Thread by @RobinGarwood

What's missing from this piece about corner stores in Minneapolis?

Ah, yes: all of the people who advocated for these changes. There were a lot of them! They went on record as supporters.

I pointed that out to this reporter, and she chose to erase them.

startribune.com/new-rules-hit-…

Taking the menthol restriction ordinance as just one example, there was a large coalition that came together to pressure the Council to take this action. Formal support (and opposition, because showing one's work is important) is here: lims.minneapolismn.gov/Download/File/….

My problems with the Strib are usually with their center-right editorial stances. Most of the hard news reporting over the years has been pretty good. This story, not so much.

How is it appropriate to erase the people who demanded that the City take these actions?

And it's not that it wasn't pointed out to this reporter. Right after her conversation with Cam, I sent her an email providing the link above.

The advocates for all of these policies - staple foods, sick and safe time, $15, tobacco restrictions - are real. They can be found.

Choosing not to look for these advocates, choosing not to interview them, or choosing not to print whatever came from those interviews - those are *choices.*

I understand that to do so would complicate the easy, lazy, "little biz owner vs. big bad City" frame.

But that frame is an *impediment* to understanding what's actually happening. Complicating that frame would be good for people's understanding.

Leaning into that frame actually misinforms people. It's a pity to see the Strib do so in its actual reporting.

Here's what actually happened here, on all of these issues (tobacco, worker protections, staple foods):

Folks from the community came to City government and demanded that it take a more active role in helping them address clear and persistent problems.

Communities of color, youth, and public health folks said: wow, the tobacco companies have figured out that they can much more easily hook kids on flavored tobacco products. That's the entry point to addiction. And they're pointing it right at us, with laser precision. Help!

Those same communities said: hey, in some places it's much easier to find healthy food to bring home to our families. We're surrounded by stores that the City gives grocery licenses to, but we can't find any food. Help!

And a broad coalition of folks said: there's a real imbalance of power between workers and business owners. We don't all have the same rights that some of you take for granted, like making a fair wage and being able to call in sick. Help!

NONE of these ideas came from inside City Hall. They ALL originated out in the community. In some cases ($15 being the most obvious) they had to fight City Hall and win, in order to get these policies adopted.