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BY ED FELIEN
Minneapolis City Council Member BlongYang will hold a hearing on the evidence ofracist redlining lending practices byMinneapolis banks in his committee onWednesday, July 16. Council Member CamGordon told Southside Pride, “I am working toorganize a time when Myron Orfield and histeam from the Institute on MetropolitanOpportunity from the University of MinnesotaLaw School can formally present the findingsof the report ‘Twin Cities in Crisis: UnequalTreatment of Communities of Color inMortgage Lending to the Public Safety, CivilRights and Emergency ManagementCommittee.’ This will give the committeemembers the opportunity to learn more, askquestions, discuss the information and consid-er what, if any, further action is appropriate.”
Mayor Hodges, when she read Orfield’sreport, told Southside Pride, “This report on
mortgage lending, refinancing and credit con-tains stark data. The city and I will need to askmore questions.”
Southside Pride has submitted a report tothe United Nations International Conference
We build Pride on the Southside
See Cleanup, page 2 See Racist, page 2
NOKOMISEDITION
SECOND MONDAY OF THE MONTH
JULY2014
VOL. XXIV, ISSUE 20
The 2014 MinnehahaCreek Cleanup has beenrescheduled to Sunday,July 27, due to dangerouslyhigh water in MinnehahaCreek and surroundinglakes.
The annual MinnehahaCreek Cleanup has out-grown its old boundariesand is expanding creek-wide to collect even moretrash!
Volunteers will receive afree T-shirt, water bottle,trash bags and gloves.Following the cleanup,Leinenkugel’s will providea free BBQ lunch at LakeHiawatha Park and, forthose 21 or older with avalid ID, free Leinenkugel’sbeer (limit of two per per-son). There will be prizesfor kids and adults, musicand fun!
Arrive by 9 a.m. forcheck-in and a light break-fast.
Volunteers can cleanaround Lake Hiawatha orboard a shuttle bus to oneof several cleanup sitesalong Minnehaha Creekand area lakes.
Buses will return toLake Hiawatha for lunchand a celebration.
Some parking is avail-able at the Lake NokomisCommunity Center.Shuttle buses will run fromthe parking lot to LakeHiawatha Park until 8:45a.m.
Paid parking is available
BY TED MOE & TIM PRICE
The Greening Committeeof Field Regina NorthrupNeighborhood Group wantsto plant flowers along the35W Sound Barrier Wall–on 2nd Avenue fromMinnehaha Creek to 42ndStreet.
They are looking todevelop a partnership withMnDOT regarding the careand maintenance of thenew trees, plants and flow-ers along 2nd Avenue Southfrom Minnehaha Creek to42nd Street.
In order to remain avibrant community, welook to our communitymembers to join us in thisvolunteer effort coordinat-ed by the FRNNG GreeningCommittee. You don’t haveto live along 2nd Avenue to
participate in this beautify-ing project!
Studies have shown thatneighborhoods with well-maintained highway boule-vards add a nice view forneighbors and drivers whileslowing traffic, reducinglitter and discouraging van-dalism.
The Field Regina North-rup Neighborhood GroupGreening Committee meetsregularly to plan and sched-ule. To get involved, pleasecontact the GreeningCommittee at greening@-frnng.org, or to get yourblock involved, contactyour block leader.
In addition to theseefforts, the 62 CrosstownProject enters its final plan-ning phase. MnDOT isworking with neighbor-hood groups to design the
community “gateways”crossing 42nd, 46th, 50th,60th (and intersecting with2nd and Stevens Avenues)in Minneapolis and addedstreet gateways enteringRichfield. Neighborhoodgroups have been meetingwith MnDOT representa-tives to decide on signageand limited plantings alongthese major thoroughfaresinto and around our com-munities. Final designs ofpossible signage are foundon the MnDOT websiteat www.dot.state.mn.us/-metro/projects/i35whwy62-gateway.
For the Field ReginaNorthrop Neighborhood,please send any ideas orconcerns you may have tothe FRNNG GreeningCommittee at greening@-frnng.org.
The greening of thegreat barrier wall
CreekCleanupSunday,July 27
Progressreported infighting racistlendingpractices
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to End Racial Discriminationmeeting in Geneva,Switzerland. It has beenaccepted by the committee andwill be included in its execu-tive summary. The report ison page 5 of this edition.
Discrimination based onrace in lending practices is alsoa violation of Minnesota statelaw.
From state statutes: “Whenthe attorney general has infor-mation providing a reasonableground to believe that any per-son has violated, or is about toviolate, any of the laws of thisstate referred to in subdivision1, the attorney general shallhave power to investigate thoseviolations, or suspected viola-tions, and to take such steps asare necessary to cause thearrest and prosecution of allpersons violating any of thestatutes specifically mentionedin subdivision 1 or any otherlaws respecting unfair, dis-criminatory, or other unlawfulpractices in business, com-merce, or trade. In connectionwith investigation under thissection the attorney generalupon specifying the nature ofthe violation or suspected vio-lation may obtain discoveryfrom any person regarding anymatter, fact or circumstance,not privileged, which is rele-vant to the subject matter
involved in the pending inves-tigation, in accordance withthe provisions of this subdivi-sion.”
We presented MinnesotaState Attorney General LoriSwanson with the evidence ofracist lending practices byMinnesota mortgage bankerscontained in The LendingReport. Her office responded:
“Thank you for yourinquiry concerning the reportissued by the Institute onMetropolitan Opportunityentitled: ‘Twin Cities inCrisis: Unequal Treatment ofCommunities of Color inMortgage Lending.’
“No lender should issue ahomeowner a more expensivemortgage due to the color oftheir skin or the racial compo-sition of their neighborhood,or deny them credit for thesereasons. We have reviewed thereport and are sympathetic toand troubled by its findings.
“This Office does not oper-ate in a vacuum but ratherfunctions alongside other stateand federal agencies. We haveforwarded the report to theMinnesota Department ofHuman Rights, the federalOffice of the Comptroller ofthe Currency, the UnitedStates Department of Justice,the Consumer FinancialProtection Bureau, and theUnited States Departmentof Housing and Urban
Development, which have theauthority over various stateand federal anti-discrimina-tion, fair lending, civil rightsand community reinvestmentlaws. We look forward to con-ferring with those agencies ontheir findings.”
We wrote to State Sen. ScottNewman, the Republicanendorsed candidate for attor-ney general, to ask his opinionon the evidence of racist lend-ing practices. He has notresponded.
Andy Dawkins, the GreenParty candidate for attorneygeneral, responded: “If electedattorney general, I will launcha systematic review to makesure there is equal applicationof the law to big bank activitiesin the mortgage industry. Iwill work to amend or nullifyany laws or policies havinga discriminatory effecton minority homeowner-ship. And, unlike the incum-bent attorney general, I will bebetter equipped to do thisbecause I am and will remainindependent of corporate cashand establishment party poli-tics. Minnesotans deserve afair deal from our mortgagelenders. If the incumbent hadset appropriate priorities, andfully empowered the consumerenforcement division in heroffice, we might not needMinnesotans having to beseechthe United Nations for justice.”
Willie Nelson has a songabout this:
“There’s a home place underfire tonight in a heartland
And bankers are taking thehomes and the land away
There’s a young boy closin’his eyes tonight in a heartland
Who will wake up a manwith some land and a loan hecan’t pay
His American dream fellapart at the seams
You tell me what it means youtell me what it means
My American dream ...”Southside Pride will contin-
ue to follow this story untilsome measure of justice isgained for the victims of racistlending practices by Minnesota
bankers. We believe bankshave committed serious crimesagainst the people ofMinnesota, and no amount ofmoney in fines and compensa-tion can buy back the homesdisrupted and the hopes ofsmall children that have beendestroyed. The legislaturemust enact laws that lock upbankers guilty of these crimes.As soon as the first banker goesto prison for racist crimes, thepractice will stop. The firstsentence of the oath of officefor all elected officials is toprotect the public welfare–not to protect the bankinginterests.
Racist, from page 1
SOUTHSIDE PRIDE July 20142
NEWSSouthside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
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at the Lake Nokomis MainBeach on West NokomisParkway. Shuttle buses willrun from the parking lot toLake Hiawatha Park until8:45 a.m.
Extensive on-street park-ing is available to the east ofLake Hiawatha Park.
A secure bicycle parkingarea will be provided at LakeHiawatha Park.
Free bike check-ups will
be provided by REI.Canoes, kayaks, and pad-
dleboards can be launched atLake Hiawatha to help cleanparts of the lake that areinaccessible by foot.
A secure area to storepaddling equipment will beprovided during the celebra-tion.
If you have questions orwish to RSVP, please contactCommunications SpecialistTrevor Born at 952-641-4520.
Cleanup, from page 1
Letter to the Editor
I don’t know what planetyour “Queen of Cuisine” and heralleged Turkish chef (Filfallah)are from if he chooses to turn hisback on the rich culinary tradi-tions that sprang from thekitchens of the Topkapi Palaceand spread throughout theregion and gives Greek,Lebanese and whatever names to
his dishes instead. Dolmas andbaklava, yes, but nowhere in mytwo dozen Turkish cookbooks isany mention made of tzatziki(cacik) or baba ganoush?,tabouli (kisir), shawarma? Orkunafa? And, oh yeah! Meze isusually spelled with one z!
A. Non Imus
What is authenticallyTurkish?
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BY RAINA GOLDSTEIN BUNNAG
Does reading labels on foodproducts make you feel like you’redeciphering a foreign language? Ormaybe it makes you confident thatall your health problems will besolved with just one bowl of cereal.Food companies go to great lengthsto label their products in the mostpersuasive way possible. Often thefinal product is overwhelming,confusing and not always truthful. Most food labeling is regulated
by the Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) or UnitedStates Department of Agriculture(USDA). Yet companies still haveplenty of liberty for poetic license.Their marketing techniquesshouldn’t come at a price to yourhealth or food values. Here I cover10 key points to help you translatethe secret language of food labels. Ingredient List: This is the single
most important item on your label.The list includes all components inthe food in descending order ofweight. If sugar is toward the frontof the list, you know that the deli-cious, sweet taste of that ketchup isnot just from the tomatoes. This isalso where you want to check forunfamiliar words that don’t belongin your food. If you don’t knowwhat an ingredient is, look it upbefore buying it and putting it inyour body. “Reduced” or “less”: These terms
mean that the nutrient in questionhas been reduced by 25% or morecompared to the original product.The trick here is that if they arereducing something, you can betsomething else is substituted forthe lost flavor. For instance,Reduced-Fat Jif peanut butter con-tains 25% less fat than its regularcounterpart but it also has 33%more sugar and 40% more sodium.Know what nutrients are impor-tant to your health and check themall before choosing these products. “Zero” or “Free”: Foods that
contain half a gram or less of trans-fat or sugar per serving can claimthat the food is free of that compo-nent and even claim 0 grams on thenutrition label. The issue here isthat this minimal amount adds upquickly when you eat multipleservings. Trans fat and added sug-ars are harmful to your health socheck the ingredients carefully tosee if they are hiding in your food.Trans fats will be listed on theingredients as “partially hydro-genated oils.” Other code words forsugar include corn syrup, canejuice, brown rice syrup, dextroseand sucrose.“USDA Organic”: This green
and black label guarantees that atleast 95% of the ingredients in thefood product have undergone therigorous organic certificationprocess by the USDA. For plantproducts like fruits, veggies andgrains this means that the fooddoes not contain GMOs and there
was no use of syntheticfertilizers/pesticides or irradiationwhile growing or processing thefood. Certified organic meat is pro-
duced from animals that werenever given antibiotics or growthhormones, were allowed outdooraccess and were only providedorganic feed. Be cognizant of thefact that the other 5% of ingredi-ents may contain the pesticides orGMOs that you were hoping toavoid. Seek out the “100%Organic” label if this is a concernfor you.“Cage-free” and “Free-Range”
Eggs: Cage-free hens are uncaged inbarns, but the label does notrequire access to the outdoors.Free-range are uncaged and mustbe allowed outdoors (although thetime and quality is unspecified).Neither term restricts the type offood or antibiotics that the hens areprovided. In addition, look for“Certified Humane” or the evenbetter “Animal Welfare Approved”as designation that the hens weretreated more humanely.Fiber: We’ve all heard how
important fiber is for your digestivehealth, cholesterol levels andweight control. However, manyfood manufacturers are jumpingon the fiber bandwagon by addingsynthetic forms of the nutrient tofoods. Look out for theseimposters on your ingredient list:inulin, maltodextrin and polydex-trose. While they do still providefiber to your diet, they don’t pro-vide the abundance of nutrientsthat usually tag along in foods with
natural fiber. Natural: This word is basically
useless on nutrition labels. There isno formal labeling definition for“natural” from the USDA or FDA.High-fructose corn syrup, geneti-cally modified organisms (GMOs)and many other questionableingredients are allowed under thisbroad designation. This is definite-ly a case where the ingredient listwill give you more accurate infor-mation.“Non-GMO Project Verified”:
This new label is popping up every-where. The Non-GMO project is anonprofit organization that testsproducts whose producers applyfor the label. The seal is providedto food items that continually con-tain less than 0.9% geneticallymodified ingredients. Althoughthis is a third-party certification, itis a good way to be sure the fooddoes not contain any GMOs. “Fair trade certified”: This label
refers to how the farmers andworkers were treated and compen-sated while producing your food. Itimplies more humane workingconditions and fair wages.Common fair trade items includechocolate, coffee, tea and sugar.This is another third party certifi-cation that is widely recognizedand respected throughout the
country. Check out the Fair TradeUSA website for a complete list ofits regulations.“Supports a good night’s sleep,”
“Promotes Respiratory Health,”“Immunity Boosting” and“Provides Energy and StressSupport” are just a few of theextraordinary claims I saw in thetea and vitamin aisles. Soundswonderful! The problem is, vita-mins and supplements (herbal teasfall in this category) do not need tobe approved by the FDA. Unlikefood items, the FDA does notstrictly regulate these products forsafety or labeling. Take these claimswith a grain of salt and rememberwhat grandma says: If it sounds toogood to believe, it probably is.
Raina Goldstein Bunnag has abachelor’s degree from BostonUniversity and is currently a mas-ter’s candidate in nutrition and pub-lic health at the University of NorthCarolina.She keeps abreast of the lat-est health news and will be address-ing relevant wellness topics eachmonth. If you have any questions ortopics you would like to see coveredin the column, please send her an e-mail at rainagoldstein@southside-pride.com.
SOUTHSIDE PRIDE
RAINA’S WELLNESSSouthside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
July 2014 3
Southside�Pride�Nokomis�Edition� is a monthly communitynewspaper delivered on the Second�Monday of the month freeto homes and businesses in South Minneapolis from 35W to
Hiawatha Avenue and from 42nd Street to the city limits at 62ndStreet. We publish 14,000 copies each month. 12,000 are delivered door-to-door to homes and another 2,000 are left
in area businesses and public buildings. We are proud of the racial and cultural diversity of theSouthside, and we oppose racism and other efforts
to keep us apart as a community. If you want to share some news of your church, school
or organization, please write us at:
Southside Pride3200 CHICAGO AVENUE SOUTHMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55407
CALL US AT 612-822-4662email us at editor@southsidepride.com
or edfelien@southsidepride.com
PUBLISHER/EDITOR ............................................................Ed FelienACCOUNTANT ...............................................................Bridgit JordanART DIRECTOR, GRAPHIC DESIGNER........................Ashley PedersonMANAGING EDITOR .............................................................Elaine KlaassenWEBSITE MAINTENANCE .................................................Ashley PedersonSALES DIRECTOR ...............................................................David GoldsteinAD EXECUTIVE ......................................................................Elaine KlaassenCOMPUTER CONSULTANT ......................................................Celia WirthMAINTENANCE ........................................................................Ron CrawfordDELIVERY ...............................................................................Lloyd’s DeliveryPRINTER .....................................................................Cannon Valley Printing
NOKOMIS EDITION
The secret language of food labels
The FDA has proposed updatesto the nutrition facts label tomake it more relevant and con-sumer friendly. These changeswould make it a lot easier tounderstand what you’re actuallyeating. The proposal is still in theplanning phase. Some of the high-lights include: Serving size and calories will be
in larger font so this is the firstplace your eyes go. Now it will beobvious when that small bag ofchips contains 5 servings and 700calories.Serving sizes will be changed to
reflect what we typically eat today.For example, a 20 oz. soda will beone serving since it is intended asan individual portion. Added sugars will be listed in
grams on the new label. The dis-tinction between total sugars andadded sugar is extremely impor-tant. Natural sugars from anapple are providing you withloads of nutrients while addedsugar in a candy bar just gives youempty calories. Potassium and vitamin D will
now be required to be listed onthe label. These nutrients are cur-rently considered “of publichealth significance” because theyare crucial to good health, andmany people are not consumingadequate amounts. Potassium isimportant for blood pressure andvitamin D is vital for strongbones.
The scoopon newlabels
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17th Ave. S., Mpls. 651-583-
0
BY CHARLEY UNDERWOOD
The fact of the matter is that thiswhole monthly column is based ona lie, the lie that all of SouthMinneapolis could live on the foodwe glean, garden and forage. Thereality is that there just isn’tenough sun or soil in our yards togrow all we eat, not enoughmonths in the growing season, notenough berries on the Greenwayfor all of us to have them with ourbreakfast cereal. There wouldn’teven be any cereal, because grow-ing wheat or oats just takes toomuch land.
That’s why I have written abouturban/rural collaborative farmslike Growing Lots or Stone’sThrow, which have cooperativeventures in rural areas, as well asbig urban lots.
Most people, however, are goingto need something like grocerystores, but those are fragile too.You need money or something likemoney to buy that food. Most ofus are “food secure,” but some arenot, and the picture could changerapidly for anyone.
So what can a person do in caseof a food emergency? To find oneanswer, I went to the MinnehahaEmergency Food Shelf, run out ofMinnehaha United MethodistChurch on 50th Street and 37thAvenue. I talked to a big guynamed George Gallagher, whoruns the whole operation with a lotof help from volunteers.
Here is what I learned: Foodshelves are strictly for a certain geo-graphic area, and this one covers7.5 square miles from Lake Streetto the airport, from Cedar to theMississippi River. If you meet theincome guidelines, you can stop byone Tuesday of the month from10:30 to 3 and pick up some food.You stop by and pick up a grocerybag prepared for the number ofpeople in your household, plus afew extra items that you can add ifyou choose. The Minnehaha FoodShelf feeds about 900 people everymonth from about 450 families.They distribute about 32,000pounds of food a month, or about350,000 pounds of food for theyear. That comes to about 30pounds of food per person per
month. Which may seem like a lotif you haven’t weighed your cannedgoods recently. In reality, mostfood shelves can provide onlyabout four days of food per month,although Minnehaha prides itselfon stretching that to almost 10 daysof food. And you can only come inone time per month.
About 90% of the food comesfrom Second Harvest which, inturn, gets food from theEmergency Food AssistanceProgram (TEFAP), donated fromlocal companies like General Mills,and sometimes purchased out-right. About 10% comes fromfood drives like the scouts, thepostal carriers, Bergen’s,Oxendales, the Riverview Theaterand various coffee shops. SecondHarvest charges a delivery fee, plusthey pass along the actual cost ofmilk, tuna, chicken and meats.Meats are still donated by Target,Walmart, Sam’s Club, Rainbow andCub, but the demand far outstripsthe supply, so resources arestrained to make up the difference.
The whole operation can hap-pen because of about 30 volun-
teers who work with GeorgeGallagher, the only paid staff per-son. Volunteers come from theVeterans’ Home, Lake NokomisLutheran Church, CommonbondHousing and from all over. Thewhole operation runs $74,000 ayear, including purchased foodsand delivery fees and what-not, soyou know nobody is getting richhere. Children under 16 make up38% of the recipients, and 7% areseniors. Of the adults, white folks,African Americans and people ofHispanic origin each account forabout a third.
I asked George to tell me storiesabout how people ended up need-ing emergency food assistance andhe gave me a glimpse into the manyfaces of poverty. Some peopleunexpectedly lost jobs, some hadexpensive health crises, and somewere simply paid too little to affordall the food the household needed,even with four or five low-payingjobs in the family. He told metouching stories about grandpar-ents raising their growing grand-children, unable to afford toiletpaper or feminine hygiene prod-ucts. He told me inspiring storiesas well. Like the case of the volun-teer who lost his wife to cancer,who now made a point of growinghis hair long every year and donat-ing the cut hair for wigs for cancerpatients. Or the fellow withoutunemployment insurance who gotfood for several months, then cameback to hand George a couple ofcrisp $100 bills when the insurancecame through. Or the 26 firstgraders from the Winonah Schoolwho came to volunteer one dayand the little girl who fell asleep onthe bus ride back, she was so tired.He told of those who could nolonger volunteer after they them-selves finally found work.
George is proud of the foodshelf and the service it provides.He worked over 30 years in grocerystores himself, seven years as a storeowner, so he knows what is neededand what Minnehaha Food Shelf
has done. He is proud of his volun-teers and lavish in praising thechurches and organizations thatmake it all happen. I asked him ifimprovement in the economymeant he would soon be out of ajob. He was optimistic about beingon a sort of plateau, but he didn’tpredict an end to the need. “It’s aband aid,” he said. It will nevermeet the need. But without it, a lotof families would have a lot morehungry nights.
It is worth thinking about.
The calendar:
Mondays, June 16 to Aug. 11, 6to 8 p.m. $120 for 10 weeks, $20 todrop in. Organic Farm School, bythe Women’s EnvironmentalInstitute at the East Phillips Park,2307 17th Ave. S., Mpls. 651-583-0705 or https://secure.acceptiva.-com/?cst=98030c
7/7 — Solar energy on the farm7/14 — Black farmers in the
South7/21 — GMOs7/28 — Seed saving8/4 — Building a scalable sustain-
able food system8/11 — The future of organic
farming (plus dinner)
Saturday, July 12, 10 to 11:30a.m. Free but RSVP required.“Growing herbs in Minnesota,”Brookdale Library, 6125 ShingleCreek Pkwy., Brooklyn Center.612-543-5600 or http://www.-hclib.org/pub/
Friday, July 25, 7 to 9 p.m. Free.“Edible landscapes,” LongfellowGarden Club at Epworth UnitedMethodist Church, 3207 37th Ave.S., Mpls. https://www.facebook.-com/LongfellowGardenClub orhttps://sites.google.com/site/long-fellowgardenclubminnesota
Saturday, Aug. 2, 2:30 to 4p.m. Free. “Edible landscapes,”Southeast Library, 1222 4th St. S.E.,Mpls. 612-543-6725 or http://-www.hclib.org/pub/
SOUTHSIDE PRIDE
CHARLEY’S GARDENSouthside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
July 20144
Minnehaha Emergency Food Shelf
BY ED FELIEN
“
teed. Political power had shifted fromfeudal aristocracy to the capitalist class.I
Southside Pride | P
Manifesto of the Farmer Labor Association, Part One
SOUTHSIDE PRIDEJuly 2014 5
NEWSSouthside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
A report sent to the UnitedNations International Convention onthe Elimination of All Forms of RacialDiscrimination, Geneva, Switzerland
Reporting Organization: South-side Pride
Southside Pride, a communitynewspaper in South Minneapolis, hasreported on the racist practices ofmortgage bankers in making loans tominorities and people living inminority communities as evidencedin “Twin Cities in Crisis: UnequalTreatment of Communities of Colorin Mortgage Lending” (hereafter, theMortgage Lending Report) writtenfor the Institute on MetropolitanOpportunity by Professor MyronOrfield, University of Minnesota LawSchool. See full report online at:http://www.law.umn.edu/uploads/-ef/be/efbe0b8fda7508c925b74c7add571f41/IMO-Twin-Cities-Lending-Report-2014-Final.pdf
To date, no Minnesota govern-mental agency has reviewed howthese practices were allowed to gounchecked for so long, and noMinnesota governmental agency hastaken effective remedial and preven-tive action. However, a small poten-tially positive step began when MayorHodges, after reviewing the MortgageLending Report, said, “This report onmortgage lending, refinancing andcredit contains stark data. The cityand I will need to ask more ques-tions.” A City Council Committee onCivil Rights has scheduled a hearingon this Report for July 16.Issue Summary:As documented in the Mortgage
Lending Report, mortgage bankerscost homeowners and local govern-ments in the Twin Cities area $20.5
billion through redlining and racistlending practices from 2008 to2012. Minority areas were targetedfor subprime loans–which meanthomeowners were more likely todefault on their mortgages. TheReport says:
“Between 2008 and 2012, the esti-mated loss from foreclosures anddeclining property values in the entireTwin Cities metropolitan area was astaggering $20.5 billion.”
“Communities of color have beenhardest hit by the mortgage melt-down. Before the housing crisis, sub-prime lenders targeted people ofcolor, racially diverse neighborhoodsand majority non-white areas.Between 2004 and 2006, exactly halfof the mortgage loans received byblack homeowners were subprime,compared to 37% for Hispanics, 20%for Asians and just 10% for whites.Majority non-white and raciallydiverse tracts had subprime lendingrates at 1.8 to 2.6 times greater thanpredominately white tracts (morethan 70% white). In these areas, bothborrowers that are white and peopleof color have been affected, regardlessof their income. Even high and veryhigh income whites were 1.8 to 2.9times more likely to receive a sub-prime loan in majority non-whiteareas than their counterparts in pre-dominately white areas.”U.S. Government Report Contrary to the illusion of racial
harmony presented in the U.S.Government Report: “The UnitedStates has always been a multi-racialand multi-ethnic society, and its plu-ralism is increasing. Indeed, 50 yearsago, the idea of having aBlack/African American President of
the United States would not haveseemed possible; today, it is a reality,”(PERIODIC REPORT OF THEUNITED STATES OF AMERICA TOTHE UNITED NATIONS COM-MITTEE ON THE ELIMINATIONOF RACIAL DISCRIMINATIONCONCERNING THE INTERNA-TIONAL CONVENTION ON THEELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OFRACIAL DISCRIMINATION, June12, 2013, Paragraph 2, page 4) inci-dents of discrimination based on raceare intensifying, and the economicdivide separating minorities and thedominant white culture is widening.
When the Report says, “ExistingU.S. constitutional and statutory lawand practice provide strong and effec-tive protections against discrimina-tion on the bases covered by Article 1of the Convention in all fields of pub-lic endeavor, and provide remediesfor those who, despite these protec-tions, become victims of discrimina-tion,” (PERIODIC REPORT,Paragraph 7, page 6) it fails to under-stand that the redress of grievancesfor victims of discrimination isbeyond the capabilities and means ofmost citizens. How is one discrimi-nated-against minority homeownergoing to take on the internationalbanking system?Legal Framework:
The rights established in theInternational Convention for theElimination of All Forms of RacialDiscrimination (ICERD) that havebeen violated would be:
• Article 5 (d)(v) the right to ownproperty alone as well as in associa-tion with others;
• Article 5 (e)(3) the right to hous-ing.
Under Article 2 of the ICERD, theU.S. at all levels of government has anobligation to review its laws and prac-tices to see if they are sufficient to pro-tect people of color and AmericanIndians from discriminatory treat-ment and to take effective preventiveand remedial action.Recommended Questions to the
U. S. Government:1.How is it that the federal govern-
ment has been unable to stop banksfrom their documented racist lendingpractices?
2. Is it possible that racist redliningpractices are so lucrative that mort-gage bankers consider fines andpenalties simply a small cost of doingbusiness?Concluding ArgumentThe lending practices of these
mortgage bankers are in clear viola-tion of federal statutes, state law andlocal ordinances. As noted in the Juneeditions of Southside Pride: “Late last
year the city of Los Angeles filed a law-suit against Citigroup and Wells Fargoseeking damages for a loss in tax rev-enue due to discriminatory mortgagelending to the city’s minority com-munities. According to court docu-ments filed in the U.S. Federal Court,LA City Attorney Mike Feuer said thatCitigroup and Wells Fargo “engagedin a continuous pattern and practiceof mortgage discrimination in LosAngeles since at least 2004 by impos-ing different terms or conditions on adiscriminatory and legally prohibitedbasis.” In 2009 the state of Illinois suedWells Fargo for discriminating againstblack and Latino homeowners. In2012 Wells Fargo agreed to pay $175million to resolve allegations by theU.S. Justice Department that it dis-criminated against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers inits mortgage lending.” http://south-sidepride-.com/racism-redlining-and-reparations/Suggested Concluding Obser-
vations and Recommendations:In order to put an end to racist
redlining practices the U.S.Government must provide realisticmeans of redress for victims of thebankers’ discriminatory practices andattach criminal penalties to the prac-tices identified in the MortgageLending Report.
U.S. Government’s Failure to Protect People ofColor and American Indians From Racist Practicesof Mortgage Bankers in the Minneapolis St. PaulMetropolitan Area, 2008 to 2012
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SOUTHSIDE PRIDE
NEWSSouthside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
July 20146
BY OLIVER STEINBERG
As far as the Minnesota“medical cannabis” law, it is aFALSE STEP to reform, not afirst step, and we ought to beemphatic about that!
It is unequivocally a BADlaw, repeating the mistakes ofthe 1980 THC TherapeuticResearch Act, which was adead letter as soon as it waspassed. This is a substitute meant
to discredit the reform it pur-ports to achieve–and thatsabotage is intentional, not somuch on the part of thesponsor but certainly on thepart of the obstructionistslike Dayton, Thissen,Murphy, Flaherty, Franklin:political manipulators whodictated all the provisions ofthe bill that the governorsigned.This bill is primarily a
public relations gimmick tocounteract the negative pub-licity generated against MarkDayton by the news storiesabout desperate parents withsuffering children.
A few of its flaws:It denies equal protection
of the laws by allowing
cannabis therapy only forcertain diseases–excludingnine-tenths of patients whobenefit from cannabis.It involves the police
directly in making decisionsabout medical care, that is,no other diseases can beadded without approval by acommittee that is weightedwith “law enforcement”members.It requires patients to buy
a license for the privilege ofobtaining medication–$200every year!It attaches more new crim-
inal penalties, and moresevere penalties, to cannabisuse by patients, when publicopinion actually favors end-ing prohibition. It wedges state bureaucracy
between doctors and patientswith burdensome monitoringand reporting requirements.It denies patients the most
convenient, inexpensive andefficacious methods ofadministration and self-titra-tion of dosage amounts andfrequency.The bill promises to supply
therapeutic cannabisextracts, oils and other “non-smokable” compounds, informs and calibrated dosesnot necessarily even availableor producible yet. It willrequire expensive testing andresearch, the outcome of
which isn’t assured, beforepatients can, in theory,receive the preparations.Why do this when 20 other
states already allow patientsto receive and use naturalherbal cannabis and its tinc-tures and extracts withproven safety? Patients whoneed cannabis need it now,not a year or two or threefrom now.These are some but not all
of the problems with thisbill. Its purpose is to providepolitical cover for Daytonand to discredit therapeuticuse of cannabis by clutteringit with absurd restrictionsand unreasonable roadblocks,and in doing so, to dissipatethe public interest in andpublic demand for reform.In good faith, patients and
their allies have sought legalpermission for medicinal useof cannabis since 1991 inMinnesota.In bad faith, prohibitionist
special interests and cowardlypoliticians have defeated allthe bills since 1991, and thisyear when they could notsidetrack it and bury it in themaze of the legislativeprocess, because of publicoutcry, they cynically perpe-trated this fraudulent bill andnow they hope the newsmedia won’t expose thedeception.
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Marijuana Reform: the good,the bad and the very ugly
BY CARLA WALDEMAR
Hammer & Sickle1300 Lagoon Avenue
612-367-4035 (no reservations taken)
www.hammerandsicklempls.com
Lagoon Avenue might makea suitable site for arbitratingthe dust-up in Ukraine, at leastfrom a culinary point of view,with Coup d’Etat on one sideof the street and Hammer &Sickle on the other. Trading aCold War aesthetic for a Red-hot ambience, its crimsondoor–unmarked, in trueknock-three-times style–setsthe tone, abetted by a scarlet
lighting scheme, ruby napkinsand lipstick-bright lampshadesglowing in the booths.In homage to its Russian
trappings, vodka is a featuredplayer, with around 60 globallabels, available in solo shotsor flights of four designed todeter frostbite for the foresee-able future. Standout in mychosen flight was the herbalhouse brand H & S vodkastraight from the motherland,followed by Dutch and Frenchrenditions (forget the flavor-less Texan attempt).Complimentary skewers ofcrisp pickles serve to reviveone’s palate between sips.Caviar flights also are offered
for those with deep pockets.The menu itself is kinda,
sorta, Russian, with apps likemeatballs, mini Reubens and
Kobe sliders sneaking in, aswell as more authentic plattersof smoked/pickled fish andcured meats. For our starter,we chose a bowl of borscht,warm and ruddy, mild andmodest, with lots of tenderbeef among the bits of beetand topknot of sour cream.(OK, folks: My own recipe fea-tures cabbage and the sweet-tart pique of sour salt, as I’veenjoyed in Moscow–alongwith pigs’ ears, which mightnot go over here in Minnesota.For good reason.) A slice of(“grilled,” but it wasn’t) darkrye accompanies each bowl.Next, choose among half a
dozen fillings for pierogi (fivelittle pastry-clad dumplings toan order, $10). We inhaled acomforting blend of mashedpotato and mild cheese,dressed up with toppings ofcaramelized onion and baconaside a cache of sour cream fordipping. Then, time for shash-lik, aka food on a stick, whichwe Minnesotans can relate to:Our choice, lobster–threadedwith crisp nuggets of zucchini,onions and mild peppers–wasterrific, and a steal, at $10 forthree sweet and juicy nuggetsatop a field of rice.Entrees read like grandma’s
cooking–both a Russian and aMinnesota grandma: cabbagerolls, stuffed dumplings, chick-en Kiev and stroganoff (choosebeef or, hmmm, lobster), $15range. We opted to share a por-tion of the beef variety, andtasty it was–the best plate ofthe evening, in fact, with gen-erous slices of beef cooked to
order (ours = medium rare)mingling with mushrooms andonions in a rich gravy, setatop–your choice–spaetzleor mashed potatoes. The aldente noodles were fine.No room for dessert, but
just in case: Options includeda housemade chocolate cake,chocolate pudding-filledpierogi or a crème caramel,each $6. Service was far moreMinnesota Nice than authen-tic, and that’s a very goodthing.
SOUTHSIDE PRIDEJuly 2014 7
Détente in Uptown
$15
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July 2014SOUTHSIDE PRIDE10
•COMMUNITY CALENDAR•Southside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
Organics Recycling ProgramResidents from 23 differentneighborhoods are using thedrop off! Since it started, on July1, 325625 pounds of organicshave been collected each day.You can drop off your organicson the following days: Saturdaysfrom 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesdaysfrom 4 to 7 p.m. and Thursdaysfrom 4 to 7 p.m. There will bevolunteers at the dropoff site fora while longer to continue gathering valuable informationregarding residents’ preferencesand waste and recycling habits.Visit hpdl.org for more information.
Wednesdays with Wheel Fun RentalsWheel Fun Rentals announces it
will be offering FREE recreational rentals this summer to nonprofit organizations within theTwin Cities metro area! BetweenJune 4 and Aug. 27, Wheel FunRentals will donate rental equipment, completely free of charge,to two charities everyWednesday. This program offerslocal charities their choice of thefollowing activities for free: minigolf at MaltTees in Richfield,watercrafts at Lake Calhoun orSurrey bikes at Minnehaha Falls.It will accommodate two nonprofit groups each Wednesdaywith up to 20 participants ineach group. Reservations arerequired and dates book up fast.Nonprofits are encouraged tomake their reservation as soon aspossible by calling 8772732453or emailingwheelfunrentals@gmail.com.
Summer MeditationIntensive: 7 Hours in 7 DaysJuly 1319, 6 to 7 a.m.A guided instruction and silentmeditation every morning forone week. No experience necessary. Led by Daniel Hertz, ERYT500, Meditation Center ofMinneapolis Faculty. Sign up inadvance at Daniel@yoga4meditation.com. Fee is $25 for the entireweek (in cash or check due thefirst day of class).
26th & 28th Streets Bicycle and PedestrianImprovements Open HouseMonday, July 14, 6 to 8 p.m.American Swedish Institute2600 Park Ave. S.
Do you walk, bike, drive or catchthe bus on 26th Street or 28thStreet? Minneapolis PublicWorks is planning bicycle andpedestrian improvements in2015. Community members areinvited to tell us what’s important about these streets and comment on the design concept.
From Waste to Wealth withWormsTuesday, July 15, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.2910 Dorman Ave.Vermiculture is the practice ofusing earthworms to turn lawn,garden and kitchen scraps intofree organic fertilizer for yourplants. This session will teachyou how to prepare a box foryour new pets, what to feedthem, where to feed them andhow to harvest your fertilizer.
Sami Rasouli: Update from IraqThursday, July 17, 7 p.m.Spirit of St. Stephen’s CatholicCommunity2201 1st Ave. S.Sami Rasouli, an IraqiAmericanpeace activist, has returned fromanother year of living in Iraq.Hear his firsthand account of thedangers of U.S. intervention inIraq and the region. Organizedby the Twin Cities PeaceCampaign and the WAMM EndWar Committee.
Farmers’ Market Summer OutreachSaturday, July 19, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Midtown Farmers’ MarketLake St. & 22nd Ave. S.Come help the AntiWarCommittee reach out to shoppers to grow the peace movement. Going to the Farmers’Market? Stop by our table afteryou buy your produce. Want tohelp volunteer at our table?Email us at info@antiwarcommittee.org.
A Street Festival for the Working ClassSaturday, July 19, 4 to 10 p.m.3rd St. & 7th Ave. in DowntownMinneapolisOn the 80th anniversary of theevents that “Made Minneapolis aUnion Town,” this street festivalcommemorates the 1934Teamsters strike, rememberingand honoring the victims of the“Bloody Friday” shootings. Thefestival will feature music, art,performance, historical displays,food and speeches. This festivalnot only commemorates thestruggles of the past, but alsopoints to the struggles of todayand the future. Sponsored byRemember 34.
3rd Annual PowderhornCatfish TourneySaturday, July 19, 5 to 9 p.m.Powderhorn Park3400 15th Ave. S.Bring the whole family down fora catfish contest for all ages andskills. There is a paid divisionthat offers larger prizes and afree division with trophies andmedals. You choose what worksfor you. Bait and loaner equipment are provided for those whodon’t have their own, firstcome,firstserved. ContactBrenda@fishingforlife.org withquestions or call 7632459829.Visit www.fishingforlife.org forfull schedule.
Southside Sprint Bike RaceSunday, July 20, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.FRNNG is proud to be a presenting sponsor of Southside Sprint,which returns for the fourth yearto the streets around 48th &Chicago. Kids can race in thePetey’s Cup Kids Fun Race—allracers win a medal! Families canenjoy all the fun in the Twin SixFamily Fun Zone. There will benine categories of racing, abeginner’s clinic and a citizensrace, with a special movie fea
ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS
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Financial Focus MeetingTuesday, July, 22, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.Jones Financial Group Offices4748 Chicago Ave. S., Suite 21An informal gathering to discusswomen in transition. To RSVP orfor more info contact CorriePerez at 6123261800 orcorrie.perez@lpl.com.
Where the Wild Teas AreForaging WorkshopTuesday, July 29, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.E. 36th St. & W. River Pkwy.Many people purchase their teasat the grocery store, but some ofthe besttasting and most beautiful teas are wild and free! Jointhe North Country Food Allianceat a unique oak savanna ecosystem along the Mississippi Riverand learn to identify a diversityof edible and medicinal plants,including wild bergamot,mullein, mugwort and yarrow.There will also be premadesamples of wild tea available foryour drinking pleasure.Suggested donation is $5. Classsize is limited. For questions orto register, please email foraging@northcountryfoodalliance.org.
23rd Annual Powderhorn Art FairSaturday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Sunday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Powderhorn Park3400 15th Ave. S.One of the finest juried regionalart fairs in the country celebratesartistic expression and community engagement. Featuring 184regional and national artists ofvaried disciplines, as well as aCommunity Showcase andGroup Exhibitors from thePowderhorn area. For moreinformation visit www.powderhornartfair.org.
2nd Annual Phillips Music FestivalSunday, Aug. 3, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.Join us for a full day of music,art and exercise. This year’sevent will include a main stageshowcasing a wide variety ofmusical performances from traditional folkloric drum anddance to contemporary hip hop.An additional side stage willhost a variety of interactivehealthy workshops such asZumba and Capoeira. ThePhillips Neighborhood PowWow will start the day off at 11a.m. Come enjoy a family friendly atmosphere for the wholecommunity. This event is freewith free food while supplieslast!
Douglas Flanders & Associates 818 W. Lake St.6127911285www.flandersart.comSculptura CuriosaThis intriguing new show ofthreedimensional objects represents eight artists working in vari
ous media. Everything from traditional blown glass to found andrepurposed objects. Subject matter includes abstract forms andshapes, vessels and figurativeworks.Opening Reception, July 12, 6 9p.m.Through August 23
Gage Family Art Gallery22nd Ave. S. at Riverside Ave.6123301524Augsburg.edu/galleriesThe Last ResortA photographic documentation ofmom and pop resorts in theBrainerd Lakes Area ofMinnesota. The imagery exploresthe decline and abandonment ofthe closed and neglected resortproperties.Through August 17
Intermedia Arts2822 Lyndale Ave. S.6128714444Intermediaarts.orgCreative Dissent: Arts of the ArabWorld UprisingsThis touring exhibition isdesigned to immerse visitors inthe creative vitality of the continually evolving uprising movement commonly referred to as the“Arab Spring.” Drawn into theexhibit by songs and the call andresponse chants associated withthese populist movements, visitors will experience freedom ofspeech merged with artisticexpression—capturing the anger,elation, frustration and hope ofthese revolutions in the form ofgraffiti, video, cartoons, music,photography, posters and evenpuppetry.Through August 23
Jean Stephen Galleries4811 Excelsior Blvd., St. LouisPark 554166123384333www.jsgalleries.comFrederick Hart Sculpture of Light—Breathtaking Acrylic and BronzeSculptureHart’s renowned works of sculpture include commissions for theVietnam Veterans Memorial andthe Washington NationalCathedral. Through August 30
Patrick’s Cabaret3010 Minnehaha Ave. S.6127246273www.patrickscabaret.org4th Annual TC Roots, Rock andDeep Blues FestivalThis oneday music marathonevent is for serious music fans,and the 2014 festival will featuresome of the best local and regional music acts in an eclectic mix ofgenres. This is an allages eventwith something for everyone.Visit the cabaret’s website for afull lineup of all the bands.July 19, 8 a.m. 12 a.m.
The Bakken Museum3537 Zenith Ave. S.6129263878
www.thebakken.orgThe Best Days of The BakkenVisitors will enjoy free admissionand a bounty of fantastic programming. Each day will focus ona different part of STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Art andMath), in hopes of furthering thecommunity’s interest in theseimportant subjects. Visit thebakken.org for a complete list ofactivities for each day.July 22 26
Guthrie Theater818 S. 2nd St.6122256238www.guthrietheater.orgMy Fair LadyYou know the story, songs andcharacters. Now see them come tolife for the first time in Guthriehistory! Professor Henry Higginsloves language. Cockney flowergirl Eliza Doolittle yearns tospeak like a lady. Sparks fly whenhis curiosity and her determination launch a daring social experiment designed to turn a lowerclass ugly duckling into a highsociety swan—with unexpectedresults from both of them.Through August 31
Illusion Theater528 Hennepin Ave.6123394944www.illusiontheater.orgFresh Ink SeriesThe annual showcase bringstogether a performance celebrating Walt Whitman by PatrickScully, the third play in a trilogyby James Still and a reading ofsome stillwetonthepage scriptsby local playwrights. Fresh Inkgives space for artists to developtheir creative pieces and try theirworksinprogress in front ofaudiences. July 10 – 27, check website forperformances and times
Jungle Theater2951 Lyndale Ave. S.6128227063www.jungletheater.comThe HeiressBased on Henry James’ memorable novel “Washington Square,”this TonyAwardwinning playexamines the conflict betweenpainfully shy Catherine Sloperand her stern, inflexible father.When she falls in love with ahandsome suitor, her fatherthreatens to disinherit her, convinced that the young man couldonly be interested in Catherine’sfortune. This dramatic and suspenseful play features one of thegreatest female roles written forthe stage.Through August 10
Volunteer Tutors Needed inAdult Education ClassesMinneapolis Adult Educationneeds volunteer inclass tutors inwriting, math, computer basics,and ESL/English. Volunteerswork with students 1:1 or in smallgroups, in free classes taught bylicensed teachers. One and two
hour tutor times are available MFin the morning, afternoon andevening. A librarian is neededWednesdays from 56 p.m.Experience is not needed.Training is provided. For moreinformation visithttp://abe.mpls.k12.mn.us/volunteer or call 6126683984 or emailEllen.Lipschultz@mpls.k12.mn.us.
Nokomis Library5100 34th Ave. S.6125436800http://www.hclib.orgRegister online or call for allevents.** Author Talk: Kristi BelcaminoMonday, July 14, 6:30 p.m.Join the Nokomis Library’sMystery/Thriller Book Club for avery special author event. Localauthor Belcamino, a former crimereporter, will share readings fromher new book, “Blessed Are theDead.” Books will be available forpurchase and signing.** Diabetes Support GroupFriday, Aug. 1, 1 to 3 p.m.Share experiences with others living with diabetes and get tips andadvice from a healthcare professional on blood sugar management, diet and exercise. Pleasecall Nokomis Healthy Seniors,6127295499, to make arrangements for free transportation tothe program.** Nokomis Library WritingGroupMonday, Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m.Join fellow writers for encourage
ment, feedback, and to help eachother take writing to the nextlevel. Bring works of progress,paper and pen. You will exploredifferent ways to think aboutwriting.
Roosevelt Library4026 28th Ave. S.6125436700http://www.hclib.orgRegister online or call for allevents.** Library Lab for Kids: Timber!Thursday, July 17, 3 to 4:30 p.m.Entering grades 12. Take a photoscavenger hunt, learn about thelife cycle of a tree and transfer aphoto to a wooden necklace.Materials provided.** Global Folk: Carnival!Saturday, July 19, 2 to 3 p.m.All ages. Local group TresMundos will get you movingwith Cuban rumba, Latin jazzand more.** Art Out of the Box: EyeWonderThursday, Aug. 7, 2 to 3 p.m.Entering grades 25. Discoverartists’ secrets and uncover illusions meant to trick the eye bylooking closely at art from theMinneapolis Institute of Arts.Museumtrained teens will helpyou make art to hide your ownsecret messages. Materials provided.
SOUTHSIDE PRIDEJuly 2014 11
•COMMUNITY CALENDAR•Southside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
MUSEUMS
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Supportingundiscovered
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Real College Radio
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Reimbursed�Senior�Volunteer�Position: Lutheran�Social�ServiceSenior�Companion�Program�is�seek-ing�volunteers�55+�willing�to�visit�iso-lated�adults�in�Minneapolis�andsurrounding�areas�to�provide�in�homecompanionship�and�transportation.Tax-free�stipend,�mileage�reimburse-ment�and�other�benefits.�ContactKate�Neuhaus,�651.310.9447�orkate.neuhaus@lssmn.org.
OPEN UNTIL FILLEDMinnesota Council of Churches
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EVENTS
Immigration andReconciliation VigilFriday, July 18, 7 p.m.Living Spirit United MethodistChurch4501 Bloomington Ave. S.You are invited to pray and intercede for immigration reform andreconciliation in our country, praying for all who have been and continue to be discriminated againstbecause of race, nationality, religious beliefs, etc. Hear personalstories, songs and poetry. A translator will be present; English andSpanish will be spoken. The vigilis organized in conjunction withSimpson Center for ServantMinistries, Amistad sin Fronterasof Park Avenue, La Puerta Abiertaand Peace and Hope International.
Meditation ClassSaturday, July 19, 1 to 4 p.m.Minnehaha United MethodistChurch3701 E. 50th St.IAM®20—Integrated AmritaMeditation®, was developed byMata Amritananda Mayi, a worldfamous saint from India(www.amma.org). In 20 minutesper day this meditation promotesintegration of body, mind and spirit. There is no charge. Donationsare requested to cover costs.Register early, bring a friend. Sendname, phone number, emailaddress tomeditationiam@gmail.com or callArun Hejmadi, 7199635244.
Hymn/Song FestSunday, July 20, 4 p.m.Bethany Lutheran Church2511 E. FranklinBethany Lutheran on Franklin,The Community of St. Martin andFaith Mennonite Church will sharesongs from their various traditions. Everyone is invited. Moreinformation at 6123759483.
Immigration Reform: A Christian ResponseMonday, July 21, 6:30 p.m.(potluck); 7 p.m. (program)St. Albert the Great ChurchE. 29th St. & 32nd Ave. S.John Keller, a leading advocate forimmigration reform and executivedirector of the Immigrant LawCenter of Minnesota (ILCM), willspeak. The event is Every Churcha Peace Church’s bimonthlypotluck supper.
Sea ChangeWednesday, July 23, 7 p.m.Holy Trinity Lutheran Church2730 E. 31st St. This is a 90minute documentaryabout a retired teacher’s personaljourney exploring the rising acidity of the oceans while enjoying agrandson’s love of the sea.Refreshments and freewill offering. More information at 6127298358 or www.htlcmpls.org.
Peace and Justice Film SeriesWednesday, July 23, 7 p.m.Faith Mennonite ChurchE. 22nd St. & 28th Ave. S.(The 6 p.m. community meal will
resume in September 2014.)This month’s film “TheInterrupters” tells the moving andsurprising story of three “violenceinterrupters” in Chicago, whowith bravado, humility and evenhumor try to protect their communities from the violence they onceemployed. There is no charge forthe film. Please use the 22nd Street education building entrance immediately west of the main church building. The Minneapolis Peace and JusticeFilm Series is sponsored by theMinnesota PeacebuildingLeadership Institute, a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organizationwww.mnpeace.org, and the localsponsor of peacebuilding trainingsteaching positive, productive alternatives to revenge that alleviatesuffering locally and globally.
Free Family ConcertSaturday, July 26, 9:30 a.m.Faith Mennonite Church2720 E. 22nd St.Presented by local a cappellaensemble The Summer Singers,this concert is designed especiallyfor children. It is free, interactiveand short. Children are invited toexperience music from around theworld through singing and otheractivities.
Living Spirit BBQSaturday, Aug. 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Living Spirit United MethodistChurch4501 Bloomington Ave. S.Ribs and rib dinners will be servedin Living Spirit’s back yard undera canopy, but all items are packed“to go,” so you can either stay orgo. Slabs are $22, Dinners are $12(includes ribs, baked beans, coleslaw and Texas toast); Tips are $8(meat only, no bones). Drinks anddesserts sold separately. More infoat 6127215025.
34th Annual Corn Feed with ArtICanSunday, Aug. 10, 3 to 6 p.m.Calvary Lutheran Church (parkinglot)3901 Chicago Ave. S.Free corn, hot dogs, music, artactivities. Come and meet yourneighbors for a fun afternoon.
Cool Summer Jazz SeriesSunday, Aug. 17, 1 p.m.Church of St. Albert the Great33rd Ave. S. and E. 29th St.
Enjoy the music of the Bill DunaQuartet. Duna brings togetherclassical and jazz traditions aswell as a deep knowledge of themusic of his Romani ancestors in auniquely blended sound. Ticketsare $15 at the door.
ONGOING
Free Community MealsWednesday Supper, 5:45 to 6:30p.m.Living Spirit United MethodistChurch4501 Bloomington Ave. S.
Zumba Exercise Class &Food/Clothing ShelfZumba: Saturdays, 11 a.m.Food/Clothing: Wednesdays, 9a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m.to 2 p.m. (Brown door on the corner of 48th St. and 15th Ave.)New Creation Baptist Church1414 E. 48th St.
Food Shelf & MinneharvestFood GiveawayFood Shelf: Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m. to3 p.m. (Doors open at 10.)Food Giveaway: Saturday, July 26,9 a.m. (Every 4th Saturday. Twobags of free groceries per adult.)Minnehaha United MethodistChurch3701 E. 50th St.
SOUTHSIDE PRIDE July 201412
•RELIGION CALENDAR•Southside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
BY AMY BLUMENSHINE
At least 22 veterans die by sui-cide each day. These deathsdeserve our community atten-tion. These deaths deserve oursocietal resolve to address the suf-fering some veterans experiencebefore more tragic and unneces-sary final losses reverberatethrough our communities.Veterans account for 20% of allsuicides.
Recently, a group of veteransand family members of vets whodied from suicide formed the8030project.com to raise aware-ness of these yearly 8,030 unnec-essary and tragic deaths. They askthat the greater communityrespond. Specifically, they inviteus to create a memorial of 22objects, photograph it, and digi-tally send it to the gallery exhibi-tion: www.8030project.com.
The Coming HomeCollaborative held a public eventJune 22 at Our Saviour’s LutheranChurch to raise awareness anddiscover potential recovery path-ways. People brought 22 everydayobjects with them, or used objectsprovided, to make memorials,
which were then photographedand can be found online at8030project.com/gallery/.
There was also an exhibition by12 veterans in the Veterans in theArts program, a program thathelps vets bring what is inside tothe outside through the creativeprocess and to experience healingas those creations are witnessedby the greater community.www.veteransinthearts.org/-about-us.
A third exhibit raised aware-ness of the high rate of earlydeaths–from a variety of caus-es–that veterans experience,many within five years of theirdeployments.
Amy Blumenshine is a diaconalminister in the Lutheran Church(ELCA). She co-authored“Welcome Them Home–HelpThem Heal: Pastoral care and min-istry with service membersreturning from war” and foundedthe Coming Home Collaborative,which engages the faith communi-ties in the work of healing afterwar. She can be reached atBuddy@listentovets.org, 612-871-2967 or Facebook.com/coming.-home.collaborative.
Focus on vets
BaptistNEW CREATION BAPTIST CHURCH1414 E. 48th St. * 612-825-6933Sunday School 9:30 amDevotion 10:45 am; Worship 11 amTues. Youth & Adult Bible Study 7 pmPastor: Rev. Dr. Daniel B. McKizzie
CatholicCHURCH OF ST.ALBERT THE GREATCorner of E. 29th & 32nd Ave. S.612-724-3643Mass M, T, TH, F at 8:15 amSaturday 5 pm & Sunday 9:30 amSunday morning childcare www.saintalbertthegreat.orgAir Conditioned Comfort
CHURCH OF THEHOLY NAME3637 11th Ave. S. * 612-724-5465Masses Saturday 5 pmSunday 8:30 & 11 amReconciliation Saturday 4-4:30 pmPastor: Fr. Leo SchneiderA welcoming Roman Catholic community
OUR LADY OF PEACE 5426 12th Ave. S. * 612-824-3455www.olpmn.orgWeekend worship: Saturday 5 pm; Sunday 10 amWeekday worship:Tuesday - Friday 8:15 am
Evangelical FreeFIRST EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH5150 Chicago Ave. S. * 612-827-4705 www.firstfreechurch.orgWorship Service 9:15 am 7/27 Worship at the Falls 10:30 am8/3 Baptismal Service and Picnicafter WorshipChrist-Centered, Christ-Sent
LutheranBETHEL LUTHERAN, ELCA4120 17th Ave. S. * 612-724-3693www.bethel-mpls.org Sunday Worship 10 am Pastor: Brenda FroislandAccessible Off-Street Parking, FamilyRestroomA Reconciling in Christ CongregationIn gratitude, Bethel amplifies God’sgrace, nourishes all creation, reachesout and builds community.
FAITH EVANGELICALLUTHERAN 3430 E. 51st St. * 612-729-5463faithlutheranmpls.orgSunday Worship 9 am (Holy Communion 1st & 3rd Sundays)Fellowship 10 amPastor: Rev. David Domanski
HOPE LUTHERAN5728 Cedar Ave. S. * 612-827-2655www.hopempls.orgEducation for all ages 9 amSunday Worship 10 amPastor: Chris SteubingAll are welcome, no exceptions
MOUNT ZION LUTHERAN5645 Chicago Ave. S. * 612-824-1882Sparks continue to fly!Blended Worship @ 9 amExplosive liturgy & music.Your eyes may just pop atwww.mtzioninmpls.org
NOKOMIS HEIGHTSLUTHERAN - ELCA5300 10th Ave. S. * 612-825-6846www.nokomisheights.orgSunday Worship 8:30 & 10:30 am (Sept-May) Education 9:15 am (Sept-May)Summer Worship 9:30 am (June-Aug)
TRINITY LUTHERANCHURCH OF MINNEHAHA FALLS5212 41st Ave. S. * 612-724-3691 www.trinityfalls.orgSunday Worship 10 am AA Meeting Tuesdays/Sundays 7 pmPastors: Derek Johnson & MattOxendale
MethodistMINNEHAHA UNITEDMETHODIST3701 E. 50th St. * 612-721-6231www.minnehaha.orgTraditional Sunday Worship 9 am &Contemporary Worship 11 am (Sept –May); Sunday Worship 10:30 am out-doors, weather permitting (June-Aug.)Pastor: Rev. Becky Sechrist
LIVING SPIRIT UMC 4501 Bloomington * 612-721-5025www.livingspiritumc.orgSunday Worship 10:30 amFree Wednesday Suppers 5:45 pmMulti-cultural, Multi-racial community
The�NokomisReligious�Community
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BY POLLY MANN
The recent movie “Philomena,”which has had tremendous box officesuccess, focuses on the plight of anunmarried Irish woman seeking theson taken from her at birth. But beforethe movie was made, CatherineCorless, a married mother of fourchildren, had discovered that between1925 and 1961 a total of 796 childrendied in the St. Mary’s Mother andBaby Home in Tuam, Ireland, whichwas run by nuns. In September 2013,Corless announced that she was try-ing to identify the skeletons of chil-dren’s bodies found in a disused septictank in a corner of the Home’s garden.The following information is fromThe Guardian Weekly of June 2014. A Dublin journalist became inter-
ested in the story and, eventually, itgenerated both national and interna-tional coverage. Ireland’s prime minis-ter, Enda Kenny, stated that fordecades women who had childrenoutside marriage were treated as “aninferior sub-species” in Ireland, and inJune the government launched aninquiry into what happened in Tuamand in other such homes across thecountry.Catherine remembers the Tuam
Home, especially the 9-foot high wallthat enclosed it, and the “broken glasscemented into the top of the walls …The kids couldn’t get out. I wouldhave been 6 or 7. I remember the kidsgoing to school–the noise of themmarching in their big clogs.”There were children from the
Home at her convent primary school.
She remembers the nuns’ coldnesstowards these children, a coldness thatbred disrespect among the otherschool children, including herself.“People remember being told by thenuns that they would be put beside aHome baby if they didn’t behavethemselves. They only displayed thatthese children were different. Theywere born illegitimate, therefore theywere bad,“ she said. She feels that thenuns should have handled the situa-tion with kindness instead of humili-ation.At the local registry in Galway, she
found hundreds of the children’sdeath certificates: some from chil-dren’s diseases such as measles andwhooping cough but others from lessserious complaints such as laryngitisor abscesses–conditions that mightindicate neglect.Corless indicts the Catholic
Church for its policy toward themothers of the children. “People saythat families were wrong to throw outtheir daughters (when they becamepregnant outside marriage). I agreewith that. But it must not be forgottenthat the church put those laws inplace, saying that sex outside marriagewas sinful. They blamed thewomen–they didn’t blame the menwho did it, just the women from lead-ing them on. They got that into themindset of the people. They would
preach it every Sunday at mass, so thatfamilies would feel ashamed to show apregnant daughter. I blame them forthat–for putting women through somuch misery, and ostracizing them if
they became pregnant outside mar-riage. Then for their children to beostracized as well–that, to me, was acrime.” Although raised Catholic, Corless
no longer describes herself as reli-gious, saying, “I am very very angrywith the Catholic church.” When her research became head-
line news, she was invited to meet with
the nuns of the Bon Secours orderresponsible for the Tuom Home. Theyattributed the children’s deaths tofamines. Her ultimate goal is to raise
enough money to create a memorialwith a plaque bearing the name ofeach child whose identity has beenestablished.
SOUTHSIDE PRIDEJuly 2014 13
NEWSSouthside Pride | NOKOMIS EDITION
BY ED FELIEN
As of the first of July, 750 “advis-ers” are going back into Iraq to helpstop ISIS from advancing onBaghdad. The New York Timesreported June 26 that more than1,000 private security guards willgo to Iraq to protect those advisers.That’s in addition to the 600 mili-tary personnel already in Iraq toprotect our embassy and the thou-sands of American security guardsprotecting other American assetsthere.The U.S. is sending $500,000 to
“good” rebel forces in Syria becausewe think we can distinguish themfrom the “bad” rebel forces.The Taliban is advancing in
Afghanistan in areas we thought wehad secured.The U.S. is launching drone
strikes in Pakistan and Yemen.The U.S. is sending a billion dol-
lars in military aid to formerGeneral Sisi’s government in Egypteven though he has jailed journal-ists and condemned oppositionleaders to death.We’ve provided at least $28 mil-
lion in military assistance to theUkraine military that is controlled
by the Neo-Nazi Svoboda Party,and we’ve committed to provide anadditional billion dollars in mili-tary assistance to other countries inEastern Europe.We’re not going to make things
better by intervening in othercountries. We’re just going to makethings worse. What would wethink if a foreign country gavemoney and military aid to a politi-cal party in our country? Whatwould we have thought if anothercountry had taken sides in our CivilWar? Why would we think thefolks in Ukraine or Yemen wouldn’tfeel the same resentment?The Sunni uprising in Syria and
Western Iraq is as much aboutpoverty as it is about religion.There has been a terrible droughtin the Sunni areas of Syria and thegovernment has been unable tohelp. Farmers moved into the citiesand became desperate. The Shiitesin the south and east in Iraq getrich revenues from oil. Even theKurds in the north have oil, but theSunnis in the west don’t. So, thereligious coloring of the ISIS marchon Baghdad may be only superfi-cial, and the root causes may beeconomic.
Evangelical Islam is a naturalreaction to social and economicdisruption in the Middle East, just
as evangelical Christianity is a nat-ural reaction to social and econom-ic disruptions in America.
It’s best we stay out of it. Didn’tour first President warn us aboutthe dangers of foreign “entangle-
War and more war
Marie�Braun�of�Women�Against�Military�Madness�and�about�50�supporters�protested� the�continuingmilitary�buildup�in�Iraq�at�their�weekly�Wednesday�afternoon�vigil�on�the�Lake�Street�bridge�from�5�to6�p.m.
Unmarried mothers
BY NATHAN BLUMENSHINE
Recently I visited theMuseum of Memory andHuman Rights in Santiago,Chile. The exhibits focusedprimarily on the killings, tor-ture and disappearances per-petrated by the Pinochet mili-tary regime during its 16-yearrule after overthrowing theAllende government in 1973.As do many monumentsmemorializing tragedies, I wasreminded that we must neverallow this sort of thing to hap-pen again. I found it especially painful
how the United States and ourforeign business interests sup-ported this military regime. Inthe 1970s and backed by thevotes of Chileans, PresidentSalvador Allende was imple-menting policies that favoredthe poor and working class.With violence and fear, thePinochet government was ableto reverse this popular eco-nomic system and implementneoliberal economic policies.Leaving the museum I began towonder, if we must never letsomething like this happenagain, where is it happeningright now?It did not take long to find
an answer. The next morning I
picked up a Chilean newspa-per. Being an avid sports fan Ifigured I would briefly skimthe sports section before read-ing the ¨real¨ news. It turnsout that just before the WorldCup begins, Chile will play onegame against Egypt ... Egypt.In addition to a detailed articleabout the upcoming soccergame, the El Mercurio newspa-per in Santiago also reportedon the crisis in Egypt and thepredictable victory of coupleader General Al Sisi in thepresidential elections. The many similarities
between the Allende-Pinochetand the Morsi-Al Sisi transi-tions cause me to worry thatwe have forgotten the instruc-tions of the Museum ofMemory and Human Rights tonever let something similarhappen again. Here are some
similarities:1. Isn’t it interesting that
before the coups overthrowingthese two democratically-elected and socialist-leaningleaders, strained relations withinternational economic powerssuch as the IMF (InternationalMonetary Fund), worsened theeconomies and stagnated thepotential success of socialisteconomic reforms in bothChile and Egypt?2. While foreign investment
grew in the aftermath of bothmilitary coups, Chile´s econo-my floundered during most ofPinochet´s rule and Egypt isnow over $284 billion in debt. 3. Over its 16 year rule the
Pinochet government wasresponsible for around 3,200deaths, 80,000 internments,28,000 cases of torture. Sincethe coup in July, Egypt´s mili-
tary is responsible for about3,000 deaths and 41,000imprisonments. I sadly suspectthat similar figures for torturewill be available should therebe a Museum of Memory andHuman Rights in Cairo in2040. 4. In 1973, Pinochet banned
all political parties that sup-ported Allende. President to beGen. Al Sisi has declared thatduring his presidency therewill be no such thing as the
Muslim Brotherhood, thepolitical party of ex-presidentMorsi. In the recent election,52% of Egyptians did not vote,even after the voting periodwas extended an extra day.5. After his forceful removal
of Morsi from power, Al Sisi isattempting to legitimize hispower through semi-demo-cratic elections. Pinochet legit-imized his presidency in a1980s vote that ratified his newconstitution.Are neoliberal economic
interests responsible forthe coup in Egypt as theywere in Chile? Many otherfactors could be mentionedabout both Chile andEgypt. Religion, resource pro-duction, geographic locationand much more have animpact. Some argue thatChile´s use of neoliberal poli-cies is the cause of its currenteconomic success. They sug-gest that a military govern-ment that enforces the samesort of policies would alsoeventually spur the Egyptianeconomy. I note that Chile’scurrent prosperity could alsobe fueled by many socialisteconomic policies, such asstate-ownership of a coppercompany. Also, Egypt just had30 years of a military dictator-ship under Hosni Mubarak and20 years of neoliberal leaningeconomic policies. Why wouldmore of that be an improve-ment? Perhaps, I am completely
wrong. I am no expert oneither Chilean history or cur-rent Egyptian news. But weshould be paying attention. Ido know that–while therewere legitimate problems withthe Morsi regime–it is wrongfor a military group to use vio-lence to change the politicaland economic choices of thepeople. My country should nothave supported the Pinochetgovernment and it should notbe supporting the Al Sisi gov-ernment.
Egypt, the Next Chile
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