[Mpls] 'Citizen Participation' still a myth; 'Activist Participation'not...

[gemgram]

I just returned after attending a funeral and must admit that Mr. Atherton's 
post, with it's humor, lightened my mood.

First, Atherton says, "other than when Mr. Graham implies that the NRP 
solves the problem of government subsidies being granted to developers he's 
dead wrong."

I did not imply anything of the kind.  What I straight forward said was that 
Neighborhood NRP groups invested money more wisely than did the City Council 
and Mayor.  I said that NRP groups knew better than Council Members what 
THEIR problems were and absolutely knew better than CM's and the Mayor what 
the solutions to those problems were. Any "good" City Council Members will 
probably agree with me on those assertions. Any that disagree probably do 
not represent those who elected them and should not be voted for again. 
Again, I am not implying it, I am straight forward saying it.  Do not vote 
for anyone who thinks he or she knows better than the community what is best 
for that community. It proves how dumb or out of touch that Council Person 
or Mayor really is!

 Mr. Cross says,
>"I really, really, resent this.  The imputation of people making personal 
>self-dealing profits out of the NRP program is just outrageous!"<

To which Atherton replies,
>"Mr. Cross can resent this as much as he likes.  We're ain't living in 
>Mayberry. In the last few years we've had two city council members 
>convicted for crimes related to a lack of integrity for sums involving 
>significantly less than $600,000."<

This is the really amusing part.  Isn't Atherton arguing that elected 
Council people should be left to make all decisions about funding and 
programs?  Allowed to make such decisions because they are better qualified 
than neighborhood activist to make them?  And isn't Atherton seeking to 
prove the "fact" by pointing out that two Council Members have been 
convicted of crimes of graft associated with NRP allocations? Exactly whose 
side is Atherton arguing?

Now this old boy might be a little country and slow, but it seems to me that 
Mr. Atherton is trying to prove the blame should go to the hens because the 
egg sucking hounds got caught with egg on their face!  While I am glad Mr. 
Atherton is providing such interesting and humorous statements I must admit 
the beginning of an understanding of some of the problems he might have had 
with his neighborhood group and getting them to follow him.  It is a bit 
hard to follow some one who keeps jumping the fence of logic.

Well I'd better get showered and dressed, then over to that Sixth Ward 
doings.  It is not for much purpose, with no one really "running" in the 
Sixth, but we still have to listen to those running for something as they 
attempt to convince us of how much they will do for us in the future, or 
what they did for us in the past.  Much of which we know is just hot air. 
But, it is sort of the only race in town to decide which donkey we should 
allow to outrun a three legged elephant. But on the brighter side, it is the 
first step to electing the next Mayor, so that should be fun.

Well you folks get out there and enjoy this wonderful weekend with your 
families and loved ones.  It is one of those four or five glorious weekends 
a year that make the rest of Minnesota's frozen or mosquito ridden year 
tolerable.  Spend the weekend loving and touching those special ones, 
because those days are limited and those loved ones precious.

May the joy of love be with us all,

Jim Graham,
from the porch steps in Ventura Village

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either 
write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing."