It's supposed to get worse tonight.
I used to live in a condo in the area that was burned last night. The Governor and mayor have evidence out of state agitators-organizers are behind this. The protest has moved away from being about George Floyd and turned into an attack against civil society. What the want is destruction. Tonight is supposed to be worse.
The fires last night were only 2 miles from my house.
I don't know what else to say. I don't like the politics against leadership and how they are handling this. No one was ready for this. No one expected this. There are so many poor people now displaced by fires, now unable to get food and supplies. They lost income because of COVID - now this.
Someone online made a joke about looting a Dollar Store - but poor people really buy their supplies in stores like that. It makes me sad, because we are so privileged we don't realize the plight of the poor in our own cities. It breaks my heart.
I am so sorry, Terry. I thought of you when I heard about all this, because you are the only person I know in Minneapolis (even though I will probably never meet you in person). When looting and terrorizing are done in the name of protesting, it is evil and it is a lie. It only creates more victims. Tonight is the first public Mass at my parish since the quarantine began 2-1/2 months ago. We will have to walk several blocks because protestors are in front of the Police Department, which is our next door neighbor. I pray for your safety from the virus and from looters and rioters. God bless and protect you, dear Terry.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have our Liturgy because there were protests and looting too close to the church.
DeleteA church friend contacted another parishioner who lives outside the city and spent the weekend there once a fire was started 4 blocks from her home.
We'll try again this week, hoping for it to happen.
So one bad deed begets a thousand more. The people most vulnerable lose what has taking years to develop. Namely neighborhood stores, restaurants, banks and coffee shops. The rioters and looters care nothing for anyone. This is not like 18th Century France when rioters looted for bread. This is about new sneakers, liquor, phones or any ole things they can get their hands on. Once again poor neighborhoods will be deserts with no services. Looting in America is about greed and opportunity. Videos I have seen almost everyone has a phone and it taking videos to post as a brag. "Look what I did!" Phones are a monthly expense and not a cheap expense either. The far left and the far right want a race war and this is what we are getting. Please stay Safe Terry. You must live near where I once lived. Are there still Red Owl Stores in Minneapolis? If you are interested I will tell you how I almost died on East 27th St. I had a sort of premonition and was spared by the grace of God. I have an affection for Minneapolis ever since.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize you lived here once - no longer any Red Owl store, they became Super Valu and many are now high end grocery stores - Kowalskis. I'd love to hear your story!
DeleteSummer of 1974 age 23, two months married & traveling across country on extended camping honeymoon. Minneapolis was our first destination for the summer. Both my wife and I worked at day camps. Arc (my wife) Pillbury-Waite (me). We lived in a rented studio on East 25th St. it was a glorious summer. The worked paid the bills and we had lots of time to explore. We had a total of ten family members visit and stay in that studio with a Murphy bed. Not your typical honeymoon but boy did we all have fun. I still laugh at the memories. One day mid June the thought crossed my mind what if I were to die here. My wife would be alone. Dying was not something I ever thought about before. I needed to pick her up at a nearby school so I thought I'll stop and get her a yellow rose. It was raining, then pouring. Breezy then windy. The sky was progressively darker then a deep purple. I bought the rose and headed down E 27th toward the school. The trees literally danced above me. Tall stately mamouth old elms. Then I saw one on my left falling across the road headed right for me. My thoughts slowed down. I remember thinking I can gas it and try and get ahead of it, but the car often stalled with fast acceleration. I saw my life pass before me. I was sure I would die. I do not know what I did or did not do, but the tree hit just behind me and pushed the roof into the back seats. It was torrential rain by now. People run from porches. A single policeman came. By that time I had been able to climb out the front door window. I was a skinny boy in those days! I was in shock and refused to let the policeman take me to the hospital like he wanted. I explained my wife needed to be picked up and would have no one to call. He agreed to drive me there first. two months married and your husband arrives in the back seat of a police car where you are a new employee. I often say my wife probably thought she made a big mistake! The officer's first words are "lady you are lucky your husband is alive." He then took us to the hospital where I had some superficial cuts from flying glass. I was still in shock. We returned to the car after the rain and retrieved the rose. A pump bulb horn and wool blanket were gone. The car, believe it or not, was repaired and usable for years. The frame never broke. I have a picture from The Minneapolis Star that ran on the front page, a piece of wood from the tree and a shard of glass. I think I had a premonition, a warning, and a rescue. I believe I was spared for a reason, but definely warned ahead of time.
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