Dad’s Day

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Last Dad’s Day was June 16, 2019.  It was a very good day.  This one promises to be as well.  Of course, there will be big differences.  One year ago none of us could have imagined COVID-19.  The other major societal stresses impacting our lives today could have been imagined, but not with precision.  This Father’s Day weekend has significant overlays that impact on all of us, Dad or otherwise.  I wonder what it will be like a year forward from today.

I choose, this time in history, to focus on a letter to the editor I wrote a week or so ago.  It was occasioned by twin photos of the two young mayors of the Twin Cities, Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, and Melvin Carter of St. Paul, during the recent unrest after the murder of George Floyd.

To this moment, the letter has not been printed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, nor have they contacted me, which means that it likely won’t see ink.  The paper chose to print a column by a now long-ago politician, Norm Coleman.  It is their own right to choose points of view, of course.

So, I choose to present my own letter here, for you to agree or disagree with.  It is printed exactly as submitted, a bit of food for thought.  I was young, once, and often, in much less stressful circumstances, I had to make decisions as the mayors did, without the wisdom of hind sight.  We’ve all been there, done that.

Anyway, here’s my June 15, 2020, letter to Minneapolis Star Tribune.

“Your “Two Mayors” front page certainly attracted attention.
I’ve just entered the 9th decade of my life, most of my adult years living and working in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Personally, I think it is wonderful that young people are taking the reins of responsibility.  Melvin Carter (41) and Jacob Frey (nearing 39) are half my age, but I applaud and thank them for their leadership during these trying times.
We elders had our opportunities, and certainly we have our right to second-guess and sidewalk superintend what is going on.
We might look back at the ages of the leaders we’ve known from years ago.  Not only are Frey and Carter probably in their general age group, but they, too, made their mistakes, often due to the fact that they were also in the hot seat.  Harry Truman popularized “the buck stops here” when he became President in 1945.  
Mr. Truman was first elected to public office when he was 38.  Take your pick of the politicians you love or loath – most have similar biographies.
Jacob and Melvin and their generation deserve our support and respect as they wrestle with impossible questions.“

Mr. Coleman was young once; so was I.  The time is now for the new generation to fully take over; new faces of diverse sorts are desperately needed.  Yes, they’ll make mistakes.  So what else is new, for anyone who’s “been there, done that”?

Best wishes for success to the young and the others under- and mis-represented in our past.

It’s time.

Probably the best advice I ever heard about making a difference came from my friend, Rev. Verlyn Smith, some years before he died in 2012.   A giant for peace and justice, Verlyn was a South Dakota farm boy, soft and plain-spoken.  As it happened, his work as a Lutheran minister found him as a campus minister in California during the hottest times of the Vietnam war protests in the late 60s, early 70s. Verlyn was receiving an award one night in 2010 page 8), and I was in the room when he gave brief remarks.  In my recollection, he said he went on the college assignment without much of a bent towards activism – that evolved over time.  He got to thinking back to those days and was musing about student activism he had witnessed in California.  As I vividly recall, he simply said words to this effect: “Almost all of the college kids back then were involved in being college kids working towards their degree, like now.  Only perhaps 2% of them were the anti-war activists.  The 2% were enough to make the difference.”  That really stuck with me.  It only takes some to make a difference.  And there are many ways to make a difference.  Find your niche.

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POSTNOTE: We are living in troubled times, times that need activists.  As it happens, the COVID-19 Crisis in our country coincided with an excellent workshop I was attending on racism, “Becoming Human”, in February, 2020.  In the end, the entire program, through St. Thomas University, ended up on-line, accessible, free, to anyone. Here is the link (scroll down to “Becoming Human” under “Featured Resources”.  There are six modules, approximately one hour each.)

And if you’re interested in Tulsa, today: here.

PBS Frontline had an excellent special on COVID-19 this week.  It may be accessible on-line.  Take a look.

COMMENTS (see other comments at end of the post as well): 

from Donna: Thanks for your words Dick.  I couldn’t agree with you more.  I think both mayors are admirable in these uncertain times.  I am very optimistic that we will come out a better country.  What I still am baffled about is why black history is basically not taught  in schools.  I am astounded at how ignorant I was about Tulsa and past history.  I was talking to my son last night and asked if he knew about Tulsa or some of the history we learned about in the first session at the Basilica.  He took AP history in Hopkins schools taught by an African American.  He said before last week he had not heard any of it.  I just feel that until we start teaching all of America’s history including injustices to Native Americans we can not heal as a country.  Happy Father’s Day.

from Molly:  Thanks, Dick, for the rich reading this morning.  I’ll be forwarding your thoughts about Verlyn to Judy H, his widow, who I suspect you know.  The Just Above Sunset column was outstanding, and, of course, heartbreaking in the truth-of-our-times that it expresses.  Safe passage through the storms, my friend,
from Judy (Verlyn’s spouse):  Dick thanks for reflections on Verlyn. Just this week I found an audio tape of his sermon in 2004 on Mother’s Day at my church (Macalester Plymouth United). Vintage Verlyn, getting people to laugh hysterically, diving in to major issues, elevating concerns about Lutheran Church still not allowing ordination of gays if not celibate… all in context of Biblical text about the three forms of love.
Took the tape to Astound to have digitized, will put on my computer. Would you like me to send it so you can put it on  your blog? Keep up the good work. Judy
from Bill Habedank: Thanks Dick. Happy Fathers Day!!
Liked your LTE too!  Like you, some of my best work never made print.
In reading it made me think of Johnny Cash’s song “What is Truth?”.  You can find it on YouTube.  Listen to the last verse
Have a good day
Bill
Peacestock 2020 will be virtual on July 18th.  New website should be up very soon.  [Dick:  Military Veterans especially, check this event out.  Always meaningful.]
from Steve: (Steve is a local legislator in the State Legislature, which just adjourned from a special session): I’m very disappointed that the special session ended (began and ended) as it did. Both sides of the aisle made mistakes as far as I’m concerned. We just have to do better than that. Of course, both sides will blame the other. My feeling is that our side’s strategy was wrong and the other side’s ideology was wrong. Will anyone admit to that? Probably not.

 

Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace

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A year ago, we were on the final leg of a memorable two weeks in America’s northwest.  There were all sorts of high points.  We arrived home this date, the Saturday before Father’s Day.

Early in the journey I decided to observe something called “Servant Leadership” which my friend Judy Maghakian had asked me to speak about on my return.  I had not heard the term used before, and rather than look it up in an academic sense, I simply defined it for myself, watching for people doing good things, and then set about looking for examples along the way.

In 14 days, there were endless positive examples, everywhere we went.  Basically, it was simply people being nice to unknown neighbors – ourselves or others.  If you look for good, it is easy to find it, since it is all around…free for the taking.

It was a good exercise.  Try it…frequently.  You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised.

June 13, 2019, we boarded our flight enroute from Sacramento to Denver for  a short visit with son and family.  A day and a half later, the last leg took us from Denver to Minneapolis.  June 16, Father’s Day, was also with family.

Over the past few days I have tried to think of the single peak experience in those wonderful two weeks, and I have to say that it happened on the flight from Sacramento to Denver on June 13.

During the flight a free movie came on, Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace (photo).  I had never heard of the film (which was released in April, 2019), and I didn’t even have sound,  but oh, what a film to watch,  recorded live in 1972 in a church in Los Angeles, but not completed or released for many years.  (My ‘venue’ for the film was YouTube.)

Aretha Franklin June 13, 2019, on the in-flight TV.

These are days when Amazing Grace and looking for good are needed more than ever.  Check out the film, and watch it in context with today.

 

Monuments

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Wednesday nights TV news reported on the toppling of a statue of Christopher Columbus on the Minnesota State Capitol grounds. Yesterday, I went over to see for myself.  I didn’t even know the statue existed, and after inquiry finally found the site, directly across Cedar St from the present Judicial Center, which years ago was what I remember as the Minnesota Historical Society.

On the pedestal where Columbus had stood since 1931, sat  a man.  I asked if he minded if I took a photo.   He said “thank you for asking”.  Our conversation was very brief and low key.  As I recall, he said he was a sculptor himself, and damaging works of art bothered him  He pointed out where the statue had fallen, about where I was standing.  I didn’t ask, and he didn’t offer, his name.

At the Columbus statue, State Capitol grounds, June 11, 2020 photo by Dick Bernard

The gentleman and I didn’t engage in much conversation.  He was reflecting; so was I.  I left him to his quiet, and continued with mine.  I looked back; somebody else had stopped by.

Monuments, especially Confederate, and those of people like Columbus, revered as discoverers and conquerors, come with a very dark side.

Eugene Robinson in today’s Washington Post wrote a very perceptive piece on the post-Civil War monuments now under attack.  You can read it here.

I have known for many years the destruction that my people inflicted on the Natives of America, of whom Christopher Columbus was one of the first.  When I define racism, it starts with the treatment of the Native Americans of my home state of North Dakota. Race, a personal view

25 years ago, in May, 1990, I attended a Pow Wow sponsored by the Heart of the Earth school in Minneapolis.  In the program was a one page commentary on the Native feeling at the time.  You can read it here: 500 years after Columbus001 (click to enlarge).  I offer it to help start a conversation.  (Heart of the Earth Survival School, referred to in the article, ended due to serious legal issues in 2008.  You can read about that here.)

I really don’t know the feelings of the man seated where Columbus stood yesterday.  We are all faced with an opportunity to confront our entire history in the coming days.  Personally, I think this is a very good thing, a learning opportunity.

Christopher Columbus, near the State Capitol, St. Paul.  Photo 2001 Joe Hoover.  This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Christopher Columbus statue site June 11, 2020

Christopher Columbus pedestal July 1, 2020, MN State capitol is a short block to the right (off the picture). Cathedral of St. Paul in background.

Union

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Tuesday night I joined a webcast of MN Interfaith Power and Light, a strong local activist group.  There were near 100 participants, and the meeting was organized in the usual way our society does things.  It was a very well run meeting, on Zoom, as is typical these days.  I chose to be a listener, not on camera, on mute.

Tonights gathering, which I felt was excellent in every way, is a good place to comment briefly on the concept of “Union”, which is again being challenged in the wake of George Floyd and the Minneapolis Police Federation.

I speak as a person who was a Union Organizer for 27 years, beginning 48 years ago.  My union, now called Education Minnesota, is, I think, the largest single union in the Minnesota AFL-CIO.  I have some perspective.

We are a nation of all sorts of “unions”,  the most common, probably, are those ubiquitous relationship unions of two people, most commonly called “marriage”.

And, the first words of the Constitution of the United States of America are these: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union….”

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So, what is “Union” in the context of our country?

First a Union is a collection of people with some degree of common interest.  We know unions are imperfect:  think an ordinary garden variety marriage.

Typically, larger groups of people band together and pick someone to be a leader.

If someone complains to me about who represents us as President of the U.S., my retort is that we all elected him, whether or not we bothered to cast an informed vote, or even voted at all in 2016.  He won.  So it is with the President of anything.  He or she is there for some reason relating to the membership who participated, or could participate, and did or did not.

Typically, a Union consists of a large diversity of persons.  Our web call tonight, with about 100 people, doubtless had persons with differences of opinion, even though we were likely all ‘birds of a feather’.  This comes to be the rub in any organization that declares itself to be a “union”, including the United States of America.  We need to find ways to resolve differences; if we don’t we have the dysfunction we are now witnessing.  We can’t win if we don’t at least recognize that our own opinion is not the only, perfect, one.

In my personal context, now 20 years in the past, each Union staff member worked for more or less 1,000 members, usually aggregated from a number of small local unions. The locals all had Presidents.  Our groups were all shapes and sizes.  We staff were viewed, I suppose, as powerful people.  But we actually had very little power.  Much of our time was trying to figure out ways to reach some semblance of agreement not only with managements, but with the abundance of internal conflicts over priorities and limits within the memberships of the unions we worked for.

Our contracts ultimately reflected the tenor of the larger local community, as represented by elected school boards, etc.  We all were accountable.  In times of stress, someone often had to take the blame.  It wasn’t easy.

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In the wake of the George Floyd murder, a headline in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, said “Unions present significant roadblock to reform”,  specifically police unions.  Certainly true…somewhat.

“We the People” need to know that we are all the cause in the matter of an imperfect society.  Out of tragedy can come good things.  I can hope.

Here’s a favorite quotation I often come back to when thinking about relationship problems: Dialogue (click image to enlarge).

Let’s get to work.

COMMENTS (among which are several received on-line.  See very end of post):

POSTNOTE:   To give a little additional context to the above: strictly by coincidence, my appointment to union field representative came the same year of the first collectively bargained contract under a new Minnesota Law (Public Employment Labor Relations Act of 1971, in effect 1972).  There was an adjustment period of time (understatement) where labor had to learn how to adjust to its new rights, and management to its new responsibilities, from the previous, where management had the rights and labor had the responsibilities.  We learned, uncomfortably, together.  But we did learn.  In the subsequent 48 years, there has been a single strike in that school district (1981), and while there have been some tense times now and then, the parties have figured out how to reach agreements every two years.  I was in this district only for the first ten years.  I think I can make a reasonable generalization that the statewide experience has been similar to ours.  Of course, there remain those who cannot abide employees having the right to bargain and neutral redress of grievances; and employees who feel their colleagues accused of this or that are guilty because they were accused, but I think the totality favors a balance of rights and responsibilities for both parties: the public through its elected representatives, and the employees through their union.

COMMENTS THROUGH JUNE 13:

from Dick:  I sent this post on to about a dozen contemporaries who were active in teacher union work back in the day when collective bargaining became a part of the teacher vocabulary.  I’ve heard from four of these so far.  It remains to be seen if others will post.  The June 11 Minneapolis Star Tribune editorialized about “needed reforms”.  It can be read here.  I have my own opinion about this editorial, but will hold off on commenting till later.   We are in the midst of issues which have been crucial for many years, and time will tell how much stamina there is to deal with it, and what the results will be.  I hope people get engaged in deep dialogue about this.  There are risks and there are opportunities for good.  How will we react.  More later.

from John:  While I think there are many aspects of “community policing” that are workable we will always need a cadre of well-trained officers to deal with violent criminals.  Of course, systematic racism and poverty breeds violence but I have serious doubts that the collective bargaining system needs radical adjustment. Education is always the answer.  Sure we need more low-income housing but the real answer to that is less low-income people.  You’re right.  We need to get to work.

from Minneapolis resident:  On our Next Door site in which our neighborhood is linked with neighboring ‘hoods there apparently was a since removed posting from people in the ____ neighborhood to the effect that some of these people are so fed up with the racist Minneapolis Police Department that they want their neighborhood to secede from the city.  What I find really disturbing [is] that most of these people I suspect are college educated.  Our son attended grade school, grades 5-8 in [that] neighborhood.  Most of his classmates lived in that neighborhood which is how I became familiar with the people living there.  I say disturbing because I would hope that people born with a good brain they then developed through college education would be better able to respond to current developments.

from Mary in NY: wsj 6.6.20 on policing0001 (click to enlarge, article from Wall Street Journal 6-6-20)

from Corky (who was a Union staff colleague of mine, and preceded me on Minnesota’s Iron Range,  He also has added a further comment in the on-line comments below).   Tweeting.. messages…Facebook, etc. create information that is not comparable to network/ communications of previous union publications that required responsible individuals to communicate to the public and/or rank n file union membership. Curious as to typical union public relations mode of operation?

Just Above Sunset:  Quotes on “Our Police”

from Kathy: The MEA [teachers union] was very instrumental in Women’s Rights.  In 1970 women teachers were retired to wear dresses.  One cold winter the secretaries felt it was too cold in the office to wear dresses so they banded together and wore pants suits, and a picture was taken and published.

In 1971 a sixth grade teachers had a substitute teacher show up to take her place because the sixth grade teacher was 4 months pregnant.  At that time teachers had to “resign” at 4 months.  I can still see her standing there saying “there are teachers in this building with bigger stomachs than mine, including 5th grade teacher Ron”.  After the 6th grade girls were crying she went home.

MEA fought for Maternity leaves in the 1970s so teachers could take time off and return to their jobs and not be terminated.

Dick responds:  I was teacher union staff in those days.  I think maternity leave and similar women’s and other rights came to be largely as a result of Federal “Title” legislation in the 1960s.  They are some of the most important pieces of legislation ever passed.

 

June 5, 2019

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A year ago today we were in Seattle, visiting Pike Place, a short walk from our hotel.  My “iconic” photo there was not the famed Pike Place Fish Market featuring the famous fish toss, but the Gum Wall not far away, with a couple of kids having a good time (the young lady pointing out her contribution to the wall).  Generations of youngsters and gum wads under school desks come to mind here.  When the kids get to this long wall, it must be heavenly!

Gum Wall, Pike Place Seattle WA June 5, 2019

A year ago was a celebratory time for us – me, a survivor of heart surgery six months earlier; Cathy, a survivor of me!  AMTRAK heading to the Coast was a good idea.  But as we know, time passes quickly and other things interfere, as we all know from our own life experiences.  Memorial Day 2020 continued to change our lives, adding to the pandemic, and so on….

Later today (it’s Sunday morning, June 7, as I write), we go to Grandson Parker’s high school graduation, scheduled for 2:45 p.m.  Here’s how Eastview High in Apple Valley decided to do graduation this year.

Tomorrow Grandson Ted is 20.  They live nearby, but I haven’t heard of any backyard party.  Life is still in quarantine.

Then there’s the daily front page news, the end of the week of George Floyd’s funeral, and all that attends, all over the world.  We all have an opportunity to be part of the solution; I hope we take the bait, but it won’t be easy.  It is easier to blame.

Yesterday I took my spouse Cathy down to see Lake Street and Chicago Avenue south.  It was another beautiful day, all was quiet.  Hulks of most of the buildings that were destroyed by fire remain, most windows remain boarded over with plywood, there is the usual graffiti…but some awesome street art is now appearing to bring a little beauty back.

We couldn’t get all the way to 38th and Chicago where the murder happened on Memorial Day, but we got within a block.  People were gathered there.  All was quiet.

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.  What are we going to do with it, and the days that follow?  It’s up to us.

Gum Wall Pike Place Seattle June 5, 2019

The story of the Gum Wall is interesting.  I have a link at the beginning of this post, but searching the words will come up with more stories.  We are all like that young lady, with our own space on the wall of humanity.  What is our design, our contribution, to be?

Seattle Pike Place area June 5, 2019

The neighborhood where Gandhi Mahal restaurant stood before it was destroyed by fire last week. Minneapolis Star Tribune page A12 June 7, 2020.  Gandhi Mahal was mid-block in the burned out block.  

A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF YOUR TIME.

BECOMING HUMAN: A LENTEN SERIES:  Along with about 50 others, I attended the first three of a planned six lecture series on this topic at Basilica of St. Mary beginning February, 2020.  Each talk was powerful.  The last three had to be cancelled due to quarantine, but the speakers, all faculty at St. Thomas University, put all of the six lectures on video, and Basilica and St. Thomas have made them available to everyone, and I’m passing along with permission.  The syllabus is at the end of this post.  I have not included the links or followup activities.  Here are the links to the talks themselves.

Week One: Dr. David Williard: Civil War to Civil Rights

Week Two: Dr. Jessica Siegel: The War on Drugs

Week Three: Dr. Amy Levad: Mass Incarceration

Week Four: Dr. Amy Finnegan: Defeating the “White Savior” Complex

Week Five: Dr. Michael Klein: Mobilizing for Social Change

Week Six: Dr. Kimberley Vrudny: The Blackness of God

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BECOMING HUMAN: A LENTEN SERIES

Welcome to The Basilica of Saint Mary’s Lenten Series on “Becoming Human.” Though of course we wish we could have continued the series in person, COVID-19 made online delivery necessary. We hope that this “online portal” to the series provides you with some ofthe tools that will be necessary to engage in the work of transforming our communities.

The theory guiding this series is that the racial history we all inherit is dehumanizing for all of us, though it is dehumanizing for white folks in different ways than it is dehumanizing for people of color. The only way to “become human” is to confront the legacy of white supremacy and undergo a process of transformation, even conversion, to engage more humanely in the world, especially across the color line.

Key to this effort is learning the history of how white supremacy has been structured into the American legal system from its founding (week one), persisting beyond the era of Civil Rights especially through the “war on drugs” (week two), and leading to the contemporary reality of mass incarceration (week three). Learning the stages of development in racial identity can help to disrupt the “White Savior” complex, the tendency of white people to engage in efforts that are unhelpful at best, and patronizing at worst (week four). True social transformation can happen when there is a match between our unique gifts and the world’s need. As Frederick Buechner put it, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet” (week five). Since theology is a carrier, too, of white supremacy, learning about the Blackness of God might also help in recognizing the moral imperative behind this religious calling to engage in the work of social transformation (week six).

This series will echo the Christian cycle of creation-fall-redemption, starting with the theological idea that humans were created in the imago Dei, but fell into a sinful condition where persons, relations, and structures fail to function in the ways that God desires. Humans were created reflecting something of the divine life, but sin–especially the social sin associated with the domination of one over another–has diminished life, not only for people of color, but also for perpetrators. The final two sessions in the series will point to the hope that God is redeeming us from the condition in which we find ourselves. The series holds onto the hope that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world, enlightening us, empowering us, and encouraging us to resist systems of oppression, and to cooperate in the task of reclaiming our common humanity.

Schools out

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June 8, 2020:  Yesterday we had the honor of participating in grandson Parker’s receiving his high school diploma at Eastview High School in Apple Valley MN.  There were about 500 graduates this year, and no traditional graduation exercise, but it was a phenomenal event.  Every participant – every one of you – are invited to watch the 75 minute YouTube graduation, music and talks for the class of 2020 at Eastview.  You’ll be glad you watched.  (Student speaker Campbell Bernstein is at 9:04; Faculty speaker Mary Carberry is at 23:50, both app. 10 minutes.)

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During the days of CIVUD-19, my relaxation has included a daily solitary drive somewhere in the vicinity of home.  Today, I drove by the school where my daughter is Principal, Oltman Middle School.  I was expecting to see the usual: an almost empty parking lot.  School has been home-based since the end of March due to the Pandemic.

Today was different.  There were cars in the lot, and cars in a slow caravan where students are dropped off and picked up.  I saw three “stops” along the front of the school.  What’s up?  Here’s a photo:

At stop 3, Oltman Middle School, June 3, 2020.It didn’t take long to sort this out: it was the last day of school, and students were picking up, curbside, whatever of their stuff had been left behind when they last attended class behind those walls.  Earlier other essential items in the lockers had been recovered, as perhaps forgotten snacks and such.  Today’s grocery bags for most of the 1,000 students held leftovers.  It was well organized.  Parents were assigned a particular hour to drive by.  It seemed to go well.

So ends a most unusual school year where students, faculty, staff and parents have had to make big adjustments through our entire state, and over most of the country.  They – all of them – deserve congratulations and a good summer.

Five of our grandkids are school age.  Two graduate from high school this year – which will be virtual, one of them in July.  It hasn’t been easy.

“The School Year” – roughly September to June – has long defined the normal rhythm of life for society, generally.  Kids generally are delighted when ‘school’ is over…but in a week or two many will be missing school and waiting for it to begin again.

School is young peoples community.

There is no certainty, this year, that next year, 2020-21, will be ‘normal’, in the traditional sense.  Much depends on what transpires with the Pandemic in which we all are immersed.

For now, congratulations to everyone involved in that place called school.  Have a good summer.

POSTNOTES: My friend Marion Brady, older than I, has been passionate about the place called school far longer than I’ve known him (we met in the 1990s in an on-line discussion group moderated by the National Education Association about public education).

Marion writes regularly for the Answer Sheet in The Washington Post.  Here are two of his recent articles on his own proposal for school reform: 1) “Educating: Bottom up change” marion Brady.  and 2) his most recent column, “Salvaging public schooling”, in the June 3, 2020, Orlando Sentinel: marion brady2.  (click on the images to enlarge them).  More about Marion here.

Here’s a longer writing, articulating Marion Brady’s philosophy.

Two other vignettes – two gifts – as this most challenging school year in all of our lifetimes ends:

Yesterday a retired teacher sent  a short YouTube video forwarded by another retired teacher.  The video clip, which seems to be from a Central European country, is brief, poignant, troubling and inspiring, all at the same time.  I hope you watch the entire 3 or 4 minutes.

Finally, on the lighter side for all educators, a look at the future from Teacher magazine in 2002: Distance Learning

Seen in an office at Oltman Middle School, Cottage Grove, MN June 3, 2020

A Year

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See POSTNOTE

About this time of day, one year ago today, we were about to leave for AMTRAK station in St. Paul Minnesota, enroute to 14 days beginning at Seattle, south to Davis, California then back via Denver.  It was a memorable trip, celebrating six months out from major heart surgery December 4, 2018.

There are trainloads of wonderful memories, and lots of photos.  My preference is to not pick and choose what to publicize from that trip.

It was a very different time, then, before COVID-19, and everything else that troubles our country at this time in our history.

May there be better news next year at this time.

Have a great day.

I do offer a wonderful short video received today from a friend who is a retired teacher, sent to her by another retired teacher.  It’s about 3 minutes, a powerful lesson.  Watch to the end….

POSTNOTE:

If you haven’t visited lately, the last four posts of May were about the George Floyd tragedy, May 27, 29, 30, 31, 2020.  There will doubtless be more: the George Floyd killing is a crucial issue in my 80 years living in this country.  Check back once in awhile.

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JUNE 3, 2020: UPDATE

I drove down Lake Street right before noon.  Quiet.  Still closed at 29th.  Still all boarded up.  The burned out remains of Walgreens at about 31st is the first destroyed building.  This time I went a block south when diverted, rather than north, and the adjoining east/west street was very busy around Holy Trinity Church which seems a local epicenter for aid.  Lots of people carrying lots of bottled water.  Peaceful.  Orderly.  Holy Trinity is a block southeast, as the crow flies, from Gandhi Mahal site.

This afternoon, I learned that my church, Basilica of St.Mary, had incurred some fire bomb damage on Thursday.  The Pastor describes the incident here.  Luckily there was relatively little damage.

I will endeavor to give brief updates each day, here.  Continuing comments are welcome.  I’m adding one comment received today at the end of this blog.

JUNE 2, 2020: MORNING 

In my e-mail, overnight, presented strictly as received:

Two of four photos yesterday at Gandhi Mahal, 27th at Lake Street, Minneapolis from my daughter, Lauri.

Gandhi Mahal June 1, 2020 from Lauri

Next door to Gandhi Mahal June 1, 2020

from my long-time friend, June, retired university professor: Hi Dick,  These are scary times.  I hope we make it through this.  I have been sharing the post below.  I hope your day is a good one.

originator, Gene, May 31, 20220:

I’m doing a lot of reading of posts on Facebook from around the Twin Cities.

One person posted that they were on a plane filled with white supremacists who were all openly discussing their plans.

Some one else stated that she heard that at least eight thousand are trying to or planning to get to Minneapolis by Tuesday.

Someone else said that there are a lot of Vigilantes holing up in hotels and motels out in The Burbs and driving into the city.

Evidently, cars are being stolen and that’s why there are no license plates on a lot of these brand new SUVs and trucks. Where they are stealing them from, I have no idea. But I also know that not everyone is stealing SUVs / trucks and many are just plain driving up here from places like Texas, Indiana, Wisconsin… Just to name three states that keep coming up over and over as well as, of course, Minnesota.

Someone I went to High School with reported that people were driving through her neighborhood threatening to kill everyone. I’ve heard a lot of reports like that all over Facebook… People talking about groups of people driving through their neighborhood threatening people and traveling with a lot of weapons. (I know that there has been push- back on people over this curfew issue… Some people just wanting to sit on their porches and sit on the steps, others who believe quite naively that just because they are peaceful that they can still continue to protest and walk around– in light of all of these terrorists driving around and threatening folks, it’s better to adhere to the curfew and stay indoors if you are not patrolling your neighborhood)

One person spoke of reporting to the authorities that she had seen people who had stopped somewhere and she was able to see that their truck was filled with all sorts of flammable chemicals.

These folks are not playing! They are hell-bent on either taking over the city or taking us down completely! The trouble is that we’re not the only city; they’re hitting other cities at the same time as they are hitting ours. It really is a game of whack-a-mole!

To those people who don’t believe me, like a couple of people I know who really feel that I’m being overdramatic, you have no idea… This is a f****** nightmare and I guess we going to be awake for a long time trying to figure out how we’re going to counteract all of this.

And just so you know, if you think because you live in the suburbs or some of these small towns, that this violence is not going to touch you, you better think again. They’ve already made their way up to Northern Minnesota… Bemidji, Iron Range, Duluth… They’re even hitting places like Rochester… Even Fargo\Moorhead area… No One Is Safe!

The protest against George Floyd, of course has nothing to do with any of this … These folks have been training and planning this for a very long time looking for an opening and they found one!

The good side of this is that we are all going to have to come together in order to save our city and to save our state! Did you hear what I said??? We are all going to have to come together in order to save us all!

Just Above Sunset, Finally Losing It All, The President declares war…on who?

Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, June 1, 2020

The 2019 West Coast Trip: we arrived in Seattle late morning June 3, a year ago.  Later in June I’ll post with a summary of the 13 days ‘on the road’.   Check back once in awhile.

COMMENTS:

from Carole, a long-time trusted friend:

The following resources may help others who are grappling as we need White people now more than ever.
Relevant Resources:
Please see the following resources that are circulating the internet. The following docs are from leaders who believe we are stronger together. These are legitimate. Please share with others.

Minnesota and National resources that can be used to find similar resources in your area:

How to Help NOW by Jamie Fischer (Facebook link).  Many resources linked here.
Anti-racism Resources: Sarah Sophie Flicker (Twitter) and Alyssa Klein (also Twitter). Many resources linked here.
from Melanie:
I saw your latest post with the photos and the  scary things happening post.  And I listened to the conference call with the Governors.  Also the Gov. of NY.
I wonder if you would like to share Trevor Noah’s so eloquently put comments. [very powerful.  Ed.]
from Barry: I am not sure whether to thank you or not. Just as my anxiety is lessening a bit I read your blog. So we start all over again. I hope they will find something better to do with themselves. There are a lot more than 8,000 residents in MN and if we organize and stand together and not allow their madness we will be ok.
I think getting together to help out Gandhi Mahal would be a good place to focus our energy.
Dick to Barry: I certainly don’t need thanks, and maybe you over-interpreted what I was saying.  I’m just not going to spend weeks and month rehashing the same issue over and over again.  I have the ‘file’ open on George Floyd, and it is always there (May 27, 29, 30, 31, June 1).  This afternoon I was thinking of some other thread I’d like to comment on sometime this month.  I don’t have a lot of readers but they are a diverse lot, and my hope is that the ones who think I’m hopelessly liberal, or naive, will at least keep visiting.  Anyway, let’s talk a little more about your concern.  I wish we could meet in person – that’s my preference.  But however, keep talking.  I’ll add your comment, and probably include my response there as well.  Thanks again.
from Roland: The damages to business places etc seems ok to you.
Dick to Roland: Maybe I’m a very poor communicator.  The business destroyed is of a close personal friend of mine.  I’m wondering what your issue is, Rollie.  I don’t mind disagreement but I’d like to know exactly what the disagreement is.   The person who owns the business I’ve high-lited (Ruhel Islam of Gandhi Mahal) is grateful that I publicized his loss.  He’ll come back, I’m certain, better than ever.

from Darleen:  I thought you’d be getting a closer view and a view for yourself.   I appreciate your insights.

From what I heard, MN protestors are- peaceful and grieving, but the AFTENA (sp) [antifada] group from
out of state is the violent group and have stirred up violence across the US.   Be safe.
Dick to Darleen:  It is too early to know what involvement this nebulous bunch called “antifada” had (they are labelled as “radical left” and specifically identified last night.  They deserve scrutiny, certainly.  Most likely the antagonists, the destroyers, were what loosely called “white nationalists”.  Sometime this month I’ll likely do a specific commentary on this group who think they can control by violence and who likely have exploited Floyd’s death (my opinion).

June 3, from Mary in Rochester NY:   And the beat goes on!!  But becoming a bit more focused on purpose and less on wanton destruction,  Rochester is one of the cities on curfew and one of the cities where there is a lot of local commentary and justification.  Too many answers, too few questions, too little accountability.

It is quiet where I live, it is just an ordinary Wednesday with trash pickup and dog walkers.
Many of my fellow health care workers on the night shift at the nursing home just down the street live in ‘the hoods’ – affecting ability to get to work, affecting ability to focus on work, affecting enthusiasm for work, and so subsequently, for those who don’t have as many external motivators and de-motivators affecting work, the work is more difficult with even shorter staffing.  Seems a bit of a vicious circle and much like the chain of infection we learned so much about with corona, it continues to take serious efforts at interruption to break the contagion.
Yeah, it takes a village but if there is to be peace, it must begin with an individual’s commitment to the possibiity…..start by doing unto others as you would have them do unto you!  Remember the message of Pentecost.

Learning.

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UPDATE June 2: Previous and related posts: May 27, 29 and 30.  Column by Ruhel Islam’s daughter in June 1, Washington Post, here.  John Noltner, A Piece of My Mind, has been interviewing people at 38th and Chicago, you can see these here.  PHOTOS AND MORE ADDED TO JUNE 1 POST.  The future of our nation is truly in our own hands.  Everyone must mobilize.

This and the previous three posts will constitute my ‘file’ about George Floyd.  Any additional comments or news will be added at the end of this, or one of the earlier posts.

*

I woke this morning contemplating the previous 72 hours, and the time since George Floyd died last Monday, May 25.  As May ends, I have a few thoughts to share, which are based on hope.  Today I am encouraged about the future.

What dominated my thoughts this morning were two photos I took December 2, 2015, at a Twin Cities Nursing Home. The event happened because of Ruhel Islam, owner of Gandhi Mahal, one of the businesses destroyed by fire a couple of nights ago.

 

Ruhel Islam with Lynn Elling Dec. 2, 2015

Larry Long, Lynn Elling and Ruhel Islam Dec. 2, 2015

As I recall this day, Lynn, a legendary activist for peace, was on the trip towards eternity, and not long before had been admitted to a Nursing Home – I’m inclined to say Masonic Homes in Bloomington, but it may have been another at that time.  Ruhel, owner of Gandhi Mahal, a favorite restaurant for Lynn and his wife, Donna, suggested we take a meal to Lynn, and invited Larry Long.  Both knew Lynn from community activities.  I was Lynn’s friend and, this day, the chauffeur for Ruhel and Larry.

This visit is one I will never forget.  The meal was from Gandhi Mahal.  Ruhel fed Lynn.   Larry sang “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream”. It was first class in every way.

Lynn died three months later, and at his Memorial service May 1, 2016, Ruhel attended and Larry sang.  It was a fine and deserved farewell to a man who took peace seriously.  Memories of the events and the men endure.

Five years later, a couple of nights ago, Ruhel’s restaurant burned to the ground, an indirect victim of someone’s deliberate arson.

The May 29  New York Times had an article about Gandhi Mahal, quoting Ruhel.  He and the restaurant will revive because of who, and how, he is.

*

The past few days and the future are important times for our city and everywhere.

In my mailbox Sunday morning, this, from my sister in rural Minnesota: “All of this this is too sickening to contemplate from a distance, but that’s where I am. I was glad that friend Judi and cousin Mary Kay were feeling safe and optimistic, in spite of the terror that has erupted near their neighborhoods. At this point in time COVID-19 seems inconsequential!  Any thoughts on how I can make a positive difference during this tragic time, please let me know.”

Also, from a valued relative in North Dakota: “They are in Fargo tonight Hope they do not come further west.Too bad that is all people have to do.”  (There were rumors on my end of the cities about groups gathering at Hudson WI.  Best I know, nothing but normal kinds of vigils and small local demos.)

Yesterday, a friend sent some wisdom shared in her neighborhood in St.Paul, which I included in yesterdays post, and which is included again at the end of this blog.  Is the list accurate?  Your choice.  Here are some more observations.

  1. At a time like this there are endless opinions and emotions.  Take a personal time out, to think things through.  This is a time for dialogue, including within your own head, about your own self!  Are your beliefs consistent with objective reality?
  2. Be very cautious of the tendency to indict a group of any kind.  “The police” that we know are by and large very respectable people – many of us know them as family, or friends.  Daily, they confront crises.  Yes, there is aberrant behavior, to be dealt with legally.  Unfortunately, we live in a society that far too often relies on labeling, and this is very dangerous for us all.
  3. I was very impressed with how my state and local government handled, and is handling, this most recent crisis, including the seeming chaos at the beginning.  Yes, mistakes were made, and owned, but adjustments made.  I wish everyone would be able to listen to the entire news conference held by Gov. Tim Walz and his crisis team on Thursday.  Walz’s career was as a teacher, and he was teaching Civics, without using the word.  “Government” is much more than just a word.
  4. Today Just Above Sunsets Alan, included a long collection of Racism quotes.  They’re worth a look, here.
  5. What we’re learning now is valuable to apply to the future, near and distant.  We can choose to learn or not learn some valuable lessons we’re having to confront not only about a pandemic (COVD-19), a community crisis (a murder), and about ourselves, especially.
  6. I encourage your viewing of the six talks on racism.  The links can be found here under “Becoming Human”.
  7. This is written before curfew on Sunday afternoon.  Absent unforeseen developments, this will probably be the last post on this topic.
  8. Your comments and additions are solicited; they will be added here, so check back in a couple of days..

George Floyd, Minneapolis Star Tribune May 31, 2020 p. 1

from Nancy, May 30:

Here’s a post that I saw on Facebook today — very important message:

‎Jesse Haug‎ to Lowertown, Saint Paul
9 hrs
A reminder that on nights like these, there are multiple distinct groups in action, with distinct goals and behaviors. Do not confuse one with another.

I’d group them into at least 5 categories.

1/
ACTIVISTS: They have clear goals, at least in their own heads. They are out to be heard and noticed. They may be nonviolent. If there is property damage, it will be targeted. Diff activists may have diff targets, but it won’t be indiscriminate.

2/
GRIEVING CITIZENS: They aren’t (yet) organized activists. They’re hurting deeply. They haven’t been heard. They have more anger than they know what to do with. They may cause unjust damage, even though their anger comes from a place of justice.

3/
ROWDY IDIOTS: They don’t give a shit about justice. They just want to fuck shit up. They’ll mingle with the activists, even though activists are ultimately a nuisance to them. They’ll come like moths to a light any time things are going off the rails.

4/
CHAOS AGENTS: Like rowdy idiots, they want to fuck shit up. But like activists, they have a goal and are self-controlled. They’re here to escalate, create an opening, make others look bad. Prime examples: alt-right instigators and crooked police. (There’s overlap.)

5/
PROFESSIONAL THIEVES: Whenever there’s chaos, there’s an opportunity to make a buck. Some of the “looting” has actually been well-organized, coordinated hits: post a lookout, designated grabber, getaway car.

6/
There may be more groups I’ve overlooked.

I say all of this to point out the danger of using the word “protesters” for everyone out there tonight. If, for example, you say, “protesters need to stop burning buildings,” which of these groups are you are referring to? Be specific, not vague or generalizing.

Above all, be careful that you do not wrongly ascribe to ACTIVISTS and GRIEVING CITIZENS the actions of the other three groups. That is just what those other groups want.

The need for justice is real. The grief is real. Take them seriously. Respect them.

Addendum: just in case it’s not obvious, the first two groups are the vast majority of people out there — but the last three cause the vast majority of damage.

from Barry, May 30, 2020, Minneapolis MN, at E 38th St and Chicago Ave S

POSTNOTE June 1, 2020:  I choose to use this time in our history as a learning opportunity.  The good old days that some in my generation revere, were in reality not all that good, and even if they were idyllic, they are no more (including the recent past).  Within these most recent posts is a great deal of useful information, if you care to learn more.  The neighborhoods I’m most familiar with are here.  The I-35 W bridge incident last night was about three miles straight north of Lake Street.  Much of the damage was along Lake Street.  Neighborhoods were less affected.  There was some damage in St. Paul as well.

There is a meme about that certain groups were responsible: African-American, outsiders, etc.  Drive these streets and they are regular neighborhoods, basically well kept.  Why would they destroy the shops in their area?  As pointed out above, protests these days are motley crews, populated by more than simply people with a grievance, in this case witnessing the murder of a black man by police in broad daylight.  The Twin Cities is my home, for most of the last 55 years.  It is rich in diversity, full of good people.  It also has a deserved negative reputation for abundant sins of discrimination in the past, including the 1967 riots.

Every single one of us has responsibility here, in what we see, say and do, particularly from this point on.  This is not a matter of ‘them’; it a matter of ‘us’.

 

 

Images

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Other related posts at May 27, 29 and 31

Today is beautiful in the Twin Cities – as WCCO-TV will correctly be able to say, “another Top Ten weather day”.  Of course, a day is much more than “weather”….

My walk is always good reflection time, and this morning I thought back to a long ago sermon I heard at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Minneapolis.  The Gospel reading for the day was from Matthew chapter 22 verse 34-39.

The Priest finished the Gospel reading, and we sat down for his sermon.

He began by repeating the last phrase of the days Gospel: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Then he sat down, and said nothing further, and sat, and sat and sat.  Imagine yourself in the pew, that day, accustomed to hearing some message, and all you got was 6 words.  It’s not fair!!  After what seemed like hours, the Priest stood and continued the Mass.  We were left with the task of filling in the many blanks for ourselves, and I’m leaving you with the same blanks to fill, now many years later.

*

Out on the path this morning, somebody had neatly printed in at least five different places “Justice for Floyd“.    The same writer had a final message, in the same print: “Have a nice day!“, to which someone had added a postdate: “Thank you, too“.

*

At home I got restless, and decided I needed to take a drive down to Lake Street in Minneapolis, just to see whatever I could see from the car.

Approaching St. Paul, a sign: “Curfew 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.”  I saw this several times, to and from.

I crossed into Minneapolis on the Lake Street bridge over the Mississippi, and about the first sighting was the Dunn Brothers where I’ve had coffee from time to time – my cousin lives nearby.  Plywood was apparently being placed on the windows, or taken down – I’m not sure which.  This would be about 47th Avenue S, at W River Parkway.

At about 32nd Street, on my left was the remains of a Walgreens, burned to the ground, only a shell as remnant.  Lake Street was blocked at 29th, so I turned around and made my way a couple of blocks north, past St. Albert the Great, which was undamaged, and west to 27th, which was open, so I could see the remnants of the intersection I knew best, where GandhiMahal was.  This entire area was very much like a war zone must look.  The damage seemed mostly restricted to businesses on the major streets.  Only those who wished to destroy know why they picked the targets they did.

Gandhi Mahal, which I initially thought may have survived, has since burned to the ground.  I took a couple of photos.  In this one, Gandhi Mahal would be between the two folks at center, about a block behind them.  Of course, Gandhi Mahal no longer exists.  My friend, Ruhel Islam, who owns the restaurant is a man of indomitable spirit, and I think he will recover, with lots of help from many friends over the coming months.  There are many stories like his.  But everyone will need lots of help.

27th and Lake, Minneapolis, May 30, 2020, about noon.

To another Bible Question, “…and who is my neighbor?” (Luke Chapter 10 Verse 29).

On this sad Saturday, I saw hundreds, if not thousands of ordinary folks walking down the streets with brooms, shovels and other tools of recovery, just coming to help in whatever way they could.  They came to give their hour or whatever, no questions, no demands.  They represented the diversity of the area.  There was no sense of defeat in these folks, such as the couple next to my car in the Aldi’s parking lot, who were simply sweeping the street in their vicinity.  My “thank you” to them was cordially received.  For everyone, every little bit helps.

Of course we’ll be barraged by analysis, fault-finding, blaming, on and on in coming days.  This is expected and needed.

But the Resurrection experience for the destroyed areas will truly be the common citizens who care, like whoever it was that wrote the sign in the park, to the quiet people with brooms and dustpans.

Thanks to everyone.

NOTE:  There have been amendments and quite a few comments to the previous post on this topic, and I doubtless will have another post with my own perceptions, perhaps tomorrow night, Mary 31,.  And, of course, other comments are solicited.  It is useful to check back – any comments received are shared

COMMENTS (more at end of page as well):

from Jane re Gandhi Mahal article in New York Times, here: Dick, this is about Gandhi Mahal, from the NY Times.  I too loved that place. Amazing people.
From The New York Times:  “Their Minneapolis Restaurant Burned, but They Back the Protest.  Though a Bangladeshi family lost their business in the uproar over the death of George Floyd, they support demonstrators and helped medics treat them.”

from Carol:  My son lives in So. Minneapolis and his church (City View) is a couple blocks from the 5th precinct.  He’s there now grilling – the church is buying food and feeding the neighborhood.  He says rumor has it that 70,000 plan to march on the 5th precinct tonight and burn it down.  He said the locals have been out for hours, cleaning up the streets.

from Darleen:  Thanks for the message and eye witness account of the destroyed area.  No one knows the who’s and the what’s, but I tend to believe that much of the damage was from bussed in protestors rather than people who live in the area.   I suppose it is a combination of both.  Tensions were running high and the virus pandemic frustrations played a role.  Be safe

from Corky: Are we better off  today vs yesterday? Has the main problem been sidetracked? Does 1968 come into view again? How do we begin to address the inequality issue in this country? For some reason ,  virus issues & personal home storm damages doesn’t even seem to be that important anymore. Time to reflect on the humanity in our country.

from Thomas:  I appreciate the first-hand update, Dick.  Hopefully the peaceful demonstrators will be off the streets by 8:00 p.m.  I know that me and my family are hunkered down in our residences.  Trust you’re the same.

from Nancy: I’ve enjoyed reading your thoughtful blog at this very sad and difficult time. Thank you.

from Thomas: I appreciate the first-hand update, Dick.  Hopefully the peaceful demonstrators will be off the streets by 8:00 p.m.  I know that me and my family are hunkered down in our residences.  Trust you’re the same.

from Bryan:  Thanks for the update.   Good to know things are calming down a bit.    Here’s a video I did of the situation here in Charlottesville, VA:

 

A City Burning

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Other related posts at May 27, 30 and May 31.

May 30, 2020: I have lived, worked and travelled a great deal  in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area of over 3,000,000 people for most of the last 55 years, and I am not living in fear today, nor have I in the past.  This is a time for all of us to open our eyes, especially those of us who are “white”, and there is an opening for us to do so.  I highly recommend watching those talks about racism referred to in the original post (below), which you can do anywhere you are reading this.  Overnight came a summary of the national scene, Finally Falling Apart,  This moment is an opportunity, not a crisis.  Yes, it requires change in attitudes and behaviors – our own.  We’re up to it.

*

Wednesday I went down to the State Capitol Grounds to take photos of a monument I’d first noticed on Memorial Day.  Here is one of the panels.

Minnesota Workers Memorial Garden, State Capitol St. Paul MN, May 27, 2020

After the photo I drove over to the place where George Floyd was killed by police Memorial Day, 38th and Chicago Ave S in Minneapolis.  An orderly crowd blocked the intersection.  I got within half a block.

I returned home on Lake Street, passing by 27th and Lake, half a block from a restaurant very well known to me, Gandhi Mahal, on 27th, a half block south of Lake Street.  Gandhi Mahal was a community gathering place; COVID-19 had closed it, as all restaurants in mid-March.  I had to cancel a meeting scheduled there for April 15.  I had frequently used it for dinner meetings in the past.

A couple of blocks earlier, about the corner of Lake and Minnehaha, I noticed some young people with signs beginning to gather at the corner.  I didn’t realize at the time that nearby was the 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis police department.

Last night we watched the fire rage in the Gandhi Mahal neighborhood on television.  At this moment, I don’t know the fate of Gandhi Mahal; however the block literally across the street from it was consumed in flames when last I watched.  [see update at the end of this post.]. This week has been a sickening time for me.

Minneapolis will continue to be dominant international news in the wake of the the George Floyd killing in broad daylight by Minneapolis police two days ago.

I wrote about it at this space Wednesday.

This morning an e-mail from my sister in New York:  “My comment is very short. There are things that are just plain WRONG….this is one of them.”

There is nothing more to say at this moment, except to urge every reader to take the time, this weekend, to watch the six talks on American Racism, all linked within Wednesday’s blog. Please take a look again, or for the first time.  Watch the talks.

Then reflect, and act.  Where do YOU fit in?

State Capitol St. Paul MN May 27, 2020

POSTNOTE after my walk: I’m a creature of habit.  After posting this blog, I glanced at the morning paper.  Gandhi Mahal apparently wasn’t damaged.  Most of the property damage was along Lake Street, not far from the restaurant and in the “Uptown” area about 3 miles west.  Of course, as in any traumatic event, there is shock, and then infinite numbers of opinions, which leads to the very real dilemma left to any one who wasn’t there but has the responsibility of sorting things out.  I have my opinion, you have yours.  That’s all I’ll say for now, except to urge you to watch the six talks on Racism.  Whatever your opinion, this is not an isolated incident in the history of our country.

Here’s an old graphic I like to use in similar situations.  We’re beginning the “RECOIL-TURMOIL” phase.

UPDATE 1:15 pm.  A friend just called to note that the GandhiMahal Facebook page announced that the restaurant was at minimum damaged by fire last night, though it is still not listed as a fire casualty in the paper.    Here is the Star Tribune article. For those on Facebook, you can read more here.

The Minnesota Governors briefing and update late this morning was very useful in identifying the very complex nature of taking action in a crisis of the sort we witnessed overnight, including the opportunistic involvement of anarchists and looters (two specific and not necessarily related ‘groups’ who are unverifiable, and thus potentially ‘false flags’ by those seeking to blame someone).  The Governor, who himself served 24 years in the Minnesota National Guard, and who was backed by people like the State Patrol and Minnesota National Guard and others, talked about assorted chains of authority and responsibility in a civil society, from local police and sheriff, to mayors, on and on and on.  Nothing is ever as simple as it appears to be in a tweet, or a complaint.  Yes, there were mistakes, and there will always be mistakes, but not willful.

Personally, I was witness to this kind of complexity very often in my day to day job years ago.  What was initially presented as an absolute right/wrong dichotomy, etc., was never so clear, the closer one got to the actual situation, and actors.  I’d simply advise everyone to be  careful about a rush to judgement, and assessing blame, though it is very tempting.

COMMENTS (additional comments at end of post)

from Laura: Prayers for a city to be healed.

from Adam: I really appreciate the visual you shared. Quite insightful.

from Jermitt: Thanks for sharing your personal experience with us.

from Mary, who lives in the area: It is my library postoffice, Aldi’s, police station and bike tire pump.

from Darleen:  Yes, the police officer is rightfully charged and the 3 officers with him or close to him would have been wise to tell him to stop as a compassionate request for human lifeI did not see the event the night it happened.   I watched some of it today and did see the knee on the neck.   The officer was out of order.   The autopsy did not indicate that death was caused by strangulation.   The trial will definitely be interesting.

from Fred:  Thanks, as always, for your perceptive commentary. We just might be seeing the start of a “long hot summer”—late 1960s style. It is tragic. Our Dear Leader just offered a unifying statement noting that cities being hit are run by Democrats.  I remember the night Dave and I took the wives to attend a dinner at Gandhi Mahal with you. It honored your German-author friend.