‘Miscellany’ Archives
Frank Reflections – June 2017
BY FRANK ERICKSON I asked Minneapolis City Attorney Susan Segal about these rising rent costs in the Twin Cities. Her response was, “the rising costs of rent are based on what the market will bear.” How absurd and cruel to believe that the payment of an ever increasing rental amount is an affordable and “bearable” amount---simply because it was paid. Many of us renters will cut back on food, medical care, and turning on the heat because the money is needed for a higher rent. Even if they can”'t afford it, renters will find a way to pay rent; the roof over your head always comes first. But even if you go hungry, the paying of your rent is seen as what “the market will bear.” Capitalism is beyond sick, it allows humans to not be human”¦ “I”'m not greedy or wicked it is what the market will bear.” Landlords hold renters hostage. Hey all raise their rents simultaneously to a “market value” [...]
Amos Yancy: A Slave, A Soldier, A Free Man.
Amos Yancy learned of the formation of colored regiments in Missouri (perhaps from an advertisement like the one above) and must have realized that this would be his opportunity to escape the bonds of slavery. On May 30, 1864, at the age of 18 years, Amos enlisted in the 18th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops as noted on the Enlisted card, right; thus guaranteeing his freedom at the end of his service. By Timothy McCall, Guest columnist From its inception, the Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery has been a non-denominational, racially integrated cemetery. A racially integrated cemetery in the early 1860”'s, was not a common occurrence. While we don”'t have a precise count on the number of African-Americans buried here (an ongoing project), undoubtedly, there are more than a few that were ex-slaves. One such person recently re-discovered is Amos Yancy. Amos was born into slavery, escaped to fight in the Civil War, came to Minnesota in search of a better life [...]
Frank Reflections – May 2017
BY FRANK ERICKSON How can the forced removal of a doctor from an airplane get more press coverage and national outrage than a U.S. missile attack on Mosul, Iraq that killed 140 civilians? It appears the world revolves around America. And then the U.S. government drops a 22,000 pound bomb on Afghanistan. They can”'t be stupid enough to believe that such a bomb is going to pave a path to peace. The government wants “war,” the confusion, the madness, and the broken-hearted desperate acts of those seeking revenge. The U.S. government wants to provoke and incite more enemies. What else is a 22,000 pound bomb about? They provoke to get a violent response as justification to use their military violence to control and dominate the world. The U.S. government”'s behavior is proof they want enemies. They want to stir it up, but with only those that are defenseless.
