER MOLENAAR Folks from this part of the world are familiar with the “signers” who regularly occupy every niche at the intersection of Franklin and Cedar avenues. For some, it is a desperate way to “make ends meet”, while others panhandle for their next “fix” of heroin. Normally, I avoid eye contact. Hey, the new land lord raised my rent by over $300.00. Social Security, plus a union pension and one “odd job” barely covers expenses. So, I grow and sell vegetables in the summer months. One day”¦ From his post at the intersection, a young mixed blood man beckoned. I recognized him from the community garden”™s homeless camp. Window down, I elaborated my refusal to support the heroin trade. Then, while rubbing the site of his war wound, he explained that he was in constant pain and hoped to be admitted to a methadone program. This soldier reminded me of the guardsmen who [...]
Raise Your Voice: Commentary Honor The Community”™s Vision Of A Better World. Please!
Our Righteous Community By PETER MOLENAAR Note: In the realm of politics and leadership, the designation of “opportunist” intends a pejorative, i.e., it describes a person whose self-interest supersedes the longterm benefit of the whole. By now, every reader of “the alley” newspaper, is aware that governance of Minneapolis intends to demolish the Roof Depot building which rests directly across the from Smith Foundry, and kitty-corner from the Bituminous Roadways Company asphalt plant on East 28th Street. Actually, the demolition has secretly commenced, out of sight, within the walls. The intent is to create a staging ground for the city”™s fleet of industrial trucks, many diesel, and their water and sewer pipes. In reality, this plan is a mean spirited slap to our face. Hey, community activists have invested no small sum of time and money to draw up an alternative plan. Their plan, our plan, envisions green jobs, organic food, low [...]
