Secrets of the City

That Valleyfair story made me sick.

It’s scary some entitled some men think they are to grabbing women’s body parts that they get angry when they are denied. WTF.

The fact that the little girl a) had her ass smacked by a stranger then b) watched her dad get beat down by 6 men has me horrified. To have to watch that must be devastating to that little girl.

And who smacks a 12 year old’s ass? I hope he get a sexual assult charge on top of the regular assult charge. Or maybe they will all get attempted murder. They deserve it.

It’s scary some entitled some men think they are to grabbing women’s body parts that they get angry when they are denied. WTF.

It’s even scarier when those men think they should have access to a 12-year-old’s body parts. I nominate this guy as the nation’s next serial rapist.

sandburg…those aren’t men.

The dad did the right thing, even if he ended up paying for it. Imagine if he had done nothing. His relationship with his family and especially his daughter would never be the same again. That’s what dads do. That’s what dads are for.

I agree with Maz. too bad more bystanders didn’t do the right thing and save the dad.

The dad did the right thing, even if he ended up paying for it. Imagine if he had done nothing. His relationship with his family and especially his daughter would never be the same again. That’s what dads do. That’s what dads are for.

Certainly he did the right thing, but I’m just aghast that this man was almost kicked to death in front of his wife and child…jesus christ.

hey did binky ever get an account?

you know, because a gun would have totally solved this problem.

There may not have been many bystanders after midnight outside in the parking lot. These are not humans. They should be summarily executed, like you would a dog that attackes people unprovoked.

wayne…not to get all Freudian, but you’re not 100% kidding here.

I know. This is one (rare) occasion where it miiiiiiiiiiiiight have mayyyybe made a difference. But then, guns are banned in the park, so it would have been in his car anyway.

I’ll bet if he shot them them jesse jackson and all the rest of the scum bags would be up here rallying on their behalf, just like they did with those jena 6 thugs that beat that lie half to death

Also, just to add to the noise, sending the offenders to jail will be the comparative result of doing nothing. Jail just doesn’t seem a fit punishment in this case.

At most, these thugs will serve a couple months and be loose again, this time with a grudge and the mentality that 12 year old girls are fair game.

I’ll bet if he shot them them jesse jackson and all the rest of the scum bags would be up here rallying on their behalf, just like they did with those jena 6 thugs that beat that lie half to death

*splutter*

I agree that the dad did the right thing in protecting his daughter. But I have to wonder what took place in the initial confrontation. What happened that prompted scumbag 1 to call scumbags 2 – 6 and attack the guy in the parking lot?

Does Valleyfair offer security guards to walk you to your car?

Miller, well if it would have been my dad, it would have gone something like this: “Keep your hands off my kid or I’ll rip ‘em off and shove them down your throat.”

Yeah, what alie said. Dad was probably winning the fight.

“These are not humans. They should be summarily executed, like you would a dog that attackes people unprovoked.“

But, noooOoOooOo, all life is valuable. Bleh.

We have a link to a story on submarines, and all maz wants to talk about is the brawl at Valleyfair?

I’m not too gung-ho on naming submarines after places. The class boat I was on was named after presidents or other prominent americans, and the fast attacks in my day were named after interesting sea creatures, real or imagined. Places are blah.

I would have done the same thing regardless of the odds. Sometimes you’re the cavalry and sometimes you’re the light brigade. The article said they continued to assault other people, f-in barbarians.

The naming conventions for ships have changed since we don’t make battleships anymore. It’s kind of a shame that we don’t use some of the more colorful historic names for ships.

The dad should’ve kicked the guys ass and when he tried to call his homies shoved the phone up his ass. Or run them over. Really! As a dad this one bugs the hell outta me.

It’s kind of a shame that we don’t use some of the more colorful historic names for ships.

I mean, which would you rather serve on, the USS Tiger Shark or the USS North Dakota? No offense, david.

Wow, what a chicken-shit smarmy pedophiliac.

We don’t have a good command of any language that could discribe
what should be done to the pedophile and “it’s” cronies.

Hopefully the father will recover soon, as well as his family.

No need: We’ve already had the USS Fargo (Fargo class light cruiser), and the USS Bismarck (Casablanca class escort carrier).

I can’t wait for the nuclear powered submarine USS Bill Clinton.

I thought Air Craft Carriers were named after Presidents these days.

I can’t wait for the nuclear powered submarine USS Bill Clinton.

I thought they already had that in a cigar…hee
(sorry, I couldn’t stop myself)

There was also the USS Fort Mandan.

The naming conventions for ships have changed since we don’t make battleships anymore.

Yeah, it’s very confusing now because while most of the nuclear sub fleet has states’ names, some are named otherwise. (Back in the ’60s, ballistic nukes were all named after dead presidents. Attack sub were named for fish and sea creatures, e.g. Skate, Nautilus)

The naming of aircraft carriers has always been confusing, though. The first “named” carrier was the Forrestal in ca. 1948; previous to that carriers were named after Revolutionary War battles (Saratoga, Lexington) or navy ships that had fought in our early wars (Enterprise, Constellation, Wasp, etc.). But now most of the carriers are named for dead presidents (Lincoln, Reagan) … except the new George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) who is still very much alive.

The USS Fargo is almost empty. Everybody abandoned that ship to come to Minneapolis.

We had the USS Indianapolis, but she came to a tragic end. I saw the memorial last time I was in Indy visiting my mom.

The USS Fargo is almost empty. Everybody abandoned that ship to come to Minneapolis.

But the taxes are so much lower on USS Fargo!

and yet they still can’t keep it full.

wonder what that says, kevs.

But the taxes are so much lower on USS Fargo!

I think you are thinking of the USS South Dakota, kevs. Fargo is anything but empty, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the region. It’s the rest of ND that has a shrinking population.

If they ever get around to naming ships after the Chief Petty Officers (who really run them), I would like to live to see the USS William Moffitt launched in honor of my recently departed Uncle Bill.

Great, more worthless military expenditure!

Good thing the US economy has strong fundamentals and tons of extra cash to pay for billion dollar subs.

Its not like that money would’ve been better spent on:

education
public transport
infrastructure repairs…

Nahh, gotta keep the military industrial complex going even though there is no Soviet Union boogey-man anymore. Of course the all-powerful Al-Quaida super-army is about to take over the world, so this is all money well spent.

Fucking 1984 all over the place.

I love the US, I don’t like seeing the direction it is going with pointless wars, crumbling economy and brain-dead populace….

The article forgot to mention that this sub will be used to track down Osama Bin Laden in the nuclear sub he got from Russia.

Yeah, that’s how we’ll catch him. Gotta find where that Oscar 2 or Typhoon class is hiding.

He added that the group continued to assault other people unprovoked after the attack on the father. There were no reports of other injuries

When are we as a society going to demand more from every one. These people need to be treated as terrorists and if they are in a gang they should be tried as such.

I like our Mpls finest giving info on an informant to a known gang banger. I hope this cop does time. He is a traitor to both his fellow cops and his community. serve and protect my ass.

1. Which troll has risen like a Phoenix and become Berfus?

2. Everytime I see the name Berfus I think of Goofus and Gallant (don’t pretend you didn’t read Highlights).

3. I didn’t RTFA but where were park security/police when this beating went down? Normally when places close down or people are exiting, there tend to be police/security in the next place all those people are likely to end up (ie the parking lot). I notice this a lot after sporting events and when, say, the malls close.

Fargo is anything but empty, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the region

And it’s going to end up being 40 miles long, and 2 miles wide.

There is an updated article on the Strib about the Valley Fair incident.

Charges: 8 took turns stomping dad at Valleyfair

Bail was set at $40,000 to $60,000 each and all have bailed out, officials said. Travesty! Obviously they didn’t come from the poorest families if they could round up $4-6K for the bail bond.

Just read the Strib update. It sounds like VF security was on the scene during the beating, but lacked the ability to stop it? That’s not security.

Miller, I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if VF security even has mace. I haven’t been there in almost 10 years, so I can’t remember what types of crowd control implements they have.

Just read the Strib update. It sounds like VF security was on the scene during the beating, but lacked the ability to stop it? That’s not security.

Most private security seems like a paid audience for crime.

Most private security seems like a paid audience for crime.
You are neglecting their other chief function: harassing the innocent.

8 attackers and 22 VF security guards on duty at the time of the attack. Not getting why they couldn’t stop it.

When an attack is as brutal as this, why do they have to wait to see what “permanent” damage the father suffers in order to press more severe charges?

Why did it take 10 days for the VF thing to make the news? It happened on the 4th — shouldn’t somebody have picked up on this sooner?

Listen vlad, if it weren’t for the u.s. submarine service, your parents would have a moscow address.

I’m guessing that precedent dictates that depending on the charges leveled, certain injuries are more likely to result in guilty verdicts. if the guy loses his sight and has permanent brain damage, then charges of attempted murder might stick better at a trial in 6 months than if he shows up to the witness stand fully recovered. the main thing they don’t want to do is lose the case by way of overcharging the criminals and not having the evidence to sell it to a jury should it come to that.

And if it wasn’t for the Russians, you’d be speaking German right now, Maz.

Granted, it’s likely that the 22 security guards were spread throughout the park at the time of the attack. And the attack probably only took a minute or so. But this happened inside the park (not in the parking lot as in the earlier report). It’s hard to understand how the guards who were stationed near the exit failed to stop the attack, or at least minimize the damage.

Why did it take 10 days for the VF thing to make the news? It happened on the 4th — shouldn’t somebody have picked up on this sooner?

I can’t imagine there are many reporters checking the daily police logs in Shakopee. It came out when charges were filed in Hennepin County Court. (my guess).

The wife said a minute later several men arrived and assaulted her husband inside the exit of the amusement park, despite efforts by her and several female relatives to help him. He was knocked unconscious.

Having witnessed an assault last summer in a national park, it’s true that an attack can happen so quickly and it’s over before you know it, but then what’s the point of having “security” if nothing can be done to help?

They were able to somehow detain or otherwise prevent all but one of them from leaving until the police arrived.

And if it wasn’t for the Russians, you’d be speaking German right now, Maz

I don’t think so. If you can read, thank a teacher. If you can read English, thank a veteran.

Jason, obviously Valleyfair wasn’t interested in publicizing this, but I find it hard to believe that none of the presumably numerous witnesses to this fiasco didn’t somehow leak this out. It’s not as though this happened in a private residence or an airport bathroom. In our Web2.0 world, how does such a big, provocative story stay quiet?

Updated Valley Fair Attack Story

And if it wasn’t for the Russians, you’d be speaking German right now, Maz.

And if it weren’t for that comet, you’d be speaking dinosaur. Rawr!

And if it wasn’t for the Russians, you’d be speaking German right now, Maz

I don’t think so. If you can read, thank a teacher. If you can read English, thank a veteran.

Maz, you really need to read some WWII history. The war really was won on the Eastern front.

“If you can read these slogans on the bumper of my car, thank 3M.”

Boy, those academic commies are doing more damage than we thought.

I don’t think so. If you can read, thank a teacher. If you can read English, thank a veteran.

And if you know enough about history to know that the Eastern Front was the grindhouse of World War II, with more than 30 million people dying, and that the mass grave that was the battle of Stalingrad, in which 1.5 million people total were killed, was one of the most decisive turning points of WWII, then don’t thank Maz.

Boy, those academic commies are doing more damage than we thought.

I’m sorry, but what, if anything, does this conversation have to do with anything other than fulfilling your troll quota for the day?

And here I thought we had Patrick Swayze to thank.

And if you never heard of Nikita Khruschev, then don’t thank Maz either.

You’re really taking credit for that? Well, then I’m going to take credit for something I didn’t do.

If you’ve heard of the moon landing, thank Bunny.

bleeping commies.

Your genius continues to dazzle.

Not to mention, it might have been over before it even began if the Russians hadn’t regrouped and won the Battle of Moscow.

Let’s also not forget the Battle of Kursk, which largely destroyed the German war machine in the east.

Maz is my favorite nutty old man.

I’ll let max handle the rest of this, and just say that any fool capable of reading beyond his John Birch Society approved history pamphlets would recognize the critical role that the Soviet Army played in the defeat of Germany.

Well, there’s nothing you can really do about someone who actually denies history if it doesn’t fit his idiology.

“Idiology.” Heh heh. Zing!

I invented Post-it’s.

Yeah, no doubt the Russians won WWII. The US helped supply their war machine, etc. but the action was in the East.

Just look at the dates, the US entered the war well after the tipping point. Once the US saw that Soviet union was advancing on Europe they panicked and scrammed troops to the western front. If that hadn’t happen all of Europe would’ve gone communist.

Anyway, this is beside the point of worthless military spending in the form of submarines.

MunsingW– that’s a fascinating question. Apparently the typical ValleyFair witness to a beat-down is not very web 2.0. Surprising, actually. Where’s the cell phone video? The pics? Etc.

To paraphrase Bobcat Goldthwaite, if I’m getting beat down, put down the cameraphone and help me.

Bobcat’s still alive?

Since this thread went all to hell anyway:
Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party used St. Olaf as a testing ground for a special program. It was there that he and Eva Braun conspired to undermine the education of Americans. Hitler apparently worked under an alias, but Eva Braun kept her name and worked as the gym teacher.

My question is why did i not hear about this attack on any of the tv news programs and why did it take a week before the star tribune covered it? Sounds an awful lot like the media silence on the case of the white couple who were tortured, raped, and killed by a hang of blacks in tennessee last year.

Bobcat’s alive, and lost a lot of weight.

Hm. Second racially charged comment by Berfus today. Not a good start.

Berfus, you might want to read the thread. MunsingW raised your question in a much less redneck manner.

Why did it take 10 days for the VF thing to make the news? It happened on the 4th — shouldn’t somebody have picked up on this sooner?

My response: I can’t imagine there are many reporters checking the daily police logs in Shakopee. It came out when charges were filed in Hennepin County Court. (my guess).

Yes, yes, Berfus. That’s it – media silence. Or maybe you were too busy listening to the racist voices in your head.

And of course, I meant Scott County Court.

I wonder if James McCusker is Berfus’ real name?

We had the USS Indianapolis, but she came to a tragic end.

The Indy was a battle-cruiser; not a battleship. Battle-cruisers (which became even more quickly obsolete after WWII than battleships) were usually named after cities.

Has anyone ever seen binky and Berfus in the same room at the same time?

It’s been said: They should be put to sleep like ferral animals. And 3rd degree assault! Someone/some people in the prosecutors office/MN congreee should be dismissed without cause, immediately. The place we’re headed as a civilized society is sick. Thank you.

But hey, another “city/community” has been named as the best places to live in the country! So we’ve got that. Just don’t tell hitty & shooty.

The charges were initially light, pending full evaluation of the victim’s injuries. These pukes are not getting off at all. Once you’ve been charged with a crime the conviction rates put the odds well against you. They are fully in the teeth of the justice system now.

Sweet lord! Bobcat looks like a new man.

Has anyone seen phoenix lately?

Oooooo (jumping up and down with glee)
I loves me some Post-its.
Thank you Aliecat

Once the US saw that Soviet union was advancing on Europe they panicked and scrammed troops to the western front.

Not exactly. The US entry into the European war was only the result of Hitler’s Dec. 8, 1941 declaration of war; otherwise the US had no reason to become directly involved … and it is debatable whether Congress would have otherwise declared war on Germany and Italy short of a direct attack on US soil (the reason for Congress’ declaration of war against Japan).

The “Western Front” didn’t even exist until 1944, after D-Day.

So, there was no “panic” on the part of the US, and no “scramble” of US troops. It took more than two years to ship the troops and equipment needed for D-Day. From 1942-1944, the only real action the US conducted against Germany in Europe was in the air.

The first battles US troops fought against Germany weren’t even in Europe; they were in North Africa. The Sicilian invasion in 1943 was designed to knock Italy out of the war (with the added advantage of drawing away German troops from the Normandy coast to the south of France).

*pop*…..*pop*….*pop*
yeah…*pop*…packing bubbles…*pop*
We invented them…*pop*

addictive…*pop*…aren’t they?

*BOOM*

oops

I’ll let max handle the rest of this, and just say that any fool capable of reading beyond his John Birch Society approved history pamphlets would recognize the critical role that the Soviet Army played in the defeat of Germany.

Saying russia helped defeat germany is one thing. Saying if they hadn’t helped we’d be speaking german is, you know, kinda stupid. The japanese were still fighing two months after germany surrendered, so that would be like saying if Truman hadn’t nuked japan, the russians would be speaking japanese today. I pity you people and your substandard educations. But it’s not your fault so don’t take it personally.

At least my education taught me to recognize the ebb and flow of an argument, and when an exaggeration is being made to satirize a point. Nobody here is actually saying we would be speaking German were it not for the Russians. We were responding to the foolishness of you claiming that somehow you personally have kept us from speaking the language of an invading army, and that if it wasn’t for the u.s. submarine service, Vlad’s parents would have a moscow address.

But, you know, feel free to beat your chest and proclaim your superiority. It’s what you do when you run out of meaningful things to say, which generally takes, oh, how long?

Oh, yeah. It’s your default position.

Saying russia helped defeat germany is one thing. Saying if they hadn’t helped we’d be speaking german is, you know, kinda stupid.

It’s less stupid than you might think. The Eastern front took an extremely heavy toll on the German war machine.
If Hitler had ordered the German Army to proceed directly to Moscow, rather than heading south to the oil fields, the Soviet army might not have recovered from the the initial assault, Stalin might not have regained his nerve, and the German army probably wouldn’t have gotten stuck in that brutal Moscow winter.

There are a lot of what if’s, but absent the toll, imposed by the Soviet army at Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk, to name a few, who’s to say we would have won? And at what additional cost? We would have been facing a very different German army. Much better manned, and much better armed.

Also, next time you see a non-white person sitting in the front of the bus, thank a black person.

And next time your wife, mother, aunt or daughter votes, thank a woman.

And the next time you’re civil liberties are violated, thank a Republican.

In fact, everytime I receive a paycheck and realize that I can quit my job whenever I thank a white or black person – because, you know, I’m not a slave and all.

Because that makes sense…

*your

I’m thanking an adult for teaching me grammar.

Yeah that’s my real name. So what? what are you trying to prove buddy? Whats your name dude?

You know bixby, when I was your age most black people voted republican. They voted republican, not only because Lincoln freed the slaves, but because the republican party was the party that stands for freedom, individual rights, and private property, three things black people eagerly embraced. They also voted republican because black people have a history of strong religious beliefs. It wasn’t republicans that removed god from the schools and the public square. It was the other party that did that. Republicans are also the party of the second amendment, believeing people have a fundamental right to defend themselves. It’s the other party that champions gun control laws and fights to prevent conceal carry laws. Many black people live in unsafe neighborhoods and have a right to defend themselves and their familes too. It was two black people in washington DC, a man and a woman, who’s lawsuit to win the right to arm themselves in their own homes that resulted in the recent supreme court decision giving them that right and ruling the DC gun control laws as unconstitutional. This nation’s first gun control laws were passed as a means to prevent freed slaves from a arming themselves. It was conservatives who finally gave you back that right. Many black men die before they ever can collect social security benefits. It is the republicans, not the other party, that is trying to make social security a prvate account that could be left to a man’s heirs, removing that problem, but it’s the other party that fights it at every turn. I could name many other reasons why black people historically voted republican because it was the party that was aligned with their beliefs. But in the 60’s the american left convinced the black people that their problems would be solved, not through private enterprise, but throguh government programs.

The damage to the black family and their children couldn’t have been more complete and more devestating than if the KKK had been running the cities and the schools.

You know, when I was my age, most Native Americans voted Democrat because they understand what voting with their and the country’s interest meant.

Yeah, Lincoln’s party freed the slaves and I’d vote Republican back then (actually, I wouldn’t be able to…) but shit changes. You know how Japan and Germany are now allies but they used to be enemies?

Well, holy shit, thing change!

And you act like religion is exclusively the domain of one party!

Maz you’re precious. If I ever meet you I want to pinch your cheeks and tussle your hair.

Most native americans (actually, you can call us Indians, we don’t mind), vote democrat because they want free stuff from the government. I imagine it’s the same motive for most democrat voters.

James – I was wondering if that’s your real name because some of your posts are borderline racist. I was curious about whether you’re willing to attach your name to the things that you write here.

My name is Pete Miller. I don’t think that I’ve ever posted anything that I would be ashamed to have my family, friends or co-workers read.

So much is so wrong in that I don’t know where to start. Bixby has a good start, I’ll jsut add this:

The GOP hasn’t been the party of lincoln for well over 40 years. It was the other party that pushed through the package of civil rights. Yes, southern Democrats were an obstacle, but after LBJ signed the Civil Right Act (”We’ve just lost the south for a generation”), they left the party in droves, because politicians like Nixon were more than willing to play to their racism.

If a man dies before collecting SS, spouses and children can receive survivor’s benefits from SS.

How much longer were they supposed to keep waiting for private enterprise to solve the problems? Slavery was abolished in the 1860s, and yet in 1960, they were still being denied the vote, Jim Crow was in full force, Bull Conner was turning the fire hoses and sicing his dogs on them. Brown was largely ignored.

Yes, I’m sure they’d be a lot better off with the lynchings, denial of voting rights, etc. that the KKK would enforce.

A greater percentage of republicans voted for the civil rights act than democrats. Look it up.

Bottom line, the civil rights movement of the 60’s was largely a leftist movement that convinced black people that their problems would be solved through massive government programs. The results are that black people have been subjected to democrat-run government programs, democrat-run unionist government schools and democrat-run cities for 40 years and look where it’s gotten them.

If they had a good lawyer they should sue for damages.

And once again Maz demonstrates that he has no arguing ability beyond simply insulting people who disagree with him, and no understand of history if it directly contradicts his ideology. He is also, as I have noted in the past, the only person on this site who regularly makes comments that, coming from anybody else, would instantly be recognized as racist toward Native Americans.

Lovely man.

The “we’ll save you” fraud perpetuated by Democrats against America’s inner cities rivals up there with 2006 for the biggest political fraud of all time. The populus of the inner cities (of any and all races) still mostly haven’t caught on, so hopefully the people bamboozled in 2006 won’t be so perpetually gullible.

Also, if you were 18 in 1968 then when you were my age most black people were definitely voting democrat. Do you even know how old I am?

Whatever. When I was a kid (ok?) all of my friends and neighbors were gainfully employed, two-parent families who happened to be black. They worked on the railroad, they owned grocery stores, hair salons, trucking companies, you name it. They were the boyscout leaders, the church ministers, and the school principle … and they were conservatives. Today, the ones I’m still in contact with, including the son of Tiger Jack, for example, still vote republican. They praise their good fortune that they were raised and educated before the “civil rights movement.”

And max doesn’t believe anything to be true unless he’s read it in a book that was written by some leftist author.

Both sides of the aisle have committed “we’ll save you from something” fraud for one thing or another, just ask the people who voted for Bush twice.

And max doesn’t believe anything to be true unless he’s read it in a book that was written by some leftist author.

So we’re instead supposed to base our viewpoints on the small group of people you knew in St. Paul in the Sixties? I’m sorry, but your homespun anecdotes don’t translate as research.

Also, unlike you, I seek out sources that are unbiased. Actually, let me rephrase that. Unlike you, I seek out sources.

Does anyone honestly think that the Barry Goldwater of 1964 would have signed, let alone invested political capital to pass the Civil Rights Act the way JFK and LBJ did?

The real bottom line: the GOP has been more than willing to play Nixon’s Southern Strategy for the votes of southern whites for the last 40 years.

And again, private enterprise had 100 years from the abolition of slavery to solve the various problems. You never did answer, how much longer should they have waited before trying something different?

Similar situation with the disabilities act. The “free market” wasn’t doing shit to address the problems. At some point, you realize that it isn’t going to happen, and you look elsewhere to ensure your rights.

You read about it. I lived it. We’ve had this discussion before.

Yes. A discussion that is predicated on your asinine notion that your limited life experience somehow precludes you from being responsible from being civil, reasonable, or educated. What a marvelous life you’ve lived, and how glad we all are that you’ve chosen to share it with us.

And again, private enterprise had 100 years from the abolition of slavery to solve the various problems. You never did answer, how much longer should they have waited before trying something different?

What are you talking about? I just told you how when I was a kid, the black family was a two-parent, gainfully employed, fully engaged member of society. There were no incidents of 7 thugs kicking the crap out of some middleclass father like what happened at Valley Fair. That was unthinkable. That “change” came about in the past 40 years.

Well. it’s nice that the four square blocks of St. Pault hat you lived in were so balmy, but, once again, your comment represents how sorely out of touch you were with the rest of America.

You lived one tiny portion of it. You didn’t live the experiences of millions of others. If you understood a damn thing about science, you would realize you can’t extrapolate one person’s experience like that.

Go to Rondo days sometime and talk to the older people there. I’m guessing you’d be shocked.

First off nothing i said was racist. Secondly i resent you using my name on this site. You violated an expectation of privacy thats everyone’s right regardless of their opinion.

Well, yes, I’m sure Rondo was lovely. Again, the neighborhood you happened to live in as a boy is not a representation of every experience of everybody in America. Hell, it’s not even a representation of everybody in St. Paul. Strange Days, Dangerous Nights is nothing but photographs of St. Paul in the 40s and 50s, and they show crimes every bit as horrible as the one you claim just didn’t happen back then. But, then, they are in a book, and, since it directly contradicts your claims, they must, I suppose, somehow be forged by lefties who are out to somehow discredit your pastoral vision of a beautiful America that existed before the liberals got hold of it.

Berfus, anyone who clicks the little red arrows next to your screen name above will see your profile page, with your name on it.

I could produce a book that would present any version of events you want to believe, I’m sure.

There’s no need. You can just close your eyes and wish history away. It solves the problem of having to publish.

Why do have this need to believe the worst about this country?

To whom are you addressing that non sequitur? Try and stick with the actual discussion, instead of retreating into nonsense.

What are you talking about? I just told you how when I was a kid, the black family was a two-parent, gainfully employed, fully engaged member of society. There were no incidents of 7 thugs kicking the crap out of some middleclass father like what happened at Valley Fair. That was unthinkable. That “change” came about in the past 40 years.

What about the black experience in Mississippi or Alabama or Georgia? The lynchings? Over 3,000 blacks were lynched between 1880 and 1968. Of course shit like Valley Fair happened. They happened in Duluth, they happened in Grand Forks. Black families were broken up under slavery, under the sharecroppers, and during the great migration north.

Read some of the history of blues or jazz. There’s shit loads of drugs, alcohol, and violence in the communities.

First off, I’m not a kid. I haven’t been a kid for a long time. I am an adult, so what “when I was a kid” is supposed to mean I don’t know.

Anyway, my grandma, biological grandpa (who was in the military), grandpa that I grew up with, mom (who, by my math is older than you), and two great uncles that served in the military were educated before the civil rights movement and have been staunch democrats pretty much forever.

Also, before moving to North Mpls my family DID live in Rondo.

Don’t play the anecdotal-evidence-involving-black-people-I-know game with me, you’ll more than likely lose.

But, by the way, the Native Americans that I know who are voting democrat are college and grad school educated, have two-parent homes and are quite self-sufficent.

I think Maz has made it more than obvious that any fact that doesn’t support his particular world view is suspect and must be a product of liberal propaganda, whereas any nonsense that supports his viewpoints is unassailable, especially if supported by personal anecdotes from back in the golden days of Rondo.

I lived in St. Louis Park 35 years ago, therefore everybody is Jewish. And anyone who claims otherwise is a dirty antisemite.

True but he didnt have to put my name out on the board like that. He’s playing dirty pool.

I met Tiger Jack’s kid once.

Fair enough, Berfus. I’ll keep in mind that you don’t want to be referred to by your name. It’s too late to remove that earlier reference, but it will disappear into the recesses of MnSpeak soon enough. If anyone uses your real name again, I will excise it.

You’ll excise it? Like a tax? Your terms confuse me at this late hour, max.

Taxing is what we liberals do best. That and spending.

Dirty pool? He put his own name out there as well.

Thank you sir/mamm (i dont know which you are because i dont go prying into your personal info). Ill do part and tone it down a bit.

His name was a very common name. You could find twenty people in the phone book with his name, whereas my name is very uncommon in these parts. In ireland it might be a different story.

Well, there’s no secret as to who I am.

I’m Batman.

So you’re bruce wayne

No, he’s Batman. Can’t you read?

Oh my God, after all that you go and use my real name!

Shouldn’t have starred in all those movies.

Too bad the father didn’t have conceal and carry. Then he could have quickly dispatched all 6 fatherless feral animals that assaulted his daughter, and the world would have been a cleaner place.

I hope the judge has some balls shows them no mercy.

James – I just wanted to remind you that these comments don’t exist in a vacuum. Real people read them and form opinions about us based on what we write.

Although my name is common, I still get an occasional email from a friend or former co-worker who sees one of my comments and asks if it’s me. I hope that you will “tone it down a bit.”

Thanks,
Pete Miller

We’re talkin’ about real names? Anyone else ever get asked “Are you the cremation society guy?” No? Then STFU.

Tru dat, kevs. I keep getting asked if I am writting a followup to “If Jesus Were Mayor.”

Don’t play the anecdotal-evidence-involving-black-people-I-know game with me, you’ll more than likely lose.

Oh really? Didn’t you go to some fancy private high school and williams college? I bet there were more black kids at the schools I went to than the ones you went to.

Look at Maz. He thinks he blacker than Bixby.

I didn’t really read most of this, but didn’t they tear out the entire rondo neighbourhood to put I-94 in?

Maz is Soul Brother Number 1 and don’t you forget it!

I could produce a book that would present any version of events you want to believe, I’m sure.

I’m sure you could produce a book denying that the Holocaust ever happened, as well, doesn’t mean it’s true.

I met Tiger Jack’s kid once.

You mean Lucky?

Lucky you! (snark)

There are still big pieces of Rondo left, wayne. I’m writting from one right now.

ok, well most of it then. or they cut in in half or something. I know 94 was really bad for the hood.

Look at Maz. He thinks he blacker than Bixby.

Ain’t nobody blacker than Bixby. Believe me, she reminds me daily.

Yeah, I did attend private schools but, unlike you, I didn’t grow up in a vacuum. I’m not even claiming that most of my friends are black. I’m saying that just because you grew up around a couple of black people and have anecdotal evidence doesn’t mean that you know a lot about black people. My entire family *didn’t* attend those schools. I’ve always lived in North Minneapolis. But I mean, I’m not like you, qualified to make sweeping judgments about my race because I grew up with a ton of people of my race. How was life growing up on the Reservation, Maz? Or did you live off Lake Street? I forget which it was.

whateverrr.

Very good comeback Maz. Bixby I hope you realize how wrong you are now.

We’re talkin’ about real names? Anyone else ever get asked “Are you the cremation society guy?” No? Then STFU.

I sh*t you not, I just got a voice mail message asking me if I am the cremation society guy.

Berfus – Peter’s encouragement to think about your ‘on-line’ persona is quite valid. I remember the first time I went to a MNspeak get-together, a place where real people met with other real people in the real world.

I introduced myself as ‘Nathan Eklund, a.k.a. nateek.’ And I got a big fat, “Oh! YOU’RE nateek!’

I had no idea what that response meant. Was I a jerk? funny? a-hole? Since then, I’ve been very careful to make sure that what I post here accurately depicts me as the a-hole that I really am.

Come to think of it, I don’t know if people who come off as being argumentative, trolling, racist, or any other unattractive trait ever show up at get-togethers. So, heeding Peter’s advice, it behooves all of us to write in such a manner that we could meet in person one day without reticence.

@mb21:
He used 3 freakin’ Rs! Oh snap! I’m hiding under my desk right now because that was so fierce.

I sh*t you not, I just got a voice mail message asking me if I am the cremation society guy.

People leave us voicemails because they think we’re a pharmacy, even though our voicemail clearly says we are not a pharmacy. So sometimes we have to call people back and be like, “Um, no one is going to refill your X medication unless you actually call the pharmacy.”

Come to think of it, I don’t know if people who come off as being argumentative, trolling, racist, or any other unattractive trait ever show up at get-togethers.

Oh, I don’t know, racist mb21 seems to show her face a lot. I hope more trollish-type people show up to functions. I need a Racist Friend!

it behooves all of us to write in such a manner that we could meet in person one day without reticence.

Damn! Shoulda thought of that!

I hope more trollish-type people show up to functions.

I agree. I wish some people who ruffle MNspeak’s collective feathers would show up. It would make for a great evening.

Uh hello?? Does this look like the face of a racist?

Speaking of which, were have you been lately, wayne? More people need to see your smiling face and buy you drinks.

Uh hello?? Does this look like the face of a racist?
You were trying to kidnap me! I tend to smile when panicked!

Anything going on Mnspeak drinking style on Friday?
The spouse is off to Milwaukee and I’m soloing.

I’m sure you could produce a book denying that the Holocaust ever happened, as well, doesn’t mean it’s true.

Here’s my point: we’ve got people like alie from south dakota, david from fargo, max from slp, and other people from Iowa, all raised in lily white communities before the civil rights era.

I thought they should know that it wasn’t all lynchings, “colored-only” water fountains and riots every weekend because from what I can gather, what they know is what they read in a book. I (mistakenly) thought they would benefit from someone who actually lived through that era and that they would be relieved to know that there was a place, and I’m sure St. Paul wasn’t the only place, where people of color had a good life without institutional racism, harrassment, or other overt prejudice.

Sorry if I misjudged you.

Oh that’s rich.

all raised in lily white communities before the civil rights era.

I meant after the civil rights era, obviously.

That goes for you too, missy.

maz’s youth was a Utopian vision of America at it’s raceless apex. when the Coke was made with real sugar, cigarettes weren’t bad for you and there wasn’t flouride in the water.

The Mexican Coke is still made with real sugar, and in old timey green glass bottles! I buy if for Cuba Libres in the summertime.

Not germane to this post, but this is the best Ironic T-Shirt Evar!

I’m sure St. Paul wasn’t the only place, where people of color had a good life without institutional racism, harrassment, or other overt prejudice.

Hee!

I find it difficult to believe that institutional racism, harassment and other overt prejudice took a break at some point while you were growing up and then decided to make a comeback while I was people on this board were growing up.

I do, however, believe that reality may have taken a break during your lifetime.

When my grandma calls this afternoon, I’ll be sure to ask her about the utopia she lived in.

That goes for you too, missy.

Only my parents and grandparents call me that. You can stick with Melissa.

And shouldn’t you be falling back on your usual use of “wasichu”?

You need to meet more black people.

I (mistakenly) thought they would benefit from someone who actually lived through that era

Nothing wrong with that. Too bad you framed it with this:

You know bixby, when I was your age most black people voted republican

It sort of pulls the discussion into other areas. I think it would be interesting to know more about Minnesota during the civil rights area. But we didn’t get there because the discussion was all about how people should (or used to) vote.

Here’s my point: we’ve got people like alie from south dakota, david from fargo, max from slp, and other people from Iowa, all raised in lily white communities before the civil rights era.

I’m not sure what your point is? Are you trying to say that I would have no idea what racism is because I didn’t grow up in St. Paul (snort)? I’m sure the Indians that grew up in and around Sioux Falls in the 70’s and 80’s could tell you a story or two about white attitudes toward their people.

Maybe that can be our next mnspeak gathering… “Maz introduces us to a lot of black people”.

Bix, come up with a t-shirt slogan please.

That’s not what you were saying at all, Maz. What you were saying was that black people were conservative, voted Republican, and were perfectly happy before Civil Rights, as proven by your marvelous experiences in Rondo as a boy. And then the liberals came in, convinced black folks they needed government, and what necessarily followed was bling, baby mamas, and Valley Fair beatdowns.

Bix, come up with a t-shirt slogan please.

Native, Please?

I meant after the civil rights era, obviously

Not all of us. My 1958 birth certificate from Brevard County, FL has the title “Certificate of WHITE Birth” across the top. Apearently, they had different certificates for children of different hues…

If you had SAID that maz, that there were places that, for what ever reason, people of all races and religion seemed to live together in relative harmony, and blacks voted Republican, etc. that would have been different. I’m sure there were pockets of civilization like that. They certainly weren’t the NORM.

It will be interesting to hear how Grandma Bixby’s memories compare to maz’s, if she cares to share it with us.

Oh, I spoke with Grandma Bixby.

Actual quotes:

“He don’t know what he’s talkin’ about”
“Racism was there and it will always be there. Now, then, whenever”
“He was only 18? He’s just running off at the mouth and he doesnt know. I was there, and I lived it. That’s what I think about his story.”

That was only 10% of it.

…because from what I can gather, what they know is what they read in a book.

Not true. I also learned from watching “In the Heat of the Night,” “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner,” “To Sir, With Love,” and “The Color Purple.”

Ok, I actually didn’t watch The Color Purple.

Maz is under the strange impression that I don’t know or have never met any black people who are his age.

He’s wrong. I’ve met them, and they tell different stories about their experiences than the one his is putting out there. But, you know, Maz doesn’t trust books, doesn’t trust photographic evidence, doesn’t trust historians, doesn’t trust anything that contradicts his bias. I suppose he thinks those people — what historians call primary sources — are also lying.

Ok, I actually didn’t watch The Color Purple.

Racist.

“people of color had a good life without institutional racism, harrassment, or other overt prejudice.”

Next time I talk to the inlaws, who’ve lived in St Paul for eight decades, I’ll pinpoint the decade when this five minutes of racial harmony existed.

It’s just so instructive how you are so willing, indeed anxious, to believe the worst of this country to the point of going out of your way to ry to deny or discredit someone who actually lived in a black neighborhood, went to black schools and churches and patronized the neighborhood black-owned businesses. I don’t doubt that bixby’s relatives are bitter. After what they’ve been through in N.Mpls, and what they hoped would be a better life under big government programs, I’d be bitter too.

And with that I’m going into my “Maz doesn’t exist” mode again.

I don’t doubt that bixby’s relatives are bitter. After what they’ve been through in N.Mpls, and what they hoped would be a better life under big government programs, I’d be bitter too.

You didn’t understand a word she wrote, did you? What I don’t understand is how you refuse to accept other people’s experiences as a form of truth, yet you get pissed when people doubt yours.

So you’re calling grandma Bixby a liar, or at least someone whose memory is suspect because she is bitter because she decided to become dependent on the government and that fell through? And you’re demanding that we respect your opinions?

Stay classy, Maz.

It’s just so instructive how you are so willing, indeed anxious, to believe the worst of this country to the point of going out of your way to ry to deny or discredit someone who actually lived in a black neighborhood, went to black schools and churches and patronized the neighborhood black-owned businesses.

p.s. Living in a black neighborhood doesn’t mean you know fuck-all about what it means to be black in America, Maz. Especially the America of the 50’s and 60’s.

I’m not demanding anything. I’m simply amazed.

Well, yes, I imagine having your weird, ahistoric, anecdote-based, insulting, and self-serving worldview so thoroughly rebutted must be rather amazing. Too bad you’re so myopic and mired in your prejudices that you’ll just be back to repeating the same nonsense tomorrow.

Maybe if you’d be a little faster learner I wouldn’t have to.

I am rather slow to replace facts with nonsense, yes. But touche. That one was almost as deadly as “whateverrr.”

Hey Maz, you should come to my comedy show next Wednesday and tell my grandma that to her face. Free tickets!

I kind of thought that the big party change for African Americans came with the new deal. If Maz was an adolescent during the New Deal era, he’s one tech savvy geriatric. McCain could use your help.

It’s just so instructive how you are so willing, indeed anxious, to believe the worst of this country to the point of going out of your way to ry to deny or discredit someone who actually lived in a black neighborhood, went to black schools and churches and patronized the neighborhood black-owned businesses.

I’ll take “Holy Shit That’s Ironic” for $200, Alex.

I don’t doubt that bixby’s relatives are bitter. After what they’ve been through in N.Mpls, and what they hoped would be a better life under big government programs, I’d be bitter too.

My family has lived a great life and I think we’re all happy with how things have turned out for us while living in North Minneapolis. We’re just bitter about out of touch tool who think they know what it’s like to be us.

I always wanted to know why having one or two ideas about how to improve one’s country or noting some of the problems facing one’s country is construed as believing the worst/not loving America?

I was born in Louisiana, and my grandma lived in a formerly middle class white neighborhood that was slowly becoming a predominantly black neighborhood. When we’d visit, the neighbors chatted together and if someone was running to pick up donuts they’d pick up a box for the lady next door, and maybe the lady next door later would invite us grandkids inside for popsicles with her kids, and, as a kid, I thought here’s us being white and them being black and everyone’s as neighborly as can be.

It would be damned stupid of me to think back on that now and suppose, hey, based on my direct experience as a child, there must not have been one whiff of racial strife in the heart of the south in 1972, even with the civil rights movement raging. We shared donuts and popsicles! It would be facile, self-serving, and dishonest to the nth degree to then forge this facile historical thesis that racial problems must have been invented later, by Republicans, because, heck, later Reagan became president and that’s when the trouble must have started.

I wish i didn’t have my name posted on this site i mean how the f did that happen? It’s bull man.

Berfus -

Just edit your profile and remove your full name. Just use your first name.

If you like, Berfus, I can go into your profile and change your name to something anonymous.

Get over it, Berf.

I always wanted to know why having one or two ideas about how to improve one’s country or noting some of the problems facing one’s country is construed as believing the worst/not loving America?

because you’re dealing with cyborgs.

how the f did that happen

oops… click happy today

Look down James. it is called a keyboard. You pushed some buttons and clicked save.

I just went in and changed Berfus’s name. If you’d like me to make it something else, Befus, let me know.

He you feel like doing it id appreciate that.

It’s just so instructive how you are so willing, indeed anxious, to believe the worst of this country

On the contrary. Believing that this country can actually live up to its founding principles is actually believing in the best of this country.

Befus… it’s got a nice ring.

Max, did you email him explaining that the threads are archived so his whining is pointless?

Berfus wants to be anonymous, that’s his perogative. I guess somebody could go through the threads and figure out who he is, but it would be a lot of work.

Thank you very much. Im on a cell phone so it’s kind of limited on what i can do. I never was to computer savvy in the first place.

because you’re dealing with cyborgs
Yes, but what kind of cyborg? Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Van Damme or Rutger Hauer?

Don’t forget Dr. Claw.

Speaking of Van Damme, I wonder what would happen if Gibson Rickenbacker from Cyborg met GR44 from universal Soldier?

Blonde man explosion.

I highly doubt anyone i know clois here but you never know.

Correction: blogs here

I don’t blog here either. Bloggity Blog Blog…

I blog at Teucer’s mom’s house.

So, to wrap up this thread…

I think the big take away from our discussion is that black people in Minneapolis riot like this while black people in St. Paul riot like that and that black people in St. Paul lived in a pre-civil rights utopia like that but Minneapolis people lived in a utopia like that.

And that my grandma hates Maz like everyone else on MNSpeak does.

[in other words: 233 comments to conclude that Maz is a dipshit]

Annnnnd scene!

wasichu.

That sounds about right!

because you’re dealing with cyborgs
Yes, but what kind of cyborg? Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Van Damme or Rutger Hauer?

MNBLRMKR!!!

Sept 29th!

wasichu

Gesundheit!

Gesundheit, maz!

geezus, jinx

Say maz, do you know what your ancestors thought tornadoes where? I tried asking that on the willmar tornado thread but it got side tracked into a theological debate.

mnblmkr, is that the day?

Yes, surgeons office emailed. They finally got confirmation from the insurance co.

Earliest available date was the 9/25. I want to do the headwaters 100 on the 27th, didn’t think I’d be up to a 100 mile bike ride two days post op, the next was the 29th. So I took it.

That’s great. Good to see insurance companies doing the right thing.

Good luck and eat lots of good food between now and then.