|
•
<br />•
<br />EXCERPT OF COUNCIL MINUTES JUNE 25, 2001
<br />decisions affecting the communities in which your children live and their grandchildren. They will
<br />make the decisions ultimately by that notorious big "carrot" or the "stick" that will determine whether
<br />or not you live in a green environment. Or, as one woman put it, a desert. The world has turned over
<br />many times since that generation fought that big war for democracy and representative government.
<br />We've added new and different and strange, even alien meaning to words that you can find in the
<br />dictionary. And, those meanings they wouldn't understand. They know the words, but they don't
<br />know the meanings any more. Like "diversity." Well, we thought it meant variability. Didn't we?
<br />And, it's part of the American character. Isn't it? We're most of us all familiar with Ellis Island.
<br />The waves of immigrants who fought their way to some kind of plurality and descent life. But, now
<br />what does it mean? Now it seems to mask a hidden social and political agenda.
<br />Or, you take the phrase, "the right to affordable housing." All right, that has a noble ring to it. It
<br />certainly does. But, it's nothing knew. We all have believed in affordable housing and the right to it
<br />provided you could afford it. Yea, the world has turned over many ti' ,k d it's happening all over.
<br />You have the European Union and it's commission. It's faceless dividuals who are
<br />involved in the use (inaudible) of sovereign people's rights and = s 'sibi ies. You have the World
<br />Trade Organization which is stepping on legislation that soy ,=i_ F, ata. , their representatives have
<br />passed to protect the environment. And, they're telling th . s that they can't do it and get
<br />away with it. And now in this country, in each and eve c.`+ u + where this issue is faced, people
<br />like yourselves, well meaning and intelligent people,l that, are backing down.
<br />I was encouraged by something in this morning's paper 3` And, I'm certainly not going to read it all.
<br />But, it's from Mayor Awada, she wrote in t w a yor of Eagan: "Housing policy decisions
<br />should reflect a consensus of the majora .resse• through their elected representatives. In fact,
<br />the whole point of having different i `' s to allow local variation and localized decision
<br />making. Through uniqueness, we of community and provide choices for Minnesotans.
<br />We should never dictate to oth , ' ey should zone and develop their communities and the
<br />Metropolitan Council is atte o d." And, finally she says: "As Mayor, I lead and reflect the
<br />desires of my residents. ake th s'on that is formed by consensus and implement it, even when it
<br />makes enemies of those e with that vision." And I, she didn't say it, but I would imagine
<br />that would even entail ene s o had some power and leverage. She would still do the right thing.
<br />In closing, I'm reminded of something a man by the name of Andre Mulroe(sp?), a political activist
<br />and journalist said, now deceased. He said, "history is made by those who say 'no.' It's not made by
<br />people who just bend at the knee." It's made by people who said no. Like those people who said it in
<br />Boston Harbor, at Lexington Concord, on the North Bridge. And, it would seem Mayor Pat Awada in
<br />Eagan knows how to say no. God bless her. Thank you.
<br />MAYOR BERGESON: Thank you. Is there someone else?
<br />MS. DONLIN: I was hoping I wouldn't have to follow Ray Stadum because, umm, poor
<br />speaker, with laryngitis, following that is just unbearable. But, I'm Amy Donlin. I live at 6100
<br />Centerville Road.
<br />13
<br />
|