[Mpls] Inclusivity at the caucus

[Nathan Hunstad]

>I was also at the caucus in 8-2 where the women made the offensive and
> insensitive comment about the white males should step aside.  I was
> infuriated on two points.

Had I been there, I most definitely would not have let it just become an 
awkward silence.  These kinds of comments are simply unacceptable.  If it would 
be inappropriate for me to say that all black females should step aside, or all 
lesbians, or all people over the age of 60, or all people with disabilities 
(and it would be most inappropriate!), then it is no more appropriate to say 
that white males should step aside.  Bigotry is bigotry in my book.

Fortunately, I have never heard anything remotely like that uttered at any DFL 
caucus I have attended, and that includes last night.  Unlike most other 
meetings, mine (10-4) did not get done early.  Our went until about 9, which 
was completely unnecessary.  A good chunk of that was sitting around in our 
precinct caucus, and considering that there were more delegate slots available 
than attendees, it could have taken all of 15 minutes.  But we had visitors 
(Peter McLaughlin, House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, Rep. Frank Hornstein, 
Sen. Scott Dibble), so of course that took up some time.  And there was talk 
about neighborhood issues, although fortunately there were no resolutions, 
which I was told was pointless because there is no state convention for these 
resolutions to be forwarded to, and thus no votes on adding things to the 
platform.

Based on what I saw, I believe this could have been better handled by a simple 
ward convention first.  Having precinct caucuses to elect delegates is not 
necessary, since in every single precinct caucus I have ever attended, there 
has never been an actual fight over delegates.  There have always been more 
slots than people willing to fill them.  I don't know if this means the 
delegate numbers need to be adjusted or what, but when it takes over an hour to 
simply write down all the attendees' names on the ward delegate list, newcomers 
may not be enthralled by the process.  I get sick of the arguments over 
procedures and the constitution and other minutiae, and I've been going to 
caucuses since before I could vote.  It's nice to give new people the 
opportunity to get involved, but in the off years I don't see why we couldn't 
just start at the ward level and let it be open to all comers.

===
Nathan Hunstad
CARAG
Minneapolis, MN
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