My dad's given name was "Steven." He could not inhabit that name, could not live as a man with that name.
To be clear, my dad was not trans. He was a cisgender white guy. He was born in 1950, died in 2005.
In his 20s, he changed his name to Seth.
Oct 18, 2021 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
Jacob Frey's PAC continues to repeat this lie that he "banned no-knock warrants."
Here's the truth: since Frey "banned" no knock warrants, MPD has sought 90 of them.
Source: minnpost.com/metro/2021/09/…
I am so tired of this strategy of "if we repeat the same lie enough times, people will think it's true." It's bad for our democracy, bad for our city.
And if a candidate had a real record of reform to run on, they wouldn't have to repeat tired lies over and over.
Sep 14, 2021 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
It has been clear all along that this was the endgame. This was never about a disagreement about the language of the ballot question. It's an attempt to nullify the thousands of signatures from Minneapolis residents - myself included - who want to vote on this charter amendment.
This was always the intent: to prevent the people of Minneapolis from exercising our legal right to change our own Charter. Democracy be damned, equal process be damned - anything and everything to protect the status quo that murdered George Floyd.
May 18, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
I listened to this press conference, and heard a lot of calls from the mayor and his allies for "unity." It rings *very* hollow to call for unity at a presser you didn't invite people to attend, or even tell them about.
I can confirm: no one who was part of planning this presser/campaign stunt invited Cam, or let us know it was happening.
But to not include or even inform the two Black Council Members who represent the area where the presser was held? Yikes.
May 17, 2021 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
We’ve got a real “tale of two cities” situation with Brooklyn Center and Mpls. Both cities’ police departments wrongfully killed a Black man, both faced widespread protest that got national attention. Where Mpls has struggled, BC has made significant strides. Why?
The best way to understand the disparity is as a reflection of the two mayors’ very different responses.
In Brooklyn Center, Mike Elliott has led the fight, alongside his colleagues on the Council, to make transformative change, and to do it quickly.
Jun 16, 2020 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
This thread is a subtweet to a City Council Member from another city and a former candidate for Mpls City Council. It’s about the difference between healthy skepticism and unhealthy cynicism. 1/11
I think there’s a spectrum of trust for elected leaders. Like many spectra, when you get to one extreme or the other, it starts getting more toxic and destructive, and the extremes kind of reinforce each other. 2/11
Jun 8, 2020 • 22 tweets • 4 min read
I want to talk about the last time the police came to my house, because I think it can help illuminate what dismantling the police and replacing them with a more constructive way of providing public safety means, at least to me. 1/21
In April, my friend Jesse was leaving my house after a game of tennis. At this moment, a guy neither of us knew started coming into my house. He seemed quite out of it. 2/21
Oct 28, 2019 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
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/….
I am so tired of this strategy of "if we repeat the same lie enough times, people will think it's true." It's bad for our democracy, bad for our city.