Emotion, Anger and Song at Park Board Meeting on MLK Dog Area
Although supporters and opponents read an optimistic joint statement about their informal negotiations, some in the crowd still emotionally objected.
Angry outbursts, tears and singing of “We Shall Overcome”echoed through the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meeting Wednesday over a possible off-leash dog area in Martin Luther King Park in Kingfield.
The proposed dog park has been advocated by some Kingfield residents for the last two years. In addition to stated safety concerns, opponents thought the off-leash area would be disrespectful to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., after whom the park was named in 1968. There have been emotional meetings throughout this summer and fall.
A 24-member Citizen Advisory Committee for the dog park was supposed to have been appointed two weeks ago, but due to objections from the community about the lack of diversity, those appointments were postponed until opponents and supporters could work out a compromise about who would be on the committee.
Members of Citizens In Action, who oppose the off-leash area, have been meeting informally with the Kingfield Dog Park Taskforce. The two groups haven't yet reached a consensus, but did deliver a joint statement at the park board meeting.
Ben Harris, from the task force, and Sandra Richardson, from Citizens In Action served as spokespeople for the two groups. Richardson said that they had been meeting as a way to create an inclusive process, but "at this point we have not been successful."
Harris read the following statement from the two groups:
It is the consensus of our combined group of members that we are on the path to a Citizen's Advisory Committee that will work for all concerned parties for the Proposed Sixth District Off-Leash Area addressing CSA 10 and surrounding neighborhoods. Although, as of tonight, we do not have the final draft of our proposal available for the Park Board's review, we are confident that by the next meeting, we will be able so to do. We want all of our supporters to know that we have heard their concerns, their wishes and their needs. It is our intent to address all of these to mutual agreement of the parties involved and to make this process transparent and inclusive to all users of the available sites within our area of consideration. We look forward to the opportunity to present the finished statement for your review in the future.
Other speakers had less calm words. "All of the parks are yours, pick the one you want, but leave ours alone," said longtime activist Spike Moss. "It’s time for you to respect our humanity or we throw down on you the way you throw down on us.”
After the public comment period ended, Commissioner Jon Olson motioned to exclude King Park from consideration for the dog park location. "It blows me away that we are even continuing this discussion,” Olson said. Commissioner Brad Bourn raised a point of order that the board had not yet voted to suspend the rules. The motion to suspend the rules failed in a 5-2 vote.
After the board voted against suspending the rules, someone began singing “We Shall Overcome," others in the crowd joined in. Activist Al Flowers called out “Racists." Several others also shouted at the board as the meeting adjourned.
B Connors
2:54 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
I don't think Moss' rhetoric of a 'throw down' is at all helpful to his cause. That threat of violence simply draws derision and further divides the "sides". I wonder why he and Al Flowers are even involved in this as they're usually meddling in non-issues in North Minneapolis.
I seriously feel it's a HUGE stretch to connect a dog park with the violence against people of color 30 years ago. The recent reporting news footage I saw showed a lot of people walking their dogs in the park simply on the paths. An off-leash area would draw those pets into a fenced area and lessen the incidental pooping going on throughout the park. Pooping all over the park would seem to be more disrespectful that providing an enclosed area. What to King's family think of the idea?
There are so many more important, and frankly, valid causes for people to get involved in but equating placing an off-leash dog park in a city park for the reasons the opposition cites is just ridiculous. Unemployment is out of control. People are sleeping on the streets. Children are being murdered by their caregivers. Our young people are murdering one another in the streets.
How about adjusting your priorities, Moss and Flowers?!?
Jane Wright
4:20 pm on Thursday, January 20, 2011
People have been walking their dogs in MLK Park for years. Why does it matter if an area is designated or not? Where was the uproar then? Why now?
This whole thing started because a guy was letting his dog run loose in MLK Park and was cited for doing it. So, he approached KFNA to see if there was an alternative.
It's much less likely that dog bites/attacks would occur if there is a designated area. BUT you know what? If folks wanna let their dogs run loose to catch a Frisbee in the park, their gonna do it anyway. So, might as well have a spot to do it.
To incite violence over folks wanting to Assemble Peaceably with their dogs is outrageous.
Linda Picone
10:49 am on Friday, January 21, 2011
There will be no dog park in MLK Park. I've watched for nearly 10 years as committees of earnest, well meaning dog owners have proposed one location after another for a dog park in SW Minneapolis, and each got shot down or, worse, just kind of shunted aside with no clear refusal by the Park Board. It's frustrating.
But the situation here is particularly disturbing. That Al Flowers and Spike Moss would seem to threaten--or at least condone--violence while supposedly fighting for proper respect for Martin Luther King is beyond ironic. It's frightening, and yet likely to accomplish just what they want. It's time for the committee to walk away and, sigh, try once again to find a spot in SW that might work, rather than risk the safety of innocent dogs and their owners.
Having dog owners from all around south Minneapolis in the park on a regular basis would no doubt reduce some of the illegal activity currently occurring in that area and probably reduce dog detritus now scattered throughout the park. But logic and reasoning are not going to win in this situation, I'm afraid.
cj ferdinand
9:24 am on Sunday, January 23, 2011
Could we please, just this once, honor the sensibilities of the African American community and not force a dog park in MLK Park? I don't ask my friends or neighbors to justify their deepest held beliefs. Clearly, there is a resonance here between the people and the park that is completely lost on the European American community.
As a side note, in terms of history, 50 years is just a blink of an eye.
Marilyn Mettenbrink
9:12 am on Monday, January 24, 2011
This incident mimics what has been happening all over our nation. Apparently we can no longer discuss issues, but must quickly escalate to violent language and threats. Alongside that trend, there is apparently not enough diversity among the Park Commissioners. Had black commissioners been present, I believe there would have been a sense that more viewpoints than just those of white residents in the neighborhood were being heard. Although angry and violent threats are never to be condoned, it is important recognize their source.