[Mpls] " Shout Out To Supt. Thandiwe " !

[jeanneharris]

I care not a whit about your being / getting tired. I am an American citizen
,and am entitled to voice my opinions, observations, thoughts, etc. This
Forum does not exist merely for your random ramblings only!
Do NOT Reply directly to me again- I will not be subjected to your
intrusions im my home! You have something to say to me - do it in the Forum.

Jeanne Harris/ Near North/ 5th Ward

jh
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dennis Plante" <dennisplante at hotmail.com>
To: <jeanneharris at mn.rr.com>; <mpls at mnforum.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2005 1:07 PM
Subject: RE: [Mpls] " Shout Out To Supt. Thandiwe " !


>
> Jeanne Harris Writes:
> I am so excited that I can barely contain myself ! Why ? Well , I was
> reading a rather lengthy article published May 26, 2005 / INSIGHT News by
D.
> Samuels; and he gives an accounting of how his family rose to prominence
and
> gained "advantage / compared to the country folk they grew up with"; he
goes
> on to say , that would think it was due to a certain innate family
> brilliance and resiliency, Not so , our advantage had everything to do
with
> the fact that there were mulatto house slaves in our family.....indeed
today
> you can see that complexion and class are close allies".
>
> Interesting! I read on and he goes on at length, but the part I want you
to
> consider is this- " Some would prefer that if I speak only of being
African,
> that I pretend that my ancestors were all 'field' slaves..." ...." the
> lesson is this: people who have the advantage   to observe success will
> reproduce it more easily & frequently than those who don't ."
>
> There!  Your    Problems of under-performing students solved! You can
thank
> me later!!!!
>
> ( note ) wow- I wish I had this article when I was in college / I remember
> professors  wishing that  it was as simple as osmosis / wonder where Alan
> Counter is today; excuse me "Dr. Alan Counter"- I used to have my eyes
glued
> on him!!!
>
>
> Dennis Plante Responds:
>
> Thanks for sharing this with us.  It's nice to know that having positive
> role models has no net effect on whether or not it significantly assists
> those that most need the assistance in getting a "leg-up" in life.
>
> My interpretation of what CM Samuels is saying is that indeed, having
> "positive" role models in your life does in fact, have an affect on your
> life.  I tend to agree.
>
> Not too terribly long ago, I took it upon myself to mentor a 15 year-old
boy
> that was incarcerated in a halfway house in my neighborhood.  I received
> numerous phone calls by both his wards (at the home) and his extended
family
> regarding the positive impact my interaction was having on this child.
>
> It appears you are asserting this is not an important element.  I must
> confess.  I am becoming tired of hearing the rants and "pot-shots".  It is
> very easy to criticize, but I believe that one should be expected to
> offer-up an alternative if they choose to do so.
>
> The 5th Ward elections AND the residents living in the 5th Ward, deserve a
> higher standard in the debate of the issues that will eventually determine
> the new ward Councilmember.
>
> dennis plante
> lind-bohanon
>
>