‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
Raise Your Voice: September ’23
By PETER MOLENAAR Peter Molenaar Yes, the City’s plan to concentrate diesel fumes in our neighborhood has been stopped, and the focus has shifted to the implementation of the Urban Farm business plan. To this end, I have engaged Mayor Frey regarding the Urban Farm to school market connection, and he was receptive.Meanwhile, activists have contacted me for insider information about Smith Foundry’s contribution to our diminished air quality.Note: At Smith Foundry, iron is cast in molds made of sand, the sand is composed of grains of quartz, quartz is crystalline silica (silicon dioxide) and fine silica particles make dust in the air we breathe. When concentrated, silica dust will, over the course of time, accumulate in the lungs. Having worked inside the bowels of Smith Foundry for 35 years, I should know. Hey, the community has a right to know. Hennepin County Commissioners get a message. Source: Peter Molenaar Smith Foundry, 1855 E 28th Street…Once upon a time, there [...]
RYV: Kanya Pays a Visit
By PETER MOLENAAR from the series Raise Your Voice Peter Molenaar Kanya Luchemba is an indigenous South African man, whose first language stems from Bantu. Years ago, his P.H.D thesis elaborated the theme: A History of Finance Capital as Pertains to Mineral Extraction Across the Globe. By way of UCLA, he landed here recently with a nephew’s wedding in mind. For several days, I was privileged to be his chauffeur!Note:By finance capital is meant: “the unity of industrial and banking capital.” By comparison, the principal owner of the neighborhood’s Smith Foundry actually occupied the front office on a daily basis, whereas the owners of world-wide mining concerns do nothing at all but enrich themselves. Hey, such is the nature of the imperial edifice.Wedding duties done, Kanya arose early enough to join the UPS Teamsters practice picket line. With some 340,000 workers, UPS is a multibillion-dollar corporation which seeks to rival mineral extraction in the arena of excess [...]
Raise Your Voice: A Fall From Grace
By PETER MOLENAAR Peter Molenaar Born to the Iron Range, once upon a time, Helvi Savola and Helen Kruth would, in their later years, take up residence in an apartment complex on the north edge of what is now Ventura Village. Peace and friendship with the Soviet Union was central to their vision of Peace on Earth. In Fact, they had been close associates of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (the “Rebel Girl”) who, in 1916, had witnessed striking Mesabi Range miners being clubbed and shot. (Note: an historical marker which honored Elizabeth, was recently taken down by Republican Party operatives.)Believe it or not, the words above are intertwined with a somewhat violent event which took place recently at 4200 Cedar Ave., home to Women Against Military Madness. Medea Benjamin was in town! Medea has co-authored: War in Ukraine—Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict. Here is one review: “Careful, informal, judicious… an invaluable guide” —Noam Chomsky. Why then was Medea assaulted by [...]
